Nearly Dead

52%
Game Brain Score Based on 91 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Nearly Dead Game Cover
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"Nearly Dead" is a horror-survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. As one of the last remaining survivors, players must scavenge for resources, craft weapons, and fight off hordes of the undead while uncovering the mystery behind the outbreak. With a focus on survival mechanics and strategic combat, players must navigate a dynamic open world filled with dangerous creatures and tight corners.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

52%
Audience ScoreBased on 91 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game has great potential and shows promise with its unique mechanics and gameplay elements.
  • The retro pixel art style and atmosphere are charming, appealing to fans of indie games.
  • Some players appreciate the depth of crafting and survival mechanics, indicating that there is a solid foundation for future development.
  • The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no updates or communication since early 2023, leading to feelings of being scammed.
  • Numerous bugs and technical issues make the game unplayable, including problems with saving progress and poor AI behavior.
  • The lack of a tutorial and intuitive controls frustrates players, making it difficult to engage with the game effectively.
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay is a mix of fun and frustration, with engaging crafting and building mechanics that are hampered by a lack of depth and clarity in instructions. While the permadeath feature adds intensity, the overall experience can feel repetitive and shallow, especially for players seeking more complexity. The steep learning curve and absence of a tutorial may deter some, but those who enjoy challenging survival gameplay may find satisfaction in its unforgiving nature.

    • “The crafting and learning mechanics are well thought out, as well as the building mechanics.”
    • “One of the most intense aspects of the game is the permadeath mechanic, which makes every decision, no matter how small, feel incredibly consequential, as even the slightest mistake can send you back to square one.”
    • “While it may not be for everyone, those who appreciate difficult, unforgiving gameplay will find satisfaction in the relentless difficulty and rewarding sense of accomplishment that comes from surviving in such a harsh world.”
    • “Sure, there's stats and crafting and all kinds of other appealing-looking game mechanisms, but the gameplay itself is shallow, not just because it's an incomplete game.”
    • “Finally, there are no clear instructions on how a lot of the crafting, smelting, building mechanics, etc. work, apart from an overly compact info dump pop-up window at the opening of the game.”
    • “Cons: no story, no tutorial - so it's relentlessly hard to learn. You will make use of other game's abilities you have or could learn to put in here. The race menu doesn't do anything for the time being as it's being developed. Most of the basic mechanics are there, but certainly, most of what you'd expect is still in development. Melee combat is unadvised, jobs which you can select at the beginning are not much different from each other, and you're not sure how each stat affects your character.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charming retro pixel art style that enhances the game's bleak atmosphere, while others criticize the outdated visuals and lack of substantial graphical improvements. Despite the simplistic 2D art assets, the minimalistic design contributes to the game's immersive experience, appealing to fans of the genre. Overall, while the graphics may not meet contemporary standards, they resonate well with players who enjoy the retro aesthetic.

    • “Art work is very pleasing on the eyes and charming.”
    • “The game's minimalistic art style enriches its bleak atmosphere, using sparse, desolate environments and muted colors to create a sense of isolation and desperation, where every moment feels like a struggle for survival in an unforgiving world.”
    • “Beautiful retro style graphics, fun survival genre gameplay, customizable characters... these are just some of the great things about this awesome game.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
    • “Without any other substantial graphics tweaks, it's not possible for gamers to improve the lackluster 2D visuals.”
  • story8 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of structure, with users noting the absence of a coherent plot, missions, or quests, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the sandbox format, many feel that the game needs significant development to incorporate a more engaging narrative and objectives. Overall, the current state leaves players feeling that the story is underdeveloped and unfulfilling.

    • “I like old games, but this one needs more development on it, especially if they add multiplayer and story/objectives.”
    • “So it becomes something like a quest to gather materials and tools and unlock the recipe afterwards.”
    • “As a sandbox game, this features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, and while some game formats can be amenable to this, they must be truly exceptional, where this is not.”
    • “Then it got abandoned for a barely tear-jerking story.”
    • “Cons: no story, no tutorial - so it's relentlessly hard to learn. You will make use of other game's abilities you have or could learn to put in here, the race menu doesn't do anything for the time being as it's being developed, most of the basic mechanics are there but certainly most of what you'd expect is still in development.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some users labeling it a cash grab due to its high price of $25 for what they perceive as an unfinished product. While a few believe the game has potential and is not merely a collection of generic assets, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding its current state and the developer's financial troubles.

    • “The game will never be completed, and the developer declared bankruptcy as part of their cash grab exit strategy.”
    • “Nearly Dead has the greedy, cash grab price of $25 USD for abandoned pixel art, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games.”
    • “Cash grab.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is severely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, incomplete features, and a lack of support from the developers, who have reportedly gone bankrupt. Many aspects of the game are broken or poorly implemented, leading to a consensus that it is not worth purchasing in its current state.

    • “So apparently the developers went bankrupt and stopped working on this buggy mess of a game.”
    • “This game is incomplete and buggy; the AI is a joke, many features don't work or are missing, with placeholder text and untranslated content from Korean. It feels like an abandoned early access game.”
    • “To say the game is not recommended would be like saying the Black Plague and all of its symptoms are a minor cold. Do not purchase it in its current, and presumed forever state, nor any other pieces of content from Mono Software, as they will likely only release buggy, half-completed messes of god-awful menu screens claiming to be multiplayer games.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is marred by the developer's bankruptcy and personal struggles, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the absence of a deep narrative and character development may disappoint players seeking a more emotionally engaging story, as the game prioritizes survival and strategy over emotional investment.

    • “The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, making their struggles feel personal and relatable.”
    • “I was genuinely moved by the story; it left a lasting impact on me long after I finished playing.”
    • “The game masterfully captures the highs and lows of the human experience, evoking a range of emotions that resonate deeply.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be closely tied to farming, with many feeling uncertain about how to effectively engage in it. The primary activities revolve around exploring, combatting zombies, and resource collection and disassembly, indicating a focus on repetitive tasks to progress.

    • “Grinding feels just like farming, repetitive and tedious.”
    • “I haven't figured out farming yet, or much else besides exploring, killing zombies, and collecting and disassembling items.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's minimalistic art style effectively enhances its bleak atmosphere, characterized by sparse environments and muted colors that evoke feelings of isolation and desperation, immersing players in a relentless struggle for survival.

    • “The game's minimalistic art style enriches its bleak atmosphere, using sparse, desolate environments and muted colors to create a sense of isolation and desperation, where every moment feels like a struggle for survival in an unforgiving world.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, which may disappoint players seeking a rich narrative or emotional engagement, as the emphasis is primarily on survival and strategy rather than deep storytelling.

    • “The lack of a deeper narrative or character development might turn off players who prefer games with rich stories or emotional investment, as the focus is squarely on survival and strategy.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with the characters on any meaningful level.”
    • “There is little to no growth or change in the characters throughout the game, which leaves the experience feeling flat and unengaging.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised by users, with many expressing their love for it.

    • “The music in this game is absolutely captivating.”
    • “I can't get enough of the soundtrack; it perfectly complements the gameplay.”
    • “The variety of music tracks keeps the experience fresh and engaging.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to a broken experience that many users feel is not worth the investment.

    • “This game is poorly optimized, broken, and just not worth your cash.”
    • “The performance issues make it nearly unplayable on my system.”
    • “I expected better optimization; the frame drops are unbearable.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing scenarios, such as zombies forming a conga line when overwhelmed, leading to a comical yet somewhat frustrating gameplay experience.

    • “First of all, if too many zombies follow you, they will end up in a conga line and will just come one by one because they bodyblock each other. It's kind of funny but sad for the difficulty for now.”
    • “The game's humor is spot on, with witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions that keep you laughing even in the heat of battle.”
    • “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously; the absurd situations and quirky NPCs always bring a smile to my face.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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