Dinobreak

About

"Dinobreak" is a horror shooter game that offers single-player and local multi-player options for 2 players in a co-op setting. The game authentically recreates the survival horror experience of the 90s, complete with fixed camera, over-the-shoulder, and first-person shooter modes. With multiple difficulty levels, including easy and assisted modes, players of all skill levels can enjoy this gory, action-packed adventure through a metropolitan city overrun by dinosaurs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

story6 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

The game captures the charm of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, appealing to fans of the genre.
The music and atmosphere evoke nostalgia for 90s horror games, enhancing the overall experience.
The game offers multiple camera perspectives and difficulty options, allowing players to customize their gameplay experience.

The game suffers from long load times, often taking 30 seconds to 2 minutes for each door, which disrupts the flow of gameplay.
The controls and mechanics are janky and unrefined, leading to awkward gameplay experiences.
The graphics and character models are criticized for being subpar, with animations and physics that detract from the horror experience.

gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The gameplay of Dinobreak is criticized for its awkward mechanics and repetitive design, which detracts from the overall experience. While it attempts to capture a campy, retro style reminiscent of classic survival horror games, it ultimately falls short due to janky controls and fundamental flaws. A detailed tutorial helps introduce players to crafting and controls, but many aspects feel outdated and unrefined.
- “Gameplay is a little awkward at first, but I'm looking forward to exploring more and providing a more in-depth review in the future!”
- “This is a true retro style game in that they don't put modern gameplay styles in here.”
- “A detailed tutorial which introduces the various gameplay mechanics such as crafting and a shooting range to get used to the controls a bit more before venturing out.”
- “Dinobreak tries to be a campy version of a Resident Evil type game, but it misses the mark purely because of the overall mechanics and design.”
- “The game is at times kind of funny and deliberately bad, but that's not enough to mask some of the horrible and repetitive game design mechanics that bog the whole thing down into mediocrity.”
- “Gameplay is rough; dinosaurs will stay bugged in positions for target practice.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's story is a blend of rich lore and environmental storytelling, drawing inspiration from 1990s games, which some players find nostalgic and engaging. While the narrative is described as rich and breathtaking, others feel it lacks excitement and could benefit from a stronger survival horror element rather than leaning towards a shooter format. Overall, the story is appreciated for its depth and homage to classic gaming, despite mixed feelings about its execution.
- “The map design is great and environmental storytelling is superb.”
- “Lore of the game is breathtaking, story is rich from start to finish.”
- “Story focuses on the third energy, brings dinosaurs to the island via rift in space-time.”
- “The story is okay, but nothing exciting.”
- “The story focuses on the third energy, bringing dinosaurs to the island via a rift in space-time.”
- “The humorously stiff models during dialogue and the story told through notes found around the world, along with the slower-paced action, pay homage to 1990s games I was too scared to play as a kid (but now I wish I had).”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a mix of intentional absurdity and nostalgic references to 1990s gaming, featuring moments like a character's deadpan reaction to giant spiders and the comically stiff dialogue models. While some players find these elements amusing, they feel they are insufficient to compensate for the game's repetitive mechanics, which ultimately detract from the overall experience.
- “There is one particularly funny part where you open a door and the main character simply remarks with a bored attitude that there are some giant spiders in the alleyway.”
- “The humorously stiff models during dialogue, story in notes found around the world, and the slower-paced action pay wonderful homage to 1990s games I was too scared to play as a kid (but now I wish I did).”
- “When they bite into you, it just looks funny since they have these cold, dead eyes and just stare at you.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics in the game are criticized for being overly clean and not fitting the horror genre, with poor character models and stiff animations. Users noted wacky physics and a peculiar purple hue reminiscent of "Saint's Row," while the voice acting was described as subpar, resembling a text-to-speech program. However, the painted artwork received praise for its beauty.
- “Special note goes to how beautiful their painted artwork is!”
- “The graphics have this weird purple hue that reminds me of Saint's Row.”
- “The graphics look way too clean for a horror game; the character models look terrible, the animations are stiff, physics are wacky like random props vibrate violently until you touch them, then they go flying. The voice acting is terrible and sounds like a text-to-speech program, with every female character having the same voice actress.”
- “The graphics have this weird purple hue that reminds me of Saints Row.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is frequently highlighted as its standout feature, reminiscent of early Resident Evil save room themes. However, some users find the overall quality of the music to be generic, suggesting it lacks originality despite being the game's strongest aspect.
- “The only thing that's really good about this game is the music, as it evokes the nostalgic feel of an early era Resident Evil save room theme.”
- “The level design and character design are not good; the music is generic as hell.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere effectively immerses players, balancing a nostalgic charm with a lighthearted tone; however, it falls short in delivering genuine horror, leaving some users feeling that it lacks the necessary tension and scare factor.
- “The atmosphere immerses you completely, drawing you into the experience while maintaining a lighthearted, nostalgic charm.”
- “The ambiance effectively sets the mood, balancing intensity with a touch of playful nostalgia.”
- “Atmosphere for horror is lacking; it's not really scary.”
- “The atmosphere works to get you in the zone, but it also has that old school cheese factor that keeps things light.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players report that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, with no performance issues encountered during gameplay.
- “I've been playing on Steam Deck and so far haven't run into any issues with performance.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized for being perceived as a cash grab, which may hinder the game's growth and ability to attract a dedicated audience.
- “Your games won't ever grow or garner an audience if you continue to put out poor cash grabs like this.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to limited inventory slots and excessive backtracking, which detracts from the overall experience despite the survival horror context.
- “More inventory slots and less backtracking. I know, I know, it is survival horror, but it can be tedious.”