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Defunct

Not terribly engaging, not that great to look at or listen to, no characters or themes to get attached to, and no real point to the entire story mode. Just a generally underwhelming experience.
Defunct Game Cover
78%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
optimization, stability
86% User Score Based on 367 reviews
Critic Score 63%Based on 4 reviews

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Defunct Game Cover

About

Defunct is a single player racing game with kids and science fiction themes. It was developed by Freshly Squeezed and was released on January 29, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Defunct is a single-player kids racing game with an engaging plot, where you play as a broken robot in a post-human Earth. The game features high-speed gameplay using a Gravitize engine and traverses 11 varied levels. It offers a unique 'gravitation' engine, unlockable tricks, and skins, providing lots of replayability and competition. With pretty visuals and a good soundtrack, Defunct is an indie adventure game that promises an exciting experience.

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+4
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86%
Audience ScoreBased on 367 reviews
gameplay66 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique momentum-based gameplay mechanic that is both fun and engaging, allowing players to experience a satisfying sense of speed.
  • Visually, the game is vibrant and colorful, with well-designed environments that enhance the overall experience.
  • There is a good amount of replayability through time trials and collectibles, making it enjoyable for players who like to challenge themselves.
  • The game is very short, with the main story taking only about an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
  • Controls can feel awkward and imprecise at times, leading to frustration when trying to maintain speed or navigate certain sections.
  • Some gameplay segments disrupt the flow by introducing slow or puzzle-oriented challenges that contrast with the otherwise fast-paced design.
  • gameplay
    153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Defunct" is characterized by its momentum-based mechanics, allowing players to navigate environments with speed and fluidity, which many find exhilarating and satisfying. However, the game is criticized for its short length and occasional clunky controls, particularly at high speeds, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the engaging mechanics and well-designed levels offer a fun and replayable experience, especially for fans of platforming and racing genres.

    • “The gameplay is momentum-based.”
    • “This premise serves as both narrative backdrop and gameplay metaphor; everything in Defunct is built around the idea of motion, speed, and the joy of fluid traversal.”
    • “Defunct has genuinely fun, fast-paced gameplay; however, it is an incredibly short game.”
    • “During gameplay, your gamepad buttons won't be displayed in tutorial tooltips, instead opting for keyboard and mouse, leading to an inconvenient learning experience.”
    • “The mechanics are clunky, with steering the robot/camera using 'A' and 'D' rather than the mouse, strange mechanics with gravity, and bumping into slight corners of objects that can spin the robot and camera out of control.”
    • “The gameplay is very similar to games like Tiny Wings, where you gain speed by going downhill and lose speed going uphill, but the mechanics behind building up speed are too much of a pain to maintain.”
  • story
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game is notably short, typically taking around 40 minutes to 2 hours to complete, and revolves around a damaged robot trying to return to its ship after falling into a post-apocalyptic world. While the narrative is simple and lacks depth, it is complemented by environmental storytelling and a charming atmosphere, making it enjoyable despite its brevity. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus, with many players finding the mechanics and speed of the game more engaging than the plot itself.

    • “It's a cute little story with little depth about a damaged robot falling from home and racing to get back with the help of a few planetside dwellers.”
    • “The world feels open and organic, with environmental storytelling hinted at through abandoned machines, rusted cities, and scattered remnants of civilization.”
    • “Even so, there were some surprisingly satisfying story beats, and that’s backed up by an interesting world that tells you a bit about itself just from looking around the environment.”
    • “The story is extremely short, taking about an hour to complete, and lacks any real depth.”
    • “The story is basic and isn't really what keeps the game interesting.”
    • “There isn't much of a story to tell other than your engine broke down at the start of the game, and on your way to the repair shop you fall into a rubbish dump.”
  • graphics
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its vibrant, stylized aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s mascot games like Ratchet & Clank. While some players appreciate the colorful and engaging visuals, others criticize the graphics for being simplistic or reminiscent of older console generations, suggesting they lack depth and modern polish. Overall, the art style is often highlighted as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “Visually, Defunct uses a stylized, almost painterly aesthetic that complements its focus on movement and exploration.”
    • “The game adopts a vibrant, futuristic aesthetic, with 3D graphics that present a detailed and colorful world.”
    • “Graphically, this game looks great.”
    • “I'm down with nostalgia-fueled graphics choices but, even with everything in the game turned up, the graphics are about PS1 level quality.”
    • “The entire game's graphical style reminds me of the PS2 era, with Ratchet and Clank being the closest to its art style overall.”
    • “[empty world, low res textures and overall dated graphics, lacks depth]”
  • music
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a mix of ambient electronic tracks that enhance the dynamic and immersive atmosphere, although some players noted inconsistencies in its presence across levels. While many appreciated the soundtrack for its ability to complement gameplay and create a relaxing experience, others criticized it for being repetitive or lacking memorability. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, but opinions vary on its quality and effectiveness.

    • “The soundtrack is equally well-crafted, with ambient electronic music that shifts smoothly between energetic and reflective tones, depending on the pacing of each stage.”
    • “With a mix of electronic and energetic tracks, the music helps to create a dynamic and immersive atmosphere.”
    • “I can't recommend this game enough - great atmosphere, music and overall feel to it.”
    • “Audio design is shockingly poor, with every cut-scene devoid of ambient noise and music.”
    • “The biggest weakness I found with the game was probably the music.”
    • “The music is horrible and I feel like it loops the same 5 seconds.”
  • replayability
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability primarily through its time trial mode and collectible challenges, appealing to players who enjoy improving their scores and mastering levels. While the main campaign is relatively short, the engaging level design and mechanics encourage multiple playthroughs, though some players feel the lack of multiplayer options limits its long-term appeal. Overall, it provides a fun experience with enough content to keep players returning, especially for those interested in speedrunning and exploration.

    • “The best moments occur when the level design and physics merge perfectly, creating stretches of terrain that feel like natural roller coasters—fast, smooth, and endlessly replayable.”
    • “Despite the length of the game itself, there are a couple of secret areas, collectibles, and unlockables for post-game, giving the game a lot of replay value.”
    • “The game's campaign is arguably short, but once you get the hang of the game, the replay value is great and you'll spend a good few more hours replaying levels again and again and trying to get a better score in time trials.”
    • “Once you’ve mastered the physics and learned the optimal routes, the replay value becomes largely dependent on your desire to chase better times rather than discover new content.”
    • “Additionally, the lack of a multiplayer mode limits the game's replayability factor.”
    • “For someone who doesn't really care about speed running, the only replay value to be found is in the form of hidden collectibles and a handful of secret areas.”
  • atmosphere
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its vibrant use of color, light, and shape, complemented by an energetic soundtrack that enhances immersion. While the narrative is simple and the graphics are comic-style, the overall design creates a compelling and dynamic environment that captivates players, despite occasional feelings of emptiness. Overall, the combination of music, visuals, and gameplay mechanics contributes to a memorable atmospheric experience.

    • “The design doesn’t rely on excessive realism but instead uses color, light, and shape to evoke atmosphere.”
    • “With a mix of electronic and energetic tracks, the music helps to create a dynamic and immersive atmosphere.”
    • “I can't recommend this game enough - great atmosphere, music, and overall feel to it.”
    • “Although sometimes the atmosphere can feel a bit empty, most of the time it amazes you.”
    • “The soundtrack is very successful and it develops the atmosphere even more.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is commendable, delivering solid technical performance with smooth gameplay and quick loading times, particularly on mid to high-spec systems. However, users have noted minor performance issues on low-spec PCs and some unoptimized controls, which can affect the experience during high-speed scenarios.

    • “The game runs smoothly, loads quickly, and maintains stable framerates even at high speeds, which is crucial for preserving the sensation of fluidity.”
    • “These are minor blemishes on an otherwise well-optimized experience.”
    • “Has some performance issues on really low spec PCs.”
    • “General performance on all ranges of systems is inconsistent.”
    • “The technical performance is solid for such a small-scale production.”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with frequent crashes and glitches reported, making it barely playable at times. While some players found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others noted significant bugs, particularly with camera angles and terrain interactions. Overall, the game is described as having a charming story and engaging gameplay, but its technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience.

    • “Good but barely playable, constant crashing and glitches.”
    • “Also buggy at times and not exactly 'on par' with modern graphics, but the gameplay carries it for sure.”
    • “There are some parts of the map where the camera glitches out, or a part of a plane or terrain sticks out, and if you clip it, you kind of get sucked in.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its humor, described as brilliant and funny, making it an enjoyable indie adventure. Players appreciate the comedic elements tied to gameplay mechanics, such as object physics and the balance of speed, which add to the overall fun experience.

    • “Brilliant and funny game for an afternoon.”
    • “Very funny indie adventure game.”
    • “The speed and balance is the concept of this funny and enjoyable adventure game, as reaching the right speed and acting in different ways during the run will compromise the success of your actions and missions.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game evokes a complex emotional landscape, blending feelings of loneliness and peace, while its paradoxical nature adds depth despite its short duration. However, the disorienting controls and multiple pathways can lead to confusion and a sense of aimlessness, detracting from the overall emotional experience.

    • “It’s a world that feels lonely yet peaceful, fast yet reflective—a paradox that gives the game emotional depth despite its brevity.”
    • “Oddly, how you get through most levels does not seem to matter, as there are half a dozen routes in each, which only made me feel lost as I barreled forward, unsure of where I was going or even if it was the right way.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, especially when pursuing collectibles, which can extend gameplay unnecessarily. While the main adventure can be completed in under an hour, the desire to explore and collect can lead to a more drawn-out experience.

    • “While I personally would rather have a short, fun game than a long, tedious one, it is beatable in under an hour if you just play through the main adventure.”
    • “I tend to try to go for collectibles when I see them, but that made the game a bit tedious.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is minimal, with limited interactions between the robots, resulting in a lack of depth and growth for the characters.

    • “Apart from very few interactions between the robots, there isn't much character development either.”
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63%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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12h Median play time
9h Average play time
2-15h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Defunct is a racing game with kids and science fiction themes.

Defunct is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Defunct.

Defunct was released on January 29, 2016.

Defunct was developed by Freshly Squeezed.

Defunct has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Defunct is a single player game.

Similar games include Project Earth, Yoku's Island Express, Valley, Penny’s Big Breakaway, A Story About My Uncle and others.