Death's Door

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 10,022 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Death's Door Game Cover
Death’s Door is a game that you can see is crafted with love and purpose. Nothing seems to be done in order to add pointless game time.
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"Death's Door" is an action-adventure game where you play as a Crow tasked with reaping souls. When a soul is stolen, you must pursue the thief to a realm untouched by death, filled with dangerous and overpowered creatures. The game features challenging combat, character customization, and a darkly comedic story as you uncover the truth behind the flow of souls and the role of the Crows.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,022 reviews
music1,799 positive mentions
grinding219 negative mentions
  • music2,509 mentions

    The music in "Death's Door" has been widely praised for its exceptional quality, enhancing the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to seamlessly shift between calming melodies during exploration and intense themes during combat, creating a captivating experience that resonates with players long after they finish the game. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive storytelling.

    • “The music is irresistibly catchy, the art style is minimalistic yet beautifully refined, and the quirky, humorous characters you encounter add a lot of charm.”
    • “The soundtrack is equally impressive—ambient and atmospheric, it really elevates the experience and sets the tone for every encounter.”
    • “The music shifts seamlessly between calming and intense, depending on the scenario, amplifying both the quiet moments of exploration and the intense combat sequences.”
    • “Not sure... I'd say the art was worth seeing but the graphics are basic, the music is predictable and the story is just not interesting at all... the crow's cool but that's not really enough to make me excited about investing time into your game... again.. it's just a gimmick...”
    • “The ancient piano soundtrack helps with immersion in the world made for the reaper crow (yours truly) but is not so great as to merit more than a mere mention of its mediocrity.”
    • “The music is fine, but isn't the best you've heard, and the style of the game is nice, but not groundbreaking.”
  • story2,504 mentions

    The story of "Death's Door" is generally praised for its charming and whimsical narrative, which explores themes of life, death, and the afterlife through the lens of a crow acting as a reaper. Players appreciate the engaging characters and humor interwoven with poignant moments, although some find the plot straightforward and predictable. The game effectively combines exploration and storytelling, with many hidden secrets that enrich the overall experience, making it a delightful journey despite its simplicity.

    • “A fun little adventure to go on with a story that wouldn't feel out of the ordinary for a children's book or an old fairytale.”
    • “The story is well developed and even includes hints to certain things as you progress if you look around.”
    • “The story is simple yet engaging, and the exploration and puzzles are a lot of fun, with tons of secrets to uncover.”
    • “The story is non-existent and the few crumbs you get are nonsensical and weird in typical soulslike flavor, which I find a really outdated and boring way to tell a story in 2024.”
    • “The story is there in theory, but in the little time I have with the game, it still failed to hook me.”
    • “The story is not engaging and is quite boring.”
  • gameplay2,002 mentions

    The gameplay of "Death's Door" is generally praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging combat, and charming aesthetics, drawing comparisons to classic Zelda titles while incorporating elements from souls-like games. However, some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with a desire for more varied mechanics and challenges as the game progresses. Overall, it offers a satisfying experience with a balance of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, though it may not appeal to those seeking complex gameplay systems.

    • “The gameplay is fluid, the weapons (bow/magic for ranged and sword for close quarter combat) work well and every additional skill the game throws at you is well implemented.”
    • “Its thoughtful design, engaging gameplay, and beautiful presentation make it a must-play for fans of action-adventure games.”
    • “The gameplay is where Death's Door truly shines.”
    • “The game design is really cool, but the gameplay is a bit repetitive and quite frustrating, especially the boss battles.”
    • “While it's obviously visually and mechanically immaculate, they forgot to make the gameplay as equally engaging.”
    • “The gameplay is shallow, the world puzzles are shallow, etc. Nothing was driving the story and it began to feel like busy work.”
  • graphics1,811 mentions

    The graphics of "Death's Door" have received widespread acclaim for their charming and beautifully refined art style, which combines minimalism with vibrant colors and intricate designs reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. Players appreciate the game's unique aesthetic, which effectively balances whimsy and gloom, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. The visuals, complemented by a captivating soundtrack, contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout title in the indie gaming scene.

    • “The visuals and the soundtrack of the game were definitely a highlight for me, as there were some stylistic choices made that really elevate the game from a good, clean experience to something visually stunning and artistically great.”
    • “The art style is beautiful, with each area packed with gorgeous, hand-crafted environments that perfectly match the game's vibe.”
    • “The hand-drawn visuals and enchanting world design create an immersive experience that is both visually stunning and atmospheric.”
    • “The graphics for the game are the biggest negative for me.”
    • “The game overall is so solid, that I feel the lack of detail in the graphics hurt the overall game.”
    • “If the combat was a bit better and graphics were better with more detail, this game could rate quite a bit higher.”
  • humor547 mentions

    The humor in "Death's Door" is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, effectively balancing lighthearted moments with the game's darker themes surrounding death. Players appreciate the quirky character designs, witty dialogue, and amusing interactions that add depth and personality to the experience. While some found the humor hit-or-miss, the overall consensus is that it enhances the game's appeal, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

    • “The dialogue is hilarious.”
    • “Death's Door is charming, stylish, funny, and crammed full of nostalgia that will have you harking back to action-adventure games of the early 90s.”
    • “The writing is funny and surprising, and it's full of memorable characters.”
    • “There is no map or functional compass in the game, which would be rather useful because running in circles for several minutes to get to the one specific location is not funny.”
  • atmosphere397 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its enchanting hand-drawn visuals, captivating world design, and an impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend whimsical charm with darker themes, creating a rich and immersive environment that invites exploration. The combination of stunning art, atmospheric music, and engaging gameplay mechanics contributes to a memorable and emotionally resonant journey.

    • “The hand-drawn visuals and enchanting world design create an immersive experience that is both visually stunning and atmospheric.”
    • “The soundtrack is equally impressive—ambient and atmospheric, it really elevates the experience and sets the tone for every encounter.”
    • “With its intricate world design, engaging gameplay, and captivating atmosphere, the game delivers an experience that feels both nostalgic and modern.”
    • “Gameplay and visuals were good, but the story and atmosphere were lacking, which sadly dragged the entire experience down.”
    • “The atmosphere while exploring the world is similar to their previous game, Titan Souls, and there are even some references to find.”
    • “The only downside I found was the music sometimes didn't fit the atmosphere of the level.”
  • grinding240 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding certain elements tedious, particularly in relation to backtracking and collecting items without a map. While some enjoy the challenge of uncovering secrets and completing achievements, others feel that the repetitive nature of combat and the lack of meaningful progression can detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging adventure. Overall, the game offers a balance of enjoyable exploration and frustrating grind, especially for completionists.

    • “I'm currently about halfway through the post-game, considering 100% since it seems pretty achievable and not too tedious (aside from maxing out upgrades).”
    • “No grinding is needed that much to finish the game but if you want to maximize your skills, you need to allot extra time for it.”
    • “Deaths Door has a satisfying combat system, no tedious grinding, good pacing with the story, nice aesthetic and great soundtrack, and a good sense of humor.”
    • “The game’s biggest sin is the tediousness of its final boss: rather than being the coda for the player mastering the game, it’s a punishing and boring slog that will make you hate the game for all the wrong reasons.”
    • “The only tedious part is finding all of the life seeds and their pots, since there is no in-game list to keep track of the ones you’ve already found.”
    • “The lack of any in-game map makes navigation frustrating and tedious.”
  • character development131 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its charming and unique character designs, which draw inspiration from notable animation styles, particularly Ghibli. Players appreciate the depth and personality of both main and supporting characters, with many noting that the character interactions and dialogue contribute significantly to the overall narrative experience. While some reviews mention a lack of extensive character development, the engaging designs and emotional moments throughout the game leave a lasting impression on players.

    • “The character designs are lovely and exude personality.”
    • “The character designs, environments, and animations are all amazing and so full of personality and life (or death, as it may be for this game).”
    • “Character designs are the real standout here, with some being downright inspired.”
    • “It's a bit on the short side and some of the story/character development could've been done more thoroughly, but the gameplay's fun enough for its length.”
    • “Character design, as graphics, as music, as level design, as storyline is just perfect and also the game is filled with funny jokes.”
    • “This game does a lot of things very well, such as graphics, character designs and controls, but the area designs are absolutely mindless.”
  • emotional102 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, touching character arcs, and a soundtrack that enhances the overall mood. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from laughter to sadness, as they navigate themes of death and loss, often feeling a deep connection to the characters and their journeys. While some critiques mention a lack of character development in certain areas, the overall sentiment highlights the game's ability to evoke nostalgia and genuine emotional responses.

    • “The characters' stories and dialogues are incredibly touching, often making you laugh and tear up.”
    • “The story is well written and heartfelt.”
    • “It handles some heavy themes (death, loss, acceptance of death, all that good stuff) with kindness and a very deft touch.”
  • optimization67 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on low-spec machines like the Steam Deck, many players report significant stuttering issues, particularly on PC, which can detract from the experience. Some users have successfully tweaked settings to improve performance, but others have encountered persistent problems that make the game feel poorly optimized overall. Despite these issues, many appreciate the game's art and technical polish when it performs well.

    • “Performance-wise, the game runs well on quite low spec machines (including Steam Deck) at 60 fps.”
    • “I played and beat this game entirely on my Steam Deck, and it ran and looked great with 0 hiccups in performance.”
    • “Performance and polish is impeccable in this game.”
    • “I got this on sale, and yet... I'm not sure I would have paid if I knew the game is so badly optimized.”
    • “The game is good but it is poorly optimized; my PC is not a 'monster' PC but it is way past the recommended system requirements and it still lags, especially in the first area.”
    • “Unfortunately for me, the game suffered from an incessant stuttering, despite messing around with all of the in-game graphical settings, updating all my drivers, hard-capping the frame rate, and disabling VSync from the NVIDIA control panel.”
  • replayability60 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that once the story is completed and collectibles are gathered, there isn't much incentive to replay. While some appreciate the engaging story and atmosphere, they express a desire for additional content, such as a New Game Plus mode or boss challenges, to enhance replay value. Despite its shortcomings in this area, the game is still enjoyed for its charm and quality, making it worth playing, especially on sale.

    • “Game is easy to understand, totally replayable, and the story is 10/10.”
    • “There's a lot of replay value in this game to experiment with different builds so you won't be bored.”
    • “The game has a good amount of replayability as well as endgame content with a bunch of secret/optional bosses and collectibles that doesn't feel like a chore to collect.”
    • “I'm not sure about 20 dollars because I don't see much replay value.”
    • “I really enjoyed the game, but it's probably worth noting that it's only about 10 hours of play time with very little added replay value.”
    • “To add onto that, there's not really any replay value once you've collected everything, so if you're looking for a game you can grind for days and keep coming back to, this is not the one.”
  • stability26 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with most players reporting minimal glitches and no game-breaking bugs or crashes. While some users noted occasional minor issues, such as controller support bugs and slight visual glitches, these do not significantly detract from the overall experience. The game is well-optimized, runs smoothly, and is considered polished for a title developed by a small team.

    • “Good optimization, no freezes.”
    • “I love the puzzles and it runs great on my Steam Deck.”
    • “Well made, not buggy, cute graphics and all... but still a souls-like.”
    • “Controller support is buggy and not functional.”
    • “Although many of these issues will likely be ironed out soon, given that the game was only just recently released, there were some instances where clear glitches could be observed.”
    • “Then my controller freezes again.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and subscription models, offering a pure gaming experience reminiscent of classic titles. Players appreciate that the game does not rely on false advertising or cash grabs, instead delivering engaging content without the pressure of endless purchases. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing departure from the prevalent monetization strategies in modern gaming.

    • “No false promises and microtransactions trying to force you into a subscription or endless purchases.”
    • “Many thanks for such a pure game in times of microtransactions and season passes.”
    • “Not only are you jumping faster than the player on many concepts which the game's cute art style and advertising imply should be more accessible, but you do so badly and without adequately offering up any real options for engagement outside of an extremely basic and boring hack, slash, and roll formula.”
    • “The graphics are fabulous, but I don't think the advertising represents the game accurately.”
    • “The art style is unique in how the gameplay is exactly the same as both the cutscenes and the advertisements promoting Death's Door.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

88% average critic score

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Play time

13hMedian play time
15hAverage play time
9hMain story
15hCompletionist
10-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 72 analyzed playthroughs

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