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Despot's Game: Dystopian Battle Simulator

83%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
grinding, optimization
83% User Score Based on 2,720 reviews

Platforms

PCWindowsLinuxMac OSSteam Deck

About

Despot's Game: Dystopian Battle Simulator is a turn-based strategy game where players equip gladiators with weapons and send them into battle. The game features procedural generation, creating unique weapons, enemies, and environments in every playthrough. Players must navigate the dystopian world, manage resources, and make tactical decisions to lead their gang of gladiators to victory.

Despot's Game: Dystopian Battle Simulator screenshot
Despot's Game: Dystopian Battle Simulator screenshot

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,720 reviews
gameplay156 positive mentions
grinding28 negative mentions

  • Unique blend of roguelike and autobattler mechanics, providing a fresh gameplay experience.
  • Great art style and soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • Humorous writing and pop culture references add charm and entertainment value.
  • The food mechanic is frustrating and can hinder exploration and progression.
  • Difficulty spikes can feel unfair, leading to frustrating death spirals without a chance to recover.
  • Limited variety in units and abilities, making some classes feel underwhelming and repetitive.
  • gameplay
    504 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of auto-battling and resource management, with a whimsical dystopian aesthetic that initially captivates players. However, the implementation of a controversial food mechanic has drawn significant criticism, as it often feels like an unnecessary burden that limits player agency and enjoyment. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and humor, many find the overall experience repetitive and marred by poorly balanced mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its long-term engagement and replayability.

    • “Whimsically dystopian style makes the auto battle gameplay stand out above other similar experiences.”
    • “The mechanics look quite simple, but it will take your best tactics to beat this game.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is solid, enjoyable, and unique.”
    • “The food mechanic is just artificial difficulty; the combat has no depth, pretty boring overall.”
    • “Its systems are boring; its gameplay is repetitive and shallow.”
    • “The food mechanic in this game kills it for me.”
  • music
    262 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy, energetic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some noted that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, the majority agree that the soundtrack is a standout feature, often described as "banging" or "a banger." Overall, the music is considered one of the game's best aspects, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the gameplay experience.

    • “The soundtrack is absolutely great though, the writing is charming and the art direction and animations are just excellent.”
    • “The music is incredible, the sound effects are hilarious, and the wit is boundless.”
    • “The music is easily one of the best aspects of the game.”
    • “The gameplay didn't really hook me and the music, aesthetic, and humor were also not really hitting for me.”
    • “The seems to be only a few tracks, so music becomes repetitive very fast; gameplay doesn't really change much no matter how many things you unlock, and overall there aren't that many relevant decisions to make throughout a run.”
    • “The music is rather grating, and I turned it off after a few minutes.”
  • humor
    214 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky, absurd, and often dark comedic elements, with many players enjoying the clever dialogue, pop culture references, and humorous weapon designs. While some find the humor to be a bit over-the-top or not to their taste, the overall consensus is that it adds a fun and lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience, making it engaging and entertaining. The combination of humor with strategic gameplay and unique character interactions contributes to a memorable and enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “The dialogue is funny and the options are unique enough to keep the combinations interesting.”
    • “The music is incredible, the sound effects are hilarious, and the wit is boundless.”
    • “It's an auto battler with some mildly humorous writing.”
  • graphics
    168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, vibrant animations, and cohesive aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the nostalgic feel and unique design elements, although some find the simplicity of the visuals a bit lacking compared to modern standards. Overall, the art style is considered a highlight, contributing positively to the game's humor and gameplay.

    • “The graphics are amazing (especially if you're into pixel art)!”
    • “The pixel graphics are top-notch and have a ton of character, the sound effects are very organic and memorable, and the gameplay is insanely addictive and mostly balanced.”
    • “Despot's game is a nice little auto battler with beautiful graphics and fourth-wall breaking humor.”
    • “I don't go in for auto battlers and, being old, I find pixel graphics a bit silly given the state of the art.”
    • “All the game has to offer is neat pixel graphics to look at, but if you are looking for some actual game aspects, you won't find them here.”
    • “The game itself is just a loop of going to a few rooms, clicking a few things, clicking a door, then watching armies fight; that much in itself is hollow and you see it as soon as you get past the aesthetic of the style and graphics.”
  • replayability
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its potential for varied gameplay through different modes, customization, and PvP options, while others note a decline in replay value after completing the main campaign. Many reviews highlight the enjoyment derived from experimenting with team combinations and the roguelike elements, suggesting that updates could enhance replayability further. However, some users express concerns about limited content and familiarity setting in quickly, indicating that while there is fun to be had, the longevity may be constrained without additional updates or variety.

    • “I love this game! I'm not that far and I beat the campaign on my second run, but I can already tell this game will have so much content and replayability!”
    • “Very fun auto-battling roguelike, with lots of replayability thanks to different mutagens (mutations that affect class abilities).”
    • “It's addicting, rewarding, funny, creative, easy to understand, hard to master, infinitely replayable.”
    • “The replay value dies completely after defeating d'spot, who is also extremely easy to defeat.”
    • “There really isn't a lot of replayability.”
    • “The content doesn't vary a lot though, so unless you really love the PvP at the end, there isn't a ton of replayability.”
  • story
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is largely considered minimal and not a primary focus, with many players noting a lack of depth and narrative engagement. While there are creative and humorous quests, the overall storytelling is seen as shallow, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and RNG elements. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and pop culture references, but many express a desire for a more substantial story to enhance replayability and immersion.

    • “A lot of the quest dialogues are well written and feature nice references.”
    • “Pop culture references, really funny dialogue, stupid (in a good way) quests and a tone that's just fun.”
    • “There are many cool dialogues, texts, and quests you might encounter during the gameplay; don't skip them, they're pretty fun.”
    • “I just don't see any way I'd come back to this game unless it got an actual story added to it.”
    • “It's seriously to the point where it seems like the game and story is just a shallow vehicle for the devs to spout over 9000!!!11!”
    • “There is no story and very limited replayability unless you want to chase achievements, but even those are pretty uninspired.”
  • grinding
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Many players feel that the resource management and food systems are overly punishing and add little value, leading to a frustrating experience that halts gameplay. While some find moments of fun, the consensus is that the grind can quickly become a chore, overshadowing the game's potential.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes, but it adds to the overall experience.”
    • “Not grindy at all; I only took about 3-4 attempts to beat it on normal difficulty.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding, but it's worth it for the rewards.”
    • “This game feels tedious rather than fun.”
    • “It's not fun anymore: it's repetitive and grindy.”
    • “There's a lot of good in the game but it's overly punishing, and the food system only works in theory because in practice it's just tedious crap that adds almost nothing to an already shallow game.”
  • optimization
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is currently a significant issue, with players experiencing frequent frame stuttering, especially in busier areas, and some bugs requiring restarts. While the potential for deep squad optimization exists, many reviewers suggest that the game feels unoptimized and recommend waiting for improvements. As it is still in alpha, performance issues are expected, but there is a call for a design focus that encourages creativity over strict optimization.

    • “Even with all the rogue-like wackiness, things get a little repetitive after your first full run, but then the semi-PvP aspect comes into play to really give you an incentive to delve deeper into the insane amounts of optimization you can do for your squad!”
    • “The game is in alpha, so performance issues are expected.”
    • “But, it is so unoptimized it's painful.”
    • “Performance struggled on the busier rooms with some stuttering.”
    • “Had a few issues of frame stuttering when a lot of sprites were on screen and one bug I had to restart the game for when one of my guys got stuck mid-transition between rooms.”
  • atmosphere
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging art, humor, and music, creating a fun and immersive experience. Players appreciate the dark, high-tech setting and the charm of leading a rag-tag crew through challenges, although some note that the atmosphere can become repetitive over time due to limited item variety. Overall, the presentation and ambiance contribute significantly to the game's addictive nature.

    • “I like the humor and the atmosphere, and the fact that you are leading this hopeless rag-tag crew of puny humans through high-tech dungeons makes you actually fond of them once they won some battles and manage to survive to the next room, ready for whatever mechanical horror is waiting.”
    • “Despot's game is addicting and the incredible presentation really sells the dark atmosphere.”
    • “Great chill tactical game with awesome music atmosphere, also pretty funny.”
    • “Art and atmosphere is 11/10, though it does settle in after a while and become a bit monotone.”
  • stability
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with players reporting persistent bugs and game-breaking glitches even years after its release. Many users have experienced issues such as freezing during battles and problems with saving progress, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game shows potential, the frequency and severity of these stability issues have led to frustration among players.

    • “An okay game, but unfortunately still buggy years after release.”
    • “Good game, lots of potential, but tons of bugs and game-breaking glitches that ruin the game. I'll change the review when these get fixed.”
    • “I like it, but there are still many bugs that make it so I can't move, or it glitches so I have to start over again.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, noting that revisiting it after a break enhanced their appreciation for its balanced mechanics. The randomness in room layouts and events fosters a sense of personal accountability, encouraging players to reflect on their decisions rather than attributing failures to luck. Overall, the emotional experience is characterized by a blend of challenge and self-discovery.

  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is enhanced through skill upgrades, allowing players to customize and evolve their characters over time. This feature adds depth to the gameplay experience, making progression feel meaningful.

    • “The skills can be upgraded, adding depth to character development.”

Buy Despot's Game: Dystopian Battle Simulator

18h Median play time
25h Average play time
8-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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