DashBored

About

"DashBored" is a single-player Role Playing Game set in a dark, unique universe where losing your will to live transports you to a pocket dimension. As average shut-in Nicolas, you'll fight to survive, meet weird friends and enemies, explore varied environments, and battle strange monsters to find your way home. With a classic turn-based RPG style, seven unique party members, witty dialogue, a hamstrung soundtrack, and multiple endings, DashBored promises an unforgettable adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews

story8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

DashBored features a unique and engaging story with compelling characters that players can relate to, moving away from typical RPG tropes.
The game has a fantastic soundtrack and interesting puzzles that enhance the overall experience, making it feel immersive and enjoyable.
With multiple endings and a rich lore that encourages exploration, DashBored offers a depth that keeps players invested in uncovering its secrets.

The battle system can feel unbalanced, especially in the early game, making it challenging until players have a full party.
Some players have reported technical issues, including crashes and navigation difficulties, which can detract from the overall experience.
The story can feel disjointed at times, lacking a cohesive narrative that fully engages players throughout the game.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The game's story is described as a surreal and multi-layered experience that diverges from typical fantasy and sci-fi narratives, offering an imaginative and dark atmosphere. While some players found the plot engaging and filled with intriguing lore, others felt it lacked depth and coherence, often relying on RPG elements to hold it together. Overall, the characters and their interactions are memorable, contributing to a story that, despite its flaws, keeps players invested and curious.
- “The story really takes you on an imaginative ride.”
- “I wholeheartedly loved it for its story and unique atmosphere.”
- “Definitely recommend this game to those that appreciate a dark story that takes a bit of digging to figure out.”
- “The best way to approach this game is to just keep saying 'ok, I guess that just happened...' because most of the characters seem to react that way through most of the story as well.”
- “But by far my biggest problem is that this game's story seems to be held on by tissue paper; I could not get myself involved in it whatsoever, which saddened me.”
- “Now I have some final things I can give before this review ends; how the story progresses in the game really makes things interesting with how they are fighting the source of corruption while also trying to stop Vurrus. If you're more focused on trying to get to the second ending path, I feel that it gets more interesting to know more about Alex, Nash, and Sapu; the backstories behind them really seem to open more into the lore of the game and reveal more info that you wanted to know about the three and why they are like who they are.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality, featuring standout tracks that enhance the overall experience. While some pieces are described as short loops, they effectively complement the gameplay and evoke strong emotions. The soundtrack is noted for its uniqueness, with a mix of enjoyable melodies and experimental sounds that resonate well with the game's vibrant characters and humor.
- “Above all, the music is excellent.”
- “The soundtrack is so nice in places, and in others, it's incredibly strange.”
- “The music is short loops but it bops; 'Gas Brake Pedal', 'Ice Band (Fight Mix)', and [spoiler]Infamous Dayz[/spoiler] are standout tracks to check out if you want to dig through the files.”
- “Some songs work sound effects into their melodies, which is very evocative.”
- “But you can look past all this to appreciate the vibrant characters, the humor, and the killer soundtrack that reminds one of Lisa.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, featuring a blend of puzzle-solving and turn-based combat that generally avoids excessive grinding. While some mechanics may feel standard and level design can be monotonous, the game offers enjoyable character abilities and a charming atmosphere, making it a fun experience overall. Players appreciate the balance of accessible battles and engaging character interactions, despite some minor criticisms regarding depth and originality.
- “So, okay, the gameplay... now, this is a kind of minor nitpick, but either I've played too many RPG games to be too good with doing battles, or maybe most of the battles in the game are easy. However, I really love the selection of moves you can use with the choices of characters you have in your team; some of the moves are action time-based, so if you can hit the button at the right time with some moves, you'll wreck enemies easily.”
- “It was a great game and I highly recommend it if you're looking for lovable characters, fun gameplay, snarky humor, a great plot, and a wonderful soundtrack!”
- “Gameplay's simple; it's not the most involved RPG Maker game on the planet.”
- “While the gameplay mechanics are kind of run-of-the-mill (some indie titles did it better in the mechanic department, as you can cheese many encounters with stun skills, for example) and the level design feels monotonous at times, it is still a unique and refreshing experience in terms of atmosphere and worldbuilding.”
- “The gameplay is a mix of puzzle-solving and turn-based fighting, and it doesn't usually require a lot of grinding.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a blend of quirky, sad, and genuinely funny moments, particularly highlighted through the engaging interactions between characters, including humorous arguments. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and flavor text, which contribute to a vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of inspirations like "Lisa" and the "Mother" series. Overall, the humor not only entertains but also fosters a strong emotional connection to the characters, providing comfort during tough times.
- “The characters are really fun and enjoyable, seeing how they act in situations and interact with each other, even when some of the characters get into arguments with Alex, which can be pretty funny at parts of the game, but it's understandable why they argue with him too.”
- “Aside from that, there's plenty of humor to encounter and enjoy from the NPCs in the game too. I think this game has some inspiration from Lisa, Yume Nikki, the Mother games (I even thought it was funny to see a joke about a character being a parody of Mother 3 and how some tried to make a fan-made Mother 4), and a few sci-fi games and stories.”
- “The humor I would come across would make me smile and a few times laugh, which I love.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
Overall, the reviews indicate that grinding is minimal in this game, allowing players to progress without excessive leveling or resource gathering. While some players mention the potential need for additional grinding to experiment with party members, the game generally balances difficulty well, enabling completion without tedious grinding.
- “So sometimes you want to delay bosses until you've more party members aboard, and you can't really experiment that much with the party members without additional grinding/leveling.”
- “You can sprint, but still, at some places it feels a bit pointless and tedious to follow all these labyrinthine corridors.”
- “Even when I was low on items and cash, I always got through without grinding, so that might be some expert balancing there.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique storytelling and worldbuilding, providing a refreshing experience despite some criticisms of the gameplay mechanics and level design. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a significant strength of the game.
- “I wholeheartedly loved it for its story and unique atmosphere.”
- “While the gameplay mechanics are kind of run-of-the-mill, it is still a unique and refreshing experience in terms of atmosphere and worldbuilding!”
- “The atmosphere is not a joke in this game.”
- “While the gameplay mechanics are kind of run-of-the-mill, and the level design feels monotonous at times, it is still a unique and refreshing experience in terms of atmosphere and worldbuilding!”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The graphics are characterized by a fitting cartoony art style that complements the game's snarky humor and absurd plot, despite being described as amateurish. Overall, the visuals enhance the experience, aligning well with the game's tone and accompanying music.
- “The art style fits the game perfectly, along with the absolutely killer music.”
- “The cartoony style complements the snarky, vulgar cast and the offbeat absurd plot.”
- “Graphically, Dashbored is amateurish, but its cartoony style goes well with its snarky, vulgar cast and offbeat absurd plot.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players report that the game evokes a brief sense of intelligence and accomplishment, contributing to an emotional experience that enhances their engagement.
- “This game made me feel smart—if only for a couple of minutes.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the storyline and the choices I had to make.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers appreciate the appealing fight animations and original character designs, noting that these elements contribute to a strong emotional connection with the characters.
- “The fight animations are very appealing to look at, and the character designs are original. I have come to fall in love with the design of some of them.”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a strong emotional connection with each character.”
- “I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”