Death Skid Marks
- November 20, 2014
- Studio Whisky Tango Inc.
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam"Death Skid Marks" is an ultra-violent top-down car combat game where you battle an array of enemies while traveling along Route 666 to reach a kickass music concert. Upgrade your car and crew, buy weapons, and engage in melee combat, gunfights, and high-speed chases. Unlock various cars and bumper stickers in this punk/metal-inspired game with low-fidelity graphics and a unique soundtrack.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of humor, great artwork, and a fun gameplay loop that keeps players engaged.
- It's highly addictive with a lot of replay value, as each run feels different due to random elements and unlockable content.
- The soundtrack is fantastic and complements the chaotic, over-the-top action perfectly.
- The game can be frustratingly difficult, with some bosses feeling unfairly challenging, leading to frequent deaths.
- There are reports of technical issues, such as crashes and a cropped screen that can hinder gameplay.
- The reliance on RNG can sometimes feel punishing, making progress feel more luck-based than skill-based.
- gameplay82 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its mechanical depth, fast-paced action, and a blend of rogue-lite and RPG elements, offering a challenging yet addictive experience. Players appreciate the chaotic top-down car combat, diverse vehicle options, and the necessity of strategic decision-making, though some find the difficulty can be frustrating. Overall, the combination of unique art style, engaging soundtrack, and varied gameplay mechanics keeps players returning for more, despite initial challenges.
“Great gameplay, amazing original soundtrack, and artistic direction.”
“The game emphasizes making informed choices, and is a textbook example of implementing delayed gratification in a gameplay loop.”
“Incredible replayability, very amusing and well-done graphics, rewarding and at times sweat-inducing gameplay - all around a blast, and a steal at the price.”
“The gameplay is a minimal component, and everything is tied together by the heaviest RNG I've ever seen.”
“Many situations will probably be unwinnable, and rogue-like games use the term as a cop-out for actual gameplay balance.”
“If the runs took 10-15 minutes to reach the deaths that almost always feel rigged against you, then it wouldn't be so bad, but the dragging nature and the frustrating mechanics just make it a bad experience overall.”
- humor74 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- -3 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's humor is widely praised for its irreverent, dark, and often crude style, with many players finding it both hilarious and entertaining. Reviewers highlight the creative characters, witty dialogue, and a blend of trashy and edgy humor that keeps the gameplay engaging, though some note that the humor can be hit-or-miss. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a mix of absurdity, cultural references, and a punk aesthetic, making it a standout in the roguelite genre.
“Honestly speaking, we don't have enough humorous games out there with wicked cool styles like this and how it makes fun of things and people; it's just so damn nice.”
“A wonderful game, filled to the brim with irreverent humor, cool effects (gibbing, slashing, blowing up, and the like) and tons of enemies, weapons, and vehicles.”
“The game has a kind of humor that manages to be immature while still being funny instead of obnoxious.”
“An overpriced, lazily programmed, painfully unfunny, and boring disappointment.”
“The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the humor feel more like a chore than a delight.”
“I expected clever wit, but instead, I was met with tired clichés and unoriginal gags.”
- music70 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and fitting rock and metal soundtrack, which enhances the overall gameplay experience and complements the game's humor and aesthetic. While some players find the music repetitive or not to their taste, the majority appreciate its ability to elevate the game's chaotic and fun atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and replayability.
“Great gameplay, amazing original soundtrack and artistic direction.”
“The topping to this superb sundae of a game is a soundtrack that really gets blood pumping, and art style/humor that borders on funny yet possibly inappropriate.”
“Awesome soundtrack, pictures, gameplay, I'm just in love with this masterpiece!”
“The music is kinda.. meh, and very repetitive.. on that note, I still like it.”
“The music package isn't worth spending the extra for, however.”
“Awful music, but I think that's a stylistic choice.”
- graphics56 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and engaging art style, which blends cartoonish elements with a gritty, trashy aesthetic that complements the game's dark humor. Many reviewers highlight the artwork as a standout feature, noting its ability to evoke nostalgia while enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Despite some mentions of low resolution and occasional glitches, the visuals are generally considered a strong point, contributing to the game's addictive nature and replayability.
“The art style is what initially hooked me, but the gameplay is just nuanced enough to keep me coming back.”
“Awesome artwork and a wonderfully twisted sense of humor.”
“The art style is a great blend of cartoony and gritty, which totally suits the mood of the game (as a fellow artist, I couldn't help but admire it and feel inspired).”
“The graphics are not the strongest point of the game, I would say, and sometimes you encounter bugs or glitches, but the game is still worth the money in my opinion.”
“It's aesthetic is grungy, dirty, and a little bit vile.”
“The game prides itself on its 'trashy humor' which I still get amused seeing the 50th time an Aryan roadkiller car rolls up with the driver's name being something along the lines of 'Ryan Dickfingers.' The art style also complements its trashy nature with the old computer terminal overlay and the downright freaky characters you pick up off the side of the road.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, offering endless value through its run-based mechanics, diverse playstyles, and unlockable content. Players appreciate the challenging yet enjoyable gameplay, balanced RNG, and engaging art, making it a highly recommended choice for fans of fast-paced roguelikes. Overall, the combination of fun difficulty and frequent updates contributes to its immense replay value.
“Ten bucks for a massively replayable run-based action-shmup roguelite with excellent art, unfair but fun difficulty, balanced RNG, and zero game-breaking bugs, crashes, instability, or slowdown in all the time I've ever played it.”
“Incredible replayability, very amusing and well-done graphics, rewarding and at times sweat-inducing gameplay - all around a blast, and a steal at the price.”
“Plenty of replayability and options to choose from depending on your playstyle.”
“I fully enjoy this game, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast-paced roguelikes with a lot of replayability.”
“I suggest giving it a try - the first ride is pretty difficult to finish, and for $10, the replay value is very high.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and primarily serves as a backdrop for gameplay, focusing on a straightforward mission to reach a concert while battling enemies. While some players appreciate the added flavor text, the overall consensus is that the narrative is not the main draw, with many enjoying the action and soundtrack more than the storyline itself.
“This game combines a fun story, great soundtrack, and very enjoyable action.”
“+great storyline/premise”
“The game is basically a roguelike-style pixel road warrior; the storyline doesn't matter (drive to concert, kill those trying to stop that noble goal), but they made sure that for people who want more flavor text, they got you covered.”
“The game is basically a roguelike-style pixel road warrior; the storyline doesn't matter (drive to concert, kill assholes trying to stop that noble goal), but they made sure that for people who want more flavor text, they got you covered.”
“The game isn't about the story, though.”
“To-the-point story (get to concert).”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features significant grinding elements, particularly for completionists aiming to unlock every car and achieve milestones like defeating 25,000 enemies. While some players enjoy the grind for its casual, heavy-metal aesthetic, others find the car combat tedious and repetitive.
“The most grindy thing in the game is if you're a completionist and want to complete the game with every car.”
“The second most grindy thing is killing 25,000 total enemies for an unlock.”
“Lots of grinding to unlock the good things.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's monetization strategy relies on addictive gameplay rather than extensive advertising, which may lead to buyer's remorse due to a mismatch between the game's aesthetic and its promotional materials. While it embraces a bold and edgy style, the lack of clear representation in marketing could leave some players feeling misled.
“The game has a 'rock and roll means you offend everyone' aesthetic, which kind of works, although the game page and advertising don't really reflect this as much as the game does, which could lead to some buyer's remorse.”
“There are no millions spent on ads, but the addictive gameplay makes you question the monetization strategy.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character development in the game, noting it enhances the overall experience by providing depth and complexity to the characters, reminiscent of classic titles like Spyhunter but with a more intense and engaging narrative.
“Love this game; it harkens back to Spyhunter but features more violence and better character development.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed with how the characters evolved; their arcs were predictable and uninspired.”
“While the game has great character design, the development of those characters is lacking and doesn't do them justice.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be heartwarming and engaging, highlighting the joy of sharing meaningful experiences and bonding with friends during a fun road trip.
“Do you want to share a car with three good friends and experience a heartwarming bonding journey on a fun road trip?”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the exceptional art, music, and overall ambiance as key strengths that enhance the gaming experience.
“The art, music, and overall atmosphere surrounding it are all fantastic.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that optimization in the game requires extensive upgrades across various elements, including car condition, performance, character health, stats, and weapon choices, suggesting a deep and engaging system for enhancing gameplay.
“The optimization system allows for a deep level of customization, making every upgrade feel meaningful and impactful.”
“I love how the game encourages you to optimize every aspect of your character and vehicle, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
“Everything has to be upgraded, from the car's condition and performance to the characters' health, stats, and choice of weapons.”
“The optimization feels overwhelming, as there are too many elements to manage and upgrade.”
“Balancing all the upgrades is tedious and takes away from the overall gameplay experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on devices like the Surface Pro, allowing for flexible gameplay in various settings.
“Runs great on my Surface Pro, so I can play it anywhere.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I've experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a smooth gaming experience.”
