Death From Above
- February 22, 2024
- Rockodile
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Death From Above" is a drone-based arcade game set during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where you play as a Ukrainian military drone operator. Your mission is to combat enemy forces, recover stolen equipment, and restore communication lines. A significant aspect of this game is its real-world impact, as 30% of net proceeds support two Ukrainian organizations, "Come Back Alive" and "Army of Drones," providing non-offensive aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. By purchasing the game, you contribute to a meaningful cause while enjoying an engaging gaming experience.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and entertaining perspective on drone warfare, combining humor with gameplay that supports a good cause.
- Players appreciate the fun mechanics of flying drones and dropping explosives on enemies, providing a satisfying experience.
- The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing promise for future content and enhancements.
- The game is quite short, with many players finishing it in under two hours, leading to a lack of replay value.
- There are significant optimization issues, causing performance problems on various systems, which detracts from the overall experience.
- The enemy AI is simplistic and lacks depth, making encounters less engaging and realistic.
- gameplay27 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Death from Above" is characterized by its interesting mechanics and engaging combat, featuring a variety of weapons and power-ups that keep the experience fresh. While the controls are simple and the enemy AI could be improved, the game offers a unique blend of humor and serious themes, enhanced by a comprehensive tutorial. However, players express a desire for more content, such as additional missions and refined mechanics, to elevate the overall experience.
“The array of weapons and power-ups, from homing missiles to devastating energy beams, keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
“This dual responsibility adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the gameplay, forcing you to consider the well-being of the pilot while executing your missions.”
“In conclusion, with its knockout gameplay, bright musical accompaniment, unique tutorial approach, and the ability to tackle serious topics with some kind of humor, 'Death from Above' offers an interesting experience.”
“The controls are very simple, gameplay is very short, and graphics are okay at best.”
“However, I can't help but feel that the gameplay falls short of the mark.”
“[i]Death from Above[/i] has potential, but it could benefit from a more thoughtful approach to gameplay and narrative that aligns better with its meaningful mission.”
- story23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against the backdrop of a simulation of the Ukraine war, featuring a gripping narrative with intriguing characters and plot twists that enhance the gameplay experience. While players appreciate the immersive campaign and its potential, many express a desire for more missions and variety in maps to prevent monotony. Overall, the narrative is engaging, but the game is still in early access, leaving room for further development and expansion of its storyline.
“The game's campaign is a thrilling ride through a dystopian narrative, complete with intriguing characters and plot twists that keep you hooked from mission to mission.”
“For an early access game, this is one of the best I have tried over the last few months, and though consisting of only one mission (in five parts) at this point in time, I am definitely looking forward to further missions in the near future and spending more time playing this game.”
“Games like 'This War of Mine' and 'Arma 3: Laws of War' excel in portraying the true essence of conflict and storytelling.”
“Definitely needs more missions on a variety of maps as only one gets boring after just a few hours.”
“For an early access game, this is one of the best I have tried over the last few months, and though consisting of only one mission (in five parts) at this point in time, I am definitely looking forward to further missions in the near future.”
“Optimisation is bad; you can't save and your first mission (or the only one mission?) lasts forever.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the breathtaking visuals and unique artistic concepts, particularly in relation to its themes, while others criticize them as outdated, likening them to late 90s or early 2000s standards. Overall, while many players appreciate the game's visual appeal and immersive experience, there are notable calls for improvement in graphical fidelity to meet modern expectations.
“This adrenaline-soaked adventure earns its 10+ rating with a perfect blend of breathtaking visuals, seamless controls, and pulse-pounding combat.”
“From the moment you lift off the ground, the game's graphics leave you breathless.”
“With its jaw-dropping visuals, intuitive controls, gripping storyline, and intense combat, it surpasses expectations and sets a new standard for the genre.”
“For an Unreal Engine title, the graphics and models are rather late 90s to early 2000s.”
“Nothing groundbreaking in the way of graphics, voice acting, or any other 'wow' factors that big AAA titles had.”
“Instead of focusing on graphics and realism, the authors focused on propaganda.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its clever humor, featuring numerous funny easter eggs and a lighthearted approach to serious themes, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the comedic elements, such as the washing machine mechanic, and the engaging soundtrack that complements the humor. Overall, the game's ability to blend humor with meaningful messages contributes significantly to its enjoyment.
“The game does have a lot of funny easter eggs that gave me an honest chuckle when I was playing it.”
“But the game has a big sense of humor too; I won't spoil the surprise, but it was too funny to not enjoy.”
“+ The game's focus lies in its ability to alleviate tension through humor while raising awareness about serious topics.”
- music11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in "Death from Above" has been widely praised for its vibrant and fitting soundtrack, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the unique musical accompaniment, which adds a fun and engaging atmosphere, and many express a desire for an expanded original soundtrack in the future. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that complements the game's enjoyable mechanics and humor.
“The triumphant soundtrack from Antytila, Odarka, and Surface Tension enhances the overall experience.”
“One of the enjoyable features of 'Death from Above' is its bright musical accompaniment.”
“It's a very fun drone sim with a super cool soundtrack - I hope more people will support 'Death from Above'!”
“It would be nice to see the developers expand the OSTs and perhaps release a soundtrack pack in the future.”
“In conclusion, with its knockout gameplay, bright musical accompaniment, unique tutorial approach, and the ability to tackle serious topics with some kind of humor, 'Death from Above' offers an interesting experience.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is lacking, particularly on platforms like the Steam Deck, where performance can drop to around 20 fps. Many users note that while there are bugs and performance issues, these are expected in early access, and the game remains enjoyable. Improvements in optimization and audio are needed, but players are willing to overlook these shortcomings due to the game's supportive cause.
“There are a few bugs and the performance could be better, but that's mostly because it's in early access; the game is more than playable and enjoyable :)”
“It could be better optimized, but since it's early access and dedicated for a good cause, it can wait.”
“If the optimization and issues I've encountered were to be fixed, I would wholeheartedly give this game a full thumbs up.”
“Before you make your purchase, a word of caution: the optimization leaves a bit to be desired, especially on Steam Deck - you're looking at about 20 fps.”
“The game definitely requires some optimization and audio improvements, but if you wanted to support Ukraine in real life, buying this game may be the easiest way to do so.”
“Also, optimization is not very good, but I guess it is an early access thing.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the game offers good replayability due to the presence of high scores, achievements, leaderboards, and side missions, encouraging them to revisit the game for completion and competition.
“There's a high score system that adds significant replay value.”
“The game is highly replayable due to achievements, leaderboards, and side missions.”
“But at least there's a high score to add replay value.”
“+ Replayable for achievements, leaderboards, and side missions purposes.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, with frequent PC freezes occurring even on systems that are otherwise high-performing.
“My PC freezes up almost constantly, and I don't have a slow PC at all.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I've experienced multiple bugs that disrupt gameplay and cause instability.”
