CRUEL

About

"CRUEL is a single-player Action game with outstanding mechanics and good graphics, dropping you into a terrifying hotel where you must battle bloodthirsty enemies in 10 dynamic levels. Quick reflexes are essential as the environment constantly shifts, and collecting cans for upgrades can provide a much-needed edge. The heart-pounding electronic soundtrack enhances the intense, surreal atmosphere."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 826 reviews

gameplay57 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features fast-paced, addictive gameplay with satisfying gunplay and a great soundtrack.
Visually stylish with a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.
Offers a challenging yet rewarding experience, encouraging players to improve their skills and strategies.

Some mechanics, like hit detection and enemy spawning, can feel inconsistent and frustrating, leading to unfair deaths.
The game is relatively short with limited content, leaving players wanting more variety in levels and upgrades.
Certain upgrades and mechanics, such as the gambling system, may feel underwhelming or not impactful enough during gameplay.

gameplay
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
2%
The gameplay is characterized by its fast-paced, challenging mechanics that require skill and mastery, with a satisfying shooting experience and engaging combos. Players appreciate the tight controls and the variety of weapons, though some mechanics, like the gambling feature, feel underutilized. Overall, the game offers a rewarding loop that encourages improvement and keeps runs fresh, despite some criticism regarding its length and certain gameplay elements.
- “It's designed in a way to make you feel like you're always sandwiched in with danger present at all angles, which makes the gameplay tense but presents you with the tools and abilities to feel like a badass.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced, kind of hard but very balanced. It takes some skill, but if you get the hang of all the weapons and abilities, you will enjoy the game very much; you can't play it like a standard shooter because every weapon has its purpose.”
- “Extremely satisfying gameplay loop with a gorgeous art style and serviceable soundtrack.”
- “It's a fine game, plays alright but it's not really doing anything interesting apart from being able to type the name of someone you want to kill at the beginning, but it doesn't seem to do anything with that mechanic, which is a shame.”
- “I really like the style of this game and the mechanics, but it feels like a majority of my deaths aren't my fault; either my melee just doesn't collide properly, I somehow accidentally destroy my healing, or one of the enemies will get up after taking a couple of shots and then kill me from behind after it seemed like I killed them.”
- “However, I hated Mullet Madjack since it had such mind-numbing gameplay that had a gameplay loop similar to some sort of reaction time-based point and click adventure where no single thought was put into how you play.”
music
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its hard-hitting soundtrack that complements the gameplay and enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the seamless integration of music with the game's art style and fast-paced action, often describing it as a standout feature that elevates the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered fantastic, with requests for a downloadable version, highlighting its significant impact on player enjoyment.
- “The movement, the ambiance, the music, everything is on point!”
- “This game is a true gem, great style, great music and great fun!”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic, and I will definitely be losing more time to this game.”
- “Dustborn has ugly and hateful characters, a story that contradicts its own message 'against' bullying, stale combat with a mechanic that uses the 'power of words', and music that murders your brain cells.”
- “Music is a bit lacking in comparison to the banger of that game, but at least it has variety.”
- “Needs more content: map variety, music variety, more guns, different campaigns, some permanent progress elements.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
52%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stylish and well-executed low-res aesthetic, reminiscent of classic PS1 visuals with a dark, cartoonish horror vibe. Players appreciate the chunky animations and the seamless blend of 2D and 3D elements, which enhance the fast-paced gameplay. Overall, the art style is considered phenomenal, contributing significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere and enjoyable experience.
- “Fantastic game, love the roguelike aspects of it and the graphical style is superb.”
- “Looks amazing, might be my favorite 3D low-res art styles out there.”
- “Awesome visuals, great aesthetic, simple and immediately understandable concept.”
- “The graphics have that classic PS1 look to it all with a somewhat dark cartoonish horror.”
- “But I would say this game has a much more resemblance to Nightmare Creatures II, in terms of tone and aesthetic.”
- “Both have immaculately tuned fast action/shooting mechanics that reward mastery (and feature stylish low-rez visuals).”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
27%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its wicked and fast-paced nature, contributing to an overall fun atmosphere. Players appreciate the comedic elements, including quirky interactions like "feeding the funny dog," and find the core premise and ending to be particularly amusing. Despite some suggestions for improvement, the humor remains a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.
- “There are still a few things that will hopefully get improved and ironed out but overall it's a very fun and ultra fast paced 'keep moving or you die' game with a wicked sense of humor.”
- “Amazing fun, great tunes, funny, awesome atmosphere.”
- “Although I do think more weapons in the future would be nice, I also think it's funny that you can type anything you want to kill. Overall, 9 out of 10 game.”
- “Although I do think more weapons in the future would be nice, I also find it funny that you can type anything you want to kill. Overall, 9 out of 10 game.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat; the jokes feel forced and often miss the mark.”
- “I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor is stale and repetitive.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game is praised for its simple concept and high replayability, with many players enjoying its fun and engaging gameplay. However, there is a common desire for additional features, such as more perks and game modes, to enhance the replay value further. While the foundation is solid, players feel that more content could significantly improve the overall experience.
- “Simple concept with high replayability and a visual style to die for.”
- “This has the formula... it's short, sweet, with excellent replayability.”
- “But both also leave you wishing that the devs added just a few more features to increase replayability.”
- “Still very fun and for me worth the money, but please add more fun and chaotic perks, and let me choose at least three perk options per floor; I think it can add a lot more to the replay value.”
- “Solid foundation but needs some more content/replayability.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The story aspect of the games reviewed is generally seen as lacking depth, with some players enjoying plot twists but noting that the narratives are not the main focus. While "Cruel" offers enjoyable gameplay and aesthetics, it is criticized for its brevity and minimal storytelling. In contrast, "Dustborn" is heavily criticized for its contradictory themes and unappealing characters, leading to a negative reception of its narrative. Overall, players seeking a rich, story-driven experience may be disappointed.
- “Loved the plot twist at the end too!”
- “Hopefully a story-driven FPS as crazy as this one, maybe even crazier.”
- “If you're looking for a long in-depth roguelike game with a story or extensive character building, this game isn't for you.”
- “Dustborn has ugly and hateful characters, a story that contradicts its own message 'against' bullying, stale combat with a mechanic that uses the 'power of words', and music that murders your brain cells.”
- “But overall, for how short this is, I very much enjoyed Cruel; it's got a great art style, fun gameplay, and the soundtrack kicks ass, but not really much going on with the story.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
Overall, the game generally runs smoothly and provides a great experience; however, some users have reported significant freezes and stutters upon replaying, indicating potential stability issues.
- “Runs great and feels great.”
- “Runs great.”
- “Running the game a second time has introduced some of the most atrocious freezes and stutters.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and fun elements, complemented by great music and humor. Reviewers highlight its successful creation of a retro occult vibe, enhancing the overall experience.
- “It nails a retro occult atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is generally well-optimized, receiving positive feedback across various aspects including design, aesthetics, pace, and gameplay. Overall, players find the optimization to be satisfactory.
- “Pretty good in almost every aspect; game design, aesthetics, pace, gameplay, and optimization.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a determination to continue grinding, indicating a commitment to persist through repetitive tasks in the game. This suggests that while grinding may be a significant aspect, players are willing to endure it for the sake of progress or enjoyment.