Life is Hard

About

Life is Hard is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Pirozhok Studio and was released on August 14, 2021. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Life is Hard" is a survival simulation game where players must manage the needs and wants of a character in a post-Soviet setting. Gather resources, craft tools, and maintain relationships to ensure survival in a harsh, oppressive society. Experience the struggles of daily life, grinding work, and bureaucracy in this grim, yet realistic depiction of life in the former USSR.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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50%

Audience ScoreBased on 216 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

stability35 negative mentions

The game has a unique concept and potential for engaging gameplay, combining elements of strategy and resource management.
The pixel art style and music create a charming atmosphere that many players appreciate.
The developers are responsive and actively working on updates, showing commitment to improving the game.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and UI issues, making it frustrating and often unplayable.
The tutorial is insufficient, leaving players confused about mechanics and how to progress effectively.
The game feels unfinished, with many mechanics lacking polish and balance, leading to a tedious experience.

gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
59%
17%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its interesting mechanics and potential, while others criticize it for being frustrating, buggy, and confusing. Many users express a desire for better tutorials, keybinding options, and improvements to the user interface, as well as concerns about game-breaking bugs that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, some players find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, particularly for fans of city-building and management games.
- “Love the game, however I wish there was a wiki on PC or a better guide in-game, and a keybinding menu. Other than that, it's great and I love the gameplay!”
- “The gameplay itself is very fun (as a big fan of hard games, such as Darkest Dungeons/Banished, and city building/management games, such as City Skylines/Banished again, this game fits right into my loves) with a very nice feel to placing buildings, and the expansion, while somewhat constrained, feels great (with the constraint helping the building in a good way).”
- “Interesting and original gameplay mechanics.”
- “Very frustrating gameplay, I also think the game is now abandoned.”
- “Everything stops working once in a while from the UI to mechanics and you need to restart and hope that the bugs won't carry over to your new game.”
- “But buyers beware, it's ridden with bugs that manage to ruin the gameplay very frequently, so purchase at your own risk.”
stability
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, such as characters getting stuck, unresponsive interface elements, and game-breaking issues that lead to frustration. While players acknowledge the game's potential and enjoyable aspects, the overwhelming presence of these technical problems renders it largely unplayable, especially in its current early access state. Overall, many users express hope for future improvements but are disappointed by the persistent instability.
- “Miners get stuck, buildings can't be repaired, can't upgrade town hall due to 'build workshop message' despite having a workshop, soldiers stuck after archer tower destroyed, interface buggy, buttons don't always do what they're supposed to, etc. I stopped trying after 6 hours and 5 restarts; too many game-breaking bugs.”
- “The game is an interesting concept with a lot of promise; however, the current state of the game is a buggy nightmare that is an unplayable mess.”
- “Great idea, but the game is still incredibly buggy three years after the first release.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The graphics of the game have transitioned from hand-drawn to pixel art, which has received a mixed response from players. While many appreciate the pixelated art style and find it fitting for the medieval fantasy genre, some note that it lacks the polish of other titles. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, though technical issues have impacted the gameplay experience.
- “I'm personally also a huge medieval fantasy fan (played D&D/Pathfinder for almost 2 decades now) and this art style (along with the music as listed above) is again perfect for that genre for me.”
- “I really like the graphics and enjoy slowly building up my town!”
- “First off, I really like the pixelated art style the game gives.”
- “It's been so long since I played it, but it seems they changed the art style from hand-drawn to pixel art now.”
- “Life is hard; it looks like Kingdom art style-wise, and I imagine a lot of people compare it to it, but that's where the similarities end.”
- “I love the visuals, calming music, and overall feel of the game, but right now the game has too many bugs that make it unplayable after some time, like you can't build/upgrade after some time, you can't move the camera, close the build menu, or go to the main menu when you press ESC.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and suitability to different areas, enhancing the medieval fantasy atmosphere. However, players have reported issues with the soundtrack disappearing during gameplay and a desire for more consistent musical presence. While the title screen theme is particularly well-received, some find the overall music selection somewhat unfitting or lacking.
- “This game's music is very wonderful, and the different tracks for different areas (such as underground/enemy camps/your town) are exactly what I would want for each area and comparing to each other.”
- “So far, the soundtrack is good; the main menu theme song is relaxing.”
- “I love the visuals, calming music, and overall feel of the game.”
- “The military units stop to execute attack orders, the building denial doesn't work, the mines have invisible walls that block miners from going deep, and even the soundtrack melts after a long playthrough.”
- “Background songs stopped while playing the game for some reason (worked the first time only).”
- “I just wish there was more music throughout the game, as it just disappears when you actually start playing.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
88%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, with early fights feeling particularly laborious. While the game offers a rich atmosphere and effort, the lack of automation in resource management, especially farming, detracts from the overall experience, making it feel clunky and less enjoyable.
- “The grinding can feel a bit repetitive at times, but it also provides a rewarding sense of progression.”
- “I appreciate the grind; it gives me a chance to really develop my character and explore the game world.”
- “While grinding can be time-consuming, it allows for a deeper understanding of the game's mechanics and strategies.”
- “It's not fun, it's tedious.”
- “So with the other minor and annoying glitches and grinding gameplay, I still can't recommend this.”
- “The game feels clunky (the interface is subpar at best), and only a few parts of the resource management can be automated, which is not great for a 'strategy' game (imagine sending a worker in Starcraft to the mineral patch manually every time).”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its nostalgic qualities and innovative mechanics, creating an engaging experience that resonates with classic titles. However, some users feel that certain iterations, like the Kingdom clone, fall short in atmospheric execution despite their potential. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal.
- “Great game with a lot of effort and atmosphere; other than some small tedious fights early on, the effort is well worth it.”
- “It has novel mechanics and a great atmosphere.”
- “It manages to recapture an atmosphere from games of yore.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and sometimes absurd dialogue, which users find amusing, such as the amusingly phrased descriptions of characters. Additionally, the gameplay features a player who engages in intentionally misguided strategies, adding to the comedic experience without causing frustration. Overall, the humor is a blend of odd phrasing and entertaining gameplay moments.
- “Thankfully, it's not a game-ending bug; it's just weird and sometimes hilarious.”
- “Some questionable wording (which I love) is hilarious, such as a towns person who does more damage being notified as 'has got more damage.'”
- “He is really good at playing games in horribly 'wrong' ways and is quite funny, but thankfully not stupid, so he can be watched without frustration.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game's story is minimal and not heavily narrative-driven, focusing instead on gameplay elements like city simulation and quests that are simple and enjoyable. While it incorporates RPG elements, players should not expect an extensive storyline, as it is currently in early access and may evolve over time. The emphasis is on creating a stable and fun gaming experience rather than delivering a deep narrative.
- “The game provides a simple quest structure that is still enjoyable, making it fun to explore and upgrade your buildings.”
- “It's not a story-driven game right now, but it has RPG elements that could evolve as the game develops.”
- “The game is fun to explore, and while it may not have an extensive narrative, the quests add a layer of engagement.”
- “The story feels like a rehash of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk tale, lacking originality and depth.”
- “The narrative is predictable and fails to engage the player, making it hard to stay invested.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is heavily criticized, with players reporting frequent issues such as beer production explosions that waste resources and require constant repairs. Additionally, the unreliable saving system detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration in late-game scenarios. While combat is noted as enjoyable, the overall balance and optimization leave much to be desired.
- “Not to mention 80% of the time you produce beer, it results in a beer explosion, wasting valuable resources to repair two buildings on either side of it. You're constantly repairing around the brewery, and when you finally do have beer, 70% of your village becomes intoxicated and sick. It's just the worst and most horrible late game I've ever experienced. The game talks about how hard it is; it's not hard, it's just poorly optimized and balanced in those areas. Combat is difficult but fun to manage, but that's about the only enjoyable aspect I found in this game, alongside its factions.”
- “It could use a lot of optimization because, from my experience, the saving system is unreliable.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts very high replayability, offering players the chance to explore various roles such as warring tribes, peaceful communities, farmers, or merchants. Despite an initial learning curve, the depth and attention to detail enhance the overall experience, making it a compelling choice for repeated playthroughs.
- “Very high replay value, although initially, it's a lot to adjust to.”
- “You could be a warring tribe, a peaceful tribe, farmers, merchants, etc. With all of this quality and attention to detail, as well as the high replay value, this is shaping up to be a beautiful little game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of gameplay, highlighting moments of unexpected failure and absurdity, such as dying from trivial interactions, which can lead to feelings of anger and disappointment.