Death by Game Show

About

Death by Game Show is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Oointah Games and was released on January 21, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In the 26th century, humanity has become utterly and irreversibly stupid… more so. Only a lovable tub of goo by the name of U.H. Wutt demonstrates an acceptable level of intelligence, but the droids and robots who now run the world don’t take kindly to U.H. Wutt’s non-moronitude. Because of it, U.H Wutt has been sentenced to Death by Game Show.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Unique and innovative blend of tower defense, strategy, and arcade gameplay with a quirky, humorous theme.
Challenging gameplay with good replay value, including adjustable difficulty and an in-game level editor with Steam Workshop support.
Appealing 2D cartoon art style and fitting soundtrack that complements the game’s satirical, futuristic setting.

Steep learning curve and lack of clear in-game tutorials or explanations make it confusing and frustrating for new players.
Cluttered and noisy screen with overwhelming UI elements and occasionally poor English translations that hamper gameplay clarity.
Grinding required to progress due to one-time use units/buildings and punishing retry mechanics, which some players find tedious.

gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The gameplay is a challenging and fun mix of action, strategy, and tower defense elements, offering depth through power-ups, upgrades, and tactical variation. However, it is often hampered by a cluttered UI, obscure mechanics, poor tutorials, and a steep learning curve that can frustrate new players. With effort, users find the gameplay rewarding and addictive, but it would benefit greatly from improved usability and clearer in-game guidance.
- “The gameplay is like a two-tracked lane-defense game, with a lot of power-ups, upgrades, and unlocks.”
- “It mixes a few genres to create a really addictive gameplay with fantastic style.”
- “The gameplay is quick and action-packed, but still incorporates a degree of strategy and puzzle-solving so that you're rewarded for that "just one more go" way of approaching this.”
- “While the cartoony graphics are well done and charming, the screen is way too noisy and cluttered, making gameplay needlessly difficult.”
- “Death by game show reminds me of Hammerfight - a great game with awful UI and obscure game mechanics so that you seriously wonder whether you should suffer through the shortcomings and try to enjoy the fun that is there, or smash the keyboard and never start the game again.”
- “This game desperately needs a) proper in-game help with game mechanics well explained b) usability testing and UI improvements c) less infuriating item progression system.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics are consistently praised for their charming, detailed, and well-executed cartoonish 2D art style, often described as reminiscent of comic books and original indie designs. However, some users find the screen cluttered and noisy, which impacts gameplay clarity, and note a lack of customization options and background variation. Overall, the art style is considered a strong and appealing aspect of the game, contributing positively to its unique atmosphere.
- “The graphics are well-designed for a two-dimensional game, basically cartoonish but well detailed, fitting the game perfectly.”
- “Right from the beginning, I found the graphics really appealing for an indie game, lacking only differences between two of a kind of robots or buildings.”
- “The graphics in particular evoke memories as a kid of the Beano style comic annuals I used to read.”
- “While the cartoony graphics are well done and charming, the screen is way too noisy and cluttered, making gameplay needlessly difficult.”
- “The lack of graphics customization options, the cluttered screen and the poor translation are enough faults here that I'm going to give this a thumbs down.”
- “The gameplay was at first not smooth, but if you go to settings and choose your own graphics and stuff, it's fixed and then it's very smooth!”
humor
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is polarizing, with many praising its quirky, offbeat, and clever jokes that complement the unique art style and gameplay, while others find it childish, grating, or hit-and-miss. References and style may appeal more to mature or niche audiences, though some players note the comedic elements add charm and fun to the experience. Overall, humor is a standout yet subjective aspect that enhances the game's personality for many but not all.
- “Off the wall and insanely awesome sense of humor, unique and evocative art, enjoyable tower defense/strategy gameplay.”
- “The humor is pretty great and I enjoyed the style and general loony feel.”
- “Love the name of the game, right off the bat it has a nicely drawn intro with good music, lots of small humorous moments in the intro, the art style seems original I like it.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The music in the game is generally praised for being fitting, charming, and well-aligned with the art style, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere. However, it is often noted as repetitive and simplistic, which can lead to irritation or headaches during extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated but could benefit from more variation to maintain long-term appeal.
- “The soundtrack on the other hand is truly brilliant and well suited to this type of game.”
- “The soundtrack is brilliant, and the gameplay itself is fairly fun and simple to pick up after the first few levels.”
- “The sound is just as cartoony, same for the music, it fits this game well, it goes along with the art style which is one of the most important things for sound and music.”
- “The audio is very simplistic and yet very fitting, but sadly there isn't much variation in it, therefore it loses some attractiveness and might get irritating in a longer game run, considering that the soundtrack is pretty much the same as it fits the theme perfectly.”
- “The one and only background tune that is constantly playing, however, quickly becomes annoying and you start wishing for any Justin Bieber song instead.”
- “There was one thing I would improve: the music because it gave me such a bad headache.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The story is set in a futuristic world dominated by robots and explores themes like AI dependence, fake media, and societal control with satirical and humorous elements. While some players appreciate the parody and thematic depth, others find it minimal or quickly fades during gameplay. Overall, the narrative adds background flavor but is not the main focus, with gameplay taking precedence.
- “Storywise, we have a form of satire that addresses the societal problem of humanity’s increasing dependence on artificial intelligence.”
- “The story happens in the 26th century, and the show-designer keeps the story alive until the end of the game.”
- “It's a mix of tower defense and tower offense, with a nice background story, interesting characters/towers, and pretty graphics.”
- “At the end, the story seems to disappear along the gameplay rather fast.”
- “The story is basically non-existent, so I’m going to move past it and look towards the gameplay.”
- “This is the full extent of the story.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
The game offers exceptional replayability through challenging levels, an adjustable difficulty slider, and an in-game level editor, complemented by custom content via the Steam workshop. Even failed attempts reward progress, encouraging repeated play, while the unique gameplay elements keep the experience fresh and engaging. Overall, it provides endless challenge and variety, making it highly worthwhile for players seeking long-term replay value.
- “All levels are replayable and even failure to complete a level will earn you money if you collect any coins on the failed map.”
- “Adding to the replayability value, the levels do not only have a difficulty setting, which is easily changed by a slider, but also provide an in-game level editor, as well as different language packs, custom sprites, and levels in the Steam workshop.”
- “The replayability of the game comes in the form of trying the same levels over and over to finish them or get a high score. While this may sound dull, the game manages to be quirky enough with the right mixture of different gameplay elements that it never gets stale.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding in the game tedious and excessive, especially due to repeated level replays and difficulty spikes. However, developers have made some improvements to reduce grinding and make progression slightly easier, although the issue remains a significant drawback.
- “After 40 minutes of playing, the game becomes grinding hell where you need to replay previous levels multiple times to earn enough boosters and buildings to finally pass the next round.”
- “However, I find the difficulty spike to be pretty ridiculous and the grinding aspect of the game is really tedious.”
- “It can get tedious with some of its core aspects and technical issues.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on most computers without performance issues or lag. Both audio and soundtrack are efficiently handled, contributing to a polished experience. Users anticipate further optimization improvements with future updates.
- “The game is well-optimized and runs smoothly on most computers.”
- “The best game I have ever played on Steam because it meets all my computer requirements, resulting in no lag and no performance issues.”
- “After a few levels, optimizations become even better than Fallout Shelter!”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect is noted for its advertising, which may deter some players from fully engaging, but overall it doesn't significantly detract from the game's charm.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is set primarily on Terra and throughout the solar system, featuring a staged environment with show designers, cameramen, and various random units, giving it a theatrical and controlled feel.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates strong stability, with no reported bugs, crashes, screen freezes, or frame drops, ensuring a smooth and reliable experience.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development features imaginative and visually creative designs, but the overall presentation feels cluttered and overwhelming.