Clatter

About

Clatter is a multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Facepunch Studios and was released on December 10, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Clatter is a strategy game where players build and command customizable squads of fighting robots in turn-based arena combat. Take on other commanders in multiplayer mode, with an ever-changing roster of maps and game modes, or battle through a season-long league in the single-player career mode. Daily challenges offer additional opportunities to test your skills against AI-controlled squads.

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78%

Audience ScoreBased on 535 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Clatter offers a unique blend of strategy and customization, allowing players to build and manage their own teams of robots, reminiscent of chess but with a modern twist.
The game has low system requirements, making it accessible for players with older PCs, and provides a fun, engaging experience for both casual and competitive play.
Many players found the game enjoyable and worth playing beyond just the initial goal of obtaining the Rust helmet, appreciating its strategic depth and replayability.

The online player base is very small, leading to long wait times for matches and a lack of competitive gameplay, which diminishes the multiplayer experience.
Some players reported issues with the game's mechanics, such as confusing unit abilities and a steep learning curve that can be frustrating for newcomers.
The game can feel repetitive over time, with limited variety in gameplay and AI behavior, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.

gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its intuitive mechanics and engaging, chess-like strategy, offering a satisfying experience for players. While some users find certain bots ineffective and express frustration with RNG elements, many appreciate the depth and variety of strategies available, as well as the smoothness of the gameplay. However, concerns about a lack of player base and bugs in the campaign mode have been noted, which may affect long-term enjoyment.
- “Honestly, a pretty fun chess-like game, had good mechanics; smooth gameplay overall; solid.”
- “With its sleek visuals, strategic gameplay, and intuitive controls, the game offers a satisfying and engaging experience for strategy enthusiasts.”
- “The robots are all interesting in their own right and they are all designed well, utilizing them together for a kill is satisfying and mastering a strategy with a few units really holds the game together as there is a depth to the game mechanics.”
- “The game is alright for a free-to-play title, but the mechanics are quite simple and intuitive. Some of the bots, like the booster, igniter, and icer, seem quite useless based on the hours I played.”
- “Gameplay is acceptable but can get frustrating at times.”
- “There are some annoyances in the gameplay, namely that the fire/explosion-based enemies have a bit too much RNG involved for my liking, but the devs have done a good job so far to fix most irritating quirks in the game.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
23%
18%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their sleek visuals, good aesthetic, and timeless cartoon style, contributing to an engaging experience. However, some users noted the presence of glitches and a lack of polish in certain areas, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the visuals are appealing, they may not compensate for gameplay issues, particularly for those who are not fans of the genre.
- “With its sleek visuals, strategic gameplay, and intuitive controls, the game offers a satisfying and engaging experience for strategy enthusiasts.”
- “I feel that everything is awesome about this game - the graphics, the sound, music and gameplay.”
- “The units are varied, the graphics are good, and I've only run into a few minor bugs.”
- “Art style tried to be 'arena sporty' but ends up clashing with the cartoon nature of the bot designs - I didn't pick this up looking at the screenshots.”
- “If you want to pick this up because of its visuals, you probably shouldn’t, as you will not be having any fun while looking at those visuals.”
- “The game has crisp sound effects, but the graphics leave much to be desired.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
43%
The humor in the game is characterized by amusing enemy trash talk that quickly becomes repetitive, alongside quirky animations and funny character designs, such as humorous hats and helmets. While the comedic elements are generally well-received, some players note that the limited variety in dialogue can diminish the initial charm. Overall, the game is considered funny and entertaining, contributing positively to the experience.
- “Free game and funny robots solid 10/10”
- “Funny game!”
- “The animations are funny and although the explanation of how everything works is not done so well, the looks of the game are clear enough to figure this out on your own pretty soon.”
- “The humor in this game feels forced and often falls flat, making it more cringeworthy than funny.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and the punchlines predictable.”
- “The attempts at humor are so over-the-top that they detract from the overall experience rather than enhance it.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising the nice soundtrack and sound design. While some reviews describe the music as decent, others highlight it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's appealing atmosphere.
- “The game has a nice soundtrack.”
- “I feel that everything is awesome about this game - the graphics, the sound, music, and gameplay.”
- “Such a nice game, well designed and supported by awesome music.”
- “Cool looks, 'alright' idea/concept, decent music and sounds, but that's it.”
- “Add in the fanfare theme music that sounds straight out of Monday Night Football.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on gameplay elements like leaderboards, daily missions, and customizable features. The story mode presents a challenge, particularly for players who haven't practiced with the bots beforehand. Overall, it offers a variety of engaging mechanics despite the absence of a cohesive story.
- “Story mode is tough if you don't practice with all of the bots beforehand.”
- “No story.”
- “There is zero story outside of the esports aspect.”
- “The story mode is tough if you don't practice with all of the bots beforehand.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to keep up with progression.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability due to its challenging AI, diverse environments, and unlockable upgrades, which encourage players to explore different strategies and experiences.
- “The game's challenging AI, varied environments, and unlockable upgrades provide a high level of replayability and strategic depth.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic events and multiple paths you can take, making you want to dive back in for more.”
- “With different character builds and strategies to explore, the game encourages you to replay it to discover all its secrets.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Overall, the game demonstrates a generally stable performance with smooth gameplay and appealing graphics, though some users have reported occasional glitches. While one player experienced no issues during their hour of play, the presence of minor bugs suggests that stability may vary for different users.
- “I only played an hour, but it seems bug-free and the gameplay is extremely smooth (unlike Rust).”
- “The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
- “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “The game is plagued by lag and performance issues, which really detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's optimization allows players to effectively manage both their team of bots and the associated financial aspects, including maintenance, upgrades, and player transactions. Success in matches and player popularity directly influences revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay.
- “Not only can I manage my team of bots on the arena floor to eliminate the opposing team, but I also manage the team's finances, including maintenance costs, repairs, upgrades, and buying and selling players/bots. You earn money from winning matches, ticket sales (based in part on players' popularity which increases with their performance over time), and taking sponsorships that set goals for you to achieve in the arena.”
- “The optimization mechanics in this game are incredibly deep, allowing for a strategic approach to both gameplay and resource management. Every decision impacts your team's performance and financial health.”
- “I love how the optimization system encourages you to think critically about your team's composition and strategy. Balancing upgrades and finances adds a layer of depth that keeps the gameplay engaging.”
- “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, making it difficult to manage resources effectively.”
- “I often find myself frustrated with the clunky interface that hinders my ability to optimize my team's performance.”
- “The game's optimization issues lead to frequent crashes and lag, ruining the overall experience.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features undisclosed microtransactions for in-game customization, which are not mentioned on the store page, leading to user dissatisfaction.
- “The game contains microtransactions that are not stated on the store page.”
- “In-game customization is locked behind microtransactions.”