Fadeout: Underground
- June 24, 2022
- Pandan Games
- 7h median play time
Fadeout is a Third Person shooter in the vein of classic PC games from the late 90s and early 2000s. Inspired by games like Quake, Unreal Tournament, and Team Fortress with some unique twists.
Reviews
- The game features adorable character designs and a variety of unique classes, reminiscent of Team Fortress 2.
- Despite a small player base, the community is friendly and the developers are responsive to feedback, regularly updating the game.
- The gameplay is fast-paced and fun, especially when played with friends, and the movement mechanics are enjoyable.
- The player base is virtually nonexistent, making it difficult to find matches without coordinating through Discord.
- Many characters feel unbalanced, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially for new players.
- The game appears unfinished, with limited modes and maps, and lacks a single-player option or bots for solo play.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally seen as simple and accessible, making it easy for new players to pick up, though some reviewers note that it lacks depth and polish, with wonky mechanics and missing common weapon types. While the game shows potential for community-focused fun reminiscent of classics like Quake and TF2, it currently suffers from a low player base and some technical issues. However, the movement mechanics are praised for their complexity and enjoyment, appealing particularly to speed-runner enthusiasts.
“Gameplay isn't terrible for a game so early in development; it's rare since most games overcomplicate their gameplay.”
“The gameplay has evolved, and the newer play styles are just a blast.”
“The movement mechanics feel great.”
“Luckily the game is free, but I'm not sure what the gameplay is like since there's a nonexistent player base.”
“The mechanics (movement/gunplay) feel like they were designed by someone who has never played a real shooter: very wonky and some common weapon types are outright missing from the game.”
“Gameplay-wise, this game does nothing special.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the cute and appealing art style, particularly for female characters, while others criticize the inconsistency in character designs and the overall aesthetic as "mid." Players appreciate the game's unique anthropomorphic character selection and cartoony visuals, but some feel the graphics fall short of expectations, even for an indie title. Overall, the art style has potential, but it may not resonate with all players.
“Very fun, the art style is very pleasing.”
“Gameplay is good, the graphics are good and the game overall is very well executed.”
“Another thing I love is the art style; the cover art has a crazy cool style, and the in-game models look like they'd be in a remaster of Conker's Bad Fur Day.”
“The character designs are alright, but only the females; the males all seem completely out of style compared to the rest. They come off as if the females were designed by one person and the males by another, with no concept artist to unify their art style and design. Additionally, the dialogue is filled with jokes that feel dated or imitative, rather than original.”
“The art style and designs are very mediocre and further alienate themselves from the player with annoying voice lines that play repeatedly upon selection.”
“Graphically, it's not very nice looking, even by indie standards.”
- humor6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of lightheartedness and toxicity, with some players enjoying the funny characters and atmosphere, while others criticize the community for making offensive jokes, particularly about sensitive topics. Overall, the humor appears to be polarizing, with some finding it enjoyable and others feeling it crosses the line into insensitivity.
“This game has great atmosphere, fun movement mechanics, and funny characters.”
“Funny animals”
“Funny lightweight game :)”
“I was on their Discord, and it turns out that he and his friends are not really the friendliest people in the world. They made fun of my newest drawing and then started mocking people with disabilities. I told them that it's not funny, and guess what I got as a response?”
“The humor in this game feels forced and often falls flat. It's like they tried too hard to be funny but ended up being cringeworthy instead.”
“I expected some clever jokes, but most of the humor is just juvenile and unoriginal. It feels like they didn't put much thought into it.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting its excellence and the fantastic soundtrack, particularly in smaller arenas. The engaging and diverse music contributes significantly to the overall enjoyment of the game, making it a standout feature worth experiencing.
“The characters are all unique and fun to play, and the music is excellent.”
“With many maps to choose from, game modes to keep the game interesting, and banger music, I say Fadeout Underground is a game worth trying.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic too, especially on the small arena level.”
“The music in the game feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gaming experience at all.”
“The audio quality of the music is subpar, which detracts from the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is mixed, with female designs being praised for their cuteness and appeal, while male designs are criticized for lacking cohesion and style. The dialogue is often seen as excessive and potentially dated, detracting from the overall uniqueness of the characters. Despite these issues, the game is still considered enjoyable, with charming character designs and a variety of weapons.
“The character designs are poignant and adorable, as are the 'proximity mice' weapons you'll find at least a few of on every map.”
“This is a pretty fun little game with cute character designs.”
“It's very fun, has nice character designs and a nice range of weapons.”
“The character designs are alright, but only the females; the males all seem completely out of style compared to the rest. It feels like the females were designed by one person and the males by another, with no concept artist to unify their art style. Additionally, the dialogue is overly verbose, filled with jokes that feel dated or mimic other games rather than creating a unique identity.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting poor performance and overall unsatisfactory gameplay experience.
“The game runs terribly; it's not optimized at all.”
“The performance issues are frustrating, and it feels like the game was never properly optimized.”
“I can't believe how poorly optimized this game is; it struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its monetization model, being completely free to play without any microtransactions, although it does offer some downloadable content (DLC).
“Fortunately, the game endures and is still playable and free (not even microtransactions, though there is some DLC), so play it!”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
“The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency detract from the overall experience and make it feel like a cash grab.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express concerns about stability, with some anticipating that the game might be incomplete and buggy, leading to lowered expectations.
“My expectations immediately lowered; I thought it would be incomplete and buggy.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its engaging atmosphere, enhanced by enjoyable movement mechanics and humorous characters, creating an overall lively and entertaining experience.
“This game has a fantastic atmosphere that immerses you completely.”
“The atmosphere is incredibly engaging, making every moment feel alive.”
“The combination of visuals and sound creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players emphasize that a compelling story enhances their experience in arcade shooter games, making them more memorable alongside enjoyable gameplay.
“I have played a lot of similar arcade shooter games in the past, but the ones that stuck with me were the ones that had an interesting story to tell on top of fun gameplay.”