Graveyard Keeper

Graveyard Keeper is an engaging sim that's a little too cheap with giving out information.

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Graveyard Keeper is a darkly humorous medieval cemetery management sim, where you'll build and maintain your own graveyard, cut costs, and explore for valuable resources. Face ethical dilemmas, craft items, and expand your business, all while dealing with the game's unique take on capitalism and love.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 19,222 reviews

story1,733 positive mentions

grinding4,608 negative mentions

story
7,110 mentions
24 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of *Graveyard Keeper* is a darkly humorous narrative that follows a character who finds himself in a medieval world as a graveyard keeper, tasked with managing a graveyard while trying to return home. Players engage in a series of interconnected fetch quests that often require significant grinding and resource management, with many quests tied to specific NPCs who appear only on certain days, leading to frustrating delays in story progression. While the writing and character interactions are generally well-received, the overall pacing and quest structure can feel tedious, with many players expressing a desire for better quest tracking and more meaningful story development, particularly in the base game compared to the DLCs, which add depth and additional content.
- “Great storyline and goofy characters.”
- “The story explores themes of mortality, morality, and the afterlife, but does so with a lighthearted, often irreverent tone.”
- “The storyline is engaging, with a good mix of humor and mystery.”
- “The story isn't interesting enough to keep me going after 32 hours.”
- “The game is filled with softlock quests, a shallow to non-existent relationship system, a bland setting, nothing to do but fetch quests that are mandatory to progress even in the most basic sense, a tech tree that lacks any form of clarity, and constant having to wait around while doing nothing because certain things can only be done on specific days and the story locks you out of basic activities constantly until you finish the quests.”
- “The quests are written in a way that always keep you on your toes, with simple plot-twists and entertaining dialogues.”
grinding
4,663 mentions
0 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
Graveyard Keeper is often described as a grind-heavy game, with many players noting that it can feel tedious due to the extensive resource gathering and crafting required to progress. While some enjoy the grind as part of the gameplay loop, others find it overwhelming and frustrating, particularly with the time-gated quests and the need to frequently backtrack. Overall, the game appeals to fans of farming sims who appreciate dark humor and complex mechanics, but it may not be suitable for those who dislike grindy gameplay.
- “A bit of automation so that gathering basic resources is not too grindy.”
- “Super fun to get to a point where all you have to worry about is completing the quests and not really farming resources out for extended periods of time.”
- “However, this grind wasn't tedious, annoying, timed, or rushed in any way whatsoever.”
- “Far too much grinding for often very little reward.”
- “Various NPCs that are important to game progression appear only once in-game week, which I found to be way too restrictive and tedious for a game that dumps a ton of tasks and things to do right from the start.”
- “The game is very grindy, which wouldn't be an issue if it was actually fun.”
gameplay
3,079 mentions
28 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Graveyard Keeper" is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating grind, often drawing comparisons to "Stardew Valley" due to its resource management and crafting systems. While players appreciate the dark humor and unique premise of managing a graveyard, many find the game overly complex, with poorly explained mechanics that necessitate frequent reference to external guides. The gameplay loop can feel repetitive and tedious, particularly as players progress, leading to a sense of burnout despite the initial charm and depth of the mechanics.
- “The gameplay loop revolves around getting quests either from NPCs or something like a roadblock that requires materials, which need to be gathered and produced at workstations.”
- “The gameplay strikes a perfect balance between farming tasks, adventure, and character development, keeping things fresh and engaging.”
- “The core gameplay loop is decently deep and still fun many hours later, and the later developments into automation help you to keep motivation.”
- “It throws a million and one things at you from day one and does a poor job of explaining the mechanics.”
- “The gameplay loop just won't let go, which is very peculiar because it's the most basic game loop one could design.”
- “The gameplay is a grim, relentless slog through the mundane.”
humor
2,222 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Graveyard Keeper" is characterized by its dark, quirky, and often absurd tone, blending macabre themes with comedic elements. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, humorous character interactions, and the game's ability to tackle grim subjects with a lighthearted approach, reminiscent of titles like "Stardew Valley" but with a more adult twist. While many find the humor engaging and entertaining, some critiques point to moments where the jokes may fall flat or feel forced, indicating that the humor may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the game is celebrated for its unique blend of dark humor and engaging gameplay.
- “Funny part is, a lot of things make sense in this nonsensical world of you working as a graveyard keeper, talking to a skull and a donkey, mastering dead bodies (and their parts), burning witches, etc. so it's not really hard to transition from other farming games to this.”
- “A delightfully dark and funny adventure that keeps you laughing while you dig up or down the dead.”
- “The witty dialogue and humorous situations provide a perfect counterbalance to the game's darker themes, making for a unique and enjoyable experience.”
- “One look at the titles gave me insights into how unfunny the humor of Tiny Build truly is.”
- “The world is not very immersive, breaks the fourth wall quite a bit, and the humor falls flat and is kind of cringey.”
- “The developers keep trying to break the fourth wall with very crappy jokes; they are not funny 95% of the time and only serve to break what little immersion the game has.”
graphics
1,442 mentions
52 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Graveyard Keeper" have received widespread praise for their charming pixel art style, which is often compared favorably to that of "Stardew Valley." Reviewers highlight the game's vibrant and detailed visuals, which effectively complement its dark humor and unique themes, creating an immersive atmosphere. While some players note minor graphical issues, the overall aesthetic and attention to detail are seen as standout features that enhance the gaming experience.
- “The graphics are vibrant and detailed, adding so much life to each season and area you explore – you can tell the designers put a lot of love into creating this world.”
- “The graphics and design are incredibly well-executed from every angle.”
- “The pixel art style is beautifully done and the animations are smooth.”
- “The graphics often felt a little too indie, a little too unpolished.”
- “The pixelated graphics are really well done and this is some of the best pixelated animation I've seen for actions like attacks.”
- “While the graphics make you think that you will have a Stardew Valley kind of experience, the gameplay mechanic is flawed with simple and tiresome repeated chores.”
music
859 mentions
51 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with its charming melodies that fit the game's dark humor and aesthetic. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over extended play sessions, with a limited number of tracks leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, its lack of diversity is a common critique among players.
- “The soundtrack complements this with haunting, atmospheric melodies that enhance immersion without being intrusive.”
- “The music is great and the art is absolutely gorgeous.”
- “The music is infectious, but the gameplay loop is not.”
- “The music is also extremely repetitive, slow, and just not conducive to the core gameplay.”
- “The music gets quite repetitive after about 15 hours into the game.”
- “The music is boring, the movement of the character is laggy and the dialogues are just boring... I haven't played for very long but I don't really get any good feeling of progression either.”
atmosphere
234 mentions
59 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming blend of dark humor and whimsical elements, creating a unique and immersive experience. Players appreciate the beautiful pixel art and haunting soundtrack, which enhance the overall ambiance, making it both engaging and addictive. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay pacing and grindiness, the game's distinctive atmosphere, characterized by its macabre yet lighthearted tone, stands out as a significant highlight.
- “The soundtrack complements this with haunting, atmospheric melodies that enhance immersion without being intrusive.”
- “The quirky dark humor, combined with the medieval atmosphere, really sets the tone.”
- “The characters are quirky and endearing, the writing is witty and often hilarious, and the overall atmosphere is a delightful blend of the macabre and the lighthearted.”
- “There's nothing to the graveyard's atmosphere that makes it feel like an actively-used cemetery.”
- “A lot of wasted potential, idiotic design decisions, pointless grind and decent atmosphere combine to make a game that is more stressful than relaxing.”
- “This is an atmosphere-breaking issue that's prevented me from playing because I want to be immersed.”
stability
207 mentions
3 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and game-breaking bugs that hinder progress. While some users noted minor glitches that did not significantly impact gameplay, many expressed frustration over the lack of effective fixes and the overall unfinished feel of the game. Despite occasional updates aimed at improving stability, the consensus remains that the game is still plagued by significant stability issues.
- “The game runs fine, no glitches - you can see a lot of hard work and passion went into this project and how it is polished.”
- “I'd only expect a AAA title to launch 1.0 with a very stable, bug-free experience.”
- “The artwork is awesome and it's pretty bug-free for a new game.”
- “This game is buggy and unfinished.”
- “Take into consideration that it's buggy; in 59 hours of playing, I suffered 3 crashes, one of them setting me back 3 hours as the game has no autosave.”
- “I really want to like this game, but it is just too damn buggy.”
optimization
192 mentions
12 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
45 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as lag, stuttering, and frame drops, particularly during late-game stages or when many objects are present on screen. Despite some players experiencing smooth gameplay on high-end systems, the persistent stuttering and memory leaks have rendered the game unplayable for many, leading to frustration and refunds. While developers have made efforts to address these issues through patches, the optimization remains a major concern for the community.
- “There's a community-made spreadsheet with the most optimized layouts for everything from all places you can build things at to how to create the highest rated corpse possible; it really helped me out during my playthrough.”
- “Different areas and associated crafts have a great deal of diversity in mechanics and crafting options: preparing corpses for your graveyard, decorating the graveyard, unlocking new materials, etc. Each region can be optimized and there is no time limit, so tinker away.”
- “The developer has been actively releasing patches and improving performance and quality of life updates, and it has helped it significantly.”
- “Unfortunately, after a while it started lagging and stuttering, and at this point it's just unplayable. I googled this problem and as it turns out it's quite a common issue that appeared a few years ago, still isn't fixed to this day.”
- “This performance bug can be quite frustrating, especially during later stages of the game when your graveyard and surrounding areas are more developed.”
- “The stuttering framerate which still persists despite three patches, however, is not so easy to forgive or ignore.”
replayability
134 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a contentious topic among players. Many reviewers express frustration over limited replay value due to missable achievements, linear storylines, and repetitive gameplay, often describing it as a grind. However, some players find enjoyment in the game's content and mechanics, noting that certain aspects, like DLCs and different research branches, can enhance replayability for those willing to invest time.
- “Cozy and fun simulator with good depth and replayability.”
- “The game also offers a great deal of replay value, with multiple endings and a variety of side quests to complete.”
- “Love this game, been playing since beta, lots of replayability if you're willing to spend the time; it's been a lot of fun for me.”
- “I despise that there are missable achievements; this is definitely not a replayable game. It is at times incredibly tedious and just a massive glorified fetch quest, and having to wait for specific NPCs sometimes for days on end does get incredibly stale.”
- “The game was okay for what it is, but man, having hidden achievements is a massive slap to the face to anyone trying to complete all achievements without having to start another playthrough. This game has zero replayability and is a grindfest for the sake of grinding.”
- “The slow start and repetitive gameplay may not appeal to everyone, and there may not be much replay value once the main story has been completed.”
emotional
94 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a blend of dark humor and unexpected heartwarming moments, creating a unique experience that contrasts with more traditional wholesome games like Stardew Valley. While some players appreciate the touching storylines and character backstories, others feel a lack of emotional depth and attachment to the characters, leading to mixed feelings about the overall narrative payoff. Ultimately, the game offers a quirky, morbid charm that can evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to sadness, but may leave some players wanting more in terms of emotional engagement and resolution.
- “The story is surprisingly in depth and touching.”
- “The most touching part of the game was its story and unfolding of it.”
- “Plenty of comedy along the way paired with some heartwarming and some sad moments.”
- “Overall, the game has plenty of play time, is pleasing to look at, listen to, and progress through, but has the drawback of a boring story, minimal world building, and is confusing for beginners.”
monetization
65 mentions
5 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to the intrusive in-game advertisements and the reliance on paid DLCs that should have been part of the base game. Users express frustration over misleading marketing, the addition of ads in a paid title, and a lack of meaningful updates, leading to a perception that the developers prioritize profit over player experience. Overall, the game's monetization practices have left many feeling disappointed and exploited.
- “The design decisions feel like something you would see in a grindy mobile game that wants you to throw money at the game, but this is a PC game with no microtransactions, so why make it so painful.”
- “It feels like they initially made this into a mobile game with microtransactions, but forgot to remove the ridiculous timers.”
- “I no longer feel this game is worth purchasing at any price... it basically feels like a mobile free-to-play with all the microtransactions stripped out.”
- “Graveyard Keeper is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it was a real PC game. It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. This mobile app is a ripoff of Stardew Valley from the highly unethical, anti-gamer TinyBuild group.”
- “Forcing in-game ads via an update for a game you already paid for is not something I enjoy.”
- “The entire game is a cash grab; they didn't finish what they were originally doing and then locked what was supposed to be part of the base game behind DLCs.”
character development
35 mentions
34 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the quirky character designs and the depth of certain storylines, while others criticize it for being slow or lacking in complexity compared to similar titles like Stardew Valley. Many users express a desire for more character design options and meaningful interactions, noting that while there are moments of engaging character growth, overall development feels sparse or underutilized. The game's animations and visual appeal are praised, but the potential for deeper character engagement remains largely unfulfilled.
- “The gameplay strikes a perfect balance between farming tasks, adventure, and character development, keeping things fresh and engaging.”
- “The characters all have a complex personality, and there is wonderful character development as you uncover their story.”
- “Prepared yourself for an endearing and somewhat meaningful storyline, with a very detailed progression in terms of character development.”
- “Depth of game and character development is a shallow pond.”
- “There's a lot of wasted potential in this game where rewards and cut scenes and character development could have been built here, but it's like they ran out of money and released the game.”
- “Despite various issues with character development, where the main quest givers do undergo change, they still feel shallow and uninteractable, serving only as hollow quest repositories required to complete the game.”