Malignant Survivors
- February 13, 2024
- Eren Aydin
- 17h median play time
Get on Steam"Malignant Survivors" is a 3D rogue-like action game with a dark fantasy theme, where players blow up thousands of malignants and find quality loot to improve their heroes. The game offers over 800 item definitions and 30 random modifiers, allowing for millions of possibilities in hero builds. It boasts a mouse-only mode, efficient performance on low-end PCs, and a profound sense of progression through +50 hours of gameplay. The game is designed for quick sessions with a perfect feeling of progression, reminiscent of the best Hack and Slash games.
Reviews
- Fast-paced gameplay with enjoyable short runs, perfect for quick gaming sessions.
- The game features a unique loot system that allows for experimentation with different item combinations.
- Visually pleasing graphics and a nostalgic UI, providing a charming experience for players.
- Lack of content, including more heroes, maps, and a better inventory management system.
- The loot drop rates are frustratingly low, making progression feel overly grindy and punishing.
- Gameplay mechanics, such as the absence of auto-attacks and a limited map design, detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the well-integrated mechanics and quick progression reminiscent of classic hack and slash games, while others criticize the repetitive nature and lack of evolution in gameplay. The presence of powerful enemies can lead to frustrating, cheap deaths, and while the item-collecting mechanics add charm, the overall experience may feel limited and reminiscent of lower-quality games.
“Put another way, what is outside of the main gameplay elements is limited, but those gameplay elements that are there are well mixed together and enjoyable.”
“[i][strike]No need to invest hours to progress; enjoy quick gameplay sessions with the perfect feeling of progression, reminiscent of the best hack and slash games.[/strike][/i]”
“The game deviates from the genre with item collecting mechanics, making it something like 'Risk of Rain: Survivors', and it definitely has its charm.”
“The big enemies can crit and one-shot you like you are an ant... it's another kind of cheap way to die mechanic because when you are surrounded, one of those is enough to end your run.”
“I claimed the quality on display here and the haphazard levels of game mechanics are that of an asset flip game.”
“Gameplay is not evolving enough, so it becomes too repetitive.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players appreciate the thrill of equipment farming and find it enjoyable, others criticize it for being excessively difficult and repetitive. Overall, it caters to those who relish a grind-heavy experience, but may deter players seeking more variety and fun.
“It's too difficult and ultra-grindy; no fun.”
“The idea of the weapons and armor you pick up is cool, but it's extremely grindy, which is a very repetitive theme in this game.”
“Pure equipment farming experience.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for being visually appealing and consistent with the original Diablo's gritty aesthetic. However, the limited variety in stages and enemy designs across different difficulty levels detracts from the overall experience.
“Good graphics, pleasing to the eye.”
“Its art style is consistent, close to the original Diablo's gritty aesthetics.”
“There really is only one stage, and although it has numerous difficulty levels like easy, normal, hard, torment, torment 2, etc., the mobs and general aesthetic remain the same.”
“The art style is consistent, close to the original Diablo's gritty aesthetics.”
“The art style is consistent, close to the original Diablo's gritty aesthetics.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its lack of originality and depth, leading to a bland experience, despite a strong atmosphere. Players note that the repetitive nature of missions, with identical skills and enemies, detracts from the overall narrative engagement.
“The game lacks a little something in terms of story elements or originality, so it feels bland; however, the atmosphere and feeling of the game are quite great at the same time.”
“No ARPG with story, skills, or meaningful loot.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates good optimization, particularly for its price, but there are calls for improved support for gamepad-only play.
“Good optimization, and a small game price.”
“It also needs to be optimized for gamepad-only play.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players note that while the game offers a variety of unlocks that initially enhance replayability, the lack of options to skip repetitive pop-up messages and the eventual stagnation after unlocking content diminish long-term replay value.
“The game offers a wealth of unlockable content, which keeps the experience fresh and engaging, encouraging multiple playthroughs.”
“Replayability is strong, as each run can feel different with various choices and outcomes, making you want to dive back in.”
“The diverse gameplay mechanics and branching storylines ensure that no two playthroughs are the same, enhancing the overall replay value.”
“Unlock a lot of content, but eventually find yourself stuck without new unlocks, which significantly reduces the long-term replay value after the initial unlock phase.”
“Once you've completed the main objectives, there's little incentive to replay the game, making it feel repetitive and lacking in replayability.”
“The game offers a few different paths, but they all lead to the same conclusion, leaving little room for varied experiences on subsequent playthroughs.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While some players find the game's story elements and originality lacking, they praise its atmosphere, noting that it effectively creates an engaging and immersive experience.
“The atmosphere and feeling of the game are quite great, even if it lacks a little something in terms of story elements or originality.”
