Maneater

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,415 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Maneater Game Cover
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"Maneater is a single-player, open world ShaRkPG with good mechanics, splendid graphics, and outstanding music. As a small shark pup, you'll explore a vast ocean, eat to survive, and evolve into an apex predator to seek revenge on a fisherman. With a unique storyline narrated by Chris Parnell, Maneater offers a darkly humorous and immersive experience, despite some bugs and low replayability."

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

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,415 reviews
story340 positive mentions
grinding127 negative mentions
  • story1,230 mentions

    The story of *Maneater* revolves around a revenge-driven narrative where players control a bull shark seeking vengeance against the fisherman who killed its mother, presented in a humorous, mockumentary style reminiscent of reality TV shows. While the main storyline is engaging and features entertaining narration, it is relatively short and often overshadowed by repetitive mission structures, primarily focused on "kill x" objectives. Overall, the game offers a light-hearted and enjoyable experience, but those seeking a deep or complex narrative may find it lacking.

    • “The game tells its story through the eyes of a shark hunter in a Shark Week documentary fashion, and it really works.”
    • “Maneater's story presents as a fictional reality show about shark hunting, adding an element of satire and humor to the game's narrative.”
    • “The story is simple and easy to follow, with the gameplay largely focused on eating, growing, and evolving your shark.”
    • “The main quests are more or less identical to the side quests with the only difference being the cutscenes that show up once in a while, so the game still gets grindy and repetitive even if you decide to solely focus on the main quests.”
    • “The story was really meh, the missions were repetitive and uninspired, and there was so much unfulfilled potential.”
  • gameplay610 mentions

    The gameplay in "Maneater" is characterized by a simple yet engaging loop focused on eating, evolving, and exploring as a shark, which can become repetitive over time. While the mechanics are generally fun and intuitive, players have noted issues with clunky controls, particularly with jumping and targeting, leading to frustration during combat. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience for casual players, but its short length and lack of variety in missions may leave some feeling underwhelmed.

    • “The truth quest DLC is especially funny and has some more interesting gameplay elements.”
    • “The gameplay takes about an hour or two to get used to, and then after that it's a somewhat goofy spiral as you slowly become the apex predator of each region, and then the entire ocean.”
    • “The evolution mechanic where the shark gains skills, attributes, and evolves at different stages of life is very unique.”
    • “The gameplay can feel clunky and unintuitive, especially when trying to jump out of the water.”
    • “The gameplay loop is mind-numbingly repetitive, there's only 3-4 different types of missions and you have to complete them over and over again to finish a region.”
    • “The core gameplay is shallow and repetitive.”
  • humor373 mentions

    The humor in "Maneater" is a standout feature, primarily driven by the witty and irreverent narration from Chris Parnell, which adds a comedic layer to the gameplay. Players appreciate the dark, tongue-in-cheek humor and pop culture references, although some find the narrator's commentary can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game's blend of absurdity, satire, and engaging storytelling creates a fun and entertaining experience, making it a memorable title for those who enjoy a humorous take on the shark genre.

    • “The witty writing and playful nods to pop culture references had me chuckling throughout my playthrough, injecting a lightheartedness that keeps the game entertaining and refreshing.”
    • “The narrator adds a lot of humor and personality to the game, as he makes jokes, references, and anecdotes that will make you laugh out loud.”
    • “Maneater is a unique and delightfully absurd take on the action-adventure genre, and my 18.8-hour journey into its chaotic waters has been a mix of aquatic mayhem and offbeat humor.”
    • “Once you transition into the DLC 'Truth Quest', it takes a 'conspiracy theory' angle to the voice-over which is cute for all of about 5 minutes, then becomes painfully unfunny.”
    • “Worse yet, and this is highly subjective, his incessant string of pseudo-facts and jokes are astoundingly unfunny and are a waste of such a talented comedic voice actor.”
    • “Not to mention the unfunny and needlessly pretentious narration that just continually grates at your psyche until you decide to turn it off.”
  • graphics362 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their beauty, realism, and attention to detail, particularly in underwater environments. While the visuals are often described as stunning and immersive, some players have reported occasional graphical glitches and crashes, especially on lower settings. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the gameplay experience.

    • “The visuals were clean and realistic, with each area standing out with its different atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, the story is short but fun.”
    • “The attention to detail and vibrant visuals bring the underwater world to life, making each exploration feel exciting and immersive.”
    • “Clearly could've used a few more honest months in the development oven since, during the few days it took me to finish the game in its entirety, it crashed a couple of times and I also experienced some other oddities and glitches, including enemies just yeeting off into space all of a sudden, the shark making a sudden 180-degree turn out of nowhere, and a bunch of graphical hiccups where the textures wouldn't load.”
    • “I have a great PC and yet this game crashes frequently and randomly, less so if you lower the in-game graphics.”
    • “Expect some graphical glitches, I've seen notorious pop-in, and I've had the game crash on me twice.”
  • grinding145 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While some find the repetitive tasks and resource farming tedious and time-consuming, others appreciate the grind as a satisfying part of the gameplay loop, especially for those who enjoy leveling up and customization. Overall, the game is described as having a grindy nature, particularly in the later stages, but many still find it enjoyable despite the repetitiveness.

    • “Doesn't take long to complete the story, but this game is one of the few that actually makes side quests/objectives not tedious to do.”
    • “This game has great graphics and a really good storyline. The progression is grindy but not too grindy, very enjoyable and a lot of fun to play!”
    • “Amazing game! Finding secrets is not tedious, gameplay is very fun, and the storyline is quite enjoyable.”
    • “While the positives are the open world, deep customization, and great graphics, everything else is very repetitive and tedious.”
    • “The main quests are more or less identical to the side quests with the only difference being the cutscenes that show up once in a while, so the game still gets grindy and repetitive even if you decide to solely focus on the main quests and only do the minimum amount of side quests in order to progress the story.”
    • “The game is tedious, mundane, and does not respect your time even if the save file system did work properly.”
  • stability97 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced minor issues, many highlighted game-breaking glitches, particularly in the DLC content, making it difficult to progress. Despite its fun gameplay, the persistent technical problems suggest that the game could have benefited from additional development time to address these stability issues.

    • “The game is very stable, and runs great on highest graphics settings on my Windows 10 machine.”
    • “Bug free experience, with only one crash-to-desktop during a very demanding combat experience (after the first patch, no issues).”
    • “The controls were responsive and there were no glitches.”
    • “The game is buggy and will randomly crash as other users have pointed out.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game has major lag issues, especially in the DLC section, to the point that it freezes and completely switches direction, especially during the time trial sections.”
    • “The expansion is extremely buggy; you can't even do the end-game fight without the game acting like it's trying to crash. This is the biggest disappointment ever in my gaming history.”
  • replayability77 mentions

    Overall, the game suffers from a significant lack of replayability, with many players noting that once the main storyline and collectibles are completed, there is little incentive to return. Despite its enjoyable mechanics and visuals, the repetitive nature of tasks and absence of features like New Game+ or additional content post-completion contribute to a consensus that replay value is minimal. While some players may find occasional enjoyment in sandbox-style play, the general sentiment is that the game is best experienced on sale due to its short length and limited replay options.

    • “Maneater is a fun casual game with plenty of replay value.”
    • “Has a lot of replay value due to its simple concept.”
    • “Limitless fun and replayability!”
    • “Once you finish the storyline and the collectibles, replayability is pretty much non-existent.”
    • “The only downside is that with no procedural content or new game plus mode, it doesn't really have replay value once you've completed a full run.”
    • “Overall, I can't recommend this at full price, but if you can get it for $10 or less, then go for it since it's literally an 8 to 10 hour game with effectively zero replayability.”
  • optimization76 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, freezing, and frequent crashes, particularly in the DLC and larger areas. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others noted that even powerful rigs struggled with frame drops and lag, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is poorly optimized, detracting from its otherwise enjoyable gameplay.

    • “First things first, the game is optimized and you won't have problems with FPS or anything like that.”
    • “For a PC game that looks this good in 2020, Maneater is very well optimized both in terms of frame rate and game stability.”
    • “Looked fantastic, and was optimized to run pretty well at max settings.”
    • “I love this game so much, but the freezing and stuttering/lagging is so bad, I can't finish the DLC.”
    • “The game itself is very fun, but it has awful performance issues.”
    • “The poor optimization of this game is inexcusable.”
  • music55 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its dynamic and immersive qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during special abilities and key moments. While some found the soundtrack to be enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others noted a lack of variety and presence, suggesting that more music could enhance the overall experience. Overall, the sound design, including ambient effects and thematic tracks, contributes positively to the game's engaging underwater world.

    • “The dynamic soundtrack, ranging from heart-pounding orchestral compositions to catchy tunes, perfectly complements the gameplay, evoking a range of emotions and further immersing you in the world of the shark.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the gameplay excellently, capturing both the tranquility and the danger of the deep sea.”
    • “This was an insanely fun game, easy to get back in the groove even when you play it across multiple days, I highly recommend this to anyone who works and needs a de-stressing power fantasy, the music and commentary are the cherry on top of this sundae delight, every time you ult you get another cool music to get hyped.”
    • “Recently, I noticed how we get charged for soundtracks which normally would have come with the game itself.”
    • “Soundtracks and music are not amazing but fine.”
    • “When it came to the music, I didn't really notice it, probably because most of the time I was eating people, fish, and destroying boats.”
  • atmosphere19 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals and attention to detail, particularly in the underwater environments, which create an immersive experience that makes players feel like apex predators. While the underwater ambiance is described as beautiful and engaging, the above-water atmosphere is noted to be somewhat dull. Overall, the combination of realistic graphics, effective sound design, and a unique narrative framing enhances the game's atmospheric appeal, despite some criticisms regarding combat mechanics and repetitive gameplay.

    • “The visuals were clean and realistic, with each area standing out with its different atmosphere.”
    • “I had a few legitimate jump scares from predators hiding out of sight; so I would say atmosphere and sound are spot on.”
    • “The crisp look of the creatures and atmosphere really makes it feel like you are the shark.”
    • “The dull above-water atmosphere feels dead sometimes.”
    • “The only downside I can find is there aren't enough evolutions; with the out-of-this-world atmosphere the developers created, they could have gone completely overboard with endgame evolutions.”
    • “However, the game does still make you stop occasionally and absorb the atmosphere of the environment you're in; the days cycling into afternoon and night is pretty stunning, and the overall underwater effects of this game are fairly sensational.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is surprisingly impactful, with players expressing a range of feelings from attachment to the shark's tragic backstory to sympathy for human characters. While the overall tone is comedic and lighthearted, moments of genuine emotion, such as the heartbreaking conclusion and nostalgic comparisons to classic games, resonate deeply with players. The combination of engaging storytelling and immersive gameplay creates a unique emotional experience that players did not anticipate.

    • “As the player assumes the role of a shark, your tragic backstory adds an emotional depth to the narrative.”
    • “Excessively heartbreaking story, which I did not expect from this game.”
    • “This is a brilliant game but it would be better with multiplayer that would be fun and also I got sad at the end after killing Pete; that was really emotional as I got to know the shark as he/she was a best friend.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy is heavily criticized for its intrusive ads, which lead to long load times and frequent crashes, deterring players from enjoying the game. While the humor in the narration adds value to the experience, the overall frustration with ad interruptions overshadows the positive aspects.

    • “Now you have to reload through all those developer ads... again!”
    • “But the long load-up time because of ads and the constant crashes makes me avoid playing it because I don't want to deal with that hassle.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is notably strong, particularly for the antagonist Pete, who undergoes significant growth in just a few cut scenes, surpassing the depth seen in many long-running series. Additionally, the evolution of other characters, such as Pete's son and the boss's transformation from a barracuda to a sperm whale, further enhances the narrative experience. Overall, the game effectively showcases character arcs that contribute to its engaging storytelling.

    • “The main antagonist, Pete, has more character development in ten 2-minute cut scenes than most get in 5 seasons of television.”
    • “I like how Scaly Pete's son gets character development, and then the shark is just like 'haha boom.'”
    • “The main antagonist, Pete, has more character development in ten 2-minute cut scenes than most characters get in 5 seasons.”
    • “That's about it; the rest of the game is great, 8.5/10. I like how scaly Pete's son gets character development, and then the shark is just like 'haha boom.'”
    • “You can see the character development when your boss goes from a barracuda to a sperm whale.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

11hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
8hMain story
13hCompletionist
9-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 99 analyzed playthroughs

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