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Dead End Job

Dead End Job is a great game that takes parts of Luigi’s Mansion and parts from the roguelike genre and merges them wonderfully into this very stylish and surprisingly entertaining ghost-busting game.
Dead End Job Game Cover
68%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
67% User Score Based on 63 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 4 reviews

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Dead End Job Game Cover

About

Dead End Job is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game with a kids theme. It was developed by Ant Workshop Ltd and was released on December 13, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Dead End Job merges the frantic, addictive, highly replayable gameplay of a procedurally generated twin-stick shooter with the iconic look of a 90s cartoon. You take on the role of a worker at Ghoul-B-Gone – the #1 experts in paranormal pest control. Ghosts are captured using a tug-of-war mechanic and every ghost you catch, citizen rescued, and job completed is added to the client’s bill. Every …

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+3
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67%
Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews
gameplay7 positive mentions
grinding1 negative mentions
  • Fun and addictive twin-stick shooter gameplay with a humorous and quirky tone.
  • Charming and vibrant 90s cartoon-inspired art style and catchy soundtrack.
  • Engaging progression system with perks, promotions, and a variety of items to discover.
  • Item descriptions and effects are often unclear, leading to frustrating gameplay decisions.
  • Local co-op mode is poorly implemented, with the second player having limited usefulness.
  • Some technical issues such as crashes, visual glitches, and obstructive level design hinder the experience.
  • gameplay
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay in Dead End Job is straightforward and accessible, centered on twin-stick shooting with ghost-hunting elements and light RPG progression. While the mechanics are simple and somewhat repetitive, incremental upgrades, smooth animations, and well-designed levels keep the experience engaging and fun. However, some players find the lack of deeper progression systems and certain underwhelming items frustrating.

    • “Dead End Job is an indie action-adventure game that cleverly blends quirky humor with straightforward gameplay.”
    • “The premise itself is delightfully absurd—imagine ghost hunting mixed with light twin-stick shooter mechanics and a touch of RPG progression.”
    • “Gameplay centers on twin-stick shooting with an emphasis on clearing waves of ghosts using a variety of weapons and gadgets.”
    • “Item and upgrade builds are a core mechanic in games like this, so it's very frustrating, especially since some items actually just exist to take up a slot and do nothing when used.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay gets old in single player; every level feels exactly the same.”
    • “By the first hour, I'd seen most of the gameplay loop but pressed on 3 more hours.”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features vibrant, hand-drawn, cel-shaded graphics with a distinctive 90s cartoon and comic book-inspired art style that perfectly complements its comedic tone and fast-paced gameplay. While not technically groundbreaking, the colorful visuals and playful aesthetic receive consistent praise for enhancing the fun, offbeat atmosphere. Minor issues like non-disappearing objects affecting gameplay do not detract from the overall appealing and lively graphic presentation.

    • “Visually, Dead End Job sports a vibrant, cel-shaded aesthetic that gives it a comic book feel.”
    • “Very colourful, with vibrant cartoon graphics and an exceptional soundtrack.”
    • “The music is monotonous and becomes annoying after a while, but the visual aesthetics and colour scheme are pleasing to the eye - as many have said, they are inspired by John K of Ren and Stimpy fame.”
    • “While not groundbreaking graphically, the style suits the game’s comedic tone perfectly and supports the fast-paced action without overwhelming the player.”
    • “The game’s charm largely comes from its offbeat tone and cartoony art style, which transform what could be a repetitive premise into a surprisingly enjoyable romp through haunted urban environments.”
  • story
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is lighthearted and humorous, unfolding gradually through mission briefings and in-game dialogue with plenty of ghost hunting clichés and witty banter. While not complex or surprising, it provides enough context to engage players and complements the gameplay well. However, the simplicity and repetitive mission structure can make the narrative feel average and occasionally boring during longer sessions.

    • “Narratively, Dead End Job doesn’t aim for deep storytelling, but its script and voice acting inject a lot of personality and humor into the proceedings.”
    • “The story unfolds gradually through mission briefings and in-game dialogue, mixing ghost hunting clichés with tongue-in-cheek references and lighthearted banter.”
    • “While the plot isn’t particularly complex or surprising, it complements the gameplay well and provides enough context to keep players invested in the unfolding supernatural chaos.”
    • “It's just very average and boring to be honest; not really a roguelike. You progress through the story, and if you die, you can keep the power-ups and money.”
    • “Every mission is the same: capture ghosts.”
    • “You start in one area and have to complete jobs and quests there, but you can only do one job each day, and if you die you cannot go back to the previous day.”
  • humor
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in Dead End Job is widely praised for its quirky, cheesy, and lighthearted style, with funny dialogue, amusing ghost sounds, and entertaining cut-scenes adding personality and charm. It effectively complements the gameplay, making the experience enjoyable and distinctive without relying on deep storytelling. Overall, the game's humor is a key factor in its appeal, providing a fun and engaging atmosphere.

    • “Dead End Job, developed by Ant Workshop Ltd and published by Headup, is an indie action-adventure game that cleverly blends quirky humor with straightforward gameplay.”
    • “Narratively, Dead End Job doesn’t aim for deep storytelling, but its script and voice acting inject a lot of personality and humor into the proceedings.”
    • “All in all, it's a decent twin-stick arena shooter in the vein of Enter the Gungeon, but much, much less hair-tearing to play, with a cheesy sense of humor and some really nice visual and sonic stylings.”
  • music
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for being catchy, lively, and well-suited to its quirky, cartoonish style, with a fabulous and upbeat soundtrack that complements the visuals and comedic tone. However, some users find the music repetitive and monotonous over time, though it still appeals particularly to younger audiences. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong and enjoyable aspect of the game.

    • “The sound design complements the visuals effectively—weapon sounds are punchy, ghostly noises create an eerie yet playful atmosphere, and the background music maintains a lively, upbeat tone that matches the game’s comedic sensibility.”
    • “Very colourful, with vibrant cartoon graphics and an exceptional soundtrack.”
    • “The story starts with an amazing song that explains what happened.”
    • “The music is monotonous and becomes annoying after a while, but the visual aesthetics and colour scheme are pleasing to the eye - as many have said, they are inspired by John K of Ren and Stimpy fame.”
    • “The art and music aren't really my cup of tea but will appeal to a younger audience.”
    • “Music gets repetitive, but there is enough hillbilly music on YouTube to compensate towards variety.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers moderate replayability through hidden collectibles, optional challenges, and environmental hazards that encourage exploration, while local co-op mode enhances the experience by allowing friends to play together.

    • “Levels are generally linear but sprinkled with hidden collectibles, optional challenges, and environmental hazards that encourage exploration and replayability.”
    • “It also supports local co-op, allowing friends to team up and tackle ghosts together, which adds an extra layer of fun and replay value.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect is praised for its rewarding upgrade system, which enhances Bob’s weapons and abilities, allowing players to approach tougher enemies with new strategies.

  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by effective sound design, with punchy weapon sounds, eerie yet playful ghostly noises, and lively background music that aligns well with its comedic tone.

    • “The sound design complements the visuals effectively—weapon sounds are punchy, ghostly noises create an eerie yet playful atmosphere, and the background music maintains a lively, upbeat tone that matches the game’s comedic sensibility.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Dead End Job is a arcade shooter game with kids theme.

Dead End Job is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

Dead End Job was released on December 13, 2019.

Dead End Job was developed by Ant Workshop Ltd.

Dead End Job has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Dead End Job for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Dead End Job is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Juicy Realm, Voidigo, The Bug Butcher, Patch Quest, Colt Canyon and others.