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Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals Game Cover
80%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
stability, music
80% User Score Based on 1,511 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5XboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals Game Cover

About

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals is a single player and multiplayer survival action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Glowstick Entertainment and was released on November 2, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Official Monsters & Mortals GameJolt page. A 4 player horror party game created by Glowstick Entertainment. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1266690/Dark_Deception_Monsters__Mortals/ #horror...

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80%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,511 reviews
gameplay26 positive mentions
stability53 negative mentions

  • Fun multiplayer horror game with unique characters and abilities.
  • Enjoyable to play with friends, offering chaotic and entertaining gameplay.
  • Creative maps and crossovers with popular horror franchises add variety and appeal.
  • Very small and largely inactive player base makes finding matches difficult or impossible.
  • Matchmaking is slow, unstable, and lacks features like map or game mode selection.
  • Game suffers from bugs, balance issues, unpolished combat, and lack of quality-of-life features.
  • gameplay
    98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay offers a unique blend of survival horror and multiplayer arena combat with straightforward but intense mechanics, featuring diverse characters, maps, and strategic abilities that enhance replay value. However, it suffers from balance issues, limited game modes, technical glitches, long queue times, and a small playerbase, leading to repetitive and sometimes frustrating experiences. Fans appreciate its fast-paced, asymmetrical gameplay and atmosphere, especially with friends, but solo and competitive play are often marred by bugs, unbalanced mechanics, and matchmaking problems.

    • “It’s an ambitious concept that combines the thrill of survival with the chaos of competition, creating a hybrid of maze-chase gameplay and asymmetrical horror combat.”
    • “Gameplay mechanics are straightforward but effective, merging the accessibility of a multiplayer arena game with the adrenaline rush of survival horror.”
    • “Despite the simplicity of its mechanics, the game can become surprisingly intense, especially when the balance shifts suddenly and players are forced to adapt on the fly.”
    • “It is really good but there's a lack of gameplay; there isn't much to do and it is very broken. DLC takes forever, and when it does come out, people will play it for half an hour then go back to Dead by Daylight.”
    • “Janky mechanics, small playerbase, lootboxes... well, at least it often goes on sale for a dollar.”
    • “The queue times are ridiculous, up to 2 hours, and the gameplay is clunky and buggy.”
  • stability
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from frequent bugs, glitches, and stability issues that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing, connection errors, and visual problems. Despite these technical flaws, many players still find it enjoyable and recognize its potential, though the lack of polish and ongoing issues hinder a fully smooth experience. Developer efforts to fix bugs are noted but the game remains notably unstable and unfinished in its current state.

    • “The game is extremely buggy and freezes easily, especially in loading screens.”
    • “Being that this latest patch is so buggy some people can't even play the game unless they host, and there's multiple points where you fall out of the map at times, have clones of everybody in the lobby if it's silent sacrifice, etc.”
    • “Every time I try to find a game it tries to load me in and breaks or freezes.”
  • graphics
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics are generally praised for their detailed, visually appealing designs that blend horror and arcade styles, running well even on low-end PCs. Some minor glitches and occasional lag are noted, but overall the visuals contribute significantly to the game's fun and replayability. However, a few users mention that graphical quality could be improved further.

    • “Every maze is meticulously designed to capture both dread and excitement, and the environments manage to blend horror aesthetics with arcade-like energy.”
    • “Excellent graphics with unique characters and gameplay.”
    • “Visually the game is great, keeping/lifting the visuals from the primary game, and keeping the campy but violent style intact.”
    • “Graphics are horrible, gameplay is clunky and just bad overall.”
    • “This game has lots of potential to become a much bigger game later down the track, great game, my only problem is the lag that I get when playing on medium graphics, I always have to put them on low.”
    • “Visuals are okay but could use some polish.”
  • music
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game effectively enhances tension with eerie cues and atmospheric sound design, receiving praise for its catchy, spooky, and varied soundtrack. However, some players find the repetitive, loud music—especially during boss battles and traps—annoying, particularly due to the inability to adjust its volume independently. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong, memorable element that complements the game's horror theme and diverse gameplay.

    • “The sound design is equally effective: eerie music cues, sudden roars, and footsteps echoing down corridors all serve to heighten tension.”
    • “The music is the second best part of the game; the songs are catchy or just the right note of silly spooky, and the bombastic menu music is a hilarious contrast to the utter giggle fest that awaits you in-game.”
    • “The music is amazing.”
    • “Music is hella loud and you cannot change the volume on it.”
    • “- The aforementioned 26 bosses all sing the least clever horror-y children's song I've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of them.”
    • “- The school's boss can't be outrun by power-type characters, meaning all you can do is pray to RNGesus for healing (don't get me started on constantly hearing the music that I currently can't turn off without turning off all game audio).”
  • humor
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is often described as silly, chaotic, and enjoyable, especially when playing with friends, leading to many funny moments and laughs. However, some users find the humor frustrating or nonsensical due to certain game elements and abilities. Overall, the game’s humor adds a lighthearted and entertaining layer despite occasional criticisms.

    • “This game is pretty hilarious with friends!”
    • “But I still find it fun to play even with the same players, so if we are talking about playing this game with friends, I think you should buy the game. You will probably have lots of fun; there are tons of funny moments that will probably leave you and your friends laughing.”
    • “On a side note, the monkey business boss is simultaneously the most terrifying and most hilarious thing I've encountered.”
  • story
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in Monsters & Mortals is generally viewed as bland and lacking depth, with little backstory or character development. While the original Dark Deception games are praised for their engaging and addictive storylines, this spin-off focuses more on multiplayer fun than narrative, leaving some fans hoping future DLCs will expand the story elements.

    • “Its a fun multiplayer experience with all the makings of a great horror game, mixing the story from Dark Deception and including games like Monstrum and Silent Hill.”
    • “Love the story of both Dark Deception games, can't wait for the future DLC with more game crossovers like Yandere Simulator and Evil Nun.”
    • “In Dark Deception, you are alone as you walk through a very well-developed story and collect 'soul shards' to try and change your fate after dying.”
    • “Very hard game, crates are very expensive, most of the DLCs are cringe, very bad story.”
    • “No story.”
    • “There isn't much depth in the characters, and there is no backstory.”
  • atmosphere
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its originality and eerie, immersive quality, effectively capturing a dark and unsettling tone reminiscent of the Dark Deception series. Despite some technical shortcomings, the combination of creepy environments, sound design, and unique gameplay creates a compelling and tense experience that strongly appeals to fans.

    • “The game’s atmosphere is one of its strongest features.”
    • “I'm practically hooked on this game's great atmosphere and unique gameplay, and with collaboration DLCs on the way, this game has gone straight to my favorites.”
    • “The creepy environments and unsettling sound design help sustain a tense and immersive atmosphere throughout gameplay.”
  • replayability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability through intuitive controls, short match durations, and diverse gameplay modes with unique character abilities. The addition of crossover DLCs and varied map designs further enhance novelty and player engagement. Overall, its multiplayer format and fun character variety make it highly enjoyable for repeated play sessions.

    • “The controls are intuitive, and matches are short enough to encourage replayability, making it easy to jump in for quick sessions without feeling fatigued.”
    • “The inclusion of crossover DLCs featuring characters from other indie horror franchises adds novelty and replay value, appealing to genre fans who enjoy seeing familiar faces in new contexts.”
    • “The diverse gameplay modes and character abilities add considerable replay value.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is heavily criticized for its aggressive monetization, with many characters locked behind paywalls and a perception of being a cash grab. This approach, combined with limited advertising and lack of content variety, has contributed to a dwindling player base and negative reception.

    • “This is basically a mascot horror cash grab.”
    • “But it's a dead game now, filled with microtransactions, and only a handful of people play it.”
    • “Almost half of the characters are unlockable by in-game purchase, making the game feel like a cash grab.”
  • optimization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game shows mixed optimization results, with some players noting it is well-optimized and affordable, while others report poor technical performance, long queue times, and matchmaking issues. The inability to easily queue with fewer friends leads to inconsistent gameplay experiences and varied performance across regions. Overall, optimization and matchmaking need improvement to enhance playability.

    • “Game is very fun and cheap, very well optimized but long queue times because this game averages 10-20 players.”
    • “While there are some issues with balance and technical performance, the game’s unique gameplay modes and engaging atmosphere make it worth exploring for fans and newcomers alike.”
    • “And optimization as well.”
    • “tl;dr fun but devs don't even bother to add basic settings and optimization in the game”
    • “It is not possible to queue with one or two friends and find a random player via matchmaking, meaning if you don't have three friends with the game ready to go at once, the only full games (which the main game mode is balanced around) you will find will be with completely random players from random regions leading to varied performance.”
    • “While there are some issues with balance and technical performance, the game's unique gameplay modes and engaging atmosphere make it worth exploring for fans and newcomers alike.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is slow and unrewarding, with minimal progression beyond basic leveling and badges, making it feel tedious and insufficient to motivate extended play. Additionally, cosmetic rewards from grinding are sparse and lack meaningful impact on gameplay.

    • “There is a severe lack of progression compared to other online multiplayer games. This title only has a leveling system and a badge, which aren't enough to keep me coming back. Grinding for cosmetics is slow and doesn't impact gameplay enough to justify spending a lot of time.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I ended up grinding for almost two hours to get a regular level gacha and ended up with a low-quality drawing of the chef monkey.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is highlighted through distinctive and memorable character designs, especially the monsters, which are grotesque yet exaggerated to create a unique visual impact. The game excels in simplicity and fun, supported by these strong and appealing character designs.

    • “The character designs also deserve praise, particularly the monsters, who are both grotesque and exaggerated in ways that make them stand out.”
    • “But the thing this game does do right is be simple and fun and have great character designs.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users express frustration with certain game elements that evoke negative emotions, describing them as overwhelmingly annoying to the point of emotional distress, suggesting a need for balancing adjustments to improve the experience.

    • “I know they're meant to be annoying but it just gets to a point where you just want to cry whenever a certain map gets picked; they need nerfing, even just a little.”
    • “It's like Pac-Man but with an emotional defect.”
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5h Median play time
20h Average play time
2-53h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals is a survival action adventure game with horror theme.

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 20 hours playing Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals.

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals was released on November 2, 2020.

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals was developed by Glowstick Entertainment.

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Last Year, Propnight, Primal Carnage: Extinction, Friday the 13th: The Game, Resident Evil Resistance and others.