DESOLATE

About

"Desolate" is a horror open-world game that offers both single-player and multiplayer/co-op modes. As a "Volunteer" exploring Granichny Island, players will encounter various threats and supernatural anomalies while uncovering the island's dark past. Despite some bugs and grinding, the game boasts impressive visuals, music, and a unique, emotional atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,998 reviews

story293 positive mentions

optimization38 negative mentions

Great atmosphere and immersive world design.
Engaging story with interesting lore and side quests.
Fun to play with friends, especially in co-op mode.

Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive.
Frequent bugs and performance issues disrupt gameplay.
Repetitive quests and tedious inventory management detract from the experience.

story
1,153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
66%
9%
The story of "Desolate" is described as intriguing and atmospheric, with a mix of main quests and side missions that often involve fetch tasks and environmental storytelling. While some players appreciate the depth and lore, others find the narrative lacking in coherence and engagement, particularly criticizing the repetitive nature of quests and a disappointing conclusion. Overall, the game offers a compelling setting and potential for storytelling, but it struggles with execution and pacing, leaving many players wanting more from the narrative experience.
- “The story is told through hidden notes, radio broadcasts, and environmental storytelling, allowing you to piece together the events that led to this post-apocalyptic world.”
- “The main story has an ending that wraps up the story perfectly with the many fun puzzles and exploration around the map to make it all come together.”
- “The story is interesting and the game is filled with comprehensive crafting and customized skill trees to create your own unique experience.”
- “The story is underwhelming.”
- “The story doesn't link together narratively and is just a bunch of random dialogues with no hook or setup.”
- “The story is mediocre.”
gameplay
492 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
61%
15%
The gameplay of "Desolate" is characterized by a mix of exploration, survival mechanics, and a narrative-driven experience, but it suffers from significant issues such as clunky combat, repetitive tasks, and numerous bugs. While some players appreciate the atmospheric setting and the depth of survival elements, many criticize the combat mechanics as unresponsive and the overall gameplay as tedious and unpolished. Despite its potential, the game often feels like a collection of borrowed mechanics from other titles without sufficient refinement, leading to a mixed reception among players.
- “Combining exploration, survival mechanics, and a deep narrative, this game throws you into a harrowing and mysterious world where danger lurks around every corner.”
- “The game's survival mechanics are deep and challenging, requiring you to manage hunger, thirst, and health in a hostile environment.”
- “The combat mechanics are fantastic, the survival aspect was very well done, the story is pretty okay so far, and the scenery is beautiful.”
- “The gameplay can feel a bit repetitive, and while the world is large, it can sometimes feel empty and lacking in substance.”
- “The fighting mechanics are poor, with all enemies charging at you in a straight line while you empty your shotgun into their bodies.”
- “The gameplay is existential crisis inducing and so boring I literally experienced just about all the game has to offer within the first hour.”
atmosphere
345 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The atmosphere in "Desolate" is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, drawing comparisons to iconic titles like "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." and "Metro." Players appreciate the game's haunting sound design, detailed environments, and the sense of constant danger that keeps them on edge. However, some reviews note that while the initial atmosphere is gripping, it can become less impactful over time, and the reliance on jump scares may detract from the overall experience.
- “From the moment you step into desolate, the atmosphere hits you like a freight train.”
- “The game's chilling atmosphere is brought to life through a meticulously crafted open-world environment.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and it draws you in.”
- “While the game does succeed in creating an unsettling atmosphere and offering some decent survival mechanics, it never quite reaches the level of complexity or engagement that makes it truly memorable.”
- “The running around to fetch stuff, repetitive combat, and poor AI detract from the atmosphere of the game, which is its main attraction.”
- “I genuinely want to like this game since its story and atmosphere seem right up my alley, which is why I really hope the developers will return to it and simply do some fine-tuning to really make the game shine.”
graphics
316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
44%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the beautiful visuals and atmospheric design, particularly in relation to its horror elements. However, some critiques highlight issues such as dated character models, choppy animations, and performance problems, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, there are calls for further optimization and refinement.
- “Graphics are beautiful and the whole idea is original, not just a generic survival horror game.”
- “The atmosphere is spot-on, and the visuals are great with a lot of craggy landscapes and quite beautiful and eerie settings.”
- “Desolate is a beautiful survival/horror experience, with great atmosphere, beautiful graphics and memorable world.”
- “Full of bugs, graphics are mostly lame, characters don't even move their mouths as they speak (except the sun and shadows, it's cool).”
- “The graphics are not the best and the management features are miserable.”
- “Graphics are still pretty terrible, especially with regard to character models and textures.”
optimization
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
46%
31%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting significant bugs, frame drops, and poor performance across various hardware setups. While some updates have improved stability and performance, many still find the game unplayable or frustratingly laggy, particularly in demanding areas. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization work to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “Edit: the devs have massively reworked the combat and improved the performance, the main criticism the game received, and I think that should definitely be praised as it massively improves the game.”
- “So as it stands, the game needs to be better optimized.”
- “Great update overall, the optimization fixes are what I'm looking forward to the most.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs and poor optimization.”
- “The performance is bad as it stutters, loses frames, or locks up constantly.”
- “The graphics are not bad but you will need a very good computer to run this like you see in the screenshots; it's not optimized at all, there's frame drops often.”
stability
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players describe the combat as clunky and unreliable, often leading to frustrating experiences. While some acknowledge the game's potential and engaging story, the overwhelming consensus is that it is currently a buggy and unfinished product, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.
- “Runs great since the latest patch on my 2080 Ti at max settings!”
- “The game isn't buggy and graphics are fine.”
- “All in all, the game is bug-free and reasonably polished for a Russian indie title.”
- “The game is extremely buggy.”
- “Game freezes often, controls are spongy and the fighting system is not fun at all.”
- “Dying and losing everything you picked up is the biggest downfall of this game even with a 10 min window to get back to it, you have to fight all the screen freezes and crashing of the game and restarting.”
music
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The music in the game is generally praised for its engaging and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the eerie and immersive experience. However, many players note the limited variety, with only a few tracks that can become repetitive and tiresome, particularly during combat scenarios. While the haunting soundtrack and sound design contribute positively to the game's ambiance, some players find the music cues overly intrusive or annoying, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The haunting soundtrack and bone-chilling sound effects work in perfect harmony to immerse you in a world of fear and despair.”
- “The game features a unique art style and atmosphere, which is further enhanced by its captivating soundtrack.”
- “Overall a very fun and interesting game, graphics are nice, gameplay is good, combat system is good, soundtrack is amazing.”
- “There are also only like three songs in this game, not much to listen to besides the combat alert sound and ambient noise.”
- “The music, while intense, can be so incredibly boring because there's like three whole tracks in the entire game.”
- “I really didn't listen to the music at all because it kind of spoiled the mood by playing a battle score every time an enemy saw you.”
grinding
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players often feeling frustrated by the mechanics that require excessive resource gathering, backtracking, and combat against unresponsive enemies. While some players find enjoyment in exploring the world and engaging in cooperative play, many agree that the grind for achievements and quests can overshadow the game's positive elements, making it feel more like a chore than a fun experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Fights are also tedious; enemies are constantly dodging, running around, blocking, running away, healing themselves, and it's absolutely frustrating to see someone barehandedly blocking an attack from a machete without taking any damage, repeatedly.”
- “Despite everything positive or interesting that could be said about the game, it just isn't enjoyable or fun in any way. It's so annoying, tedious, and unpleasant that the bad aspects absolutely outweigh the good ones.”
- “There's a reputation mechanic for building relationships with various quest-giver NPCs, which allows you to unlock new items and quests, but it's incredibly grindy.”
humor
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, often described as hilariously janky and entertaining, especially when played with friends. Players find the absurdity of character designs, voice acting, and AI behavior to be amusing, with jump scares that can be funny rather than frightening. However, the humor can wear thin over time, and some players feel that the game's comedic elements are overshadowed by its technical flaws.
- “Very fun if you have a good sense of humor and friends to play with.”
- “The design of the enemies is okay, but all the animations in the game are sped up and jerky, which is ridiculously funny.”
- “I find it hilariously awesome when you can see the ghost pop up in front of your friends then hear their scream over the mic.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game "Desolate" offers significant replayability through multiple endings, diverse story paths, and additional side quests, encouraging players to explore its world repeatedly. However, some users note that familiarity with the game can reduce its replay value, particularly due to predictable jump scares. Overall, while the game shows promise for replayability, it may vary based on individual experiences and ongoing development improvements.
- “With multiple endings and the opportunity to explore different story paths, Desolate offers plenty of replayability.”
- “After the story ends, there are side quests and dailies to keep the game replayable.”
- “Customization of gameplay is pretty vast, which could lead to high replayability.”
- “Replayability: 3/10 - dying is not punishing, but rather annoying.”
- “Tl;dr - fun to play through once with friends, but not much replay value because of the crappy non-ending.”
- “It does have some replay value, but it diminishes with familiarity.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
Players have mixed feelings about the emotional impact of the game, noting that while the music and crafting system evoke strong feelings, the narrative and character reactions can feel inconsistent and forced. Some side quests fail to create a deep emotional connection, leading to moments that feel disjointed or unearned, particularly in the main character's responses to violence. Overall, while the game has potential for emotional engagement, many players feel that it falls short in delivering a cohesive and satisfying emotional experience.
- “This game is focused on the plot and experience more than others that rely heavily on farming and grinding. It wants you to be able to craft and explore, but it has never made me feel like it is a burden.”
- “However, at the end of the day, I really can't say that this game is bad. It made me feel for the main character, and overall I liked the story as well as the weapons that I ended up crafting.”
- “The crafting system made me feel as if every piece of scrap I scavenged for mattered.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
13%
63%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players labeling it a "cheap cash grab" due to its high price tag of £20, especially given its perceived lack of content and poor performance in key gameplay areas. Conversely, others appreciate the absence of microtransactions, viewing it as a refreshing change in an industry often plagued by such practices, and express hope that it remains that way. Overall, opinions vary widely, reflecting concerns about value versus the potential for a genuine indie experience.
- “You know... in an age where single-player games are filled with microtransactions, and every multiplayer game is either a battle royale or a team deathmatch, it's really a breath of fresh air coming across something like this.”
- “So far the game has no microtransactions... please let's keep it this way!”
- “Cheap cash grab that really had potential if the devs had followed through and fleshed out the main story and world.”
- “Maybe it would get away with its faults as a free-to-play MMO with microtransactions or for a couple of bucks, but the £20 price tag is absurd.”
- “I had no expectations of this game... this was because it looked like just another one of those early access cash grabs like Savage Lands / Stomping Land and other titles.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Character development in the game shows promising potential, with a well-written story that evolves from a slow start to more engaging arcs. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of female character options and the need for improved character designs. Overall, while the character development is solid, it could benefit from more diverse representation and refinement in design.
- “Story starts out slow and a little like your character is brainwashed, but it doesn't take long for some character development to kick in and ends up showing some great potential.”
- “Desolate is an excellent game with excellent combat, an excellent looting system, excellent enemies and bosses, and even more excellent character design. If I could rate it 6/5, I would.”
- “The interface needs a few quality of life improvements, but the character development is solid, as is the crafting (with very few exceptions).”
- “However, it's super disappointing to see a game with character design that doesn't bother putting in a female character option.”
- “It's just kind of lazy not to do it, especially if you are doing custom character design anyway and there isn't really an excuse not to when releasing a game in the last 5 years.”
- “Story starts out slow and a little like your character is brainwashed; it doesn't take long for some character development to kick in and ends up showing some great potential.”