Crawling Lab

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 84 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Crawling Lab Game Cover
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In "Crawling Lab," players enter a secret laboratory overrun by the rogue AI "Crawl Queen" and her Biodoll minions. Armed with guns and a limited supply of ammo, players must battle their way through attractive enemy designs, upgrade their weapons, and eventually confront the Crawl Queen to escape the facility. The game features simple controls, various enemy traits, and additional content unlocked upon completion.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews
emotional1 positive mentions
gameplay7 negative mentions
  • The game features addictive mechanics and offers a lot of replay value, making it a fun time killer.
  • The visuals are appealing, with well-designed characters and environments that enhance the overall experience.
  • The gameplay is engaging, with a good balance of shooting mechanics and RPG elements that allow for character progression.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive due to limited enemy variety and map designs, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
  • Performance issues, such as lag and hitbox problems, can detract from the overall experience, especially in later stages.
  • The upgrade system feels underwhelming, and the game lacks sufficient content to keep players invested after completing the main modes.
  • gameplay29 mentions

    The gameplay of this game is characterized by a mix of addictive mechanics and a repetitive loop, with players enjoying the smooth controls and various modes despite some criticism regarding the lack of creativity and polish. While the rogue-like shooter elements provide a straightforward experience, many users find the gameplay to be simplistic and occasionally boring, with a desire for more engaging content and variety. Overall, it offers enjoyable moments but is hindered by repetitiveness and a need for improvement in certain areas.

    • “This game has quite addictive mechanics.”
    • “Very enjoyable, simple gameplay but you do have to think later - do you waste the good ammo on the easier to kill bots, or save the sniper shots for the harder to kill ones and hope you have enough knife durability to take out the smaller ones...”
    • “The gameplay loop is designed so that the level of fun does not drop at any time.”
    • “It may have a bit of a repetitive gameplay loop, and the controls could do with a little more polish.”
    • “Unfortunately this game feels really rough, the gameplay is repetitive, the map layouts are repetitive.”
    • “The difference here is that the game was insanely padded during my playtime and the gameplay wasn't engaging enough to make grinding enjoyable.”
  • story20 mentions

    The story in this FPS roguelike is generally considered simplistic and underwhelming, primarily conveyed through minimal cutscenes and visual storytelling, with most details provided via the Steam store page and in-game notes. Players note that while the narrative lacks depth, it offers a "read between the lines" experience, reflecting a soldier's limited perspective on missions. Despite its shortcomings, there is hope for future updates that may expand the story and enhance character customization options.

    • “The story is simple, but there is more of a 'read between the lines' when it comes to the story of Crawling Lab.”
    • “When given orders, soldiers are mostly kept in the dark about the fives (who, what, where, when, and why) of their missions.”
    • “The story is basically given to you via the Steam store page, a bit of obvious visual storytelling and two short cutscenes at the beginning and end.”
    • “Yes, probably their most simple story yet.”
    • “Regardless, the story is not as direct and explained as Etirue's previous work, and that will be one of the more common complaints players will have with this game.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The graphics in the game are a mixed bag; while the character designs of the "bio dolls" are visually appealing, the overall visuals are described as typical for Unreal Engine 4/5, lacking standout quality. Some players appreciate the aesthetics and cutscenes, but others feel that the environments and non-character graphics fall short. Overall, the graphics are decent but not exceptional.

    • “The visuals are stunning, adding to the overall aesthetics of the game and enhancing the immersive experience.”
    • “Pros: good graphics, decent sound, controls are tight and responsive.”
    • “The game impressively features a few cutscenes, showcasing the graphics in a way I did not expect.”
    • “Basically you're in a lab and starting with a knife you gradually pick up ammo and kill 'bio dolls' which are basically robots with sexualized female bodies. It's not pornographic; the characters are just scantily clad for no reason.”
    • “And the graphics for anything other than the bio dolls are not really the best either.”
    • “It hit me after 8 hours of playing this game that the undertone of shooting hot girls is slightly psychotic, though in reality it's just a fun game where you get to shoot and gain skill points while also getting to look at something pretty instead of something ugly, adding to the aesthetics.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the quality of the tracks but expressing a desire for more variety, especially given the game's length. Others criticized the music as sounding low-budget and filled with stock sounds, suggesting it lacks the depth and engagement expected in modern games.

    • “Just have huge parties in the test room, with music, lights, and hundreds of dolls dancing!”
    • “I wish there were more different tracks of music; the game is on the long side, so it would be important not to annoy the player with the same three tracks, even if they are very good.”
    • “Longer pieces of music are much needed in games these days.”
    • “The music sounds pretty much like what you would expect out of a low-budget project.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with users noting stable performance and no significant frame drops or stutters. However, some players mention that frame rates may be slightly lower than expected.

    • “Performance-wise, it runs fine with no issues. It may be a bit lower in frames than what you would expect, but there are no FPS drops or stutters.”
    • “Visuals, audio, and performance are all well-optimized.”
    • “The game performs well overall, with minimal bugs affecting gameplay.”
    • “Performance and bugs.”
    • “Visuals, audio, and performance.”
    • “Performance-wise, it runs fine with no issues, maybe a bit lower in frames than what you would expect, but no FPS drops or stutters.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, particularly through its diverse modes beyond the main story, making it a compelling choice for players seeking variety. Users appreciate the almost infinite replay value, enhanced by features like ammo scarcity, which adds to the challenge and enjoyment. Overall, it stands out as a time killer that keeps players engaged for extended periods.

    • “A FPS roguelike and a nice little time killer with more replay value if you play the modes outside the main story.”
    • “It definitely has replay value, and I think over 2 days, I played this more than their other games so far.”
    • “The replayability is almost infinite, due to various factors.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be challenging and often frustrating, as resource farming is difficult with limited starting equipment and low end-of-map rewards. The gameplay is perceived as padded and lacks engagement, making the grinding experience less enjoyable, especially for those who struggle with planning.

    • “The gameplay is not bad, but the resource farming is hard. You start with basically no ammo and a knife that breaks fast. End-of-map rewards are super low; the only one that's worth it most of the time is to fix your knife a bit so you can get two more swings out of it.”
    • “The difference here is that the game was insanely padded during my playtime, and the gameplay wasn't engaging enough to make grinding enjoyable.”
    • “The game could be grindy for people who can't plan.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that character development in the game is perceived as lacking, with players feeling underwhelmed by both the game loop and the character designs of the female characters.

    • “I found the character development to be lacking, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.”
    • “The characters felt one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game was minimal at best.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impacted character development.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Crawling Lab may not meet the emotional depth expected from Etirue, as it tends to deliver simpler narratives that may disappoint some players seeking a more profound experience. However, it still manages to evoke some emotional responses, albeit in a less impactful manner than previous titles.

    • “While we have become accustomed to Etirue delivering simple, yet surprisingly touching emotional or funny stories, Crawling Lab is bound to disappoint some, depending on how you look at it.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in "Crawling Lab" may not meet the expectations set by previous titles from Etirue, as it offers a different tone that could disappoint some players. While it attempts to deliver emotional and funny moments, the overall comedic impact may vary based on individual perspectives.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
8-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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