NashBored

About

NashBored is a single player role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Karbonic and was released on January 2, 2019. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

NashBored is a surreal Classic RPG with a creepy vibe. Lead Nash through the bizarre landscape of the brain, and get closer to discovering the terrible truth of this world!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 55 reviews

story5 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Deep, emotionally impactful story with excellent character writing and themes that resonate strongly with players.
Great visuals, unique and interesting character, enemy, and boss designs, enhanced by an excellent soundtrack with standout tracks.
Concise, well-paced gameplay experience with a dreamlike, psychological horror atmosphere, serving as a strong companion or prequel to DashBored.

Gameplay can be frustrating due to certain difficult and unfair puzzles, including finger-skill and patience-testing challenges.
Combat is simple and can feel repetitive or easy once strategy is understood; some grinding and resource management required.
Very short game length limits content and exploration, which some players felt left the experience feeling too brief or lacking depth.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The story is a compelling spiritual successor to Dashbored, focusing on deep emotional trauma through a vivid dreamlike narrative that enriches the characters Alex and Nash. While some find it more impactful with prior knowledge of Dashbored, the game still offers an enjoyable, mysterious exploration of its protagonist's dreams with significant plot twists, making it a strong, character-driven bridge in the series' lore.
- “A spiritual successor slash side story to dashbored that goes deep into trauma and emotional responses to it in a vivid dream fantasy with a hub styled in a similar way to OFF and Yume Nikki.”
- “This installment is much more focused on building the characters of Alex and Nash, who are some of the most important characters in the dashbored story.”
- “Update is really awesome, and the story makes even more of an impact now.”
- “You won't find deep storytelling; it may serve better for those who understand Dashbored's plot, but on its own, the story is such that it is enjoyable.”
- “While my understanding of the plot may potentially be hindered by my lack of understanding of its contemporary's plot, by itself, it serves as a fun romp through a strange and, at times, bizarre exploration of the main character's dreams.”
- “While the visuals and storytelling are much improved, the combat and level design are far more frustrating than the original.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The game boasts impressive visuals with a unique and charming art style that greatly enhances its atmosphere. Reviewers consistently praise the improved graphics, distinctive areas, and custom artwork, which complement the soundtrack and overall aesthetic.
- “Great game with an amazing art style with unique areas.”
- “Great visuals and so much charm!”
- “It has wonderful visuals, good unique characters and an amazing soundtrack!”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music is widely praised for its engaging and well-crafted soundtrack, featuring standout tracks and seamless composition that effectively set the game's tone. Fans appreciate the custom soundtracks and how the music complements the visuals, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack is really good as well; the title music 'Dead for a Long Time' is a banger, and I also quite like 'The Worst People You Know Are Fighting.'”
- “The music is enjoyable, there are no sudden stops or unusual changes mid-track, and it sets the tone very well.”
- “It has wonderful visuals, good unique characters, and an amazing soundtrack!”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The gameplay features a slow start requiring grinding for experience and resources before progressing safely, later shifting towards a puzzle-oriented approach. Though similar to contemporaries using the same RPG Maker VX Ace engine, it presents a blend of simplification and enhancement.
- “From a gameplay standpoint, it suffers from a slow start as you need to grind experience for a bit to ensure a safe journey later (and money for meds and poison pockets), while the game shifts towards a puzzle approach in later chapters.”
- “Gameplay: while it does not differ too greatly from its contemporary, being made in the same engine (RPG Maker VX Ace, which is honestly a surprise), it could be considered both simplified and enhanced simultaneously.”
- “Be warned about the gameplay, though.”
- “From a gameplay standpoint, it suffers from a slow start as you can't just go with the flow. You'll need to grind experience for a safe journey later, as well as money for meds and poison pockets. The game itself shifts towards a puzzle approach in later chapters.”
- “Be warned of the gameplay, though:”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in creating a spooky and surreal atmosphere, effectively immersing players despite its short length. The visuals and overall mood contribute strongly to a captivating and sometimes unsettling experience.
- “For how short it is, Nashbored did an excellent job with the atmosphere it conveyed; there were parts in the game that I almost felt like I wasn't allowed to watch unfold.”
- “Short game with a great spooky, surreal atmosphere.”
- “Love the visuals and atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is moderate and mostly focused on gathering money and supplies like meds. While some areas require grinding, careful resource management and engaging in most fights help minimize the need for excessive leveling. The presence of a reasonably placed early save point also makes the initial grinding more manageable compared to its predecessor.
- “The first level is what I consider 'early game hell', but unlike its predecessor, there is a save point at a reasonable point in the beginning, and only a little bit of grinding is needed.”
- “Mostly for money, you will need at least five meds and five special meds. Getting a few level ups will happen over the course of grinding.”
- “There's some grinding required in some areas, but for the most part if you balance your supplies right and don't skip too many fights you'll do fine.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, exploring trauma and its effects through a vivid dreamlike world reminiscent of titles like OFF and Yume Nikki. Players often find it profoundly impactful, with intense emotional moments that can be both challenging and moving.
- “A spiritual successor slash side story to Dashbored that goes deep into trauma and emotional responses to it in a vivid dream fantasy with a hub styled in a similar way to OFF and Yume Nikki.”
- “Loved Dashbored but was not prepared for how much Nashbored was going to emotionally destroy me, and then it, uh, emotionally destroyed me.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game blends dreamy, psychological horror elements with occasional dry, sarcastic moments, creating a unique and engaging vibe.