Death of a Wish

About

In "Death of a Wish," players control Christian as he battles the cult that raised him, joined by new allies. The Randomizer Update introduces a new mode with randomized enemy and item placements, as well as a "True Randomizer" mode for increased difficulty. This action-RPG emphasizes style and requires mastery of different combat styles and strategic encounters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 252 reviews

story64 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The combat system is highly customizable and fluid, allowing for aggressive playstyles and satisfying combos.
The game's unique art style and music create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The story is more coherent and engaging than its predecessor, with well-developed characters and themes that resonate deeply.

The difficulty curve can be erratic, with some normal enemy encounters being more challenging than bosses.
The combo system lacks clarity, making it difficult for players to fully understand their movesets.
Navigation can be confusing at times, leading to frustration when players get lost in the game world.

story
228 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
71%
1%
The story of "Death of a Wish" is praised for its emotional depth and accessibility compared to its predecessor, "Lucah: Born of a Dream." Players appreciate the engaging narrative that explores themes of self-discovery, indoctrination, and the struggles faced by marginalized communities, all while being presented in a more straightforward manner. While some find the pacing inconsistent and certain elements hard to follow, the overall consensus is that the story is captivating, beautifully intertwined with the gameplay, and resonates deeply with its audience.
- “Utterly unmatched sense of style paired with some of the smartest combat design around and a deeply resonant and heartfelt story on top of it all (and very queer too, which is always a plus).”
- “The story is difficult and heartbreaking but beautiful.”
- “The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and the themes of self-discovery and lifestyle acceptance are explored in a thoughtful and sensitive manner.”
- “As for the story, it is inconsistent with its pacing at times to the point where you're sorta wondering what's going on: and I admit I wanted some more side stories/side quests despite the game having a reasonable amount of content.”
- “The entire thing was so obviously couched in metaphor that any simple textual reading felt fundamentally off, and on top of that, it was a difficult puzzle just to fit together the various pieces of the story the game gives you.”
- “The story is a bit hard to piece together, but it's so good.”
gameplay
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The gameplay of "Death of a Wish" is widely praised for its depth and complexity, featuring meticulously designed combat mechanics that encourage mastery and skill expression. Players appreciate the engaging and addictive nature of the gameplay, enhanced by a unique visual style and sound design, although some express concerns about the scaling of difficulty and the potential overwhelming nature of certain mechanics. Overall, the game is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a fresh experience with a balance of challenge and accessibility.
- “Addictive gameplay, genius sound design, engaging story that can still be fully experienced without playing the prequel, and probably the most unique and memorable visual style in my 15+ years of gaming.”
- “The combat system is meticulously designed, offering a variety of moves and combos that keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and fun, the story is well written, and exploration is satisfying.”
- “Combat mechanics can stack too many multipliers on top of one another.”
- “A lot of the opportunity for strategy or exciting dynamic gameplay I could've gotten was thrown out of the window pretty quickly though.”
- “Overall I liked the game, if I had to nitpick something, the souls-like mechanics didn't translate well into the late game; I think the combat pacing worked well at first, however, the game makes it too easy to overshadow the strategy with the numbers, even if you're doing little to no farming.”
graphics
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
64%
2%
The graphics of "Death of a Wish" are characterized by a unique and striking art style that features scratchy linework and vibrant colors, creating a surreal and atmospheric experience. While many players appreciate the bold aesthetics and how they enhance the game's themes, some find the visuals overwhelming or difficult to read during intense combat. Overall, the art style is a defining feature that sets the game apart, appealing to those who enjoy unconventional visual presentations.
- “The psychedelic art style is the game's defining feature, enveloping players in a vibrant, surreal world where every element is a feast for the eyes.”
- “The visuals are strikingly unique, lending themselves to a dark, surreal, and otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “The art style is unlike anything else in such a good way, and they've taken all the right influences from Sekiro and Hyper Light Drifter.”
- “The graphics, for one, are basically the same.”
- “However, its unorthodox art style can sometimes lead to readability issues.”
- “Having to go through consecutive battles made everything challenging for the right reasons, until the visuals would get in the way.”
music
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its masterful blend of electronic beats, ambient sounds, and dynamic adaptation to gameplay, enhancing the overall immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the energetic soundtrack as a perfect complement to the frenetic combat and surreal atmosphere, with unique influences from various genres, including breakcore and drum and bass. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that elevates the game's aesthetic and emotional impact.
- “The soundtrack is a masterful blend of electronic beats and ambient sounds that enhance the game's surreal atmosphere.”
- “The music adapts dynamically to the action, heightening the sense of immersion.”
- “The music is astonishing and does an excellent job of getting you amped up for any encounter, or sets the mood for the environment you travel through.”
- “It's a damn shame that the OST hasn't released yet, as I keep wishing I could listen through it again.”
- “Lastly, we have to mention my favorite part of the game which is the aesthetic experience; even the soundtrack is kind of unique with all of the different genres mixed into the exploration. Did I hear some drum and bass there as well?”
- “The game features an energetic soundtrack that enhances the frenetic combat and the dark, surreal atmosphere.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by bold colors, intricate patterns, and dreamlike imagery, creating an immersive and surreal experience. The soundtrack, a blend of electronic beats and ambient sounds, complements the dark and edgy narrative, enhancing the overall otherworldly feel. Players appreciate the unique visuals and sound design, which together foster a captivating and atmospheric gaming journey.
- “Each level is a canvas of bold colors, intricate patterns, and dreamlike imagery that creates an immersive and otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is a masterful blend of electronic beats and ambient sounds that enhance the game's surreal atmosphere.”
- “It tells a dark and thought-provoking narrative, and its unique visuals and sound design create a surreal and atmospheric gaming experience.”
- “The dialogue is edgy, reflecting the game’s dark and surreal atmosphere.”
- “The visuals are strikingly unique, lending themselves to a dark, surreal, and otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “The game features an energetic soundtrack that enhances the frenetic combat and the dark, surreal atmosphere.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its deeply resonant and heartfelt story, which is both beautiful and heartbreaking, evoking strong emotional responses from players. The characters, atmosphere, and music contribute to an overall sense of love and care in the game's design, making it a memorable experience that resonates on multiple levels. Many players noted that while some details may be complex, the emotional core remains impactful and engaging.
- “The story is difficult and heartbreaking but beautiful.”
- “Made me cry like the first game did.”
- “What I wasn't expecting was the deeply heartfelt story.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
8%
67%
Players have noted that the grinding aspect in the game can feel tedious, particularly when switching between character builds, which discourages experimentation. While the game initially offers a balanced challenge, many found that the late-game scaling of enemies and bosses becomes too easy, often allowing players to overpower them without significant farming. Overall, the lack of a compelling challenge in the later stages detracts from the strategic depth typically expected in souls-like games.
- “The visuals, the narrative, and the exploration were mostly great. However, toward the end, I started to have tunnel vision because the numbers overpowered the difficulty with little to no farming.”
- “I killed some of the hardest bosses in 30 seconds just mashing buttons, which made the experience feel less strategic.”
- “Overall, I liked the game, but the combat pacing worked well at first. As I progressed, the game made it too easy to overshadow the strategy with the numbers, even with minimal grinding.”
- “There is a huge power differential in dedicating Chris to one playstyle versus building him to be versatile, and changing between these builds is rather tedious, disincentivizing experimenting with the different playstyles.”
- “Overall, I liked the game. If I had to nitpick something, the souls-like mechanics didn't translate well into the late game. I think the combat pacing worked well at first; however, the game makes it too easy to overshadow the strategy with the numbers, even if you're doing little to no farming.”
- “The visuals, the narrative, and the exploration were mostly great. The only problem I have is that toward the end, I started to have tunnel vision because the numbers overpowered the difficulty with little to no farming. I killed some of the hardest bosses in 30 seconds just mashing buttons, and I also think you made a mistake by not giving the bosses more unique mechanics so you're not just doing the parry tactic the entire time.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers high replayability, particularly for players who enjoy mastering combat mechanics and aiming for perfection in their gameplay. Engaging with the game's challenges can lead to personal growth, making each playthrough a unique and rewarding experience.
- “High replay value is assured for those who enjoy mastering combat mechanics and striving for perfection in their gameplay.”
- “You will see yourself and all your fears, but ultimately I think you as a person will emerge stronger and with a very replayable video game.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users emphasize that improved performance directly enhances the effectiveness of the corruption cleanse feature, suggesting a strong correlation between optimization and gameplay quality.
- “The better the performance, the better the corruption cleanse.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is primarily focused on enhancing the main character's base stats, such as health and physical damage, through a limited customization system that mainly offers combat-related modifiers. While players can improve their character's abilities, the options for customization are somewhat restricted.
- “The customization options are limited to combat and consist of various modifiers (e.g., restoring health on hitting an opponent), while the character development system allows players to improve the main character's base stats, such as health or physical damage.”
- “The customization options are limited to combat and consist of various modifiers (e.g. restoring own health on hitting an opponent), while the character development system allows for improvement of the main character's base stats, such as health or physical damage.”

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Death of a Wish

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Death of a Wish EU (without DE/NL/PL) Nintendo Switch CD Key

Death of a Wish

Videos

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