Don't Sink

About

Don't Sink is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by topherlicious and was released on April 13, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Don't Sink" is a swashbuckling adventure game where you command a pirate fleet. Manage resources, engage in ship-to-ship combat, and make important decisions that can lead to prosperity or pirate peril. Your goal is to become the most notorious pirate captain on the high seas, while outwitting rivals and uncovering the mysteries of the Caribbean.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a charming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
Gameplay is engaging with a mix of sailing, combat, and island management, providing a fun pirate adventure.
The developers are responsive and actively working on updates, showing commitment to improving the game.

The game lacks depth and can feel repetitive, with limited quests and mechanics that don't evolve much over time.
Controls and UI can be unintuitive, leading to frustration during gameplay, especially for non-English keyboard users.
There are significant bugs, including crashes during key gameplay moments, which detract from the overall experience.

story
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
80%
9%
The game's story is criticized for being shallow and largely composed of repetitive fetch quests, with players quickly running out of meaningful content. While there are some interesting side quests and NPC interactions, the overall narrative lacks depth and fails to engage players, leading to a sense of aimlessness after completing the main objectives. Many reviewers express a desire for more varied and substantial quests to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The storyline and the functionality of the game are well done.”
- “However, as you travel between islands running errands for the general store keepers, you have the opportunity to meet different NPCs who can assign you quests, telling you valuable exposition along the way.”
- “Great game but would be better with more story, quests, and an expansion to the world.”
- “The game is buggy, simplistic, and lacking any true story or goal to keep you going.”
- “Way too short, repetitive, a small map, and quests run out really fast.”
- “The main storyline in Don't Sink is pretty brief and leaves you to your own devices pretty much right off the bat.”
gameplay
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
53%
7%
The gameplay of this 2D sidescroller is characterized by simple mechanics and a repetitive loop that, while fun and addictive, lacks depth and challenge, particularly in combat. Players appreciate the casual adventure and exploration elements, as well as the quirky humor, but many note that the game feels short and underdeveloped, with several mechanics being superfluous or unbalanced. Overall, it offers a polished experience with charming visuals, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more substantial gameplay experience.
- “The game features a pixel art style with very simple mechanics of taking your ship to do quests, delivery jobs, governing the lands, and sailing the seas.”
- “The gameplay is a mix of casual adventure, exploration, and a whole lot of fun.”
- “It's super simple gameplay, but for all the other quest addicts out there, it really satisfies that craving.”
- “The gameplay loop is fairly basic and simplistic, and as other reviews have mentioned, the game lacks true challenge in combat.”
- “The general gameplay loop, outside of specific quest objectives, consists of sailing between islands via a sort of loading screen that tracks crew management.”
- “Despite its visual charms, the overall short gameplay and unrealized mechanics make it fall too short for me, especially at its full price point.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
43%
9%
The graphics of "Don't Sink" are characterized by charming pixel art that evokes a vibrant and whimsical pirate aesthetic, with detailed backgrounds and a fun art style. While some players find the mechanics clunky and the character positioning awkward, the overall visual presentation is well-received, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience. Despite minor frustrations, the graphics are praised for their simplicity and appeal, making the game visually engaging.
- “The graphics are overwhelmingly charming.”
- “The art style alone is great and it is so satisfying to see another ship explode when you take it down.”
- “Also, hands down this game has a beautiful art style that gives the ocean life a very vivid and dreamy feel.”
- “While moving around the island, there is a graphical design that is odd and I personally absolutely hate: the character is not centered on the screen.”
- “The graphics, while charming, are annoyingly clunky.”
- “Well, we have a 2D-based game here, and that usually means pixelated graphics.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
36%
14%
The music in the game is generally well-received, praised for its charm and soothing quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive due to a limited number of looping tracks, which may detract from long play sessions. Overall, while the music complements the game's aesthetic and atmosphere, its lack of variety is a common point of criticism.
- “When I stepped into this game, listened to the simple but charming music, with my daring-looking pirate captain, walked to the end of a pier and looked out on the sea... reading a really quite adept pondering on the nature of existence, followed by my pirate captain doing a double take and declaring something to the effect of 'uh, I mean... yarr, loot and booty,' I was certain I was going to be recommending this game.”
- “The background music enhances the overall gameplay; whether you are in port stocking up on supplies or sailing the ocean, there are gorgeous sounds in the background to ensure your journey is not lonely.”
- “This music is amazing; both the quality and how it varies slightly from island to island, to give each area a unique feel.”
- “The music gets old quickly, and the sound effects are okay.”
- “The art and music are weak and the gameplay is fetch quests with thoughtless clicks.”
- “The music in Don't Sink is pretty well done and fits the casual nature of the game; however, it isn't really too pirate-y and there are only a few tracks that loop.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for being clever and engaging, avoiding the clichéd attempts at comedy often seen in other titles. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, quirky character names, and amusing interactions, which contribute to an enjoyable experience despite some gameplay limitations. Overall, the humor adds a delightful charm to the game, making it a standout feature.
- “The humor is on point, and not that 'I'm a millennial trying to be funny, get it?' that we see in stuff like Borderlands, for example.”
- “My favorite part was the funny quips the crew had about your actions on islands.”
- “Between the vibrant pixel art style and its own brand of humor, there's plenty to love in this early access title.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that once they complete it and achieve all milestones, there is little incentive to return. While it offers a fun experience initially, the absence of additional content or challenges significantly limits its long-term appeal. Players generally agree that the game is best enjoyed as a one-time experience rather than one to revisit frequently.
- “Even without much of any replayability (besides perma-death), this game was extremely fun.”
- “The game is fun for a bit, but it could have used more things to do in-game to give it more replay value.”
- “Don't expect amazing replayability; it's one of those games that you just complete 100% and never play them again except maybe in a couple of years because of nostalgia.”
- “It has 0 replayability whatsoever.”
- “The depth of play is extremely shallow, even for a casual game, and the replayability is essentially nil as the game stands.”
- “And for me the replay value was nil; I finished everything in the game and completed all the achievements, and that was that for me.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unengaging, often feeling that it detracts from the overall experience. Many express frustration with the repetitive quests and lack of meaningful content, leading to a sense of monotony as they grind for currency and achievements. Additionally, the interface and management systems are criticized for being confusing and cumbersome, further diminishing motivation to continue playing.
- “Despite the nice feelings of nostalgia the game produced, I have to say overall that the game was not very in-depth and started to feel a bit grindy.”
- “Just grinding currency to buy some stuff for achievements isn't that fun as an 'end game' stage to me.”
- “There's not really something to keep you motivated to play, as it's basically just a whole lot of grinding and repetitive quests.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's stability is mixed, with some users reporting occasional bugs that detract from the experience, while others note that it is relatively bug-free overall. However, the gameplay is described as simplistic and lacking depth, which may hinder enjoyment despite its humorous dialogue.
- “The game is relatively bug free.”
- “As it is, there is very little fun about this game except its sense of humor in dialogue, which you need to push through the occasionally buggy gameplay to get to, and there isn't much when you find it.”
- “Buggy, simplistic, and lacking any true story or goal to keep you going.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players report good performance even on older hardware, others experience bugs and subpar frame rates, particularly for a pixel-art title. Users noted that even at lower settings, the game struggles to achieve satisfactory performance levels.
- “This game has very good performance; even on my 6-year-old laptop at max settings, I still got an average of 18 fps. At lower settings, I got it to run at an average of 32 fps.”
- “There were a few bugs and sometimes performance issues.”
- “Low performance: for a pixel-art game, even on a low-end but still modern laptop, a high framerate is pretty much a given, but not for this game.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its fantastic pixel art and overall quality, reflecting the developers' effort to enhance the gaming experience. However, some users emphasize that despite these strengths, the game ultimately remains a game at its core.
- “The pixel art is fantastic, and the atmosphere is immersive, showcasing the valuable work put into enhancing the overall experience.”
- “The atmosphere is beautifully crafted, drawing players into a world that feels alive and engaging.”
- “Every detail contributes to a captivating atmosphere that keeps you invested in the game.”