Gamedec

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 324 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Gamedec Game Cover
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"Gamedec is a single-player, non-combat cyberpunk mystery RPG set in the 22nd century. As a game detective, you solve crimes and explore virtual worlds, adapting to your choices with no judgement. The game boasts stunning graphics, immersive soundtrack, and intriguing plot, but can be very grinding and buggy."

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 324 reviews
story83 positive mentions
grinding13 negative mentions
  • Engaging and immersive story with interesting twists and turns.
  • Unique deduction mechanics that allow for multiple choices and outcomes.
  • Visually striking graphics and a well-developed cyberpunk world.
  • The game can feel linear, with choices often leading to the same outcomes.
  • Some bugs and localization issues detract from the overall experience.
  • The ending is unsatisfying and feels rushed, undermining the player's choices.
  • story285 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, starting strong with an engaging premise and intriguing characters, but it falters in the second half, becoming overly linear and confusing. Players often feel railroaded through the narrative, with choices that seem to have little impact on the overall progression, leading to a sense of frustration. While the world-building and themes are appreciated, many reviewers express disappointment in the execution, particularly regarding pacing and the resolution of plot points.

    • “The story is fantastic, one of the better ones I've seen in games.”
    • “The story really drew me in and had me invested from the start.”
    • “Gamedec is an excellent detective story.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story of the game is very clearly demarcated into two halves - and the second half of the game where the 'real story' begins is far less of the above model and a far more linear affair rather than an investigative one.”
    • “10 hours into the game and I feel like none of the 'choices' I made were choices at all; nothing you do seems to have any impact on the progression of the story - keep clicking and it will move along anyway.”
    • “The entire first half of the game sets you following a pretty clear story path, then in one level it all shifts and not only are many plot points left unfinished but the new story it switches to doesn't provide much context and is clearly a storyline way too big for the game time they tried to cram it into.”
  • gameplay86 mentions

    The gameplay in *Gamedec* is characterized by a mix of investigative mechanics, dialogue interactions, and deduction systems, allowing players to gather clues and make choices in a cyberpunk setting. While some players appreciate the unique mechanics and immersive storytelling, many find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, with criticisms aimed at its grind elements and underwhelming impact of player choices. Overall, the game presents an interesting concept but struggles with execution, leading to a mixed reception regarding its gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay involves examining (very large) scenes and talking to people and making choices.”
    • “The deduction mechanics and interesting character dialogues are great assets.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, the mechanics are interesting (XP relies on how you engage in dialogue, etc.), and the choices feel impactful.”
    • “The gameplay is underwhelming and your choices do not matter in the slightest.”
    • “Graphics and overall idea for the story are all decent but the gameplay is just tiresome and uninspiringly repetitive.”
    • “The writing is poorly localized/translated at times, and the core gameplay loop (gather clues, make a deduction, etc.) wears thin.”
  • graphics48 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, particularly in the isometric style, which many players find aesthetically pleasing. The visuals are complemented by solid performance and immersive environments that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some critiques mention a lack of animation in certain actions and a desire for more polished dialogue presentation, despite the overall high quality of the graphics.

    • “The game starts very well, with an intriguing story and great visuals.”
    • “The visuals are spectacular and you get the experience of playing as a detective in several different worlds.”
    • “The graphics are great, which a lot of little details in every level.”
    • “The game tries to copy Disco Elysium, but fails to create a similar atmosphere due to a lack of proper scripting, world-building, and aesthetics.”
    • “Without the high-resolution graphics, it felt dull.”
    • “Saw a samurai at the beginning; I can imagine how boring the aesthetic of this game is.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting significant differences in experiences based on choices made, particularly regarding skill tree paths and story outcomes. While many appreciate the potential for multiple playthroughs to uncover different story elements and lore, others criticize its linearity and lack of combat, suggesting that replay value diminishes after the first playthrough. Overall, it seems that while there are opportunities for replay, they may not be compelling enough for everyone, especially at full price.

    • “One of the few games I've played with noticeable differences in replayability, offering two very different experiences based on which side of the skill tree you choose (emotional vs logical).”
    • “I figure this game has some replay value because it's pretty much impossible to get all clues, professions, and codex entries in one playthrough.”
    • “[*] [b]High replayability value[/b] - due to the number of choices and significant differences in the story depending on them, it's hard not to play it all over again once it's over.”
    • “There is absolutely no replay value here.”
    • “The game is very linear, not really an RPG; replayability is minimal.”
    • “Probably it's my fault for missing some clues, and it gives a good excuse to replay it, but after the end of the game, it loses some of the replay value.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for becoming tedious as the gameplay progresses, with repetitive mechanics like farming and crafting failing to alleviate the monotony. While some puzzles are enjoyable, others, particularly a labyrinth, contribute to the overall frustration. Despite the intriguing narrative premise, many players feel that the execution falls short, leading to a lackluster experience marred by unnecessary grind.

    • “The game starts great but gets very tedious halfway through.”
    • “I believe the narrative conceit of being a 'game detective' is fine, however, Gamedev brings you into game worlds reminiscent of an exploitative Farmville-like game, or a grindy MMO... no matter what the meta reason for you being in those worlds is, it didn't make up for the tedium of these moments.”
    • “Add in some tedious mechanics (intentionally tedious, likely) and timed segments near the 2/3 marker and it's just not a fun experience to play.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while many players praise the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting the cyberpunk theme, others feel it lacks variety and presence throughout the gameplay. Some users appreciate the art and overall atmosphere, but express disappointment over the minimal soundtrack and absence of voice acting, leading to a quieter experience than expected. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point for some, but a missed opportunity for others.

    • “Music is absolutely killer.”
    • “The art, cyberpunk theme, and soundtrack are pretty good.”
    • “The art is great, the music is enjoyable, and the concept really is novel.”
    • “- not enough soundtrack to accompany you in the game.”
    • “The dialogue is not voiced, and there's almost no music (so far anyway), so it's a strangely quiet game. I'm hoping that changes when I get to one of the next in-game areas.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere receives mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging cyberpunk setting and intriguing story, while others criticize it for lacking depth and coherence after the initial zone. Many players feel it falls short of the atmospheric brilliance found in titles like Disco Elysium, citing issues with scripting, world-building, and character interactions that detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the game's potential and express a desire for more isometric titles that prioritize atmosphere and dialogue over combat.

    • “This is a very cool, atmospheric game that is full of a story with plenty of twists and turns.”
    • “Overall, it's an amazing story-heavy game with a cyberpunk, futuristic atmosphere.”
    • “I've only played for an hour so far, but I have to say that the storyline is engaging and I really enjoyed the dense cyberpunk atmosphere!”
    • “The game tries to copy Disco Elysium, but fails to create a similar atmosphere due to a lack of proper scripting, world building, and aesthetics.”
    • “It really had me, and then the story and atmosphere evaporate, becoming a grind where the dialogue of many of the people littered on the street blurs together; better level design or voice acting is needed to make interactions more distinct.”
    • “The story is not engaging, and the cyberpunk atmosphere is mediocre at best.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The stability of *gamedec* has been criticized for numerous glitches and bugs that significantly impact gameplay, including game freezes and issues with choice retention. While the game's investigative mechanics are praised, the technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of incompleteness.

    • “What started as smaller glitches and inconveniences (incorrect pronouns, the game not remembering certain choices) became much more obvious throughout the denouement as you were trying to pick a path and work your way to the ending.”
    • “There are some easily fixable glitches that leave you completely stuck and force you to reload.”
    • “Multiple game freezes; the last one I decided it wasn't worth the time to go back. I was about 3/4 of the way through the game and it had really ground to a halt for me by then, I was just slogging my way to the finish.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal, random, and lacking meaningful progression, with players noting that it feels more like an adventure game than a role-playing experience. The use of randomly placed 'aspects' for development is seen as frustrating, and overall, the absence of a robust system for character growth detracts from the gameplay experience.

    • “As for the game mechanics, it's more of an adventure game with character development.”
    • “The character development is another problem; you can learn different traits that allow you to unlock new dialogue options.”
    • “[*][b]Character design had highs and lows.”
    • “There is no meaningful character development, no real role-playing.”
    • “Progress options in character development are minimal, feel random and do not even really matter.”
    • “There is no inventory system, no character leveling up, barely any character development (if you can even call it that).”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of character depth and meaningful interactions, leading to a disconnection from the story and protagonist. Players express disappointment in pivotal moments that fail to evoke feelings due to poor storytelling and inconsistent narrative choices. While some appreciate the potential for emotional experiences based on skill tree choices, the overall execution leaves many feeling that their decisions have limited impact on the story's emotional weight.

    • “One of the few games I've played with noticeable differences in replayability, offering two very different experiences based on which side of the skill tree you choose (emotional vs logical).”
    • “Imho, this was one of the best sci-fi stories I have ever seen, touching on a very interesting topic in a future world full of virtual realities, artificial intelligence, and various ethical questions (huge fan of Ghost in the Shell here).”
    • “Unfortunately, the further you advance the story, the less consistent the narrative becomes: you'd notice a few world-building contradictions at first, then the characters would ignore your previous mishaps and offenses, and then your gamedec would show emotional reactions that are obviously needed for the plot to progress, but otherwise are not rooted in either relations, context, or background.”
    • “I really cannot recommend this game either to fans of 'proper' CRPGs because it lacks any interesting mechanics, or to fans of Disco Elysium due to its confusing and boring story.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as entertaining and occasionally confusing, with a mix of funny moments and clever commentary on gaming conventions. While some players appreciate the comedic elements and genre shifts, others feel that the humor can't fully compensate for issues like lazy level design and repetitive missions. Overall, it offers a blend of amusing twists within a cyberpunk setting that may appeal to fans of puzzly gameplay.

    • “Entertaining, funny, and sometimes just confusing as heck!”
    • “The plot is engaging and there is a lot of joking about game conventions (very funny and scary at once, for example, the harvest time as a free-to-play world).”
    • “Nothing felt especially moving, but if you're looking for some puzzly stuff, a few twists on cyberpunk settings, and some pretty funny bits, this is probably for you.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of the game is mixed, with some users praising its lovely graphics and good performance, while others criticize it as a dull and poorly coded port that lacks proper optimization.

    • “Lovely graphics, good performance.”
    • “Dull, badly coded, and poorly optimized port.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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