De-Void

About

"De-Void is a single-player, narrative-driven adventure game set on a distant planet. As Elizabeth, a Human Resources Specialist, you investigate the disappearance of a space colony crew. By interpreting their memories and emotions with the help of a protocol unit named Wilco, uncover a conspiracy and face an impossibly vast presence. A haunting and introspective journey into the unknown."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

54%

Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews

story23 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story that engages players through audio logs and environmental storytelling.
The atmospheric visuals and sound design create an immersive experience, enhancing the sense of isolation and mystery.
Voice acting is decent, contributing to the overall narrative experience.

The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with excessive backtracking and little interactivity, leading to boredom.
There are significant issues with level design, including confusing navigation and a lack of clear objectives, making it easy to get lost.
The game lacks a save feature, which can lead to frustrating experiences if players need to take breaks or encounter bugs.

story
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The story in "De-Void" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and well-crafted, particularly through its environmental storytelling and audio logs, while others criticize it for being thin, confusing, and poorly executed. Many reviewers appreciate the sci-fi setting and the potential of the narrative, but feel it falls short due to a lack of character development and coherence, leaving numerous loose ends. Overall, while the game offers an interesting premise and exploration-focused gameplay, its storytelling is often deemed underwhelming and disjointed.
- “I was particularly captivated by its no-combat, story-focused gameplay, where piecing together the fate of a vanished colony through logs makes for a uniquely engaging experience.”
- “Kudos to the developers on creating such a beautiful and unique sci-fi experience in the telling of such a philosophically indulging and beautifully crafted storyline.”
- “It caught my eye on the new releases section as I tend to enjoy stories of 'something bad has happened in deep space and you're sent to figure out what went wrong.' This is an interesting and well-done exploration walking sim with a good mystery-like story behind it that keeps you searching and exploring.”
- “The story isn't interesting and the way it's told is awful; the characters are soulless, there is a pervasive lack of tension or anticipation, and the final level is a navigational nightmare.”
- “The story itself seems confusing and unremarkable.”
- “There is no real story here, no point, no ending, no nothing.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
54%
12%
The graphics in "De-void" receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that they appear outdated and reminiscent of earlier gaming generations, while others appreciate the sci-fi aesthetic and the clarity of the visuals. Although there are instances of graphical glitches and repetitive textures, some users find the environments visually inspiring and well-realized. Overall, while the graphics may not meet current high standards, they are considered decent by some players, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “The aesthetic is quite interesting, and some views are stunningly realized.”
- “The graphics are great for this sci-fi game; they are clear, crisp, and I just loved the way the world looks with all the different environments shown.”
- “Really enjoyed the visuals, and the imagination of the visuals.”
- “The level design is bland and repetitive, with GameCube-era graphics.”
- “There are some graphical issues such as the sand looking wavy as you run and many of the textures looking like fake plastic.”
- “Speaking of general graphics, De-Void is set on pretty low standards from the current gaming generation.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The gameplay of "De-void" is primarily a no-combat, story-driven experience that resembles a walking simulator, focusing on exploration and narrative rather than interactive mechanics. However, many reviewers criticize it for being overly simplistic, lacking depth, and plagued by minor bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the immersive storytelling, the clunky controls and minimal gameplay elements leave much to be desired, making it feel like an unfinished project.
- “I was particularly captivated by its no-combat, story-focused gameplay, where piecing together the fate of a vanished colony through logs makes for a uniquely engaging experience.”
- “And of course the centerpiece of this exposition is the story that is woven into gameplay, the characters, the mysteries.”
- “I would recommend this game to anyone who likes deep, immersive stories as an important part of gameplay.”
- “So, let's start off by saying that this is a walking simulator, meaning most, if not all, gameplay is non-interactive.”
- “Throw some gameplay bugs on top of that (I've gotten stuck in tight spaces a couple of times) and you've got a failed attempt at a 'walking simulator'.”
- “The gameplay was about what you'd expect from someone who just learned to design a game and made their very first one - hurriedly, and excitedly, to show their friends they can do something other than stroking their own genitalia.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its ambient quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some find it repetitive, others note that it effectively complements the sci-fi setting and varies across different environments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered solid, though it could benefit from more variety and length.
- “The ambience is cool and the music is nice.”
- “Low end sci-fi music that blends well with the environment.”
- “The game's music adds to the experience.”
- “Visual side, soundtrack and voice acting were mediocre.”
- “Very short soundtrack.”
- “I am a fan of walking simulators, but you can't make the player walk for several minutes between anything happening if your world is dull, if you got poor graphics and virtually no selection of music.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The atmosphere in De-void is highly praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, effectively drawing players into its deep narrative and exploration. While some areas may lack depth, the overall ambiance compensates for its shortcomings, making it a memorable experience, especially for fans of similar titles like System Shock. Despite its low budget, the game successfully creates a captivating environment that enhances gameplay enjoyment.
- “De-void stands out in the PC gaming landscape with its potent blend of deep narrative and rich atmospheric exploration.”
- “De-void is a short game but very atmospheric, and I had a lot of fun playing it.”
- “Other than the scale and atmosphere of a couple of areas, De-Void offers nothing of value.”
- “I believe this is understandable as it is a low-budget product - the atmosphere certainly compensates, especially when you are able to finally put on the VR helmet to see the crew members.”
- “If you like System Shock kind of atmosphere and experience, don't think twice!”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as getting stuck in elevators. While others noted improvements in optimization and graphics, many still found the presence of minor issues detrimental to the overall experience, leading to a lack of recommendation for those sensitive to stability concerns.
- “Buggy, the elevator got me stuck multiple times.”
- “It is not really optimized well, and here and there you can find some glitches.”
- “I can't recommend a game that's that buggy regardless of how much I wanted to like it.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with a thin story and lack of character engagement leading to an overall emotionally flat experience. While the initial moments show promise, the reliance on audio logs from unconnected characters fails to create meaningful emotional attachment, resulting in a disappointing journey.
- “Even a game like Antichamber, which had no built-in story, had me feeling emotional over it at the end.”
- “I will admit though that the first 10 minutes made me feel hyped; the story seemed cool then, but it very quickly dropped off.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report improved performance and fewer glitches, others note that it is not very well optimized, with dated graphics and occasional low-detail areas reminiscent of older games. However, major issues are largely absent, allowing for a generally smooth experience.
- “They've both been optimized and run better with a lot fewer glitches, better graphics, etc. The story is pretty interesting, with a lot of well-acted voice-overs.”
- “Speaking of performance, the game runs pretty well, also thanks to its quite dated engine and the lack of details and polygon counts in most areas. Luckily, there were no major issues in this aspect.”
- “The game runs pretty well, but it's largely due to its dated engine and the lack of details and polygon counts in most areas. In some areas, it looked like we were back to Quake 2, but luckily there were no major issues.”
- “While the game has been optimized to run better with fewer glitches, it still feels like it could use more polish in terms of graphics and overall performance.”
- “The optimization is noticeable, but it often feels like a band-aid solution rather than a comprehensive fix, leaving some areas feeling underwhelming.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game reminiscent of 90s B-games, with a mix of tolerable tedium and world-building elements. However, some areas are criticized for being overly linear and cramped, leading to a frustrating navigation experience.
- “In effect, this leaves some segments feeling too linear and cramped, with others seeming tedious to traverse.”
- “Feels amateur, but in a 90's B-game way that was tolerable; some areas are large and tedious to navigate, which adds a little bit of world-building that I got from that era of games.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Character development in the game is described as decent overall, but there is a notable lack of depth for the two main characters, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The character development is impressive, allowing players to truly connect with the characters' journeys.”
- “I love how the game explores the characters' backstories, making their growth feel authentic and engaging.”
- “The depth of character development adds layers to the story, making each character's evolution feel meaningful.”
- “Lack of character development for the main two characters.”
- “Decent character development.”