Dystopika
- June 21, 2024
- Voids Within
- 2h median play time
"Dystopika" is a single-player strategy game with great gameplay, stunning graphics, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Players can build their own cyberpunk-inspired metropolis without any objectives or stress of competition, just for the joy of creation and exploration in a unique atmosphere. It's an ever-evolving passion project by a solo developer, offering a relaxing and immersive escape into a dystopian dream world.
Reviews
- Dystopika offers a relaxing and creative experience, allowing players to build their own cyberpunk cities without the stress of management or objectives.
- The game's aesthetic is stunning, capturing the essence of dystopian environments with neon lights, flying cars, and atmospheric soundtracks.
- The ability to upload custom images for billboards adds a personal touch, enhancing the creative freedom and uniqueness of each city.
- The game currently lacks a variety of building types and decorations, which can lead to repetitive gameplay after a short time.
- There are no clear objectives or challenges, which may not appeal to players looking for more depth or engagement in their city-building experience.
- Some players have reported issues with controls and camera movement, making it difficult to navigate and manipulate buildings effectively.
- graphics175 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Dystopika are widely praised for their stunning cyberpunk aesthetic, drawing inspiration from iconic visuals like those in Blade Runner. Players appreciate the intricate details, vibrant neon colors, and atmospheric sound design that create a relaxing and immersive experience. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in gameplay mechanics, the overall consensus is that the game's visuals and customizable features make it a captivating aesthetic sandbox for fans of the genre.
“From the gentle hum of flying cars to the glow of holographic billboards, every detail draws you into its cyberpunk world.”
“The visuals are absolutely stunning and the music fits beautifully!”
“Dystopika blends city-building with a cyberpunk aesthetic in a way that's both relaxing and visually stunning.”
“Dystopika feels graphically robbed of detail by the use of a very dark art style.”
“Graphics are the only feature of this game and they're rather underwhelming.”
“The visuals are overly dark because there really isn't anything to look at past the neon.”
- music172 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and relaxing qualities, perfectly complementing the stunning visuals and cyberpunk aesthetic. Players appreciate the chill, synthwave soundtrack that enhances immersion and creates a meditative experience while building their cities. However, some users express a desire for more variety in the music selection, as the current offerings are limited.
“The blade runner vibe is not only captured perfectly by the architecture, but the extremely well-done soundtrack also plays a huge part in making you feel comfortable in this setting.”
“The music fits very well with the game and has a vibe that puts you into the game.”
“This game helps me relax after a day of work and the music is calm and atmospheric.”
“The blade runner theme and music are the only thing this game has going for it.”
“I feel that most people will put their own jams on when they're constructing a city in this game, thus I have a very negative disposition towards this game's music.”
“The cuts lead to some hiccups with the in-game's soundtrack (of which there are only two tracks, I'm sure he'll add to that as well).”
- atmosphere102 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Dystopika" is widely praised for its immersive and relaxing qualities, combining beautiful visuals, atmospheric soundscapes, and a chill gameplay experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a cyberpunk ambiance reminiscent of "Blade Runner," making it a perfect sandbox for creative expression without the stress of traditional city-building mechanics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as captivating, cozy, and a delightful escape for fans of the genre.
“What sets Dystopika apart is its immersive atmosphere.”
“I adore the atmosphere, visuals, sound design, etc. wonderfully put together and offers a nicely creativity-forward spin on an otherwise sometimes stressful genre of city-builder game.”
“The game is so atmospheric, the music is gorgeous, and it's a total pleasure to immerse yourself in and build your dream cyberpunk city.”
“The atmosphere?”
“I can only hope the dev will add more buildings, decor, atmosphere and camera options.”
“A rare stress-free cozy game with a grim and dark atmosphere.”
- gameplay75 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this cyberpunk city builder is characterized by its simplicity and focus on creativity, allowing players to construct vibrant metropolises without the burden of complex mechanics or resource management. While some players appreciate the relaxing and therapeutic nature of the game, others express a desire for deeper gameplay elements and challenges. Overall, it offers a chill, sandbox experience that prioritizes visual aesthetics and creative expression over traditional city-building mechanics.
“Its strength lies in the organic flow of gameplay, allowing you to seamlessly create sprawling neon-lit metropolises at your own pace.”
“Watching your city evolve into a vibrant, futuristic hub feels incredibly rewarding, as the mechanics are designed to empower creativity without overcomplication.”
“Just relax and place buildings and tweak your ideal futuristic cyberpunk city without having to worry about money or food or any gameplay mechanics from other city builder games that would distract players from the creative process.”
“There are absolutely zero gameplay elements - no progression, no goals, no nothing.”
“The game is exactly as advertised: a dystopian city building game without any mechanics beyond placing down your buildings and decorations.”
“Just be aware this is a simulation to craft a city with a cool interface, not a game with any sort of gameplay!”
- monetization31 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is largely centered around user-generated content, allowing players to upload their own images and designs for advertisements, which enhances the customization and personal connection to the game. Players appreciate the ability to create a vibrant, cyberpunk aesthetic with customizable billboards and holograms, although there are calls for more variety and ease of use in managing these ads. Overall, the monetization strategy seems to foster creativity and engagement, making the game feel more personalized and immersive.
“It's sad to say that I won't be playing this game for half the time I spent looking for the ads.”
“I spent two hours, more than playing this game, in searching and downloading interesting-looking ads on Google.”
“Would also enjoy if there was a folder in the game files where you could drag and drop images to be automatically put into the options for the ads; it would allow for even more variety there without the dev needing to make them all himself.”
- story30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game is characterized by a complete absence of a traditional narrative, allowing players to create their own stories through city-building without the constraints of missions or objectives. This lack of structured content fosters a cozy, imaginative environment where players can enjoy a sandbox experience, crafting personal backstories for their creations. While some players desire more defined story elements, many appreciate the freedom to explore their creativity in a dystopian setting.
“Very interesting to feel like there's a story even in how your city is laid out.”
“With the tools available to you, you can craft your own little future dystopian world ready for you to headcanon a story together for it.”
“I'm the target audience for a game like this: the type of individual who loves just making a city in a sandbox and having a little story/justification for everything I place down in my head.”
“Absolutely no story at all.”
“There is no quests or goal, just build and watch your city grow.”
“The game truly delivers a chill sandbox feel with no strings attached, no story, no rules... just your imagination.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 64 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game offers a relaxing experience with minimal resource farming and management, extended play can become tedious and repetitive. Players appreciate the simplicity of city building but note that grinding may require significant time investment, leading to potential boredom during longer sessions. Overall, it is best enjoyed in short bursts.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“That said, I would expect extended play may become a little tedious after several hours of gameplay unless the developer has more plans for the development of the game.”
“Dystopika overall, however, is a fun yet challenging game to play, yet sometimes repetitive and it does get boring and tedious if being played for a long time.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally soothing and meditative, offering a comforting escape from the often intense and graphic nature of the cyberpunk genre. Its serene atmosphere and heartfelt design provide a welcome respite, helping users cope with stress and emotional exhaustion.
“Seeing the skyscrapers at night made me feel comfort in the possible infinite expanses that were cities.”
“Simple, sweet, heartfelt, and incredibly well done.”
“I had a garbage week and then I played this game for 3 hours and it made me feel better.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and creativity, with players enjoying the ability to incorporate amusing elements, such as iconic characters, into their creations. Many find the experience both entertaining and engaging, highlighting its potential for generating laughter through imaginative gameplay.
“It was funny, short, and sweet to play this.”
“10/10 simply because you can put images everywhere; it's hilarious.”
“One example: I built a city and added Mr. House from Fallout as the 'big brother' of the city. I suggest you try it if you like Fallout; it is pretty funny and cool.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable, with many expressing hope for ongoing updates that will introduce new buildings and features. The developer's roadmap also suggests future enhancements aimed at increasing replayability.
“It's very replayable.”
“I do hope that the developer continues to add new buildings and features to the game to keep it replayable.”
“As if that wasn't enough, the roadmap promises further refinement and replayability.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have several bugs and glitches, particularly with the unlock system and some in-game textures, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, players appreciate the game's graphics and aesthetic appeal.
“Unfortunately, this game is a little buggy.”
“I'm also not a fan of the unlock system (which others have also reported as buggy), and some poorly rendered in-game textures.”
“Although the game offers some nice graphics and a really beautiful aesthetic, there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While players appreciate the game's content, they report ongoing optimization issues, particularly with performance drops during the rain feature, even on capable hardware. Improvements in this area are desired for a smoother experience.
“There are still some issues around optimization that need to be resolved, but I enjoy what's there.”
“I would love it if you could fix the performance when using the rain feature; it caused some significant drops in frame rates (I have a decent rig).”
“I would love it if you could fix the performance when using the rain feature; it caused some significant drops in frame rates, even though I have a decent rig.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate during intense action sequences, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“Optimization is severely lacking; loading times are excessively long, and the game frequently stutters during gameplay.”