Mike Dies

About

Mike Dies is a single player action adventure game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Psydra Games LLC and was released on February 23, 2018. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Mike Dies is a challenging fast-paced exploration-platformer with dynamic brutal fatalities and a massive non-linear environment. After flying his spaceship into an asteroid field, Mike finds himself fighting for survival against hostile aliens, a ruthless kingpin and his own personal demons.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews

gameplay18 positive mentions

The game features tight controls and smooth platforming mechanics, making it enjoyable to play.
It has clever level design with a variety of challenges and humorous elements, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
The voice acting and music are well-executed, adding to the overall charm and immersion of the game.

The story is somewhat weak and can be confusing, particularly regarding certain characters and their roles.
There are occasional bugs and jankiness with platform interactions, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content.

gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
52%
7%
The gameplay in "Mike Dies" is characterized by its engaging platforming and dodging mechanics, which are easy to grasp yet offer depth and variety as players progress through creatively designed levels. The game effectively integrates a compelling story with its mechanics, providing a mix of challenge and enjoyment that keeps players invested. With solid controls and a well-paced difficulty curve, it stands out as a refreshing experience in the platforming genre.
- “The game starts off feeling like a simple puzzle platformer or Metroidvania but evolves into an exciting test of skill with a story tying the different mechanics together.”
- “Mike Dies is a very solid platformer, with interesting mechanics and enough challenging content to keep you trying until you beat it all.”
- “Hundreds of platformers out there, but with Mike Dies, Psydra offers a refreshing new experience with its polished game mechanics and wonderful level design.”
- “The game is mainly divided into a large number of challenge rooms/platforming puzzles, and every handful plays with a certain mechanic.”
- “Each mechanic is introduced and then iterated on in subsequent rooms, cleverly advancing in difficulty and evolving into challenges with different skill demands.”
- “The bosses are on the easier side, but I think they provide a challenging evolution of their individual mechanics without devolving into frustrating repetition (dying is easy, but checkpoints are generous).”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The game's story is described as intriguing and well-integrated into the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience without slowing it down. However, some players find the narrative weak at the beginning, particularly regarding the unclear roles of certain characters like the angel and demon. While the story is engaging and features good voice acting and music, it is not considered the strongest aspect of the game.
- “The game starts off feeling like a simple puzzle platformer or Metroidvania but evolves into an exciting test of skill with a story tying the different mechanics together.”
- “I'm also really digging the story that is well integrated into the gameplay and never slows things down.”
- “The music is really great and the neat voice acting is a nice addition that complements the plot, which is simple and deep at the same time (with some nicely placed metaphors and personifications)!”
- “However, the story itself I'm not so sold on.”
- “The story feels a bit weak at the start, particularly with the angel and demon whose purpose to the story wasn't clear.”
- “I'm reminded of the scene in Galaxy Quest where Sigourney Weaver's character complains that some writer put a series of crushers in a hallway, and it's bad writing and she refuses to do it.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by clever and witty level names, often featuring puns and subtle references that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique and funny character designs, although some note that it differs significantly from the humor found in the developer's previous title, Dark Scavenger. Overall, the game is praised for its heart and inventive comedic elements that keep players engaged.
- “Every room is given a name (usually jokes or subtle references), and many of the challenge rooms evolve in surprising and humorous ways.”
- “In short: incredibly clever, expertly designed, fun (and funny) and stuffed full of so much heart it confuses medical science to this day.”
- “+ hilarious level names, A+ puns.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game is highly praised for being immersive, haunting, and enjoyable, effectively complementing the overall design and narrative. Reviewers appreciate the ability to control audio settings independently, and many express a desire to purchase the soundtrack, highlighting the music's significant impact on the gaming experience.
- “The music is great; absolutely immersive, at times haunting, always fun.”
- “The music is really great and the neat voice acting is a nice addition that complements well the plot, which is simple and deep at the same time (with some nicely placed metaphors and personifications)!”
- “* Design, aesthetic, writing, music, and voicework are all superb, and all work well together.”
- “You can independently control the volume of the SFX, music, and dialogue, though I never touched these.”
- “I'll be getting the soundtrack later.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The graphics are praised for their clarity and cohesive integration with the game's superb design, writing, music, and voicework, creating a divine aesthetic experience. However, some reviewers noted a lack of visual diversity, which slightly detracts from the overall experience but does not significantly impact gameplay enjoyment.
- “The aesthetic and sound design of the statues of Mike's god is, pardon the pun (and there are lots of them!) - divine.”
- “The visuals are clear, the sounds are awesome, and the gameplay just...feels right.”
- “Design, aesthetic, writing, music, and voice work are all superb, and all work well together.”
- “The only real hit against it to me are the visuals don't have much diversity (though this doesn't detract from the experience much).”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional impact of the game to be significant, with moments like the death of a character resonating deeply and providing comfort regarding personal struggles and life choices. Despite the potential for cliché in such sentiments, the game's ability to evoke genuine feelings and reflections on one's own experiences is appreciated.
- “It's become a bit trite to be all 'haha, games helped me with issue x' but... yeah, Mike's death made me feel a bit better about some of my mistakes and where I am in life.”