DON'T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale

The fun combat and dialogue aren’t fun enough to make DON’T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale stand out. It’s difficult not to compare a game that looks like this to Undertale, but even throwing that comparison out the window, this adventure is lacking.

88%Game Brain Score

story, music

grinding, character development

88% User Score Based on 74 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

"DON'T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale" is a humorous, pixel-art RPG about a jaded hero, Tristan, who sets out to save the world from impending doom. Along the way, he'll encounter quirky characters, face challenging battles, and uncover the power of friendship and self-belief. The game features a unique, text-based combat system and a satirical narrative that pokes fun at classic RPG tropes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

DON'T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale screenshot

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 74 reviews

story22 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a deeply personal and relatable story that effectively addresses themes of mental illness, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.
The combat system is unique and innovative, blending elements of action and rhythm, which adds a fun twist to the gameplay experience.
The soundtrack is outstanding, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game and contributing to its charm and emotional depth.

The combat can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustration during boss battles and making it difficult to enjoy the gameplay fully.
The story suffers from pacing issues and plot holes, particularly towards the end, which can detract from the overall experience.
Some players found the game to be overly linear, with limited exploration and side quests, leading to a repetitive gameplay experience.

story
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The game's story is praised for its deep emotional resonance and relatability, effectively exploring themes of mental health while balancing humor and seriousness. However, some players noted plot holes and a lack of character development towards the end, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many found the narrative engaging and innovative, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven games.
- “The story is really good, and I want to keep learning more about our main character and everyone else.”
- “The entire experience tells you that the developer's focus was on storytelling, and not gameplay.”
- “Don't Give Up explores a situation and set of feelings and frustrations that are all too common, and even though it's obviously the story of someone who is not me, the emotional situation is conveyed strongly enough that it resonates with me and almost certainly with many others.”
- “The villain seemed interesting, but as soon as its intentions are revealed, I lost all hope for the game's story.”
- “The story also has plot holes, especially as you progress towards the end, and in some way it took me out of the story since some of the information on the characters is just left out.”
- “Don't give up has an interesting premise, but in my opinion, it falls short halfway through the story.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
32%
9%
The music in "Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale" is widely praised for its catchy, nostalgic quality and emotional depth, often compared to the soundtrack of "Undertale." While some users noted minor issues like volume mixing and repetitive tracks, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly enhances the game's charm and experience, making it a standout feature worth purchasing. Many reviewers expressed a desire for a standalone soundtrack release, highlighting its evocative and enjoyable compositions.
- “The music is fantastic, both feeling nostalgically familiar but also distinctly for 'Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale.'”
- “Incredibly charming and heartfelt game, with wonderful music.”
- “Musically, 'Don't Give Up' is outstanding; the soundtrack is evocative, complex, and enjoyable.”
- “Its got a banging soundtrack too, although somewhat repetitive and loud at times.”
- “This is a kind of weird and janky game that is carried *really* hard by its music.”
- “Tl;dr: story is really good but takes a bit to get interesting, has cool otherworldly characters, is pretty funny but does have some reference-based humor, and the music is a bop.”
humor
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a blend of relatable observations, cringe comedy, and self-deprecating wit, striking a balance between lightheartedness and darker themes. Players appreciate the clever dialogue and quirky characters, often drawing comparisons to classics like *Undertale* and *Earthbound*. While the humor is generally well-received, some players noted that it can be hit-or-miss, with a mix of reference-based jokes and moments that enhance the overall narrative experience.
- “Much of the humor lands, ranging from relatable observations to some cringe comedy, but generally you'll be rooting for the main character as opposed to laughing at him.”
- “It's so cute and quirky; there are so many easter eggs and hidden references as well as hilarious dialogue.”
- “The dialogue in this game is so funny!”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of simple yet engaging mechanics that prioritize storytelling over complexity, making it enjoyable despite some clunky combat and technical issues. Players appreciate the interesting combat system and relatable characters, though some find certain boss mechanics frustrating and the overall gameplay somewhat basic. Overall, the experience is enhanced by a compact world design and entertaining dialogues, though it is not without its challenges.
- “I found it hard not to absolutely love and adore this game: simple yet effective gameplay spread evenly throughout the plot sequences that tell a deeply personal (and to a degree relatable) story which doesn't try too hard to impress you with some meta 4th wall breaking quirky character in some nonsensical way.”
- “Super interesting mechanics and I like that the game forces you to really master its otherwise very simple combat mechanics.”
- “Gameplay is a nice mix of entertaining dialogues and fun combat sequences.”
- “I quit at the boss before the final one, which has a terrible two-phase mechanic in which phase one is just long and annoying, while phase two is quite difficult.”
- “I'm about three hours in and am getting stuck against a boss because the combat system mechanics are imprecise.”
- “However, the game suffers from a few gameplay issues that reduce the quality slightly.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of deep storytelling and relatable themes, often evoking strong feelings of understanding and connection among players. While some characters may feel underdeveloped, the game's humor and heartfelt narrative resonate powerfully, drawing on familiar emotional RPG tropes to create a charming and impactful experience. Overall, players appreciate the balance of humor and seriousness, which enhances the emotional journey and makes it feel personal and relatable.
- “Kinda made me cry, ngl.”
- “It's got incredibly off-the-wall humor, lashings of self-deprecation, a dollop of meta, wall-breaking moments, and a wonderful helping of deep, emotional storytelling.”
- “Don't Give Up explores a situation and set of feelings and frustrations that are all too common, and even though it's obviously the story of someone who is not me, the emotional situation is conveyed strongly enough that it resonates with me and almost certainly with many others.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's graphics are praised for their engaging pixelated art style, particularly during combat scenes, which enhances the overall experience. While some elements may be jarring, the retro aesthetic combined with modern influences creates a visually appealing world that resonates well with fans of indie games. Overall, the artwork is considered a strong point, complementing the game's storyline and humor effectively.
- “The art style is very nice and it really peaks during the combat scenes which keeps the game interesting to play.”
- “I like the retro style graphics and the not-so-retro music.”
- “The good: good pixelated graphics, great modern-day world, nice soundtrack.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the grinding system for its strategic approach, favoring occasional use over traditional random encounters commonly found in JRPGs. This design choice enhances the experience, particularly when managing character levels.
- “Grinding feels tedious and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “The amount of time required to level up is excessive, leading to burnout rather than enjoyment.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics frustrating, as they detract from the overall experience and story.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviews indicate that while the game heavily emphasizes the main character Tris's emotional journey, the plot structure may hinder a more expansive character arc, as key moments of development occur earlier than the climax, creating a disconnect between character growth and narrative progression.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to witness the evolution of the protagonist in a deeply emotional way.”
- “I appreciate how the game intricately weaves character arcs into the narrative, making each character's journey feel significant and impactful.”
- “The way the characters grow and change throughout the story adds layers of depth, making their struggles and triumphs resonate with the player.”
- “I think the plot prevents the main character from having a wider arc. It feels like the climax of Tris's character development happens significantly sooner than the actual climax of the game, which feels at odds with the game's heavy focus on Tris's emotional journey.”
- “The character development feels rushed and inconsistent, leaving me wanting more depth and growth throughout the game.”
- “I was disappointed by how one-dimensional the characters felt. There was little to no evolution in their personalities or relationships as the story progressed.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players note that while their initial playtime may be limited, there is potential for replayability, suggesting an average total playtime of around 10 hours.
- “I only have 6.3 hours, but there is some replay value, so I'm sure it probably averages out at 10 hours.”
- “I only have 6.3 hours, but there is some replay value as well, so I'm sure it probably averages out at 10 hours.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While some users noted glitches in the game, many are willing to overlook these issues due to the game's passion-driven development, with some even rating it highly despite the stability concerns.
- “There were some glitches, but knowing what the game is (a passion project), I can look past this and would rate it a 10/10. Though that is probably why I am not a game critic, lol.”