Dead Estate

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"Dead Estate" is a roguelite top-down shooter set in a 1970s rural town overrun by the undead. Armed with a variety of weapons, players must survive increasingly difficult levels, battling hordes of zombies and other monstrosities. With procedurally generated levels, randomized loot, and multiple characters to choose from, each playthrough offers a new and challenging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,958 reviews

gameplay210 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

gameplay
533 mentions
39 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dead Estate" is characterized by its engaging and addictive mechanics, offering a variety of characters and items that enhance replayability. While some players find the core loop enjoyable and reminiscent of other roguelikes like "The Binding of Isaac," others criticize aspects such as the jump mechanic and enemy design, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game combines charming visuals with a solid gameplay foundation, making it appealing to fans of the genre despite some noted flaws.
- “The gameplay loop is enjoyable and fresh every time.”
- “Dead Estate is one of my favorite indies in a long time; the pixel art is beautiful and the gameplay is so addictive.”
- “The gameplay is very simple compared to other roguelikes on Steam, but I think the game more than makes up for it through its fun ideas and different character playstyles.”
- “The gameplay can feel repetitive, which is amended by the unique playstyles and quirks of each character, which is unlocked in different ways.”
- “The boss fights though are either hit or miss honestly, some bosses feel out of place with strange gimmicky mechanics that get annoying once you're getting started out, but after sinking some hours in the game you'll find the bosses won't be much trouble either!”
- “The gameplay is unexciting, just walk circles around zombies, the tiny inventory makes you have to walk a lot to move key items around the map, the minimap is hard to read, with seemingly little payoff.”
graphics
218 mentions
56 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique art style, featuring vibrant pixel art and detailed character designs that evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic games. While some players noted minor graphical glitches and cluttered visuals, the overall aesthetic is considered a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and immersive experience. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay mechanics and perspective issues, the visuals are generally regarded as a strong point, enhancing the fun and engaging nature of the roguelike gameplay.
- “What truly hooked me was the amazing cartoony art style, featuring cool character designs, levels, and enemies, along with countless references to various pop culture icons.”
- “The visuals in Dead Estate are beautifully crafted, with detailed character models, atmospheric lighting, and stunning environmental design.”
- “The art style is gorgeous, and the performance is really good.”
- “The bad thing about graphics is that there is just so much clutter on the screen and everything is messy.”
- “The already crowded visuals of the game are even harder to decipher when you have to do it from a 35-degree angle.”
- “Graphically, what you see is what you're getting here.”
music
175 mentions
62 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, engaging, and atmospheric qualities, with many tracks described as "bangers" that enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the retro-inspired soundtrack, which complements the game's art style and adds to its charm, although some feel certain tracks can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and replayability.
- “The soundtrack is great with a neat layered effect when enemies appear on screen!”
- “The music is catchy and atmospheric, sound effects are surprisingly punchy and satisfying, and it's even got a No More Heroes reference in the form of a weapon.”
- “The music is stellar, and there are some tracks that I just can't get enough of!”
- “The trailer has a certain exciting kick to the music, but the music of the game itself is just seriously missing that blood-boiling intensity, so it feels juxtaposed and fails to get me feeling the heat like Necrodancer and Gungeon do.”
- “The art and music are okay, but the story and world basis are very uncreative.”
- “I do hope to see this game improve as time goes on; there's a lot that it has going for it, but there's just a few too many issues for me to keep playing despite the music being firmly stuck in my head.”
story
127 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simple yet engaging, with a mix of charm and intrigue that unfolds gradually through multiple playthroughs. While some players find it derivative and predictable, many appreciate the depth of character lore and the unique storytelling elements that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the narrative adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it a notable aspect of the game despite its occasional shortcomings.
- “The game's storyline is expertly woven together, gradually revealing the secrets of the estate and the fates of its former inhabitants.”
- “The characters are memorable, the progression is fun, and the story is both heartwarming and spooky.”
- “With its addicting gameplay and lovable characters, plus a neat little story in the mix, I give this one-of-a-kind, amazing experience a 10/10!”
- “The trailer led me to believe there would be more story and dialogue than I experienced.”
- “Finally, the story just kind of goes nowhere.”
- “It's predictable and kind of boring, and the main 'mystery' of the plot is just another lady with big tits, but a demon this time.”
replayability
90 mentions
54 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, driven by a diverse array of characters, items, and randomly generated levels that keep each run fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the numerous unlockables, challenges, and ongoing updates from developers, which enhance the overall experience and encourage repeated playthroughs. While some users note a decline in replayability after completing the main content, the majority find it addictive and filled with content that justifies multiple playthroughs.
- “The highlight of the game, of course, is its replayability; there's tons to mix and match, so it won't really be boring in the long run, especially knowing that the devs are still pushing for new updates.”
- “The game features insane replayability whether you're going for a new run or even going for the numerous unlockables that the game has to offer.”
- “It has enough content to warrant multiple playthroughs on each character, and that combined with the interesting item combinations gives it more than enough replay value.”
- “While the game can lack replayability once you finish everything and can get buggy at later difficulties, it still gives a very fulfilling experience before that point.”
- “I would have liked more randomness and number of bosses, a la Binding of Isaac, but the sheer number of items and upgrades make it a replayable gem.”
- “Would buy on sale though because it doesn't have that much replayability after you finish the main story.”
humor
65 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Dead Estate" is widely praised for its quirky, absurd, and often self-referential style, blending funny character designs, item descriptions, and gameplay mechanics that elicit genuine laughter. Players appreciate the game's ability to balance humor with action, creating a fun and engaging experience filled with pop culture references and comedic elements. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and replayability, making it a standout in the roguelike genre.
- “Genuinely it was a pleasure to play this game and I got some good laughs out of the humor and enjoyed collecting all the achievements.”
- “The devs have a nice sense of humor with the items, characters, etc. and it just makes the game a bit more fun.”
- “An absolute blast to play with difficulty, humor, replayability, and a butt load of fan service.”
character development
37 mentions
57 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning and diverse character designs, which are often described as charming and memorable. Players appreciate the unique art style and the variety of characters, including unlockable options that enhance gameplay and storytelling. Overall, the character designs contribute significantly to the game's appeal, with many players expressing enjoyment of the characters' backgrounds and the engaging in-game dialogue.
- “The character designs are gorgeous and the story keeps me hooked and makes me attempt run after run trying to get the next part of the story.”
- “Character designs in this game put a grand smile on my face :)”
- “Absolutely incredible game, with great character design and unique takes on the genre.”
- “Well, except for some character design choices...”
- “Everybody shut the fuck up about the witch and weird character designs, it's cringe.”
- “The character design, although for some are just different skins and base stats, for a few do change up the game quite a bit for the full run.”
grinding
22 mentions
0 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While many find it enjoyable and engaging, contributing to the overall fun of the dungeon crawler experience, others criticize it for becoming tedious and repetitive, especially in higher difficulty modes where enemies become damage sponges. Overall, the grinding can be rewarding but may also lead to frustration due to its drawn-out nature and lack of variety.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The higher difficulty modes inconsistently turn enemies into damage sponges, which makes combat more tedious; meanwhile, it seemingly causes players to get less money, which means there's less players can do to upgrade and customize themselves.”
- “I also think collecting the items needed for the secret ending via the hidden floors was a very tedious process and boring once you get to know how each floor's gimmick works.”
stability
17 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with frequent bugs and glitches reported by players, ranging from minor and humorous to frustrating and game-breaking, such as crashes and softlocks. While some users appreciate the developers' responsiveness in addressing issues, others find the gameplay experience significantly hindered by these stability problems. Overall, the game offers a fulfilling experience but suffers from notable stability concerns that can detract from enjoyment.
- “However, the game is very buggy for me and the game can sometimes be frustrating or even downright unfair at certain points.”
- “Ok good game with one big bug that burns me to the core; it crashes my whole machine quite often. It will be like I'm in the middle of the run, then bam, the game freezes and kills the PC. I don't know how or why it just does that.”
- “A terribly buggy game that doesn't bring anything new to the table, and by buggy I don't mean 'huh that's weird'; I mean regular softlocks or even game crashes.”
optimization
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as long loading times, stuttering, and crashes during intense moments. While a few users noted good performance and manageable file size, many reported random hiccups and frame drops, indicating that optimization needs improvement. Overall, the game's performance is inconsistent, affecting the overall experience.
- “The art style is amazing, and the performance is really good.”
- “Also, the game is well optimized, not being a large install which few folks seem to care about these days.”
- “I experienced random hiccups in performance throughout my play sessions but couldn't figure out what was causing them.”
- “Also, if you run the game for too long, it starts loading much longer between floors and stuttering between rooms.”
- “The game is good, but it's poorly optimized. There are lots of crashes due to big explosions or many bullets on the screen, but hopefully that will be fixed later.”
- “It's worth noting the game has some performance issues, not limited to frame drops - 'NES slowdown' and stuttering every new floor.”
emotional
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of discomfort and heartwarming moments, with players noting memorable characters and a wholesome story that unfolds through multiple playthroughs. While some players found certain gameplay mechanics frustrating, the overall experience is enriched by charming elements and engaging music, contributing to a unique emotional journey.
- “The characters are memorable, the progression is fun, and the story is both heartwarming and spooky.”
- “Also surprisingly very wholesome world.”
- “Charming characters, great music, simple yet fun gameplay, fun little wholesome story.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Dead Estate is highly praised for its outstanding visuals, catchy music, and immersive sound effects, creating a haunting and engaging experience. The game's detailed character models and atmospheric lighting enhance the overall mood, while the varied stage atmospheres prevent visual monotony. Players appreciate the compelling narrative and horror-focused elements that contribute to a rich and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the gameplay.
- “First and foremost, the atmosphere in Dead Estate is simply outstanding.”
- “The visuals in Dead Estate are beautifully crafted, with detailed character models, atmospheric lighting, and stunning environmental design.”
- “Its haunting atmosphere, gripping gameplay, compelling narrative, and stunning visuals all contribute to a truly immersive and enjoyable experience.”
- “The stage atmosphere is always different depending on the floor you're at, which is nice because it prevents the player from becoming visually bored.”
- “It's nice; like most plots for roguelikes, it's really about the feeling and atmosphere the story provides.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is perceived as highly effective, with gameplay designed to encourage players to engage in cash-grabbing tactics, suggesting a strong emphasis on maximizing revenue through in-game purchases and advertisements.
- “Seems like you're definitely rewarded for being as thorough in your cash grabbing as possible.”