Nefarious

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 278 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Nefarious Game Cover
Nefarious had me steal some princesses, but it didn’t steal my heart.
Starting at $14.99Buy now
Get on Steam

"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

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 278 reviews
gameplay46 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming story with memorable characters and witty dialogue.
  • The art style is visually appealing, with well-drawn character portraits and engaging level designs.
  • The concept of playing as the villain and the reverse boss battles provide a unique twist on traditional platforming gameplay.
  • The controls can feel clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating platforming sections.
  • The sound design is lacking, with missing sound effects and music that doesn't loop properly.
  • The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content.
  • gameplay150 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it features solid mechanics and interesting ideas, it often feels unpolished and lacks depth. Some players appreciate the unique boss fights and character interactions, but others criticize the platforming elements as uninspired and frustrating, particularly in later levels. Overall, while the gameplay serves its purpose, it is frequently overshadowed by the game's strong writing and character development.

    • “The gameplay is solid, but the game's main strength is definitely the writing.”
    • “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 fun and challenging, but some portions aren't for everyone.”
    • “Both the gameplay and the story are lackluster; the only consolation is that it's so short.”
    • “Nefarious has some decent writing and entertaining character interactions, but that can't save it from awful gameplay and often poor presentation.”
    • “The levels feel so simple and empty, and don't mix well with Nefarious's gameplay. The lack of an 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.”
  • story132 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 witty dialogue and memorable plot twists, with some noting the potential for further exploration through sequels or additional content. Overall, while the gameplay may be lacking for some, the narrative and character development provide a compelling experience that resonates with players.

    • “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 story is well made and is along one of the actually good storylines I've seen for games.”
    • “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.”
  • music127 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, energetic, and thematic qualities, enhancing the overall experience and engagement during gameplay. However, some players noted issues with the music not looping seamlessly and occasionally feeling out of place, which detracted from immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere.

    • “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.”
    • “It's not quite Undertale level, but some of those songs come close, pumping you up for action, winding you down for a moodier moment, and always, always, creating those earworm melodies that you find yourself singing along.”
    • “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.”
    • “The regular music was used for the entire fight, making the whole thing feel less exciting than it otherwise would have.”
  • humor59 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, engaging dialogue, and ability to subvert traditional gaming tropes, resulting in a mix of absurd situations and witty character interactions. Players appreciate the well-developed personalities of the characters, which contribute to both hilarious and heartwarming moments throughout the story. Overall, the humor is described as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable and memorable.

    • “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.”
    • “This game is hilarious, clever, and a lot of fun.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the charming art style and character designs, particularly in portraits, while others criticize the overall visual quality as unpolished or inconsistent. Many reviewers appreciate the unique art styles across different areas, but note issues like repetitive graphics and occasional graphical errors. Overall, while the visuals may not be universally acclaimed, they are often complemented by strong music and engaging storytelling.

    • “The artwork and music in the game is phenomenal and the writing is hilarious and well done.”
    • “First, the visuals are gorgeous; a lot of effort has been put into the characters and background.”
    • “The art style really fits and improves the experience; every new area has a unique art style and feel.”
    • “The visuals are sort of unpolished though, it feels like an early beta.”
    • “Graphically speaking, it's not very great.”
    • “The graphics are bad, the music is ok at best, the gameplay can be choppy at times, but the concept is fantastic.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The game offers a deep narrative 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 a sense of satisfaction and inspiration. The combination of engaging storytelling, charming art, and fitting music enhances the overall emotional experience.

    • “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 on an emotional roller coaster, and the ending was an extremely excellent finale to the game.”
  • character development8 mentions

    The character development in the game is praised for its depth and solid storytelling, particularly highlighting the protagonist's humor. While the character designs are noted as a strong point, opinions vary, with some finding them uninspired, while others appreciate the art style and creativity, especially in the main character, Crow. Overall, character design and development are considered the game's biggest strengths.

    • “The character development is deep, the protagonist is funny, the story is very solid.”
    • “On the other hand, the character design and art style are great.”
    • “- uninspired character designs”
    • “It really is the biggest strength this game has, alongside its character design maybe.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit, citing good replay value despite its short length, others feel it lacks significant incentives for replaying beyond collecting items that offer little reward. Frustrating difficulty also detracts from the overall replay experience for some users.

    • “The game is kind of 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!”
    • “For example, frustrating difficulty and non-replayability.”
    • “Not much replay value outside of finding the crowns (which do nothing as far as I know).”
    • “Some replayability.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its stability, with multiple users reporting bugs, random screen freezes, and poorly implemented mechanics. While some found these issues did not significantly detract from the overall experience, the consensus indicates that the game feels rushed and lacks polish.

    • “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.”
    • “The one flaw (besides random screen freezes) I have to mention is that most of the heroes you fight are not much of a challenge, but maybe that's just me.”
  • 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 overall 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

Videos

Similar Games