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Encased

Encased Game Cover
75%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
75% User Score Based on 3,678 reviews

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Encased Game Cover

About

Encased is a single player tactical role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Dark Crystal Games and was released on September 7, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Encased is a single-player, science fiction RPG with a wonderful story, phenomenal gameplay, and sensational visuals. Set in a dystopian world, you'll fight enemies, explore the wasteland, and level up your character. With various factions, crafting, combat, and negotiation, you'll need wits and skills to survive in this rich, dangerous open world. Despite some bugs, its dense atmosphere and excellent replayability make for a hilarious and immersive experience.

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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,678 reviews
story634 positive mentions
grinding124 negative mentions
  • Encased offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic Fallout games, with a unique 1970s sci-fi twist.
  • The character creation system is deep and allows for diverse builds, making each playthrough feel unique.
  • The writing and voice acting are generally well done, providing an engaging narrative and interesting characters.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with Act 2 and Act 3 feeling rushed and lacking in content compared to the strong start.
  • Combat can become tedious and unbalanced, with many abilities feeling underwhelming and the lack of a cover system diminishing tactical depth.
  • The quest log is cumbersome and often vague, leading to confusion about objectives and requiring excessive backtracking.
  • story
    2,348 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Encased" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its intriguing premise and rich world-building reminiscent of classic RPGs like Fallout. However, critiques often highlight a decline in narrative quality after the initial acts, with many quests devolving into tedious fetch tasks and a lack of meaningful character development. While the game offers multiple choices and branching paths, the execution can feel disjointed and unsatisfying, leaving some players yearning for a more cohesive and engaging storyline.

    • “This game takes you into a richly crafted post-apocalyptic world filled with intriguing characters, complex storylines, and deep tactical combat.”
    • “Great story, well voiced, and great humor injected throughout.”
    • “The story is original and provides a fun context for roaming the wasteland and smashing your enemies.”
    • “The prologue part of it was pretty appealing and I thought they may go somewhere with it - with different tasks depending on your 'job' relating to the research and experiments that are going on in the 'zone' of this world, but it devolves into just another 'save the world' run-of-the-mill story filled with a bunch of clichés, cookie-cutter characters, and a bunch of typos in the tons of uninteresting, uninspired text the game vomits at you.”
    • “The story/dialogue is cringy and boring; in fact, the whole game is.”
    • “The story was meandering, the quests were interconnected in unnecessarily confusing ways, and I had to consult guides many times for things that should have been clear.”
  • gameplay
    658 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Encased" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its homage to classic RPGs like Fallout but criticizing its execution. While the game features a variety of mechanics and systems that support different playstyles, many feel that these elements lack cohesion and depth, leading to a tedious experience. Players have noted issues with combat mechanics, inventory management, and the overall pacing of gameplay, suggesting that while the game has potential, it often falls short of delivering a satisfying experience.

    • “There are numerous gameplay systems supporting a wide range of playstyles and approaches.”
    • “Absolutely love the world and the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is reminiscent of Wasteland 2 and other turn-based RPGs, with an action point system for combat and a lot of freedom to interact with characters and objects outside of combat.”
    • “The gameplay itself is unimmersive, and poor compared to XCOM, Fallout 2, Shadowrun Returns, and Age of Decadence.”
    • “Many mechanics are not thought through enough, almost like little to no playtesting was done.”
    • “The world design, the character customization, and game mechanics had so much promise, but when you actually play it is so damn repetitive, everything was so boring and every quest was simply a chore.”
  • graphics
    284 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Encased" are generally well-received, showcasing a retro-inspired 3D art style that evokes classic isometric RPGs like Fallout and Wasteland, with a distinct 1970s aesthetic. While many players appreciate the unique 2D artwork and atmospheric environments, some critiques highlight inconsistencies in character models and combat effects, suggesting that the graphics, though decent, could benefit from further refinement. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “With striking artwork and visuals contributing to the atmospheric ambiance, it captures the essence of the genres it draws inspiration.”
    • “The graphics have a solid throwback quality to them and coupled with the iso-gameplay give a real throwback feel (Fallout 1-2 and Wasteland comes to mind).”
    • “Beautiful graphics, nice atmosphere and story (quite similar to Fallout or Stalker), detailed environment, interesting wasteland encounters, nice animations, witty and funny dialogues and much more.”
    • “The pathfinding isn't great and the graphics are blah.”
    • “The fact that the graphics are mostly static pictures was another huge miss so I'm getting this game refunded!”
    • “Graphics are okay, but the fps drops to dismal levels whenever anything moves, and causes massive screen tearing and jerking.”
  • atmosphere
    130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its originality and detail, effectively capturing a captivating post-apocalyptic world reminiscent of classics like Fallout and Stalker. Players appreciate the rich world-building, engaging story, and immersive environment, although some note that certain areas may feel barren or lacking in depth. Overall, the game's unique aesthetic and atmospheric elements contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout experience for many.

    • “The environment is beautifully detailed, capturing the desolate yet strangely captivating atmosphere of a world gone awry.”
    • “The atmosphere is unique, the world is massive, and the plot easily drew me in.”
    • “With striking artwork and visuals contributing to the atmospheric ambiance, it captures the essence of the genres it draws inspiration.”
    • “For whatever reason, it lacks the atmosphere and ambiance of other games that have done this better.”
    • “The story is unfortunately held back by the lack of atmosphere and the barren and personality-deprived areas.”
    • “The launch version had its own issues; it was a bit barebones, but the atmosphere and everything was quite literally Stalker but top-down RPG.”
  • grinding
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with many describing the gameplay as slow and repetitive. Exploration, combat, and questing often feel like chores rather than engaging activities, leading to frustration and boredom, especially in the latter half of the game. While some elements, like character customization and story, show potential, the overwhelming number of tedious tasks detracts significantly from the overall experience.

    • “At no point was I in a situation where I couldn't tediously open up my backpack and eat some food or pop some pills.”
    • “The constant going back and forth from locations ruined the joy I had at the start of the game and just made it incredibly boring and tedious that I was barely paying attention to the story when I reached the middle part of Act 2.”
    • “All of the above start grinding on you and halfway through the game quests feel like a chore and not a fun opportunity to explore.”
    • “The story is original and the dialog is interesting, and the RPG style character customization was really enjoyable, but the combat is just so slow and tedious.”
  • music
    120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its fitting and immersive qualities, while others find it repetitive and forgettable. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the atmosphere, but there are complaints about a lack of variety and memorable themes, particularly during combat. Overall, while some tracks are well-received, the music often fails to leave a lasting impression, leading to a sense of disappointment among players.

    • “I absolutely love the intro music, I think I played 15 hours because it got me in the mood every time I launched.”
    • “The fantastic soundtrack (hints of Fallout, lots of Mass Effects), art design and lore everywhere help build up an atmosphere that gets rounded up by some amazing voiceover.”
    • “It has good humor, great narration and dialogue, the story is good, and the overall atmosphere and music are terrific.”
    • “The music rarely ever sets the mood.”
    • “Some of the music or sound effects in general are bland and repetitive to the point where sometimes I would just turn off the music completely.”
    • “However, the music is anti-climactic and almost comical.”
  • humor
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and variety, featuring a mix of dark, satirical, and absurd elements that resonate with fans of classic titles like Fallout. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, character interactions, and the comedic consequences of low-intelligence builds, which add depth to the gameplay experience. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in quest writing and voice acting, the overall consensus is that the humor significantly enhances the game's charm and engagement.

    • “I loved the dark humor, challenging combat, and fascinating story that isn't what you expect at all - and to say more would be to spoil it.”
    • “Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha my god the things that are said in this game are hilarious.”
    • “The story and the world strike an excellent balance of bizarre, funny, and meaningful.”
  • stability
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some players reporting a smooth experience free of major bugs or crashes, while others have encountered frequent glitches and technical issues. Many users noted that the developers are actively releasing patches to address these problems, indicating a commitment to improving stability over time. Overall, while some players enjoy a nearly bug-free experience, others find the game still requires significant polishing.

    • “The game runs smoothly and stable, almost 70 hours and no glitches or crashes so far.”
    • “In terms of technicals, the game is a real masterpiece - no freezes nor stutters.”
    • “This game is pretty damn good - it looks and runs great, and I'm impressed how slick the game engine is.”
    • “Game is broken in so many ways, including glitches and mission errors.”
    • “Too many, and too frequent glitches and bugs from sound cutting out, to guns randomly disappearing from inventory, freezing and invisible enemies during combat.”
    • “But now it freezes up on the load-up (was working fine) and I cannot play it at all.”
  • replayability
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse character builds, multiple factions, and unique "wings" that influence gameplay and dialogue options, allowing for varied playthroughs. While some players note that the story remains relatively linear, the extensive customization and different approaches to encounters provide enough motivation for multiple runs. Overall, many reviewers agree that the game's design encourages exploration of its many facets, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of RPGs.

    • “This is a fantastic game, with such an array of character customizations that replayability is guaranteed.”
    • “The wings are an interesting concept and they give a playthrough unique dialogue options and ways to solve things depending on the wing you choose: character identity and not limiting your skills based on what you pick (you get some bonuses to some skills depending on what you choose) is great and adds a lot of replay value.”
    • “Replayability of this game is impressive; all the world and its NPCs react differently depending on your wing, which makes for different play styles and dialogue choices in every walkthrough.”
    • “I'm not sure the replayability would be worth starting up several games as the story would not change very much.”
    • “Since the game is designed with replayability in mind, I think the second half quests must be fixed because it was really painful for me to run the errands the second time.”
    • “- replayability is (for me at least) almost not there, reason are that my hero and companions had all the skills to do almost all the things that were thrown at me.”
  • character development
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in *Encased* features a classless system that allows for diverse playstyles and companion interactions, though some players find it overly complex and inorganic. While companions have distinct personalities and combat styles, their development is often seen as superficial, lacking meaningful progression or impact on the story. Overall, the game offers a mix of engaging character options and strategic gameplay, but it struggles with depth and coherence in character arcs.

    • “The companions have personalities, character development, their own combat styles (auto-level up - it is not possible to turn a medic into a heavy-weapons specialist), and unique equipment, while their approval depends on the protagonist’s regular actions, be it crafting, exploration, or trespassing.”
    • “Funny game with lots of options for character development that matter.”
    • “Relaxing RPG that has a depth in character development not seen in many games nowadays.”
    • “Too protracted character development, hence - long, challenging, but extremely boring fights.”
    • “There is no real meaningful character development for either you, the voiceless protagonist, or your companions, who aren't even mentioned in the epilogue, and have no meaningful endgame dialogue with the player depending on their choices.”
    • “Your companions' entire character development is a 2-minute conversation and a handful of random things they spout out when you're walking by certain people or places.”
  • optimization
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing smooth performance and stability, while others report significant bugs, crashes, and overheating issues. While certain configurations run well, there are notable concerns about overall performance, particularly in specific areas, suggesting that optimization could be improved. Overall, the experience varies widely depending on the player's hardware and specific circumstances.

    • “The game runs smoothly and stable, almost 70 hours and no glitches or crashes so far.”
    • “A pretty accessible CRPG experience that still has a decent amount of depth in mechanics if you like getting fiddly with your optimization.”
    • “Performance is superb on my laptop (950m); I haven't even bothered on my desktop.”
    • “I wish so much that this game was better optimized, because the first time I played, it overheated and shut down my PC.”
    • “See Battletech for another example of what could have been a great game if it wasn't for the terrible performance and instability Unity brings.”
    • “On top of all that, expect bugs, major and minor, crashes, and an unexplainable bad performance.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, often recalling personal memories that resonate with its themes. The experience is described as fulfilling and impactful, evoking genuine reactions and a sense of nostalgia.

    • “This will fill that void wholesomely.”
    • “I can sum it up pretty easily with some familiar words that'll likely trigger some emotional memories.”
    • “Forgive my incredulity, but 'bull!' I cried.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy is well-received, as it enhances the game's depth without intrusive advertisements, making players feel that the investment is justified.

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25h Median play time
35h Average play time
7-62h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 56 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Encased is a tactical role playing game with science fiction theme.

Encased is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 35 hours playing Encased.

Encased was released on September 7, 2021.

Encased was developed by Dark Crystal Games.

Encased has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Encased is a single player game.

Similar games include Wasteland 3, ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic indie game, Wasteland 2, Atom RPG, Colony Ship: A Post-Earth Role Playing Game and others.