DEFCON

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,524 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
DEFCON Game Cover
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DEFCON is a intense 2-player real-time strategy warfare game, inspired by the film Wargames, that brilliantly captures the paranoia of the Cold War era. As a hidden General, you must strategically nuke the enemy's civilian population while protecting your own, carefully balancing offense and defense as both sides are heavily exposed. Forming fast, tactical alliances is key to survive the dense, highly emotional, and intense nuclear warfare.

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Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,524 reviews
music49 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • Unique and thought-provoking gameplay that simulates the horrors of nuclear war.
  • Haunting soundtrack and atmosphere that enhance the emotional impact of the game.
  • Fun to play with friends, encouraging strategic thinking and backstabbing alliances.
  • Multiplayer community is small, making it difficult to find games.
  • Technical issues and bugs, particularly with resolution and authentication, can hinder gameplay.
  • Repetitive gameplay and lack of depth in single-player mode can lead to boredom.
  • music132 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the sense of foreboding and emotional weight associated with nuclear warfare. Many reviewers highlight the chilling ambient soundtrack, which includes soft sobs and distant cries, as a powerful tool for immersion that evokes feelings of guilt and despair. While some players feel the soundtrack could be improved, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's dark and somber tone, making the experience both impactful and unsettling.

    • “The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack of Defcon further enhances the immersive experience.”
    • “The ambient music, composed by Alistair Lindsay, sets the tone and intensifies the atmosphere of impending doom, creating a sense of tension and gravity that perfectly complements the gameplay.”
    • “The combination of the beautifully sad soundtrack and the surreal feeling one gets when multiple pop-up messages tell that a significant number of souls just perished, makes a really strong message about how awful a nuclear war would be.”
    • “The soundtrack is just depressing as well as the entire theme of the game.”
    • “The occasional woman crying in the background, and the ominous, and slightly creepy, soundtrack just makes you feel remorse, even dread, just for launching fake nukes at a fake country.”
    • “I thought I was going to have a lighthearted game of WW3, but the music just makes everything so serious and makes you realize that you just killed millions of people.”
  • graphics99 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist, retro aesthetic that effectively captures the cold war theme, reminiscent of 1980s vector graphics and military command centers. While some players appreciate the simplicity and atmospheric quality of the visuals, others find them bland and lacking in detail. Overall, the graphics serve to enhance the game's immersive experience, aligning well with its serious subject matter, despite not being cutting-edge or visually flashy.

    • “Best graphics I have ever seen, spectacular.”
    • “The graphics are perfect, makes you feel like you'd be sitting in the war room in Dr. Strangelove.”
    • “The cold, distant atmosphere of the game along with its vector graphics really make this a unique and fun title.”
    • “The game is flat out bland and boring, let alone the terrible art style and gameplay, and it isn't realistic at all.”
    • “The graphics are obviously crude, but in this case, it works to intentionally only have colorful lines.”
    • “If they were to update this with modern graphics and a command center view which isn't done in retro Atari 2-bit style, then I might take a look at that game; otherwise, if you are looking to get this, you'll probably only play a couple of 'rounds' and then think why you just wasted your pennies on it.”
  • gameplay95 mentions

    The gameplay of Defcon is characterized by its simplicity and strategic depth, allowing players to engage in nuclear warfare without the complexities of resource management or in-depth mechanics. While some find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in variety, many appreciate its minimalist design, intuitive controls, and the tension it creates, especially in multiplayer settings. The combination of atmospheric music and straightforward mechanics contributes to a unique experience that challenges players to make quick, tactical decisions under pressure.

    • “With its minimalist design, intuitive mechanics, and immersive gameplay, Defcon offers a captivating and intellectually stimulating experience that explores the grim realities of nuclear conflict.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics of Defcon are elegantly simple yet strategically deep.”
    • “The ambient music, composed by Alistair Lindsay, sets the tone and intensifies the atmosphere of impending doom, creating a sense of tension and gravity that perfectly complements the gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's pretty much a heavily simplified version of any strategy game involving nuclear warfare, but without resource management, research, or anything too in-depth.”
    • “The game is flat out bland and boring, let alone the terrible art style, slow pacing, and unrealistic gameplay.”
    • “Do not buy; the childish gameplay will only aggravate you.”
  • atmosphere61 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, effectively conveying the tension and despair associated with nuclear warfare. Players appreciate the minimalist graphics and ambient soundtrack, which together create a chilling sense of impending doom and emotional weight. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the strategic gameplay and leaving a lasting impression on players.

    • “The ambient music, composed by Alistair Lindsay, sets the tone and intensifies the atmosphere of impending doom, creating a sense of tension and gravity that perfectly complements the gameplay.”
    • “This game nails the atmosphere of cold-war-turned-hot, with neon heatmaps showing irradiated zones and nuclear launches punctuated by soulless electronic beeps.”
    • “Brilliant atmosphere, you feel the tension of the impending nuclear war as the timer counts to the next defcon level, moving your units in to destroy as much of the opposing continent as you can.”
    • “The game features a rather depressing atmosphere to accompany the entirely depressing content of nuclear warfare.”
    • “Its atmosphere is detached and haunting, and its promise of large death counts in nuclear warfare are delivered.”
    • “The cold, distant atmosphere of the game along with its vector graphics really make this a unique and fun title.”
  • story21 mentions

    The game's story is described as dark and minimal, with some players noting a lack of a traditional narrative or depth, while others appreciate the setting and context, likening it to historical events. While some reviews highlight the absence of a compelling plot, others find enjoyment in the backdrop and the implications of the gameplay, suggesting that the story is largely what players make of it. Overall, the narrative aspect is polarizing, with some praising its simplicity and others criticizing its lack of substance.

    • “This game is great, but also tells a dark story.”
    • “Also, I love the plot of the game, which is apparently set in 1983 where you are a general hidden away in an underground fallout shelter.”
    • “Simply just the setting and the plot of Defcon reminds me of the novel 'On the Beaches.'”
    • “No underlying plot, no story, no alternate endings.”
    • “As for anyone searching for a story underneath it all, there is none beyond what you make of it.”
    • “That's it, we kill ourselves as long as we do our missions!”
  • replayability20 mentions

    Replayability in the reviewed games varies significantly, with some titles offering high replay value through unique challenges and multiplayer options, while others are criticized for their limited gameplay variety and lack of engaging single-player content. Games like Defcon are praised for their strategic depth and replayability, whereas others are noted for being simple and quickly becoming repetitive. Overall, the consensus suggests that while some games provide endless replayability, many fall short, particularly in single-player modes.

    • “Defcon's replayability is remarkable, as every match presents unique challenges and strategic possibilities.”
    • “A deceptively simple, yet infinitely replayable, game.”
    • “You can choose game variations and make many changes to the game conditions to enhance replay value.”
    • “Replayability wise is actually not much, the strategy always stuck around which country/continent you're in and you have only limited ways to play around.”
    • “Boring and zero replayability.”
    • “Little to no replay value.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dark and absurd take on nuclear warfare, with players finding hilarity in chaotic scenarios like nuclear holocausts and unexpected jumpscares. The comedic elements are amplified in multiplayer settings, where the absurdity of the gameplay and quirky in-game dialogues, such as those involving Gandhi's unexpected aggression, contribute to a fun and chaotic experience. Overall, players appreciate the blend of terror and humor, making it a memorable and entertaining game for friends.

    • “Playing with friends is a hilarious game of chicken.”
    • “Absolutely fun and hilarious.”
    • “It's both terrifying and terrifically funny (especially in multiplayer) and accomplishes its portrayal of worldwide genocide and destruction through a simple map-like interface.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    Reviews highlight a diverse range of emotional responses elicited by various games, from deep reflections on manipulation and emotional abuse to feelings of guilt and sadness. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and engagement in multiplayer experiences, others criticize certain games for relying on atmospheric elements without delivering genuine emotional impact. Overall, the emotional aspect of gaming is seen as a powerful tool that can evoke strong feelings, though its effectiveness varies significantly between titles.

    • “The tutorial made me cry.”
    • “This game is made to get an emotional response out of you.”
    • “This game made me feel things.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, with users reporting issues such as a malfunctioning main menu and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly when trying to start games against NPCs. Despite these problems, some players still find the game enjoyable.

    • “I can't start a game against NPCs - the main menu seems to be buggy.”
    • “Annoying glitches.”
    • “This game is buggy, but fun.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow and tedious, often requiring significant time investment, with some describing it as a bit grindy at times.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's also just as slow and tedious.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with users noting that while the concept is strong, the gameplay lacks challenge and the display is poorly optimized, featuring small and hard-to-read menus. Despite these issues, the game's design and soundtrack effectively encourage a more engaged player experience.

    • “It may seem risky that the game relies on the performance of the players, but the design and art of the game (the soundtrack in particular) induces players to act in a paranoid and tenacious fashion.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
9-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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