Garbage

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 225 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Garbage Game Cover
Starting at $0.49Buy now
Get on Steam

"Garbage is a single-player fantasy strategy game with a humorous twist, following the struggle of a homeless man. Experience primitive life challenges in a grim city environment, presented through hand-drawn comics and unique character voices. While the gameplay, graphics, and music are solid, be prepared for some bugs and heavy grinding."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 225 reviews
story7 positive mentions
stability13 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique and humorous concept that provides an interesting take on the homeless experience.
  • Addictive gameplay with a challenging difficulty curve that keeps players engaged.
  • Great music and art style that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The game is plagued with bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play.
  • Lack of a proper tutorial and guidance leads to confusion about game mechanics and objectives.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, with limited options for progression and resource management.
  • story41 mentions

    The game's story is often criticized for being underdeveloped and feeling like an afterthought, with many players noting a lack of engaging narrative and messy quest mechanics. While some appreciate the humorous dialogue and potential for character development, others find the quests repetitive and the overall experience incomplete, leading to frustration with the gameplay. Despite its interesting premise centered around the life of a homeless character, many feel the execution falls short, leaving them wanting a more substantial and cohesive storyline.

    • “Take the time to dive into the story to find out how much this game is awesome!”
    • “The plot is the sad life of a homeless man, which he has to put up with, but with his own philosophy.”
    • “I like the story, I like the combat mechanics, I like the character development branch.”
    • “The game itself is incomplete since there are many quests that require some items, but there are no other quests or activities that give the item to you.”
    • “There's some kind of story, but it feels like it was added as an afterthought.”
    • “There really is not a storyline and it feels a lot like an incomplete game.”
  • gameplay35 mentions

    The gameplay has drawn mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its addictive nature and nostalgic grind reminiscent of old-school games, while others criticize its buggy mechanics, lack of clarity, and frustrating AI. Many appreciate the combat and character development systems, but note that the game can become repetitive and difficult, particularly on harder settings. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements and potential for improvement, the gameplay experience is marred by technical issues and unclear mechanics.

    • “This game doesn't get as much credit; in my opinion, it gets addictive. I love it so much and wish there was more content or more room to play after the ending. I'm loving the game mechanics, and although I had problems with the game crashing at first, a RAM upgrade fixed it perfectly. Developers, if you read this, thank you for making such a great game. I'm definitely looking forward to updates, DLC, or even a sequel in the future!”
    • “In general, excellent gameplay; a small portion of action and average system requirements will brighten up more than one of your evenings.”
    • “Must try for everyone: chilled fighting mechanics, good-looking graphics, a big skill tree, and quite challenging and interesting gameplay.”
    • “When I finished the game, I tracked achievements to see if I was missing something important and found zero achievements to do, which was disappointing. The quest mechanics were messy; I looked for the quest item in the place it was supposed to be and then found the item in a completely different place on the map as a reward from another quest.”
    • “The lack of consequences for battles, obtuse gameplay mechanics, and questionable AI instead turn the game into an exercise in frustrating grind.”
    • “Control mechanics are awful, especially in fighting mode.”
  • humor27 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it hilarious and engaging, particularly appreciating its satirical take on societal issues and relatable situations. However, others criticize it for relying on lowbrow pop culture references and mean-spirited jokes, which may not resonate with all audiences, especially those unfamiliar with specific cultural contexts. Overall, while many enjoy the comedic elements and immersive atmosphere, the humor's effectiveness varies significantly among players.

    • “Another interesting thing is the humor; after all, you are a beggar fighting for your space in society, and this is shown in a caricatured way. The challenges are diverse, the jokes are funny, and the atmosphere of the game, thanks to the details of the scenarios, is very immersive, leading the player to believe that they really are part of that world!”
    • “It's very funny with the style of the cutscenes and the general vibe of the game.”
    • “This is a humorous game, and there are a lot of funny moments that provoke a smile ;)”
    • “In addition to being hideous to look at, the game is deeply unfunny, constantly relying on low-hanging fruit pop culture references and mean-spirited edgelord humor that I'm sure must appeal to someone, but was very much not my thing.”
    • “Painfully unfunny but fun.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising them as excellent and beautiful, while others find them simple or even messy. Many players appreciate the art style and its integration with the game's atmosphere, though some criticize it for being repetitive or rushed. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, opinions vary widely based on personal taste and expectations.

    • “Graphics: excellent, beautiful, and not drawn-out videos that fill the game plot (10/10).”
    • “A very interesting game that allows you to be chosen... many quests and fights... many locations that open gradually... excellent graphics.”
    • “Great graphics and music that will take your breath away during a fight.”
    • “The graphics of the game are simple and do not strain your eyes, which may not please everyone after playing 3D graphics.”
    • “But I don't really like the graphics... maybe it's a matter of taste, but I personally find them too boring.”
    • “An interesting homeless simulator with average graphics, average music.”
  • music18 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature. While some reviews note that the music could be more epic or polished, the general consensus is that it effectively complements the game's art style and gameplay, making it a memorable aspect of the experience. Overall, players recommend enjoying the soundtrack with headphones for the best experience.

    • “The soundtrack of the game is super nice, I recommend playing with headphones :) Also, the art of the game is super cool.”
    • “Art style and music blend together very well to create the atmosphere.”
    • “Great graphics and music that will take your breath away during a fight.”
    • “The overall art style, music, and environment I do very much like; the concept is also great. However, this seems like a rushed title that should have been in the beta stage for now. I can unfortunately not recommend it at its current state.”
    • “It does have some flaws; I wouldn't really call it perfectly polished - it's prone to bug out from time to time and the UX could be better, but the soundtrack and overall feel of the game are worth it.”
    • “An interesting homeless simulator with average graphics and average music.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, awkward controls, and graphical issues that hinder gameplay. Many players experience frequent freezes, particularly on harder difficulty settings, and the overall optimization is deemed inadequate. While some users report fewer issues, the consensus is that the game feels unfinished and resembles an early access title rather than a polished product.

    • “Super buggy for a finished game.”
    • “Not the worst game of the year, sure, but very limited by the combination of not-so-cool humor and not-so-attractive visual style and gameplay process... and not too stable to play it on the hard difficulty, because of constant freezes when you need to restart the game to continue with it (no continues on hard).”
    • “Very buggy with not so great saving system.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    The game features a significant amount of grinding, which some players find tedious and repetitive, especially in the mid to late game where leveling up and resource management become crucial. While the grind is intended to reflect the challenges of rising from the bottom, it can lead to boredom and frustration, particularly due to unhelpful tutorials and scaling enemies. However, some players enjoy the challenge and find ways to make the experience more engaging by setting personal goals or playing on harder difficulties.

    • “Get 'Punch Club' instead; it's super grindy, but the story will pay off all that grind.”
    • “Mid to late game becomes grindy, and you can't pass later stages as you need to train for many days to get higher tier abilities.”
    • “It gets tedious and chaotic when you have multiple hobos to manage.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, combining humor and detailed scenarios that draw players into its world. The art style and music work harmoniously to enhance this unique ambiance, making the experience feel engaging and authentic. Overall, players appreciate the distinct and enjoyable atmosphere that the game offers.

    • “Another interesting thing is the humor; after all, you are a beggar fighting for your space in society, and this is shown in a caricatured way. The challenges are diverse, the jokes are funny, and the atmosphere of the game, thanks to the details of the scenarios, is very immersive, leading the player to believe that they really are part of that world!”
    • “Art style and music blend together very well to create the atmosphere.”
    • “The game has its own atmosphere.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game evokes strong emotions by highlighting social justice themes, particularly the struggles of the homeless, fostering a sense of gratitude and empathy in players. Its heartwarming narrative resonates with contemporary societal issues, making it a poignant experience.

    • “This game made me feel grateful after I noticed what all homeless people go through and how rejected they feel in this cruel world.”
    • “It is heartwarming to see an indie publisher align with the mores of the modern social justice movement.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users have reported that the game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to freezes even on high-end systems like a new GTX PC. There is a strong call for developers to address these performance problems to enhance the overall gaming experience.

    • “The main con: the game needs better optimization. Developers, please take care of this because I, a person with a new GTX PC, experience frequent freezes.”
    • “The optimization is terrible; I can't even enjoy the game without constant lag and stuttering.”
    • “Despite having a high-end system, the game runs poorly and is not optimized at all, making it frustrating to play.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Users appreciate the character development branch, highlighting it as a strong aspect of the game that enhances the overall story and complements the combat mechanics.

    • “I love how the character development branch enhances the overall story and combat mechanics.”
    • “The depth of character development really adds to the immersive experience of the game.”
    • “The way characters evolve throughout the game is truly impressive and keeps me engaged.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Garbage

Play time

7hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games