MISERY

About

MISERY is a single player and multiplayer simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Platypus Entertainment and was released on October 23, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

MISERY is a co-op rogue-lite survival game where you play as PMCs guarding a secret research institute in a post-apocalyptic Exclusion Zone. After a nuclear bomb warning, you must quickly reach a bunker and scavenge hazardous, procedurally generated locations daily. Face deadly traps, radiation, hostile survivors, and mutated creatures as you struggle to survive.

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,572 reviews

gameplay208 positive mentions

optimization41 negative mentions

Fun gameplay loop that combines survival, looting, and base building, making it enjoyable with friends.
Unique atmosphere and graphics reminiscent of classic games, creating a nostalgic experience.
Active developer who listens to community feedback and regularly updates the game.

Numerous bugs and performance issues, especially in multiplayer, leading to crashes and lag.
Lack of content and progression, making the game feel repetitive after a few hours.
Combat mechanics are unbalanced, with enemies being either too easy or too difficult to defeat.

gameplay
588 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
56%
9%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a simple yet addictive loop of scavenging, base building, and survival mechanics, often compared to titles like "Stalker" and "Lethal Company." While many players appreciate the atmosphere and unique mechanics, there are frequent mentions of bugs, repetitive gameplay, and a lack of depth that can lead to a feeling of staleness after several hours. Overall, the game shows promise with its engaging core mechanics, but it requires further content and polish to enhance the experience.
- “The gameplay loop is absolutely addicting and engaging, all the areas are wild and full of both environmental danger and unique and crazy SCP-like creatures, anomalies, radiation, etc.”
- “The gameplay loop is deeply rewarding: scavenging radioactive ruins, fortifying your bunker, and crafting gear all feel purposeful.”
- “The gameplay loop is so fun and the game itself feels so satisfying.”
- “The gameplay loop is very boring and repetitive.”
- “The gameplay is pretty barebones.”
- “The gameplay loop gets boring real fast.”
graphics
300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
9%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic low-poly aesthetic reminiscent of PS1 and PS2 graphics, which they feel enhances the game's atmosphere. However, some users criticize the graphics as being rough and unpolished, leading to performance issues and a lack of detail that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the unique art style and its alignment with the game's themes have garnered a dedicated following among fans of retro visuals.
- “The stylized graphics and learning curve hold a nostalgia of difficult games from the early 2000s.”
- “I appreciate Soviet-era environments, and graphics - while stylistic - are quite great and consistent.”
- “The graphics really do give it the perfect feeling.”
- “The graphics are horrible.”
- “Graphically… yeah, it’s rough.”
- “The graphics style is a low-poly aesthetic which could be a stylistic choice… except it just comes off as cheap and unfinished.”
atmosphere
222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, drawing strong comparisons to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series with its post-apocalyptic, Soviet-inspired aesthetic. Players appreciate the eerie sound design, gritty visuals, and the sense of dread that permeates exploration, although some note that the game feels unfinished and lacks content depth. Overall, the atmosphere is considered the standout feature, effectively engaging players in a tense and atmospheric survival experience.
- “The bunker maps are where the exploration really becomes exciting; they are filled with great loot, really disturbing enemies, and the atmosphere is quite unsettling. I feel like the game really becomes something special when these areas begin to spawn.”
- “From the first minute, the game hits you with that iconic post-apocalyptic Soviet vibe that has a creepy atmosphere, tense moments, and the constant feeling that whatever is watching you might have too many teeth.”
- “The atmosphere is killer in this game.”
- “The concept is good and has a lot of potential, but currently, it still feels like early access with no real goals or atmosphere of its own.”
- “The atmosphere tries for 'haunted, dank, lived-in' but instead hits 'ugly, grey, recycled assets.'”
- “The game has atmosphere down, but there's a large content gap between the early game and later, which has a very slow buildup itself, so it would be nice if there was more to do or more variety to locations.”
optimization
189 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
64%
22%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including drastic frame rate drops, lag, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. While some updates have attempted to address these problems, the consensus is that the game still requires substantial optimization to provide a smoother experience, particularly during extended play sessions and in multiplayer modes. Overall, players express hope for future improvements but caution potential buyers about the current state of performance.
- “With further optimization, this could be a really solid game, but as of right now it does still need work. I kind of agree with some of the other reviews that it seems like it should be in open beta right now, not fully released. I think if that was the case, people would enjoy the game more because if this was a fully released game, it is not great. Hoping to see improvement as time goes on, but for right now it's 10 bucks, that's a solid price, and I think if these seem interesting to you, you have 3 hours to test it out for 10 bucks, I'd go for it if I were you.”
- “The dev has acknowledged the performance issues and has vowed to tackle them in the near future, and given his track record for working on the problems of the game as a solo dev, I have reasonable confidence that he will iron it out to the best of his ability.”
- “Despite the game's looks, it still runs under Unreal Engine 5, so I understand it can be heavy nevertheless (at least for my mini-PC), even though I hope for future performance improvements.”
- “Horrible optimization; a game of such low fidelity should not have such wild FPS swings (20 - 160 FPS) on a rig with a 7900X, 32 GB of DDR5, and an RX 6800.”
- “The game itself is very poorly optimized; my friend and I could barely run the game after we got to emission 20 or so with all of the city blocks, we'd be running at 4 FPS through city blocks.”
- “I'm extremely frustrated that a game this promising is rendered unplayable by terrible optimization.”
stability
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting a wide range of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Common problems include crashes, loss of progress, and unresponsive gameplay, leading many to describe it as an unfinished product. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues and express hope for future improvements, the consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for a full release.
- “The game runs great and I have experienced almost no glitches, even after hours of play.”
- “Not a single crash; the game is not very buggy at all.”
- “The game is already very addicting and runs great, though it still has a long way to go.”
- “Gameplay bugs and crashes: many players report technical issues like frequent crashes, performance drops, glitches, and even server/connection problems in co-op.”
- “What we got instead was a buggy, half-finished survival slog that constantly reminds you that you’re playing an unfinished product disguised as a full release.”
- “The only thing stopping it from being a really good game is that it's unbearably buggy, which is super understandable since this game was made by one person.”
story
131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
74%
12%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of a structured narrative, quests, or meaningful progression. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and visuals, the consensus is that the game feels repetitive and aimless without a compelling storyline or objectives to drive engagement. Players hope for future updates to introduce more narrative elements and missions to enhance the overall experience.
- “The core mechanics are engaging, the story keeps you interested, and the overall experience shows a lot of passion from the developers.”
- “Moreover, adding more story elements that guide the player and deepen the game’s world would make it even more engaging.”
- “I’d recommend the developer to keep prioritizing gameplay, but slowly build a well-written and interesting story — not too long and padded, but not too short or full of plot holes either.”
- “Misery offers little reason to keep playing once you figure out its structure, and I felt pretty let down when I realized none of my efforts were going anywhere in terms of a story or conclusion.”
- “The game has no story, no drive, nothing.”
- “There is no main objective to the game, there are no side quests or anything to do besides build up your base, and the game is not optimized and barely working.”
humor
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting its blend of absurdity and dark comedy, particularly in multiplayer settings. Many reviews mention hilarious moments involving quirky mechanics, such as characters engaging in juvenile antics or encountering bizarre enemies, which contribute to a fun and chaotic atmosphere. However, some players feel that certain juvenile humor detracts from the game's overall tone, suggesting a need for a more balanced approach to its comedic elements.
- “A hilariously good time with friends, very much worth the price the solo developer is asking for.”
- “The sound design is both hilarious and terrifying.”
- “Overall very humorous when your teammates get slimed out by some Slovakian dudes with pistols and you beat them to death with shovels and hammers.”
- “Just like your friend spamming that one unfunny Discord sound from his soundboard.”
- “The jokes feel forced and often miss the mark, leaving me cringing instead of laughing.”
- “It's like they tried to be funny but ended up with a collection of dad jokes that fell flat.”
grinding
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
7%
90%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and overly time-consuming, particularly in terms of resource management and progression. While some appreciate the grind as a core part of the gameplay experience, allowing for enjoyable farming and crafting, others criticize it for being frustratingly repetitive and lacking meaningful rewards. Overall, the consensus suggests that while grinding can be engaging, it often feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Very slow progression, but not tedious and very enjoyable.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Food and water run out way too fast and there's plenty of food available, meaning you're just going to be eating as you go, which becomes very tedious after a few days.”
- “Making money is an arduous and tedious task.”
- “The loot that you found was too scarce and radiation was almost everywhere, leading to frequent deaths and forcing you to restart the whole run. The gameplay loop was tediously designed, difficult, and unfun.”
music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
70%
11%
The music in the game is generally sparse, with players noting a lack of variety and ambient sound, which can make solo play feel empty. While some appreciate the inclusion of guitar music and specific songs like "Dark is the Night," many express a desire for a broader soundtrack and dynamic music options to enhance immersion and atmosphere. Overall, the music is seen as a mixed bag, with potential for improvement through additional tracks and instruments.
- “The soundtrack is right on point; the game can be sometimes a bit goofy, but sometimes it can seem like a cut-scene from the Metro franchise.”
- “It captivates the atmosphere and feeling of Roadside Picnic beautifully, and the world-building and the way everything changes after an emission not only ensures that every run is new to explore - every time you go out of the bunker is something new to discover, and the music just adds that much more to the immersion.”
- “The person that made this game describes it as their 'dream game,' and I am happy to say that I fully agree. This game is awesome, accompanied by your favorite vibey music, and it truly is an experience like no other.”
- “Besides the somewhat creepy and low-pitched music that plays in the trading bunker, you won't hear much.”
- “Atmosphere is severely lacking due to a lack of decent music.”
- “One last thing before going into the tl:dr, the game can feel quite empty when you're solo; not a bad thing, however some music or faint ambiance would lighten things up.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
Overall, the game exhibits a strong sense of replayability, with many players praising its dynamic gameplay, exploration opportunities, and evolving content through future updates. While some reviews express concerns about the current amount of content for its price, the potential for mod support and additional features promises to enhance replay value further. Many players find the mechanics and gameplay loop engaging enough to encourage repeated playthroughs, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “It also seems like it has tons of replay value for people who are really into this style of game.”
- “The game is very dynamic as the seed changes every time in the same save file, making it fun, chaotic, and replayable.”
- “It makes the game basically endlessly replayable!”
- “Negative review not because I don't like the game, but because I want to signal that there just isn't enough replayability or content. For a 1.0 release, it just doesn't have the value of 10 dollars.”
- “Other than that, I am looking forward to mod support, as I know the community is going to breathe a ton of replayability into the game once that happens.”
- “The game has about 14-20 hours of content so far, but I'd say there's a solid amount of replayability.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of despair and resilience, as players navigate a chaotic environment while building a personal sanctuary in their bunker. It evokes a range of feelings, from true misery and confusion to moments of nostalgic joy, as players confront the harsh realities of survival and the emotional weight of resource management. Overall, the game successfully captures the complex emotional landscape of survival, balancing horror with moments of camaraderie and humor.
- “Rather than nonstop pressure, it encourages you to build and personalize a bunker that becomes the emotional center of the game.”
- “It’s a game that lives up to its title — not in the sense of punishing players for punishment’s sake, but by exploring the complex emotional reality of surviving when everything has already been lost.”
- “Once the blast doors close, misery reveals its true identity as a cooperative survival simulation, demanding both resourcefulness and emotional resilience as players explore the surface in desperate expeditions and struggle to maintain sanity within the safety of their bunker.”
monetization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Reviews indicate a strong dissatisfaction with the monetization strategy of the game, with some players labeling it a "cash grab" and criticizing the lack of meaningful content and features for the price. While there are positive notes about the gameplay mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment suggests that the game feels exploitative, particularly in its handling of ads and microtransactions. Players express a desire for more thoughtful development from indie creators rather than a focus on profit.
- “I'm calling it now, this s**t's a cash grab scam and the dev just ran with the money already while laughing.”
- “Try it out, support small indie developers who actually care about the games they make and don't just spam it with microtransactions.”
- “I don't ads at all now because it's basically unusable.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is criticized for having poor designs and animations, which detracts from the overall experience and immersion in the game.
- “Character designs and animations are some of the worst I've seen in years.”