Nefarious

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 352 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Nefarious Game Cover
Nefarious had me steal some princesses, but it didn’t steal my heart.
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"Nefarious" is a comedy platformer game where you play as the villain, on a mission to kidnap princesses from five kingdoms. The game features stunning 2D animation, reverse boss fights, and various customization options for your character. With its intriguing storyline, mystery, and humor, Nefarious offers an engaging and unique gaming experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 352 reviews
gameplay72 positive mentions
stability13 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming story with witty dialogue and memorable characters.
  • The reverse boss fights are a unique and enjoyable twist on traditional gameplay.
  • The art style is colorful and visually appealing, with well-drawn character portraits.
  • The controls can feel floaty and imprecise, making platforming frustrating at times.
  • Some sound effects are missing, and the music does not loop seamlessly.
  • The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 4-6 hours.
  • gameplay205 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it features solid mechanics and engaging boss fights, it often feels unpolished and lacks depth. Some players appreciate the humor and creativity in the gameplay, particularly the unique mechanics introduced by capturing princesses, but others criticize the level design and control issues that can lead to frustration. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable for some, it is frequently overshadowed by the game's strong narrative and character interactions.

    • “With tight controls, solid level design, and interesting mechanics such as the reverse boss fights, Nefarious is truly a breath of fresh air for the platforming genre.”
    • “The gameplay is amazing, and reminds me a lot of the Mega Man series, if Mega Man could punch and fire grenades that can be used to get air.”
    • “Great story, varied gameplay, phenomenal characters, just an all-around great experience.”
    • “Both the gameplay and the story are lackluster; the only consolation is that it's so short.”
    • “The gameplay is slow, boring, and just bad.”
    • “The levels feel so simple and empty, and don't mix well with Nefarious's gameplay. No option to use a controller or rebind controls, along with an out-of-place wonky aiming system, make the game feel very clunky and awkward to play.”
  • story176 mentions

    The story of the game is widely praised for its humor, engaging characters, and clever subversion of traditional hero-villain tropes, making it a standout feature despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics. Many players appreciate the depth and charm of the narrative, which is complemented by witty dialogue and memorable interactions, although some note that the story can feel short or simplistic at times. Overall, the narrative is considered the game's strongest aspect, with a unique perspective that keeps players invested and entertained.

    • “The story is somewhat deep, while still being true to the over-the-top crazy nature of the game, and the characters have beautifully-developed personalities that lead to hilarious and heartwarming dialogue interactions.”
    • “The story blew me away; it really made me enjoy myself as the villain, taking me through the other side of the classic story of a captured princess, but with a fun spin!”
    • “The writers behind this game really knew what they were doing, and having an interesting story and lovable characters made this title one that will not be forgotten.”
    • “Both the gameplay and the story are lackluster; the only consolation is that it's so short.”
    • “Just be warned as the repetitive unchanging music mixed with a featureless art style, frustrating gameplay, and somewhat disappointing outcome of the story can make for a boring experience that might as well have been time spent on something else.”
    • “The story isn't that deep (which is expected for the genre but still with some surprising twists), but some of the characters are well written; sadly, most of them are mediocre or haven't enough interaction to have any real personality.”
  • music172 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and thematic qualities, while others criticize issues like poor looping and occasional blandness. Notably, the soundtrack is often described as energetic and fitting for the game's tone, enhancing the overall experience, though some players found it repetitive or mismatched with certain gameplay moments. Overall, while the music is a highlight for many, it also has its share of detractors regarding its execution and variety.

    • “The music was amazing, fitting to every situation and every area and really hyping me up to play the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is very energizing, tragic, and fun at times.”
    • “The music is fantastic.”
    • “The music can potentially get annoying hearing it on repeat.”
    • “Just be warned as the repetitive unchanging music mixed with a featureless art style, frustrating gameplay, and somewhat disappointing outcome of the story can make for a boring experience that might as well have been time spent on something else.”
    • “While the writing and art are stellar, the sound design is poor, what with songs that don't loop correctly, a lack of a variety of boss songs, and certain moves and attacks that don't have sound effects that feel that they should.”
  • humor77 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, engaging dialogue, and ability to subvert traditional gaming tropes, making it both funny and enjoyable. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and absurd situations that contribute to a light-hearted yet meaningful narrative. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with a charming story, making it a standout experience for fans of comedic platformers.

    • “It had some good humor and subverted or deconstructed tropes in some really good ways.”
    • “The story is somewhat deep, while still being true to the over-the-top crazy nature of the game, and the characters have beautifully-developed personalities that lead to hilarious and heartwarming dialogue interactions.”
    • “The humor and riffing on the classic hero vs villain mentality makes even the truly evil crow a joy to watch as he wreaks havoc, princess in tow.”
  • graphics66 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the charming and colorful art style, particularly in character portraits and backgrounds, while others criticize the overall polish and consistency, noting issues like unrefined visuals and graphical glitches. Many players appreciate the hand-drawn elements and thematic design, but some feel that the gameplay graphics fall short compared to the quality of the artwork. Overall, while the visuals are often described as appealing and fitting for the game's tone, they are also seen as inconsistent and occasionally lacking in detail.

    • “Fortunately, they did have enough time to invest in both visuals and music, which are as beautiful as they are thematic.”
    • “The artwork is really well done (bonus points for using hand-drawn art instead of going the lazy retro pixel route) and the music is really catchy.”
    • “Not only does it look beautiful with its obviously hand-drawn graphics, but the music puts on the finishing touches to make the whole game feel like a well-orchestrated experience.”
    • “The visuals are sort of unpolished though, it feels like an early beta.”
    • “The graphics during gameplay are kinda sorta really awful, but the story, character portraits, and gameplay make up for this fun little gem's ugly exterior.”
    • “Just be warned as the repetitive unchanging music mixed with a featureless artstyle, frustrating gameplay and somewhat disappointing outcome of the story can make for a boring experience that might as well have been time spent on something else.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized for being buggy and unfinished, with users reporting various glitches that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, such as falling to death due to unresponsive mechanics and awkward animations. While some players find these issues do not significantly detract from their enjoyment, the overall impression is that the game feels rushed and lacks polish, particularly in its combat mechanics and level design.

    • “The game is incredibly unfinished with awful menus and some awkward animation and sound glitches.”
    • “Gameplay and programming felt rushed and buggy.”
    • “Buggy and poorly implemented combat mechanics, utterly empty sound design, and blocky art prevent a genuinely good idea from being a good game.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Overall, the character development in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers highlighting the depth and humor of the protagonist, Crow, as well as the strong narrative. The character designs are also noted for their quality and inspiration, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. However, some opinions suggest that while the main characters are well-developed, others may lack inspiration.

    • “Excellent character design and development.”
    • “The character development is deep, the protagonist is funny, the story is very solid.”
    • “- uninspired character designs”
    • “It really is the biggest strength this game has, alongside its character design maybe.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it offers good replay value due to multiple endings and nostalgic elements, others feel it lacks depth and is somewhat short, limiting its long-term appeal. Despite these criticisms, many appreciate the enjoyable gameplay and upgrades that encourage revisiting the experience.

    • “The game is kinda short, but it does have good replayability.”
    • “Yeah, it's a bit short, being around four hours long, but it has a lot of replay value!”
    • “Overall, it's been a very enjoyable game, which I find has a pretty high replay value.”
    • “For example, frustrating difficulty and non-replayability.”
    • “Not much replay value outside of finding the crowns (which do nothing as far as I know).”
    • “Not much replayability.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The game offers a deep and engaging story that balances its over-the-top nature with well-developed characters, resulting in both hilarious and heartwarming interactions. Players experience an emotional roller coaster, particularly during the impactful endings that evoke feelings of satisfaction and inspiration. The combination of touching moments, charming art, and fitting music enhances the overall emotional experience, making it a memorable journey.

    • “The story is somewhat deep, while still being true to the over-the-top crazy nature of the game, and the characters have beautifully-developed personalities that lead to hilarious and heartwarming dialogue interactions.”
    • “Finally, when you reach the endings, the game hits you with very emotionally satisfying scenarios, which will leave you with a smile (nefarious or otherwise) as the screen returns to the main menu.”
    • “This game took me for an emotional roller coaster, and the ending was an extremely excellent finale to the game.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with an excellent and catchy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, particularly in standout segments like the underwater scene. However, some tracks are noted as bland and generic, which slightly detracts from the otherwise immersive ambiance.

    • “The atmosphere of the whole game and the music really made it one of the best games I've played this year.”
    • “Excellent soundtrack, wonderfully catchy and atmospheric.”
    • “There are a few tracks that really stand out and create such a nice atmosphere, like the one in the underwater segment.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious due to the cumbersome level select process, which requires repeated navigation through initial levels. However, the instant respawn feature mitigates frustration, making the overall experience less tedious despite the potential for numerous deaths.

    • “Navigating the level select is rather tedious because it always starts you at the first two levels, then you have to navigate to the second and third screen every time you want to progress in the game.”
    • “The game isn't hard, and you'll die once or twice or over 50 times in my case, but since you instantly respawn, I think it's fine. It makes it a lot less tedious than it could have been, that's for sure.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

Buy Nefarious

Play time

12hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
5-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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