Dead Ground

About

Dead Ground is a procedurally generated tower defense game with rogue-like elements, where each playthrough offers randomly generated weapons, skills, and upgrades. Players must travel, collect resources, manage their inventory, and upgrade their base to survive against brutal enemies and tough boss fights. With random events, unlockable heroes and artifacts, and the threat of permadeath, each playthrough is a new challenge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews

music15 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features an amazing soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
It offers a unique blend of tower defense, RPG, and shooter elements, providing a fresh experience.
The game is challenging and rewarding for players who enjoy difficult gameplay and experimentation.

The game relies heavily on luck due to random weapon and resource availability, which can be frustrating.
There is a steep learning curve with unclear mechanics and stats, making it difficult for players to understand how to progress.
The focus on the hero over traditional tower defense mechanics diminishes the tower-building aspect that fans expect.

music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
21%
The music in the game has received high praise, with many users calling it one of the best soundtracks ever, effectively complementing the game's atmosphere. While some find the soundtrack initially engaging, a few note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is celebrated for its quality and ability to enhance the gaming experience.
- “Oh, it's the best OST ever, and I mean it!”
- “Also, as a big fan of soundtracks (in movies and in games), I can say that this one matches the mood of the game and its atmosphere, and they complement each other.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing too.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay is described as having unique mechanics that differentiate it from standard tower-defense games, allowing players to control a hero directly on the battlefield. However, the implementation of difficulty scaling and random upgrades leads to frustrating experiences, particularly in later levels, where players may find themselves facing insurmountable challenges. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments, its balance issues can detract from the experience.
- “The game has cool gameplay, very good to spend some hours on it.”
- “The reason behind it lies in the fact that it feels unique; it has deeper mechanics than your standard tower-defense game.”
- “You can control a hero (there's a variety of heroes after you unlock them) directly on the battlefield, moving around the map, using skills and shooting at enemies. This was honestly one of the main reasons why I enjoyed playing this game, because I'm not a fan of just 'place tower to shoot enemies' gameplay.”
- “Mechanics do not work due to poorly implemented math: the difficulty constantly increases by growing the number of foes, their speed, and power, while randomly upgrading the quality of weapons and life items for the player. The result is a game that only appeals to those who understand concepts like 'fun' or 'challenge' as dying repeatedly to restart.”
- “Gameplay degenerates to insurmountable levels, and this always happens in level 9 out of a total of 10.”
- “Mechanics do not work due to poorly implemented math: the difficulty constantly increases by growing the number of foes, their speed, and power, while randomly upgrading the quality of weapons and life items for the player. The result is a game that only appeals to those who understand concepts like 'fun' or 'challenge' as dying repeatedly to restart.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers limited replayability primarily through the unlocking of new characters and artifacts, but these additions do not significantly alter the gameplay experience. Many reviewers feel that improved clarity and a more thoughtful replayability design could have enhanced the game's potential.
- “Some replayability is present as you unlock new characters and artifacts, although they don't change or add that much.”
- “In my opinion, Dead Ground could have been a big hit if done with more clarity and slightly better replayability design.”
- “Some replayability is present as you unlock new characters and artifacts, although they don't change or add that much.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are generally considered decent for the genre, with a cool aesthetic and good atmosphere, but some users feel they resemble a mobile game rather than a PC title, particularly noting the small character sizes.
- “+ cool graphics, decent music & atmosphere and Steam achievements.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by cool graphics and a well-matched soundtrack that complements the overall mood, creating an immersive experience. Users appreciate the decent music and the integration of sound with the visuals, contributing positively to the game's ambiance.
- “As a big fan of soundtracks (in movies and in games), I can say that this one matches the mood of the game and its atmosphere, and they complement each other.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong optimization, with users reporting no major bugs or performance issues.
- “No major bugs, no performance issues.”
- “No major bugs, no performance issues.”
- “No major bugs, no performance issues.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a single campaign consisting of 11 missions, providing a structured narrative experience for players.
- “The single campaign is only 11 missions long, which feels too short for a game of this type.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the story consists of just 11 missions in a single campaign.”
- “The narrative is lacking depth, especially considering it's only a single campaign with 11 missions.”