DeathSpank

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 406 reviews
  • humor
  • story
  • graphics
DeathSpank Game Cover
Funny and downright mental, DeathSpank is a refreshing RPG that never fails to entertain
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"DeathSpank" is a comedy hack and slash game with local multi-player options for up to 2 players in a split screen format. The game offers an intriguing story, excellent visuals, and good soundtrack, but can be very grinding. As the heroic character DeathSpank, players embark on a quest to find the mysterious and powerful artifact, battling enemies and exploring a massive world filled with unique characters and chickens. The game is known for its epic humor, created by Ron Gilbert.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 406 reviews
humor223 positive mentions
grinding9 negative mentions
  • The game is filled with hilarious dialogue and witty humor, making it a joy to play.
  • The unique art style and vibrant graphics add to the overall charm of the game.
  • DeathSpank offers a fun and engaging hack-and-slash experience with a light-hearted tone.
  • The navigation and world map design can be frustrating, making it difficult to track quests.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a grindy experience.
  • Some players may find the humor to be hit or miss, with certain jokes falling flat.
  • humor223 mentions

    The humor in "Deathspank" is widely praised for its clever writing, quirky dialogue, and over-the-top comedic elements, often drawing comparisons to classic titles like "Monkey Island." Players appreciate the game's ability to blend humor with action RPG mechanics, resulting in a lighthearted experience filled with silly quests and memorable characters. While some find the humor occasionally repetitive or dated, the overall consensus is that it delivers a consistently entertaining and laugh-out-loud experience.

    • “Deathspank is one of the best funny games out there; it is hilarious from the voice acting to the story, design, and item descriptions.”
    • “The gameplay is effective, but by far the best part is the humorous dialogue and story, which had me laughing the whole way through.”
    • “A hilarious action RPG parody by the comedic mind behind Monkey Island, Ron Gilbert.”
  • story115 mentions

    The story of "Deathspank" is characterized by its humorous and absurd quests, often revolving around fetch tasks and quirky characters, which provide a lighthearted experience. While the main plot is relatively simple, focusing on the protagonist's quest for a mysterious artifact, the dialogue and side missions are filled with clever jokes and references that keep the gameplay entertaining. Overall, the narrative may lack depth, but its comedic elements and whimsical art style contribute to a fun and engaging adventure.

    • “The story and dialogue are super hilarious, with crude humor like in Overlord and visuals like Okami.”
    • “Deathspank is a comedic RPG where the eponymous Deathspank is on an epic quest to find the artifact, a mysterious item of mysterious mystery.”
    • “The overall story isn’t much, but the banter with NPCs is what really makes you crack up with the obvious stabs at RPGs and other games.”
    • “There is no story to speak of and it's full of fetch quests, and even the humor is low-rate (I have not laughed at any of the subtle joke inserts in-game!).”
    • “The missions are always pretty much the same: fetch this, kill xxx of these.”
    • “However, I wish they could have done more things to the game that would give it a different edge when you get to certain parts in the story, because doing fetch quests all the time really does it no justice at some points.”
  • graphics62 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, cartoonish art style that blends 3D and 2D elements, creating a whimsical and vibrant aesthetic reminiscent of storybook visuals. While some players appreciate the charm and humor conveyed through the art, others note that the graphics feel outdated compared to more modern titles. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their creativity and fitting atmosphere, despite some critiques regarding their technical execution.

    • “Deathspank is a dynamic, addictive hack and slash RPG with colorful, vibrant hand-drawn graphics.”
    • “The art style is very storybook, with whimsical character and monster designs that give you the feeling the story is giving a wink to older players.”
    • “The graphics look weird at first, but once you get into it, you realize you're playing a game that looks like those weird Fable 1 cutscenes brought to life.”
    • “It's not bad exactly, but aside from the main voice actor, there is nothing about this game that makes it worth playing. The gameplay is meh, the visuals are different but more annoying than anything. It is somewhat funny sometimes, but it only actually made me laugh once, and that was near the end.”
    • “It is only a slight parody of other action RPGs like Diablo and Torchlight, but even these hardcore examples are better. Torchlight's cartoonish visuals look a whole lot better than the art style of DeathSpank, which isn't that great to look at.”
    • “Artistically speaking, the game is quite nice looking, but the graphics are not great. The art style, where everything and everyone is really just a cardboard cutout, fits nicely with the theme of the game.”
  • gameplay62 mentions

    The gameplay of Deathspank is characterized by its simple hack-and-slash mechanics, reminiscent of the Diablo series, offering around 8-12 hours of entertaining content filled with humorous quests and quirky characters. While some players find the combat and itemization lacking in depth and challenge, the game's comedic dialogue and unique art style contribute significantly to its charm, making it a fun, albeit straightforward, experience. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable for those seeking lighthearted fun, though it may not satisfy players looking for more complex RPG mechanics.

    • “Super fun gameplay, awesome quests and characters with so much to explore!”
    • “The gameplay is really intuitive, the dialogue options are hilarious and numerous, and the plot is super easy to advance.”
    • “While the gameplay is nothing new, the humorous story, characters, and stylish graphics are what makes the game unique and fun.”
    • “But the sequels play the same on console and there did not seem to be much improvement in the gameplay nor the visual quality.”
    • “The comedy fell flat and the gameplay was underwhelming.”
    • “Hack and slash gameplay reminiscent of Torchlight or Diablo, but (sadly) with far fewer options; the RPG aspect of the game is rather flat.”
  • music19 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players noting its charm and ability to enhance the overall cheerful atmosphere. It complements the game's whimsical art style and humor, creating a pleasant experience that players find memorable, even if some feel it lacks uniqueness. Overall, the soundtrack is considered enjoyable and fitting for the game's lighthearted tone.

    • “The music is charming; it had me nodding along to it a few times and made the overall mood cheerful!”
    • “Finally, in-game music matches the feel of the individual zones and frequently has a 'silly' feel about it.”
    • “Deathspank overall is a lot of fun with great music, a vibrant and interesting world, and funny dialogue; it's easy to learn how to play and draws you in as a player immediately.”
    • “I didn't care much for the soundtrack.”
    • “Ok sounds and soundtrack, but nothing special.”
    • “You will have to search for the soundtrack on YouTube.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the lack of excessive grinding and enjoy the straightforward gameplay, others note that it can become tedious and repetitive, especially when trying to complete all missions. Despite the grind, many still find the game enjoyable and worth their time, particularly for its humor and engaging storyline.

    • “A little bit too much grinding.”
    • “The same goes for the gameplay; something that is fun at first soon becomes very grindy and a bit confusing.”
    • “Fun to play with some witty dialogue, but grindy at times. But aren't most games of this type?”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Overall, the consensus on replayability for the game is quite low, with many users noting a lack of engaging content and a simplistic loot system that diminishes the incentive to replay. Despite some humor and entertainment value, the game is often described as having virtually no replay value.

    • “The replay value is impressive, offering a variety of experiences with each playthrough.”
    • “Replayability is a strong point of the game, providing players with new challenges and opportunities to explore.”
    • “The game offers a high level of replayability, encouraging players to return for different strategies and outcomes.”
    • “There is no replay value, though.”
    • “Although it might have some flaws and almost no replay value, DeathSpank delivers more than enough humor for its price.”
    • “In fact, call that ARPG lite because the loot system is fairly lackluster, character development is narrow, and game replayability is virtually nil.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a lighthearted and casual vibe, contrasting with darker titles like Diablo. Players appreciate the enjoyable soundtrack, cartoonish art style, and humorous dialogues, all contributing to a pleasant and uplifting experience that evokes smiles while engaging in gameplay.

    • “The atmosphere is really pleasant and the soundtrack is pretty enjoyable while killing creatures.”
    • “Deathspank has humor, a cartoonish atmosphere, exceptional art style, and beautiful dialogues.”
    • “The sound, the art style, the atmosphere, it really makes you smile!”
    • “This could be a Diablo-like game but without the grim atmosphere, resulting in a lighter and more casual experience that lacks the intensity and immersion expected from the genre.”
    • “The atmosphere feels too light and casual, missing the darker elements that could have made the experience more engaging.”
    • “While the art style is appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to create a sense of tension or excitement, leaving the game feeling flat.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, delivering great performance even on lower-end devices like the Steam Deck. Users recommend adjusting certain settings, such as disabling fullscreen optimizations, to enhance performance further. Overall, the optimization contributes positively to the gaming experience.

    • “Great performance; even on my Steam Deck.”
    • “The others were good and put in solid performances, but without Michael Dobson, this wouldn't be the same game.”
    • “To improve performance, I had to go into the properties of the game executable in my steamapps/common/deathspank folder and check the box to disable fullscreen optimizations.”
    • “The game runs poorly on my system, and I had to tweak various settings just to get it to a playable state.”
    • “Despite my high-end hardware, the optimization is so bad that I experience frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, stability appears to be a mixed experience; while some users report a lack of glitches and bugs, others encounter significant issues when attempting to play in fullscreen at non-native resolutions.

    • “Unfortunately, you can't just lower the resolution to compensate, as it glitches heavily in fullscreen at anything other than native resolution.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players consistently report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, highlighting its ability to connect with them on a deeper level.

    • “It makes you feel emotional.”
    • “The game truly resonates on an emotional level.”
    • “I was deeply moved by the story and characters.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is considered limited and narrow, contributing to a lackluster loot system and minimal replayability, leading some users to describe it as an "ARPG lite."

    • “In fact, call that ARPG lite because the loot system is fairly lackluster, character development is narrow, and game replayability is virtually nil.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with the heroes.”
    • “I was disappointed by the limited options for character growth; it feels like you're stuck in a predefined path.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

11hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
10-14hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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