Death Roads: Tournament
- November 15, 2023
- The Knights of Unity
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam"Death Roads: Tournament" is a single-player strategy game with exceptional mechanics, outstanding graphics, and good music. In this game, you join a cutthroat competition where you must eliminate opponents in car battles using cards and turn-based gameplay. Before starting, choose your driver, car, and sponsor, and remember to shift gears while driving to increase power. Failure is not an option, as you'll have to start over!
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a fantastic concept that combines card mechanics with vehicular combat, reminiscent of Mad Max and Death Race.
- The graphics and overall aesthetic are well-designed, creating an engaging post-apocalyptic atmosphere.
- The game offers a unique deck-building experience where players can customize their vehicles and strategies based on the parts they acquire.
- The game suffers from balancing issues, particularly with health management and the difficulty curve, making it feel punishing and frustrating at times.
- There is a lack of variety in gameplay and enemy types, leading to repetitive encounters as players progress.
- The RNG elements can feel unfair, as enemies often seem to have better draws and positioning, undermining player strategy.
- gameplay120 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this deck-building roguelike is praised for its unique mechanics, such as the integration of car components and positioning strategies, which create a satisfying and engaging experience. However, players have noted issues with balance, repetitive enemy encounters, and some mechanics that feel overly complicated or poorly explained, leading to frustration in certain situations. Overall, while the core mechanics are solid and enjoyable, there are areas that require refinement to enhance the overall gameplay experience.
“I really like this game, the concept is fantastic and the mechanics are deep enough to really sink your teeth into.”
“The gameplay is a tactical deck builder where you have two types of cards, car cards that are dictated by your vehicle and the kind of gear it has equipped and driver cards that are based on what driver you select at the start.”
“Great game with unique mechanics.”
“Despite a really cool theme and some interesting mechanics, this is the dullest, most repetitive, boring, and overall 'meh' card battler in recent years.”
“The core gameplay loop is designed to frustrate the player.”
“There is no cohesion with your cards and decks through gameplay, and it just feels really bad to play as you get whittled down every combat and are forced to go to heal stations while never actually improving your own vehicle.”
- music43 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its fitting metal soundtrack and how it enhances the overall atmosphere. However, several reviewers noted that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, especially during extended play sessions. While some found the music enjoyable and well-integrated with the gameplay, others expressed a desire for more variety to maintain engagement over time.
“With its stunning graphics and a pretty metal soundtrack.”
“The atmosphere is cool as well - the music, art and the general feeling references the classics very nicely.”
“Great theme, great music, great presentation... unqualified recommendation from me for sure.”
“My only drawback is that the two music tracks get extremely grating after the 50th time hearing them.”
“While we're on minor gripes, the music can start to wear a little thin if you play the game for too long continuously.”
“The music and sound effects are pretty poor and really need to be improved.”
- graphics41 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and unique aesthetic, often described as a comic book-like post-apocalyptic style that enhances the overall atmosphere. While the artwork and sound design complement each other effectively, some players noted minor issues with animations and UI clarity. Overall, the visuals are considered impressive for an indie title, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some gameplay mechanics that could be better explained.
“With its stunning graphics and a pretty metal soundtrack.”
“I love the aesthetics of this comic book-like post-apocalyptic setting.”
“The implementation of the board game mechanics, the UI, and the graphics and sound is really top-notch and fun.”
“The aesthetics work well, and while a lot of the character art is deliberately crude and unappealing, the actual combat looks exactly how you'd want it to.”
“Ai artwork is of course terrible and embarrassing... enemy AI is also pretty bad, especially when you get far enough from them.”
“However, if I created a wish list of future content, it would include damage graphics for cars and motorcycles, new cars for free or with DLC, and more of everything else!”
- replayability14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mix of high replayability due to diverse driver and car combinations, strategic depth, and unlockable content, though some players feel it lacks sufficient content and balance to maintain long-term engagement. While many enjoy the challenge and variety, others express concerns about time-consuming unlocks and punishing RNG, suggesting that additional content and adjustments could enhance replay value.
“Lots of replayability, especially if you stick with it for more unlocks.”
“Each driver and car combo plays differently for a lot of replayability.”
“Strategy is surprisingly complex and replayability is baked into the campaign... in true old school fashion you have to unlock the new cars and drivers.”
“I wish there was more replayability.”
“Overall, I think it may have released out of early access a bit early and could really use more content added to it to help with replayability.”
“Kind of neat, very limited in replayability.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is widely criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking depth, with many players feeling that it needs more meaningful choices and narrative content to enhance the experience. Reviewers express a desire for additional story elements, branching paths, and a more satisfying conclusion, suggesting that the current narrative feels repetitive and insufficient. Overall, while the gameplay mechanics are praised, the story is seen as a significant area for improvement.
“In between the encounters, you will move across the world map in a way that will be familiar to anyone who has played a game like FTL or Slay the Spire, where you often have a choice of paths. The different nodes will include combat encounters, random story encounters that can offer positive or negative effects, repair places, etc.”
“This has the potential to be a really, really good game if they add content and expand the story.”
“If this game could finish working out the kinks and maybe add more of a story, this could be a great game!”
“I feel as though something is missing, either more story or more meaningful choices along the way. As it is, it feels a bit repetitive, and without the ability to work towards some sort of really cool build, it also feels a bit pointless.”
“It needs more story narratives and map branching choices as well as a more detailed game over, like a storyline ending or wrap-up.”
“The story is really lacking.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging art and sound design, reminiscent of classic tabletop experiences. Reviewers highlight the game's unique and refreshing ambiance, which enhances the overall gameplay and complements its mechanics effectively. Overall, the atmosphere is described as cool, immersive, and a significant strength of the game.
“The atmosphere is cool as well - the music, art, and the general feeling reference the classics very nicely.”
“It's hard, it's replayable, it's value for money, it's got great sound design and atmosphere; it hits all the right spots.”
“Death Roads: Tournament is a fun deckbuilder with a great atmosphere and several unique and clever gaming mechanics.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, requiring significant effort to unlock new cards, drivers, and cars, which can lead to frustration. While some appreciate the rewarding feeling of overcoming challenges through grinding, many feel that the experience is marred by a lack of adequate rewards for the time invested. Overall, the grinding is seen as a balancing issue that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“Failure is guaranteed on your first few runs as grinding is required to unlock things.”
“The XP system requires a ridiculous amount of grinding to unlock new cars and components. Even winning the game doesn't give you a fair amount of XP compared to how much you need per level.”
“A lot of grinding with little return.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor glitches reported, such as spelling errors and occasional card animation issues that can freeze gameplay. While these bugs are noted as annoyances, they do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyable experience and well-crafted aesthetics of the game.
“The game runs great, has a very fun and well-made aesthetic, and features a well-thought-out customization system with different drivers, cars, car parts, and cards. I imagine that in the late game, it really allows you to pull off some fun stuff and hits most of the classic genres well (events, customization, etc.).”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or significant bugs during my playtime, which really enhances the overall experience.”
“I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is, with consistent frame rates and no lag, making for an enjoyable and immersive experience.”
“I did notice a couple of glitches, like some spelling that needs to be corrected and one gadget (Flask of Oblivion) that needs to be fixed.”
“There are a couple of little issues (card animation glitches that can freeze the game, especially if the AI dies before it resolves all cards in a skid), but they are minor annoyances.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a blend of humor in the game, with players noting the comedic elements of navigating toxic relationships and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics, such as humorous interactions with enemies. Suggestions for features, like a card to change the music, further emphasize the lighthearted tone that enhances the overall experience.
“But love's a funny thing - it makes it very difficult to leave toxic relationships, like the one I have with Death Roads Tournament.”
“Heck, a card to change the music would be hilarious.”
“Bumping into enemies - humorous check.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game has appealing features, but players report that it lacks proper optimization, resulting in performance issues and a less smooth gameplay experience.
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While some players may not appreciate the character design, they find the overall gameplay enjoyable, suggesting that character development may not be a primary focus for them.
