Death Must Die

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Death Must Die is a roguelite RPG where you, as a hero, aim to defeat Death himself. A pantheon of gods will guide you on your quest, granting powerful blessings to aid you in your journey. Explore the Underworld, battle minions and Guardians, discover ancient shrines and creatures, and create unique builds with hundreds of god blessings. Learn why the gods have turned against one of their own and uncover the personal stories of each hero.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,823 reviews

gameplay579 positive mentions

grinding254 negative mentions

gameplay
1,344 mentions
43 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Death Must Die" has been widely praised for its addictive and engaging mechanics, blending elements from popular titles like "Hades," "Vampire Survivors," and "Diablo." Players appreciate the smooth controls, unique character abilities, and the strategic depth provided by the dodge mechanic and loot system, although some express concerns about the game's repetitiveness and the need for more content and character differentiation. Overall, the game offers a satisfying roguelite experience with a strong foundation for future updates and expansions.
- “The gameplay is incredibly simple, yet strangely challenging in the best way.”
- “The gameplay loop is ridiculously satisfying and is an absolute blast.”
- “It combines the addictive gameplay of vampire survivors with a wealth of new features that make it a far richer experience.”
- “The gameplay is simplistic, yet easy to play for longer periods of time; the depth of the game depends on the blessings you want to obtain.”
- “Disappointingly, the cast of characters feels very samey, especially among the four melee characters whose moment-to-moment gameplay feels identical.”
- “The core gameplay loop is lacking both Hades' and Vampire Survivors' interactivity and distinction of different styles of play.”
graphics
658 mentions
54 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Death Must Die" have received widespread praise for their charming pixel art style, which effectively combines nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic games like Diablo and Hades. Many players appreciate the vibrant colors, smooth animations, and overall aesthetic, noting that the visuals enhance the gameplay experience. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in character designs and a desire for improved clarity during chaotic moments, indicating that while the graphics are generally well-received, there is room for refinement.
- “The graphics are a retro style and it's fun!”
- “The art style is beautiful and the voice acting is great as well.”
- “The visuals are beautifully crafted, immersing you in a world that feels both dark and enchanting.”
- “The graphics are horrible, I had to try turning off the AMD GPU scaling because I thought it was screwing up the graphics and colors, but no, that's just how it looks.”
- “I just wish the graphics didn't look so muddy.”
- “The art style is simple and effective, grimness cut with color, and a real sense of mood.”
story
376 mentions
23 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and character interactions reminiscent of "Hades," while others criticize its lack of depth and coherence. Although there are snippets of lore and humor, the dialogue often suffers from immersion-breaking elements like internet slang and poor writing. As the game is still in early access, players express hope for future updates to enhance the narrative and character development.
- “The general story is really interesting and I can't wait for the next act to release.”
- “The plot line is amazing so far; all the different gods have unique, amazing personalities and designs with fun lore!”
- “I love the game play and the story, and unexpectedly there is voice acting.”
- “There are always interruptions: when you level up, characters appear saying something related to the lore or story that I simply don't care about.”
- “Also a pet peeve, but the emojis and leet speak in the dialogue kill all immersion and make me unwilling to take this game's story or characters seriously.”
- “The story feels pointless as well; like sure, we're going to kill death, but why?”
grinding
260 mentions
1 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a polarizing aspect, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly after recent updates that have increased the grind required for character progression and gear acquisition. While some players appreciate the depth and engagement that grinding can provide, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to frustration over inventory management and the slow pace of advancement. Overall, the game's grinding mechanics seem to be a significant point of contention, with opinions split between those who enjoy the challenge and those who find it a chore.
- “These pieces start to offer huge boosts, to the point where you aren't farming enemy kills per match, you're just running from shrine to shrine trying to get decent buffs.”
- “New items, achievements, and skills are acquired every third game or so for me, which is refreshing and not too grindy.”
- “Pointlessly grindy, general feeling of lack of control of your build.”
- “The actual problem with this game is the horrific grinding required for progression.”
- “Act 2 update ruined game progress, made it way too grindy and new enemies seem much more RNG in their patterns of their attack as opposed to the Act 1 attacks, which while very vanilla were actually rewarding to dodge and dash around.”
music
214 mentions
50 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and gameplay, while others find it repetitive or lacking in variety. Many appreciate the soundtrack's fitting tone for the game's dark aesthetic, but there are calls for more diverse tracks and improvements to avoid monotony. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, it is seen as an area that could benefit from further development.
- “The soundtrack just pounds—like a star about to explode—and it fits perfectly, keeping you on edge the whole time.”
- “The art style and soundtrack perfectly complement the game’s grim setting, making each playthrough both daunting and exciting.”
- “The soundtrack complements the action beautifully, heightening the tension in critical moments and adding depth to the overall experience.”
- “My one major complaint is that I'm not a big fan of the soundtrack, but other than that, the game is pretty solid.”
- “The music is lacking.”
- “The soundtrack is pretty basic.”
replayability
184 mentions
51 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a high level of replayability, driven by diverse character builds, an extensive item pool, and procedural generation that keeps each run fresh. While some players note that the limited content and repetitive elements can diminish replay value over time, many find the gameplay addictive and engaging, with the potential for even greater replayability as new updates and content are introduced. Despite some criticisms regarding the current state of content, the game's mechanics and variety offer substantial replay opportunities for fans of the genre.
- “This game overall is extremely solid, each character gives the game a little bit of a different play style with the in-depth perk system that encourages build crafting, it also has a pretty deep item pool that buffs you in various ways as well, adding different layers of replayability.”
- “Highly addictive, a lot of replayability with different builds, definitely recommend!”
- “The replayability is off the charts and for the current price the game is a steal.”
- “With only 2 levels so far, there's not enough replayability after you've gotten 1 or 2 decent pieces of gear.”
- “The entire point of a survivor genre is replayability and build flexibility, and 'Death Must Die' manages to lack in both of them, while also making the entire game dependent on RNG and being extremely grindy and repetitive after not even 10 hours.”
- “There isn't enough systems in place for this game to have any sort of replayability at the moment, and the grind to beat the content that's currently there is really lackluster.”
humor
148 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its whimsical and quirky dialogue, character interactions, and meta-humor, which often elicits genuine laughter. However, some find the humor to be cringeworthy or juvenile, with attempts at edgy or meme-like writing that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game features charming and funny elements, its comedic style may not resonate with everyone, leading to varied opinions on its effectiveness.
- “The art style is pleasant and the game has silly meta-humor sprinkled throughout.”
- “Haven't regretted this purchase and I highly recommend it for the character conversations and the humor in the game.”
- “The writing is hilarious and doesn't take itself too seriously, but the art is amazing.”
- “You put so much effort into emulating a mix of the dark fantasy styles of Diablo, Dark Souls, and Hades, and then you ruin it with puns and terrible, forced, unfunny 'quirky and random' millennial writing.”
- “Not sure if it's supposed to be funny.”
- “I get that it's still in early access, and it's a good game, but man, there are some unreasonable difficulty spikes. There is also a great variety of upgrades, but they somehow feel very repetitive very quickly. Last but not least, the dialogues can be very cringy, and I guess it's supposed to be funny, but it really takes you out of the game when a character ends a sentence with ':3' or some other form of that.”
atmosphere
52 mentions
46 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, immersive qualities, enhanced by charming pixel art and a mix of eerie and humorous elements. While many players appreciate the detailed environments and thematic consistency, some critique the dialogue and soundtrack for detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates with fans of the roguelike genre.
- “With challenging combat mechanics, eerie atmosphere, and a unique blend of roguelike elements, it offers a rewarding experience for players who enjoy dark, immersive worlds.”
- “The game's music and atmosphere feel moody, but with sprinklings of humor and personality that keep it from feeling like a stale imitation - this game stands well enough on its own.”
- “The detailed environments are beautifully designed, ranging from eerie dungeons to lush forests, each with its own distinct atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and gritty, but while it looks good, the soundtrack doesn’t do much to stand out.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and dank yet the characters talk like 12-year-old kids on social media with emojis.”
- “Most of the voice acting is pretty bad, character dialogue is absolutely awful and takes away from the atmosphere.”
character development
41 mentions
49 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many praising the appealing character designs and unique playstyles, particularly for the gods, which enhance the visual and narrative experience. However, some players criticize the minimal initial character development for player characters and the inconsistent quality of designs, particularly in relation to the game's overall art style. While the dialogue and writing have moments of humor and depth, there are calls for more substantial character growth and cohesion throughout the narrative.
- “Character designs look very nice and they have different enough playstyles to where they still feel unique.”
- “The attention to detail in the character designs and environments is commendable, making each moment visually striking.”
- “The character design for the players is nice; the personalities are a bit of a trope but a good mix of PCs. The god design, however, is top tier; each god embodies what they are perfectly.”
- “If you're going for a story and character development, that really needs to start right away or you're just not invested in the character, or the story.”
- “The character designs and text in this game completely ruin the experience for me.”
- “With how minimal the character development is for the player characters initially, it's contrasted by the NPCs and how vibrant their personalities are in the brief instances they interact with the player.”
optimization
35 mentions
23 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on high-end PCs and offers a solid experience at 144 fps, performance issues arise during intense gameplay, particularly on lower-spec systems and the Steam Deck. Players have noted stuttering and frame drops when enemy counts increase, and some aspects of character optimization can lead to further performance degradation. As this is an early access title, many users express hope for future improvements to enhance overall performance and stability.
- “The default elements (level, enemy waves, skills, gear) are well implemented, the game runs smoothly and the art/colors blend well everywhere.”
- “It runs a steady 144 fps on my rig and barely uses anything; performance is awesome.”
- “If I could ask for one thing, it would be improving performance on the Steam Deck.”
- “This game seems made for the handheld, but the performance as you level up and the enemy hordes become larger isn't the best.”
- “The game is still rough around the edges, but it has a lot of room for improvement and optimization.”
stability
27 mentions
52 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
44 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is commendable for an early access title, with most players reporting a mostly bug-free experience and smooth performance, particularly on the Steam Deck. While a few minor glitches and issues have been noted, such as occasional screen freezes and minor control quirks, they do not significantly detract from gameplay. Many users express surprise at the game's technical polish given its development by a small team, suggesting it is less buggy than some fully released titles.
- “The fact that it's developed by a 5-person no-name team and yet mechanically and visually top-notch, let alone almost bug-free, is mind-blowing.”
- “I didn't experience any technical issues either; it was buttery smooth and bug-free!”
- “So far, it has been a fun and surprisingly bug-free experience.”
- “I've also had it happen a few times where my game freezes and I've crashed to desktop and lost the whole run's progress without even getting the loot I got from it.”
- “Aside from the meager meta-progression, the game has some issues (low inventory space, low stash space, buggy dodge mechanics, janky movement/attack mechanics) that should be easily fixable.”
- “You're not having fun until your screen glitches out from too many abilities.”
emotional
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of wholesome humor and heartfelt moments, particularly through charming characters like Kront, the orc barbarian, and a friendly skeleton. Players appreciate the balance of tension and strategy, which evokes a sense of achievement and experimentation, while the lighthearted dialogue adds a pleasant and engaging atmosphere. However, some feel that the gameplay mechanics detract from the emotional immersion, suggesting a disconnect between the game's art and writing.
- “Kront is the most wholesome orc barbarian character in history, change my mind!”
- “If you like the games it so heartfully pulls from, I think you'll truly love this title.”
- “Getting all achievements almost made me want to cry... would recommend.”
monetization
12 mentions
8 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the affordable price point, while others express concerns about potential cash grab elements and a lack of developer communication. Many users are open to paying for DLC and inexpensive microtransactions to support the game, indicating a desire for additional content without feeling exploited. Overall, the sentiment leans towards favoring indie development over AAA titles that rely heavily on monetization strategies.
- “For a game this affordable, I would definitely pay for DLC with new characters and a change of scenery, as well as inexpensive microtransactions to support this game while keeping me hooked.”
- “Some are excellent, some are just okay; one or two feel like cash grabs.”
- “Diablo 4 without the ridiculous price tag and disrespectful microtransactions.”
- “But there is, and has been so little communication/activity from the developers; I'm starting to think it was a cash grab and is now more than likely dead.”