Dark Future: Blood Red States

61%
Game Brain Score Based on 193 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Dark Future: Blood Red States Game Cover
Mad Max gets a corporate make over in this Games Workshop themed weaponised driving game.
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In the year 2025, America is plagued by pollution, climate change, and gang warfare in a lawless society. Dark Future: Blood Red States is a strategy game that captures the excitement of car combat, providing a thrilling and addictive experience, perfect for both quick play sessions and extended gaming periods. With its unique blend of racing and tactical combat, this game offers a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre, appealing to fans of Mad Max and vehicular mayhem.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 193 reviews
story19 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique blend of tactical gameplay and vehicular combat, allowing players to strategize while enjoying explosive action.
  • The retro aesthetic and 80s-inspired soundtrack create an engaging atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre.
  • The core mechanics are enjoyable, with a variety of weapons and customization options for vehicles, providing a satisfying experience for players.
  • The game suffers from frequent crashes, particularly after completing missions, leading to frustration and loss of progress.
  • Many players find the gameplay repetitive, with limited mission variety and a lack of depth in strategic options.
  • Performance issues and poor optimization can hinder the experience, even on high-end PCs, making it difficult for some players to enjoy the game fully.
  • story174 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and primarily conveyed through emails between missions, which provide some humor and world-building but lack depth. Players noted that while the missions offer a variety of objectives, they quickly become repetitive, with limited mission types and a lack of significant narrative progression. Overall, the game has potential but would benefit from more diverse storytelling elements and mission variety to enhance engagement.

    • “If you pay attention to the developing story, it gets a lot more interesting; take the time to read everything.”
    • “The writing for missions and emails is surprisingly well done too - they inject some modern ideas without losing the 80s kitsch.”
    • “There are a lot of amusing bits sprinkled all over the place; in the mission details, in the 'z-mails' explaining what's happening, and so on.”
    • “The game has potential and the graphics aren't the worst, but the story and mission design are really boring.”
    • “Each character has a campaign with various metagame objectives like beating sets of specific missions or making money, which is all well and good, but I'd have liked to see some more storytelling and new elements introduced as the plot advances.”
    • “It's mostly comprised of running missions ad infinitum until you 'win' (if that's even the case) or you die; a rogue-like of sorts.”
  • gameplay47 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its unique mechanics that blend vehicular combat and tactical strategy, while others criticize its repetitiveness and lack of depth. Players appreciate the fun and challenging core gameplay, especially for fans of car combat and rogue-like elements, but many note issues such as crashes, a limited variety of missions, and a grindy experience. Overall, while the game offers an interesting concept and enjoyable mechanics, it may not appeal to everyone due to its repetitive nature and occasional technical problems.

    • “It's not for everyone, but as a fan of both car combat and strategy games, I found myself uniquely comfortable with its gameplay.”
    • “Df: brs is a strange beast mechanically, combining third-person action via vehicular combat, including full physics, with elements of squad tactics where you can control multiple cars at once and a real-time-with-pause system where you can slow the action to a crawl in 'command mode', cue up multiple actions, and then release to have them all executed at once.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, the command mode concept makes for some interesting interaction, and if you play primarily with hotkeys, you get a very fluid experience.”
    • “3 crashes during 10 hours of gameplay.”
    • “Same music, same cars, same gameplay loop.”
    • “Like many GW PC adaptations, although the setting and ambience is spot on, the gameplay is repetitive, with very limited vehicle setups.”
  • graphics22 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro aesthetic and vibrant visuals that fit the game's theme, while others find them average and reminiscent of mid-2000s technology. Many highlight the decent quality of the graphics, including satisfying effects and atmospheric touches, but some users report performance issues on higher settings, indicating that the visuals may not be optimized for all hardware. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point for the game's style, though they may not push the boundaries of modern gaming technology.

    • “The aesthetics are just extraordinary, as are the game mechanics.”
    • “Graphics are nice - satisfying explosions, good dust storms, nice landscapes, etc. and there are lots of atmospheric touches (like the retro style loading screen and menu design).”
    • “There is a definite style to the graphics which feels retro in a nice way but possibly my favourite bit about the whole game is the introduction, it really gets you in to that mood to go blow up cars (in the game of course).”
    • “I like that retro font, but the graphics overall are disappointing.”
    • “I have to dial my video settings down in order to play, which is unfortunate, but also expected (the only Windows system I have is a Dell Latitude E7450 laptop), so I'll never be able to crank up the visuals.”
    • “Graphics are decent, nothing mind-blowing, but when you slow down the action and zoom around with the mouse, it looks sexy.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its engaging 80s synthwave and retrowave aesthetic, effectively complementing the post-apocalyptic theme and gameplay. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's nostalgic vibe and have even purchased it, some express a desire for more variety and consistency, noting that transitions between music styles can be jarring. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere, though it could benefit from additional tracks.

    • “The music and aesthetics give off that awesome retrowave mixed with post-apocalyptic 80's sci-fi action.”
    • “The 80s synthwave soundtrack also gives it the right feeling.”
    • “The futuristic, 1980s vibe is awesome - the car designs are fun, and the soundtrack has that eerie, 80s synth, apocalyptic suspense feel to it.”
    • “Same music, same cars, same gameplay loop.”
    • “All it does is annoy me though, and I find it jarring with the music going from quiet to loud over and over.”
    • “Wish there was some more variety there with a bit more emphasis on the retro/synth wave style of music.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting frequent crashes, performance drops after several hours of gameplay, and a general lack of efficiency despite its relatively simple visuals. Many users feel that the game is hardware-intensive and poorly optimized, leading to frustrating experiences, especially for those who prioritize performance. While some aspects of gameplay are enjoyable, the overall technical execution leaves much to be desired.

    • “I was shocked how I was inputting so many commands one after another and then switching back to real-time mode with no performance issues or miscues or game crashes.”
    • “It also feels like some engine optimization could still be done to streamline play.”
    • “Varied vehicle customization, change aesthetics of the vehicles as well as performance (spoilers, tires, headlights, 'skins/patterns', gold/metal colors, etc.).”
    • “However, the game is poorly optimized, overpriced for the content it offers (I got it on sale) and most importantly, it crashes to desktop quite often during the course of a mission.”
    • “That's all good, but after about 5 hours the game constantly gets performance drops, even though it was running fine the first few sessions, and after about 6-7 hours it starts just crashing after most missions.”
    • “Visually, the game looks alright for a title like this, but performance seems to be really subpar. I know my rig is begging for an upgrade, but this has no right to drop to 45fps and below while not even being maxed out.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is cleverly integrated through engaging emails and lore that provide both comedic relief and world-building. Players find the storytelling amusing, with a mix of clever writing and humorous challenges that enhance the overall experience. The humor is consistently praised for its effectiveness and ability to entertain throughout the gameplay.

    • “The zmail is often worth reading... very clever and usually humorous.”
    • “There are also plenty of great lore style emails to be read which flesh out the world with plenty of humor and information.”
    • “What it is ... is challenging, frustrating, and hilarious in ways you won't admit to in public.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game suffers from numerous physics bugs and immersion-breaking glitches, leading to frequent crashes and mission failures due to AI issues. Despite these stability problems, players find the gameplay enjoyable and satisfying, indicating a strong desire to continue playing despite the frustrations.

    • “There are still a lot of physics bugs and immersion-breaking glitches that happen, and it will still hard crash to desktop more times than any shipped game should.”
    • “So frustratingly buggy.”
    • “The game is buggy and some missions you'll just fail because the AI will simply not leave where they spawn.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find value in unlocking new characters and perks, others note that the gameplay can become repetitive, particularly with similar enemy designs. The rogue-like elements and nostalgic themes contribute positively to replay value, but the lack of customization options may limit long-term engagement for some players.

    • “It may get repetitive, but there seem to be additions to later missions that add goals or weaknesses, so I can see some replay value in it.”
    • “Gameplay is where this title shines; being rogue-like, there is replay value in the different antagonists you can be.”
    • “Definitely gets me nostalgic over the cheesy 80's sci-fi movies, and for the price, it's pretty good on replay value and looks.”
    • “You play different characters locked in a season, and the only replay value lies within unlocking perks and new characters without the option to create your own driver.”
    • “I worry about replayability, mainly around enemy cars feeling somewhat same-y.”
    • “It may get repetitive, but that said, there seem to be additions to later missions that add goals or weaknesses, so I can see some replay value in it.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed bag; while some missions can feel tedious and repetitive, others are engaging and contribute meaningfully to the overall experience. The time dilation mechanic requires adjustment, but many players report that the enjoyment increases with time spent in the game, despite some missions being less appealing. Overall, while casual grinding is present, it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.

    • “Granted the 'time dilation' mechanic takes some adjusting to, and the data heist missions are more tedious than necessary.”
    • “Some of the mission types are a little ugly and grinding; some are great, but in general, it's more fun than not.”
    • “The problem is when that line has been drawn at the bare minimum of casual grinding; I'd look elsewhere for anything but a couple of hours of arcade fun.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is critiqued for its satirical portrayal of real-world issues, suggesting a darkly comedic reflection on society. However, some elements, like the escort mission, are viewed as blatant cash grabs, indicating a lack of genuine innovation in monetization strategies.

    • “Of these, the escort mission is basically a cash grab, and so far that hasn't changed much.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game offers a compelling atmosphere with appealing graphics, satisfying explosions, and atmospheric details like retro-style menus. However, players report frequent crashes towards the end of missions, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Graphics are nice - satisfying explosions, good dust storms, nice landscapes, etc. and there are lots of atmospheric touches, like the retro style loading screen and menu design.”
    • “A decent cheap title with good atmosphere, though crashes are quite common around the end of a mission.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

19hMedian play time
27hAverage play time
5-42hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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