Maneater

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 10,830 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
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,830 reviews
story680 positive mentions
grinding254 negative mentions
  • story2,460 mentions

    The story of *Maneater* revolves around a bull shark seeking revenge against the fisherman who killed her mother, presented in a humorous, mockumentary style reminiscent of reality TV shows. While the narrative is engaging and features witty commentary, it is often criticized for being simplistic and repetitive, with many missions boiling down to "kill x" tasks. Overall, the story is entertaining but short, typically completed in around 8 to 12 hours, and lacks depth, making it more of a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus.

    • “The game tells its story through the eyes of a shark hunter in a Shark Week documentary fashion, and it really works.”
    • “The story is engaging, and the narrator does a great job.”
    • “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 was really meh, the missions were repetitive and uninspired, and there was so much unfulfilled potential.”
    • “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 story itself isn't that much better, it's a comedic take on other shark fishing shows but doesn't really do anything with its story, you just complete half a region and watch a cutscene and move onto the next region to repeat and fight the same dude twice (different variations in boat fight).”
  • gameplay1,220 mentions

    The gameplay in "Maneater" is characterized by a simple yet engaging loop focused on eating, evolving, and exploring as a shark, which many players find fun and satisfying. However, it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth, with missions often feeling similar and the overall experience becoming grindy over time. While the mechanics are generally smooth and the visuals appealing, technical issues and a limited variety of gameplay elements detract from its potential, leading to mixed reviews regarding its overall enjoyment and value.

    • “The gameplay is simple enough, yet it's fun and addicting.”
    • “The blend of open-world exploration and action-packed gameplay is incredibly satisfying.”
    • “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.”
    • “Gameplay feels cheap, not thought-through, you basically button-smash until the thing is dead.”
    • “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 and over again to finish a region.”
  • humor746 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 game's dark themes and absurd premise of playing as a shark. While many players find the humor engaging and filled with pop culture references, some note that the repetitive nature of the commentary can become tiresome over time. Overall, the game's blend of dark humor, satire, and playful storytelling creates an entertaining experience that resonates well with fans of quirky, tongue-in-cheek narratives.

    • “The commentary from the narrator is wild and hilarious, loved it so much.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics724 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their beauty, detail, and immersive quality, particularly in underwater environments. While some players noted occasional graphical glitches and crashes, the overall visual presentation is described as stunning and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. The art style, combining realism with a playful aesthetic, enhances the gameplay experience, making it a standout feature of the title.

    • “The visuals were clean and realistic, with each area standing out with its different atmosphere.”
    • “The attention to detail and vibrant visuals bring the underwater world to life, making each exploration feel exciting and immersive.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, the story is short but fun.”
    • “My game keeps crashing and I have a high-end PC. Why is it happening? I've updated my drivers, but it's still happening. If my PC can run Cyberpunk 2077 on the highest graphics, then why is it happening?”
    • “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.”
    • “Expect some graphical glitches; I've seen notorious pop-in, and I've had the game crash on me twice.”
  • grinding290 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting it can be tedious and repetitive, especially when trying to achieve 100% completion. While some found the grinding enjoyable and a natural part of the gameplay loop, others criticized it for being overly time-consuming and lacking variety in missions. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy grinding, but it may frustrate players who prefer a more streamlined experience.

    • “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 are not tedious, gameplay is very fun, graphics are okay which makes it more potato PC friendly, 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 game is tedious, mundane, and does not respect your time even if the save file system did work properly.”
    • “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.”
  • stability194 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that significantly disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced minor issues, many noted game-breaking glitches, particularly in the DLC content, leading to frustration and even loss of progress. Overall, the game appears to require further optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability and provide a smoother experience.

    • “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 glitch issues.”
    • “The only issues I have with this game is the amount of bugs/glitches in the game that make it impossible to play.”
    • “This game freezes constantly and I am unable to finish it.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game has major lag issues, especially in the DLC section, to the point that it freezes and completely switches direction during time trial sections.”
  • replayability154 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. Most reviews highlight the game's short length, repetitive tasks, and absence of features like New Game+ or additional side quests, leading to a consensus that it is best enjoyed on sale rather than at full price. While some players find enjoyment in casual sandbox play or the mechanics, the general sentiment is that replay value is minimal.

    • “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.”
    • “Almost no replayability; the game is really repetitive, and it's a rather short game as it only took me 15-16 hours to complete.”
    • “The downside, after the story is over and you've explored all locations, there isn't too much replay value.”
  • optimization152 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, freezing, and 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. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is poorly optimized, detracting from the overall enjoyment despite its fun gameplay and engaging content.

    • “First things first, the game is optimized and you won’t have problems with FPS or anything like that.”
    • “Issues/optimization: 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.”
    • “The game itself is very fun, but it has awful performance issues.”
    • “Soon as the DLC was started, the performance went to shit, constant crashes, freezing while in the middle of speed trials (waste of player time honestly) anytime you open your map on the DLC map it takes a minute to load and 25% ends in a crash.”
    • “The poor optimization of this game is inexcusable.”
  • music110 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its dynamic and immersive qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during special abilities and key moments. While some players found the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting for the underwater setting, others noted a lack of variety and presence, with some even questioning if there was music at all. Overall, the sound design and ambiance contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, though some players expressed a desire for more diverse musical content.

    • “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.”
    • “The music when you activate your ability is awesome, so fitting for the moment.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning underwater visuals and attention to detail, creating an immersive experience that makes players feel like apex predators. While the underwater environment is described as beautiful and atmospheric, the above-water areas are noted to be somewhat dull. Overall, the combination of realistic graphics, ambient sounds, and engaging storytelling contributes to a captivating atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding combat mechanics and repetitive gameplay.

    • “The visuals were clean and realistic, with each area standing out with its different atmosphere.”
    • “The crisp look of the creatures and atmosphere really makes it feel like you are the shark.”
    • “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.”
    • “- 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.”
  • emotional28 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is surprisingly impactful, with players expressing a mix of humor and heartfelt moments, particularly through the shark's tragic backstory and relationships with human characters. While some found the overall gameplay to lack emotional depth, others highlighted touching narratives that evoked nostalgia and unexpected sadness, especially during key story events. The combination of comedic elements and poignant storytelling creates a unique emotional experience that resonates with players.

    • “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. I got sad at the end after killing Pete; that was really emotional as I got to know the shark as he/she was my best friend.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization strategy heavily relies on frequent ads, leading to long load times and crashes, which frustrates players and detracts from the overall experience. While the game's humor and narrative elements are appreciated, the ad interruptions significantly hinder enjoyment and may discourage continued play.

    • “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.”
    • “Now you have to reload through all those developer ads... again!”
    • “Now you have to reload through all those developer ads... again!”
  • character development6 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 found in many long-running series. Additionally, supporting characters like Pete's son also receive meaningful development, while the transformation of the boss character adds another layer to the narrative. Overall, the game effectively showcases character arcs within its storyline.

    • “The main antagonist, Pete, has more character development in ten 2-minute cut scenes than most get in 5 seasons.”
    • “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.”
    • “You can see the character development when your boss goes from a barracuda to a sperm whale.”
    • “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.'”
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 198 analyzed playthroughs

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