Have a Nice Death

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,869 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • humor
Have a Nice Death Game Cover
Have a Nice Death is a fantastic action Roguelike, with silky smooth combat and a ton of upgrades to experiment with.
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"Have a Nice Death" is an action-packed roguelike game where you play as the Grim Reaper, tasked with maintaining balance in the afterlife. Traverse through procedurally generated levels, battling quirky characters and Nemesthesises while upgrading your abilities to become a more efficient reaper. Face the chaos caused by your overzealous management and prove that death can indeed be a pleasant experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,869 reviews
graphics438 positive mentions
grinding45 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming art style and smooth animations that enhance the overall experience.
  • Combat is fast-paced and satisfying, with a variety of weapons and spells that allow for unique builds.
  • The humor and quirky characters add personality to the game, making it enjoyable and engaging.
  • The healing system is poorly designed, making it difficult to recover health during runs, leading to frustrating gameplay.
  • The game heavily relies on RNG for weapon and curse drops, which can result in runs feeling unbalanced and repetitive.
  • There is a lack of meaningful progression, as players do not feel stronger between runs, diminishing the sense of accomplishment.
  • graphics700 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, smooth animations, and charming character designs, often drawing comparisons to titles like Hollow Knight and Dead Cells. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and the way they enhance the overall atmosphere, making the gameplay experience visually engaging. However, some users noted that while the graphics are impressive, they can occasionally distract from gameplay, and there are concerns about performance issues on lower-end systems.

    • “The art style is beautiful, the animations are crisp, and everything about the graphics, in general, is quite satisfying.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, the combat is very fluid, and it has got some good humor too.”
    • “The art style is phenomenal and the narrative is great.”
    • “Apparently, there is a high chance the game may crash with incorporated graphics, especially Intel, which most notebooks/PCs have unless upgraded.”
    • “The visuals and the sound design are so mediocre.”
    • “The graphics at 1920x1080 is rather underwhelming and lastly, the overall gameplay is reminiscent of that of Hades but with less fleshed out characters and a health bar so weak that younger players would struggle to defeat the first boss before their tenth run.”
  • gameplay650 mentions

    The gameplay of "Have a Nice Death" is characterized by its smooth and responsive mechanics, offering a fast-paced hack-and-slash experience reminiscent of titles like Hollow Knight and Dead Cells. While many players appreciate the fluidity and variety of weapons, there are significant criticisms regarding the game's progression system, healing mechanics, and overall repetitiveness, which can detract from the enjoyment. Despite its charming art style and engaging combat, the gameplay loop often feels tedious and unbalanced, leading to mixed reviews on its overall execution.

    • “The art style is beautiful, the combat gameplay is good.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly smooth and satisfying, with combat that flows beautifully.”
    • “As far as gameplay is concerned, this is not it.”
    • “But in terms of gameplay, it's frustrating; there's a bad progression system, and the upgrades are too random and boring.”
    • “The gameplay loop isn't anything special; the combat feels lacking, and the weapons don't feel that varied.”
  • humor282 mentions

    The humor in "Have a Nice Death" is a standout feature, blending dark and whimsical elements that resonate with players, particularly those familiar with office culture. Many reviews highlight the game's clever dialogue, charming character interactions, and satirical take on workplace burnout, often eliciting genuine laughter. However, some players feel that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with certain jokes falling flat or feeling overly verbose, suggesting that while the comedic elements are generally well-received, they may not appeal to everyone.

    • “The art style and humor also have a massive amount of charm, with tons of unique dialogue and interactions between death and his employees.”
    • “The comedy is definitely a selling point, as I found myself laughing out loud multiple times.”
    • “The game's humor shines through death's exasperation with his office job, offering a relatable theme.”
    • “It's just a never-ending spam of unfunny jokes; it feels like a Rick and Morty episode.”
    • “The basic attack is so unusable, it's not funny.”
  • music256 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players praising its catchy and thematic compositions that fit well with the game's aesthetic. While some users expressed a desire for more variety in the soundtrack, particularly in different areas, the majority found the music to be engaging and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with memorable tracks that players often find themselves humming long after playing.

    • “The music and aesthetics are done very well and give the game some enjoyable elements beyond speedrunning and fighting everything you see.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing; I could just sit here and listen to this without playing the game.”
    • “The music is great and fits the areas well; the weapons are also cool and can even be broken.”
    • “The old soundtracks were much better, and I wish new players of the game could have heard it.”
    • “My other complaint is about the soundtrack, as I sometimes feel like it's not even there; it's too smooth to notice. If I have to remember one, it must be the elevator song, which says a lot.”
    • “The music is also nothing to brag about.”
  • story218 mentions

    The game's story is generally described as humorous and engaging, with a charming art style that complements its lighthearted narrative about an overworked death managing a corporate-like environment. While many players appreciate the unique character interactions and witty dialogue, some find the overall plot simplistic and the side quest dialogues overly verbose, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. Despite these critiques, the story's comedic elements and relatable themes resonate well with players, making it a notable aspect of the game.

    • “The story and characters are also really fun, and the art is fantastic as well!”
    • “The story of this game is great, the characters are well thought out, and I appreciate the bringing of mental health issues (burnout, stress, depression, etc.) into the light in a fun, humorous way.”
    • “The story is also simple and can relate to real-life emotions, which is also hilarious.”
    • “The story is that there isn't one.”
    • “The story and dialog don't make a lot of sense (and yes, I have a desk job).”
    • “It's clearly trying to do a Hades-style thing where every run you go through unlocks new dialogue and there's little narrative quests you can do by talking to people in order, but the dialogue gets exhausted pretty fast and some of the quests are bugged and straight up never initiate.”
  • grinding47 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and unbalanced. While some appreciate the challenge of grinding for achievements and weapon unlocks, others criticize the repetitive gameplay and lack of rewarding progression, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the game's enjoyment.

    • “The visuals are stunning, the combat is super smooth, and the progression feels just right—not too grindy and super fun. I never get bored, and the story and lore are really interesting. Overall, the gameplay is fantastic.”
    • “Grinding in this game is engaging and rewarding, making it feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.”
    • “The balance of grinding and progression keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting, allowing me to enjoy the journey without feeling overwhelmed.”
    • “Also grinding the curse achievements is a hell I would not wish upon my worst enemies, and grinding the achievements definitely brought this game down a lot for me, especially seeing how achievement hunting is treated in the Discord server.”
    • “It's a damn shame that all the beauty is bound together with mediocre, tedious, samey, and unrewarding gameplay.”
    • “But the fact that it is a roguelike is what makes the game feel repetitive and tedious.”
  • atmosphere36 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming visuals, immersive music, and clever humor, creating a unique blend of lightheartedness and darker themes. Players appreciate the beautifully stylized graphics and fluid animations, which enhance the overall experience and draw them into the game's world. Many reviewers note that the atmosphere is reminiscent of titles like Hollow Knight and Luigi's Mansion, making it a standout feature that keeps them engaged despite some gameplay repetitiveness.

    • “The atmosphere of each biome is near perfect; the music, the enemies, and the thematic changes between each are wonderful.”
    • “Beautiful and quirky atmosphere mixed with a fun but grim office grind theme to the afterlife.”
    • “The cute, well-detailed graphics create a lighthearted atmosphere, helping players overlook the game's darker themes about accidents and death.”
    • “So far it feels like a mix and monster mash of some of the elements from Hollow Knight, Hades, and Dead Cells with the charming characters and atmosphere from the Luigi's Mansion series.”
    • “Engaging 2D roguelike in a fast-paced environment and challenging atmosphere.”
  • stability36 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous glitches, bugs, and occasional freezes that disrupt gameplay. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these issues, others express frustration over persistent problems, such as characters getting stuck or the game crashing. Overall, the consensus is that while the game shows potential, it requires significant patches and optimizations to improve its stability.

    • “This is a great side scroller game that runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “But other than that, so far bug free.”
    • “Love it, almost no glitches and bugs.”
    • “The game is very very buggy at the moment, just needs to be patched up and this game will be incredible.”
    • “But sadly I don't think I can confidently recommend this game just yet due to the many glitches and bugs experienced while playing.”
    • “This game was a buggy mess on release; you could clip through the floor, become invincible, do infinite damage, etc. If you're expecting it to be perfect, you're silly.”
  • replayability30 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its variety of weapons and upgrades that enhance replay value, while others feel it lacks depth compared to other roguelikes like Hades and The Binding of Isaac. Many enjoy the addictive gameplay and challenge, but some express concerns about repetitiveness and limited progression, suggesting that improvements could enhance longevity. Overall, while there is significant replay potential, opinions vary on its execution and depth.

    • “Really fun and exciting to complete the game, good replayability with the number of different weapons and cloak upgrades.”
    • “An excellent roguelike with massive replayability.”
    • “This game is addicting and very much replayable as there are many kinds of different weapons and spells you can take with you.”
    • “Another thing this game struggles with is replayability, which is weird to say given its rogue-like nature.”
    • “While appropriately difficult, the reason I'm calling 'Have a Nice Death' an entry-level roguelike is because a lot of the depth and replayability seen in roguelikes and -lites isn't quite here.”
    • “Game is very repetitive, very challenging and not much replayability due to the fact that there is no replayable progression - you will be stuck on the same level over and over again and if you die you start all over again until you learn the boss's pattern or give up and uninstall.”
  • character development30 mentions

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its unique and clever character designs that align well with the overall theme and humor. Reviewers highlight the exceptional art style, smooth animations, and memorable personalities of the characters, contributing to an engaging and visually stunning experience. However, some critiques mention a lack of depth in character development and gameplay balance, suggesting room for improvement in these areas.

    • “I especially like the character design; it’s really clever and fits the overall theme.”
    • “Character designs are unique and play along with the character's punny names or defining features.”
    • “The art direction, character design, and animations are all absolutely top-notch.”
    • “I love the character designs but this game has some of the most god awful writing I have ever tried to read.”
    • “No character development.”
    • “The art direction, character design, and animations are all absolutely top-notch, but...”
  • optimization22 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and enjoyable gameplay, significant issues such as crashes, memory leaks, and high GPU usage persist, particularly on higher-end systems. Some users have experienced performance hiccups and bugs that can detract from the experience, indicating that while the game is playable on lower-end PCs, it still requires further optimization to reach its full potential. Regular updates have improved the situation for some, but many hope for more comprehensive fixes in the future.

    • “Also, the game is highly optimized so even people with low-end PCs can easily play the game and enjoy it.”
    • “The ability to receive a performance evaluation after each run ensures that players can unlock interesting items and enhancements to enrich and advance their journey.”
    • “Performance is good, gameplay is fun and satisfying.”
    • “But there's balance problems, performance issues, huge bugs that can make the game unplayable, and the story doesn't end up being as interesting as you'd think, at least 6 hours in.”
    • “My only issue is with performance; I had the game crash two or three times, and I by no means have a bad PC; I can comfortably run Baldur's Gate.”
    • “Basically, it's a bit of a buggy mess, but a really fun buggy mess. I hope optimizations come soon and that the full release will one day let this game fully shine!”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of lightheartedness and deep themes, creating an adorable yet heart-wrenching experience. Players appreciate the cute designs and heartwarming characters, though some elements can lead to unexpected emotional distress, particularly in gameplay scenarios. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with poignant moments, enhancing player engagement.

    • “It has a more lighthearted attitude than most while still touching on very deep and important themes.”
    • “It's adorable yet heart-wrenching in a way that makes me enjoy the game more and more.”
    • “Cute design, heartwarming characters, and hilarious plot.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game features no microtransactions, making it accessible for newcomers to the roguelike genre, and is praised for its engaging art style and minimal bugs. Players appreciate the absence of intrusive monetization strategies, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “If this is your first roguelike, the game is more than good enough to give you an idea if you want to keep investing in the genre, not to mention its amazing art style and personality, or how it has very few bugs and no microtransactions.”
    • “The game has very few bugs and no microtransactions, which is a refreshing change in today's gaming landscape.”
    • “I saw the ads, and I loved it immediately.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

Buy Have a Nice Death

Play time

6hMedian play time
29hAverage play time
3-21hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs

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