Dirge

About

Dirge is a multiplayer shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by NonNobis Games and was released on February 1, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Dirge is a local or online multiplayer horror shooter game set in the post-World War II era, where players join the Paranormal Investigator Task Force to explore haunted locations and uncover supernatural mysteries. In the 2-4 player co-op mode, investigators work together to complete tasks and vanquish evil forces, while one player assumes the role of a terrifying monster trying to stop them. Players must face twisted beings and confront malevolent forces in this chilling world."

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 149 reviews

graphics12 positive mentions

optimization4 negative mentions

Dirge offers a unique blend of cooperative gameplay and horror elements, allowing players to take on the roles of both investigators and monsters, which adds depth and excitement to the experience.
The game features impressive graphics and sound design that create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall horror experience.
The developers are responsive to player feedback and actively work on updates, showing a commitment to improving the game and expanding its content.

The game suffers from optimization issues, making it difficult to run smoothly on various systems, which can detract from the overall experience.
Many players have reported bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, leading to frustration and a lack of polish in the current version.
The game lacks sufficient single-player content and player population, which can make it challenging to find matches and fully enjoy the intended multiplayer experience.

graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
21%
16%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality and aesthetic appeal, with many reviewers noting impressive visuals that enhance the overall experience. However, there are concerns about optimization, as some players report performance issues even with high-end hardware. While the art style and character models are well-received, there is a consensus that further polishing is needed to fully realize the game's potential.
- “The graphics and sound design in Dirge are simply stunning.”
- “I was impressed by the performance of the game, with smooth gameplay and stunning graphics that truly immerse you in the dark and eerie world of Dirge.”
- “The graphics are amazing and the sound design is excellent.”
- “Gonna be honest right now, I expected this game to run at least 60fps on maxed out settings with my new graphics card.”
- “Alright to be dead honest, if you don't have an RTX 4090 Ti, there is no chance you're going to run this game on high graphics.”
- “It is true to say that a lot of polishing graphically and task-wise is indeed needed for this game to grow out of its infancy.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
47%
18%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it confusing and poorly executed, while others appreciate its unique mechanics and engaging exploration elements. The game features a blend of resource gathering, puzzle-solving, and tense encounters with monsters, which can create thrilling cooperative experiences. Overall, while some aspects of gameplay are praised for their depth and immersion, others are criticized for lack of clarity and polish.
- “Dirge is an adrenaline-pumping game that combines cooperative gameplay with heart-pounding thrills.”
- “I was impressed by the performance of the game, with smooth gameplay and stunning graphics that truly immerse you in the dark and eerie world of 'Dirge'.”
- “The mechanic of the game is uncomfortable.”
- “Rambo type of gameplay or Fortnite... if you run out of ammo, it can get really, really dangerous!”
- “The gameplay in 'Dirge' is packed with a variety of puzzles that not only test your logic, but also require a fine sense of tactics.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
6%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and thrilling qualities, featuring labyrinthine map designs, a noir aesthetic, and a blend of horror elements that heighten tension and intrigue. Players appreciate the effective use of ambient sound, campy voice acting, and the presence of traps that contribute to a spooky environment. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates with fans of dark secrets and horror experiences.
- “The map design is brilliant; they're large and labyrinthine with secret passages, hidden rooms, and a lot of atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive, and the traps add a spooky element.”
- “Dirge is a thrilling journey into the world of dark secrets and mysteries, which makes you immersed in the atmosphere of horror and intrigue from the very beginning of the game until the very finale.”
- “No sense of atmosphere.”
- “I'm only putting a 'thumbs up' because I like the idea of a 'free maniac' with an intimidating atmosphere.”
- “Dirge is a game intended for an audience that loves a 'Resident Evil' atmosphere, except instead of zombies, your threat is instead malevolent spirits.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
46%
31%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While some players report smooth performance and immersive graphics, many others criticize it for being poorly optimized, experiencing significant glitches, and requiring unnecessarily high system specifications for its visual quality. Improvements in optimization are widely recommended to enhance the gaming experience.
- “An interesting game; as for optimization, everything is at the highest level here too.”
- “I haven’t encountered any optimization problems; it’s never crashed on me, and the small glitches I have run into actually give Dirge a certain charm.”
- “I was impressed by the performance of the game, with smooth gameplay and stunning graphics that truly immerse you in the dark and eerie world of Dirge.”
- “Bad game, not optimized, on nice graphics, with a 7900 XTX, 7800 X3D, 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, downloaded on an M.2 Kingston SSD, ran with 50 FPS.”
- “Nice idea, does not look too bad either, it has potential...but... the lack of optimization and the amount of glitches are insane.”
- “It's optimized for a 2060 with 32 GB of RAM when it looks on par with something from the Xbox 360 era, if that.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's story is characterized by a gripping narrative that immerses players in a dark atmosphere filled with tension and unexpected plot twists. While it relies on environmental storytelling and player interactions rather than traditional storytelling methods, it offers a variety of quests and challenges across expansive maps, enhancing the cooperative experience. Overall, players appreciate the unique storytelling approach and the engaging gameplay that keeps them invested for hours.
- “You also get a bit of environmental storytelling through notes that will lead you towards secrets and supply caches.”
- “They immerse you into the dark world of the game and create an atmosphere that makes your heart beat faster from the tension and expectation of the next plot twist.”
- “But what makes 'Dirge' truly unique is its gripping story.”
- “The developer gambled that other players would be an acceptable substitute for adding storytelling, level design, etc. to the game.”
- “I came in expecting investigation, lore, story beats, gloom, and doom.”
- “There are several maps and every single playtime I have different quests to do - and don't think you can do it in minutes, the maps are huge and yeah, there is a time limit.... so it's not like you can do a picnic beside playing this game!”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
86%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. While some users have encountered no major issues and appreciate the game's charm despite minor glitches, others express frustration over the lack of optimization and the frequency of bugs. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary widely among players, with some finding it surprisingly stable for an indie title, while others feel it is heavily flawed.
- “Remarkably bug-free for an indie horror game made by two people; we encountered no game-breaking bugs in this early access title.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or significant glitches, which is impressive for an indie project.”
- “I was pleasantly surprised by the stability; it felt polished and well-tested despite being in early access.”
- “Very buggy; it's also dead. I don't trust that this game could get better. I tried to fix how buggy the game is, but it just made it way more buggy than it should be. If one of the developers can help, I hope they respond soon.”
- “Nice idea, does not look too bad either; it has potential... but the lack of optimization and the amount of glitches are insane.”
- “This game is really confusing; the gameplay is fairly buggy.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music is atmospheric and complements its noir aesthetic, enhancing the overall fun experience. The campy voice acting adds to the charm, fitting well with the grizzled characters and their tragic backstories.
- “The overall aesthetic of the game is super noir and fun, the characters are all grizzled toughs with tragic backstories, and the music is atmospheric.”
- “The music perfectly complements the game's tone, enhancing the immersive experience and drawing players deeper into the story.”
- “Each track in the soundtrack is carefully crafted, adding layers of emotion and intensity to the gameplay.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it particularly funny in a horror context, especially when played with friends. Many reviews highlight the developers' humorous responses as a standout feature, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Edited review because the developer's response was hilarious.”
- “I enjoyed the game; it's essentially a pretty funny horror experience. If it weren't for the broken keyboard, I would play again.”
- “The game is very funny, especially with friends... of course, if there are any >;)”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, attributing it to extensive match customization options and a wide variety of randomized objectives. However, some suggest that additional settings, like FSR upscaling or the ability to disable ray tracing, could further enhance the experience.
- “The replay value is fantastic thanks to the extensive match customization and the large pool of randomized objectives.”