Goodbye Deponia

Goodbye Deponia has some great things going for it: the gorgeous staged scenes set against hand-painted backdrops are Daedalic’s trademark, and they seem to have pulled it off again here. Tough yet satisfying logic puzzles and hilarious mini-games make it a pretty decent adventure to play through when you’re just looking to unwind and mull over some brain teasers for a while. The plot is skillfully written and brimming with a very peculiar brand of German creativity. The sound design is smooth as a Miles Davis solo, and the songs will have you chuckling at their weirdness more often than not. What’s not to love?

65%Game Brain Score

story, humor

character development, grinding

83% User Score Based on 549 reviews

Critic Score 57%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $0.94

Buy NowGet on Steam€1.99

Buy NowGet on Apple Store

About

In Goodbye Deponia, the third game in the Deponia trilogy, Rufus continues his quest to reach the space station Elysium and escape his polluted planet. He finds himself in a love triangle with Goal and her alternate self, Compendia, while facing off against the Organon. The game features the series' signature humor and hand-drawn art style as Rufus tries to save Deponia one last time.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+12

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 551 reviews

story97 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful hand-drawn graphics and animations that enhance the overall experience.
The humor is quirky and entertaining, with many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the game.
The character development, particularly of Rufus, adds depth to the story and keeps players engaged.

The ending is disappointing and leaves many players feeling unsatisfied with the conclusion of the trilogy.
Some puzzles are overly convoluted and can be frustrating, often requiring a walkthrough to solve.
The game includes offensive humor and themes, such as racism and sexism, which may alienate some players.

story
273 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The story of "Goodbye Deponia" is a mixed bag, with some players praising its humor, character development, and emotional depth, while others criticize its convoluted plot and unlikable characters. Many reviews highlight the game's unique narrative twists and the culmination of Rufus's journey, though some feel the ending is rushed or unsatisfactory. Overall, it serves as a fitting conclusion to the trilogy, but opinions vary widely on its execution and coherence.
- “The story is even a little bit unique and works really well in the game's world (in my opinion).”
- “The story and character development allow players to become more immersed in the events.”
- “Goodbye Deponia is a brilliant third entry in the Deponia series, but with a plot that really provides one twist to the story that the last two games presented.”
- “I hated, really hated the way the story went and the few decisions that Rufus makes.”
- “The story overall is decent, but the way that every single female character is written is terrible and one-dimensional to the point of objectification.”
- “Overall, this game was a massive letdown, and the ending to the plot made it even more of a waste of time, as the eventual result could have been achieved by just letting Cletus and Goal return to Elysium in the very first game.”
humor
163 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in "Goodbye Deponia" is a mix of wacky, dark, and sometimes crude elements, continuing the series' tradition of irreverent comedy. While many players appreciate the quirky dialogue and character interactions, some find the humor can be offensive or fall flat, particularly due to cultural differences in translation. Overall, the game offers a blend of funny moments and frustrating puzzles, appealing to fans of the genre who enjoy a more adult-oriented comedic style.
- “The game continues the adventures of the main character Rufus and features a humorous narrative, fun puzzles, and a variety of characters.”
- “Rufus has won the hearts of the players with his dashing and funny personality.”
- “The dialogues and interactions between characters help the game provide a funny and entertaining experience.”
- “This game is a complete embarrassment; it's not funny like its predecessors, and it's not unique or clever like its predecessors.”
- “The game's 'humor' is awful; it ranges from unfunny to sexist and even racist.”
- “The jokes are unfunny and sometimes downright insulting.”
gameplay
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The gameplay across the reviews is characterized by a mix of engaging puzzles and mechanics, with some players appreciating the introduction of new elements and character interactions. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of effective tutorials for mechanics, occasional illogical puzzles, and the presence of mini-games that disrupt the flow. Overall, while the gameplay is generally well-received for its creativity and enjoyment, it is marred by inconsistencies and a need for better guidance.
- “The interface and mechanics in this game are top notch.”
- “For both gameplay and story, I would say this is easily the most fun and satisfying in the series.”
- “The gameplay is improved, however.”
- “Not to say it couldn't be a good thing, but we needed more of a 'hint' on what things could be used for or a better way to learn game mechanics.”
- “I couldn't shake the feeling while playing this game that more teaching mechanics needed to exist.”
- “While the gameplay of this game is certainly vastly better than the others, including proper puzzle tutorials on how the puzzle worked, I can't help but feel as though something is wrong.”
music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
40%
7%
The music in the game is widely praised for its orchestral richness and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the catchy soundtrack and entertaining songs between chapters. While some tracks are noted to be reused, the sound quality and integration with the game's visuals and humor contribute significantly to the experience. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, complementing the game's art and storytelling effectively.
- “The music is amazing.”
- “The sound quality of the game is excellent, the music and background sounds are a great match for the game and the cut scenes musical scenes between each chapter featuring the narrator/bum/poki are always entertaining and help build excitement for the next chapter while summing up the current state of things.”
- “The environment, characters, story, voice acting, and soundtrack are all entertaining and memorable.”
- “I do have to turn voice dialogue all the way up and music/background sounds to about 25% or I find myself not being able to hear characters over the other sounds, but it's not terrible.”
- “The music (much of it rehashed from previous games) is enjoyable without becoming overwhelming.”
- “Add in a little more of a solid storyline in this one, and the soundtrack was considerably better in my opinion.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
8%
The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their colorful and detailed hand-drawn style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and humor. Reviewers highlight the high-quality animations, quirky character designs, and vibrant environments, noting that the visuals align well with the game's themes and storytelling. While some personal preferences regarding the art style vary, the general consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The graphics are stylish, which is usual from Daedalic, and I just love the whole story.”
- “The artwork is fantastic, and the puzzles take a good amount of time to solve.”
- “The quirky art style is still just as appropriate to the underlying themes, and the vibrant, mechanically lush environments are as wonderful as ever.”
- “The horrible acts he commits throughout the game due to ignorance and negligence, stripped of the comedic context and cartoony graphics, are among the worst I've seen in any video game.”
- “I wasn't a fan of the graphics style at times, but that's due to personal aesthetics rather than quality.”
- “I wasn't a fan of the graphics style at times, but that's due to personal aesthetics rather than quality.”
emotional
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, featuring both heartfelt moments and problematic character portrayals. While the narrative includes touching scenes that resonate deeply, particularly with the protagonist Rufus, it often struggles with emotional depth due to its heavy reliance on humor. Overall, players found themselves unexpectedly invested in the story, experiencing a range of emotions from laughter to sadness, though some felt the conclusion lacked the satisfying emotional closure they desired.
- “The highlight this time has to be the track 'Life Goes On', which is used when Rufus discovers why he's the way he is; it's actually heartbreaking.”
- “There are also some heartfelt moments in this game, with Rufus being kind or regretting his mistakes, and the people in his life telling him what they appreciate about him.”
- “I never thought I'd be so emotionally invested in a point-and-click adventure game, but I've never been more glad to be proven wrong.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the deeper exploration of characters like Rufus, particularly in "Goodbye Deponia," while others feel that the character growth is inconsistent and often undermined by humor. While the game features appealing character designs and engaging story elements, it sometimes neglects meaningful development, leaving some characters, especially Rufus, to revert to less favorable traits. Overall, the character arcs are seen as a highlight for some, but many agree that the potential for deeper growth is often missed.
- “Story and character development: the game deepens the stories of Rufus and other characters.”
- “Character development and story progression allow players to become more immersed in the events.”
- “I enjoyed this one quite a bit, from the improved character development to the voice acting.”
- “They ignored any character development that occurred throughout the previous games and just went for the 'kill'.”
- “Some of this comes down to character development, but in some ways Rufus seems to be an even bigger jerk in this game than he was in the previous two.”
- “However, this story almost featured a moment of character development – Rufus finds himself in a place that not only has immaculate vibes, not only does the plot point that swirls around it interesting, but also it provides the perfect opportunity for Rufus to turn around and grow as a character, and yet… he does not, and things go back to the way they were.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
10%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant art style, engaging music, and immersive sound effects, which collectively enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the colorful environments and the humorous dialogues that contribute to a captivating and enjoyable setting. Overall, the atmosphere is described as fantastic, with a perfect blend of visual and auditory elements that resonate well with fans of the genre.
- “The atmosphere in the game was good; I enjoyed the music and the artwork of the game.”
- “Awesome art style, animation, and atmosphere.”
- “The deponia series as a whole is oozing with colorful atmosphere!”
- “The atmosphere for the different levels was fantastic.”
- “Maybe the atmosphere, maybe the music, maybe the characters.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many puzzles lacking creativity and often requiring excessive effort to complete. While some puzzles are enjoyable, the overall design is criticized for being frustrating and poorly thought out, leading to a sense of monotony.
- “You will need a second life for grinding.”
- “Then there's the problem it has with reusing puzzles - replacing creativity with tedious repetition.”
- “Writing-wise, the game is actually pretty great, with the exception of the awful ending, and some of the puzzles were fun; however, most of the puzzles had really bad design that either made absolutely no sense or were incredibly tedious.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous bugs and audio/visual glitches, which detract from the overall experience. In contrast, the previous two installments were notably more stable, lacking these issues. Despite the glitches, the core story remains strong.
- “The game is also riddled with bugs and audio/visual glitches.”
- “Without the glitches, the final game's story is just as good as it should be.”
- “The two previous games didn't have any glitches.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its troubling and offensive content, including themes of slavery, child exploitation, and overt sexism, which detract from the overall experience and raise ethical concerns about the game's messaging and humor.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game offers some replay value, but players feel that its full price may not justify the experience for repeated playthroughs.
- “It does have some replay value, but at full price, it's higher than I prefer to pay.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is highlighted by the excellent performance of the voice actors, contributing to a polished and immersive experience.