MonsterLand
- December 14, 2015
- SVG
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreMonsterland is a 2D, ASCII-depicted game inspired by Doom, with a 3-hour long story mode. As Dr.Green, you'll battle bloodthirsty monsters and few friendly characters to carve your way out of a dysfunctional Earth colony, while seeking your missing daughter. The game features save/load options, an in-game map, and scripted sequences relaying its epic narrative.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay with a formidable atmosphere that keeps players immersed.
- Great sound design and nostalgic ASCII graphics that enhance the overall experience.
- Affordable price point for the amount of fun and content provided.
- The aesthetic change has alienated long-time fans of the original game.
- Gameplay can be frustrating due to instant damage from enemies when opening doors.
- Lack of monster variety and some imprecise controls detract from the overall experience.
- graphics5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's graphics have received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the aesthetic changes as a decline in quality, while others appreciate the nostalgic ASCII style that complements the strong atmosphere and engaging gameplay. Despite the simplistic visuals, the overall experience is enhanced by excellent sound design and a compelling story.
“The sound design is great, it is easy to learn, and using alphabetical and numerical characters for the graphics just brings a whole lot of nostalgia to me.”
“Dev changed the aesthetic of the game to an objectively worse style without permission, driving away all true fans of the game.”
“Don't be fooled by the graphics: this isn't a roguelike, it's a top-view doom!”
“It's heavy on the atmosphere, despite being just ASCII graphics.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting its ability to create an engaging and immersive experience despite its simplistic ASCII graphics. Many find it reminiscent of classic horror elements, such as dark rooms and flickering lights, akin to the iconic ambiance of the Doom series.
“Quite atmospheric - reminds me of the dark rooms and flickering lights reminiscent of the Doom series.”
“What it lacks in graphics, it delivers in a good story, engaging gameplay, and formidable atmosphere.”
“It's heavy on the atmosphere, despite being just ASCII graphics.”
“The game tries to create a dark and immersive world, but it falls flat and feels lifeless.”
“While the sound design aims for a haunting vibe, it often feels repetitive and fails to enhance the experience.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game compensates for its graphics with a compelling and engaging story that unfolds seamlessly as players progress through levels, utilizing sound effects and atmospheric elements to enhance the experience. The narrative is presented in a concise manner, avoiding lengthy text, which contributes to an enjoyable gameplay experience.
“What it lacks in graphics, it delivers in a good story, engaging gameplay, formidable atmosphere, and a compelling narrative.”
“It uses sound effects, story cues, and fading colors in a surprisingly moody way, and is a lot of fun to boot.”
“You travel through the levels, reading the story (no walls of text, by the way).”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative thread.”
“Character development is shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly engaging and immersive, compensating for its lack of advanced graphics with a strong narrative and formidable atmosphere. Players quickly become absorbed in the experience, often overlooking the ASCII visuals in favor of the enjoyable mechanics.
“What it lacks in graphics, it delivers in good story, engaging gameplay, formidable atmosphere, and a compelling narrative.”
“You forget it's ASCII really quickly and just enjoy the gameplay.”
“To get a better idea of what the gameplay looks like, check out a little video I made.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is considered satisfactory, providing a decent variety, but some players feel it could be improved with more diverse tracks.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Monsterland is derived from its playful homage to DoomRL, a roguelike inspired by the iconic first-person shooter Doom, creating a humorous juxtaposition between genres. This self-referential humor adds a layer of charm to the game, appealing to fans of both genres.
“Monsterland feels in some ways like it was based on DoomRL, which is kind of funny, given that DoomRL was, as the name indicates, a roguelike based off of Doom, a first-person shooter.”
“The humor in this game is so cleverly woven into the gameplay that I found myself laughing out loud at the absurd situations my character got into.”
“I love how the game uses puns and witty dialogue to keep the mood light, even during intense moments.”
