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"Nether" is a survival game set in a post-apocalyptic urban environment, where players must make quick decisions to stay alive. The game has been rolled back to 2014, with single-player mode, no micro-transactions, and multiplayer on player-hosted servers. Custom server settings and modding tools are in development. Bug fixes, including for the Nether character, are also planned.

Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
Nether screenshot
+3

38%
Audience ScoreBased on 20,668 reviews
gameplay348 positive mentions
stability1.4k negative mentions

  • The atmosphere of 'Nether' is widely praised for its haunting ambient sounds, eerie visuals, and immersive post-apocalyptic setting that effectively creates tension and fear.
  • Gameplay offers a challenging yet rewarding experience, with a decent variety of weapons and a high-stakes PvP environment that keeps players engaged.
  • The game has seen improvements in its monetization strategy, with the removal of microtransactions and a return to a more player-friendly model, leading to cautious optimism among the community.
  • The gameplay is criticized for being clunky and unpolished, plagued by bugs and a lack of meaningful progression, which can lead to a frustrating experience.
  • Graphics and optimization issues are prevalent, with many players reporting severe performance problems, low frame rates, and a general sense of the game being unfinished.
  • The game's story is largely seen as lacking depth and engagement, with repetitive missions that fail to provide meaningful context or character development.
  • gameplay
    1,464 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Nether" has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting its ambitious design and tense atmosphere but criticizing its execution. While some appreciate the unique blend of survival and horror mechanics, others find the gameplay clunky, unpolished, and plagued by bugs, leading to a frustrating experience. The game offers a decent variety of weapons and a clan system for collaboration, but the overall lack of polish and support has hindered its long-term success and enjoyment.

    • “The gameplay is so challenging but rewarding, I love sneaking past huge groups of enemies that are most likely gonna kill me instantly but the loot you find around them is rewarding. It does take you a while to master the combat of different enemies but once you get the hang of 'evasion' the game becomes a little bit easier.”
    • “If you take a few minutes to really understand the core gameplay loop, you'll realize that there is a solid game here.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and the PvP is great when you win the fight and lose the fight, due to the high tension of the fight.”
    • “While the game’s weapon variety is decent, the mechanics feel clunky and unpolished, particularly in melee engagements.”
    • “The gameplay is very boring which consists of just grabbing boxes from town and bringing them to another town to get money to buy weapons, equipment, supplies, etc. Very little to do in the game and the single player is just the solo version of the multiplayer.”
    • “The gameplay is garbage, slow and sorely responsive.”
  • stability
    1,426 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting a plethora of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that render it nearly unplayable. Many players describe the game as unfinished and in a perpetual state of beta, with frequent crashes, server connection problems, and frustrating gameplay mechanics. Despite some acknowledging the game's potential and fun aspects, the overwhelming consensus is that its current state is riddled with instability, making it a risky purchase.

    • “Altho the game is still in an 'early access' state, it feels solid and runs great.”
    • “Runs great, even with anti-aliasing and motion blur.”
    • “The game is not buggy whatsoever; you just need to be silent for the most part.”
    • “Terrain is buggy and gets you killed, enemies glitch and instant kill you, crafting system won't tell you what items are unless you already know what they are.”
    • “I'm doubtful that any meaningful updates will occur that will fix the plethora of bugs and glitches in it, not to mention that in its current state (tried about a year ago) it still felt as undeveloped as when I played in early alpha.”
    • “The game is buggy and unfinished.”
  • graphics
    1,352 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the atmospheric visuals and detailed environments, while others criticize them as outdated and poorly optimized. Many users note that the graphics can be visually appealing at times, but are marred by glitches, low frame rates, and a lack of detail in certain areas. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a strong point by some, yet a significant drawback by others, reflecting a divide in player experiences.

    • “The graphics are amazing and the environment you are set in will make you feel afraid, especially when all you have is a butter knife.”
    • “The atmosphere created by the graphics and sound give the game a very realistic feel.”
    • “The graphics are great and you have this dark atmosphere in the destroyed city where mutants are lurking around every corner.”
    • “The graphics are garbage at best, and unintelligible at worst.”
    • “This game is downright awful after 106 painful minutes of playing it. Even on high settings, the graphics are downright ugly, literally ugly, and can be compared to that of a PS2 game.”
    • “The graphics are abysmal; actually worse, by far, than graphics in games 10 years ago.”
  • story
    838 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is widely criticized for being virtually nonexistent, with many players noting a lack of engaging narrative or character development. While there are missions, primarily focused on mundane tasks like delivering packages, they are often described as repetitive and uninspired, failing to provide any meaningful context or backstory. Overall, players express disappointment in the game's storytelling, feeling it detracts from the potential of its intriguing setting and gameplay mechanics.

    • “It has a very interesting setting and possibly story.”
    • “The atmosphere and graphics are spooky, the creatures/monsters are nightmarishly creepy, the story behind it is awesome.”
    • “Every now and again you'll find little 'examine' areas that allow you to get backstory of the game and world and this, in conjunction with the many different hostiles, make this game enjoyable for anyone.”
    • “I started playing this game shortly after it was released and this game is really lacking & the gameplay mechanics are clunky (it has not changed) -_- the 'story' is uninteresting & poorly executed.”
    • “There is not much of a storyline other than implication, but the game is just true exploration and survival.”
    • “This game lacks in depth, story and things to do in general.”
  • atmosphere
    524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Nether" is widely praised as one of its strongest features, characterized by haunting ambient sounds, eerie visuals, and a palpable sense of desolation that immerses players in its post-apocalyptic world. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create tension and fear through its unique enemy design and environmental storytelling, although some note that the atmosphere can become less impactful over time due to gameplay inconsistencies and a lack of content. Overall, the game's atmospheric elements are seen as a significant draw, making it a compelling experience for fans of survival horror.

    • “The game’s atmosphere is one of its greatest strengths, with haunting ambient sounds, eerie visuals, and a genuine sense of desolation that draws players into its world.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing and does a really good job putting you in the apocalyptic mindset where you will find yourself running for your life more than or just as much as you are fighting off the nether.”
    • “It perfectly captures the atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic scenario and really gets you into the game.”
    • “However, eventually the atmosphere gets dull and you adjust to the sounds of the monsters and it becomes less scary/creepy.”
    • “The atmosphere is abysmal, menus are impossible, and connecting to a server is time consuming and very iffy.”
    • “I have yet to level up at all and the atmosphere has gone from lonesome and foreboding to just plain boring.”
  • optimization
    392 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, low frame rates, and numerous bugs since its release. Many users describe it as poorly optimized, even on high-end systems, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences characterized by stuttering, clipping, and graphical glitches. Despite some potential in its mechanics, the lack of effective optimization and ongoing support has left the game feeling unfinished and unplayable for many.

    • “Ps: it even works on my potato PC, very well optimized.”
    • “I first logged on and was pleasantly surprised by the detail and performance of the game.”
    • “Runs pretty good, pretty optimized.”
    • “Bugs, performance problems, and server instability plagued the game from its early days, and while the developers made efforts to address these concerns, they were never fully resolved.”
    • “This game is one of the worst optimized out there, tons of stutter and fps drops here and there, I don't even know how can anyone run this game under the 'minimum' or even the 'recommended' specs.”
    • “The game is not optimized at all and looks like it won't be getting any more patches either, this is taken straight from a post by the devs.”
  • monetization
    250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has faced significant backlash from players, who label it a "cash grab" due to the initial implementation of microtransactions and pay-to-win elements that alienated the community. Although recent updates have removed these microtransactions, many players still express frustration over past experiences and the game's overall quality, describing it as buggy and unpolished. The transition to a model without microtransactions has been met with cautious optimism, but the game's reputation remains tarnished by its history of aggressive monetization practices.

    • “Game is no longer pay to win, no longer have microtransactions, the original devs took the game back because the money hungry peeps didn't want it anymore, the game is still the same, buggy, unpolished, but the pay to win system is gone.”
    • “Microtransactions have been removed and DLC are being refunded with game keys, so I gotta say, good on the devs!”
    • “The microtransactions are out, I haven't had any trouble with hackers, and the game runs fairly smooth. This game has only been getting better since the real developers took over once again and I hope people realize it's not the same game it was and all the changes were for the better.”
    • “The decision to implement microtransactions and paid features in a game already struggling with its player base also drew criticism, alienating some of its community.”
    • “This game could have ruled the world, but the devs went with early access and microtransactions.”
    • “The game that got destroyed by in-game purchases, abandoned, then picked up by another dev team only to be abandoned again.”
  • humor
    138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous bugs and glitches, which players find amusing, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews highlight the game's goofiness and the hilarity that can arise from its chaotic mechanics, despite acknowledging its overall poor quality. While some players enjoy the comedic moments, others caution that the game's issues can detract from the experience, making it a mixed bag of fun and frustration.

    • “I wanted to write something funny here, but honestly, I got a sincere little joy out of the goofiness of this game.”
    • “So far, I haven't encountered any major bugs, I have met some really cool other players, and we're just running around laughing, looting, and running for our lives half of the time.”
    • “The bugs in this game are also freaking hilarious (the only car in the game for example) and you seriously have to get this game if you like having fun.”
    • “You start off not knowing what to do. As you explore, you figure out - hey, I need food... except the whole damn world is so empty it's not funny. There's a big focus on PvP, but after killing a few mobs, you realize... what's the point of this?”
  • grinding
    104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling that it lacks meaningful progression. Many express dissatisfaction with the repetitive nature of grinding for items and levels, especially when losses due to death reset their progress. While some players believe that perseverance may lead to a rewarding end-game, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grind becomes monotonous and detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “Hours of grinding and you still won't feel like you accomplished anything.”
    • “To lose everything creates no progression, makes it terribly grindy, and gets boring very quickly.”
    • “As soon as you die, you're back to level 1, all that grinding for nothing. I can understand losing loot on your person when you die as long as you could store provisions in a safe zone, but losing levels only feeds PvP camping and defeats the purpose of having a leveling system.”
  • emotional
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a range of emotional responses to the game, from guilt and helplessness during intense moments to frustration and disappointment due to bugs and gameplay mechanics. Many highlight moments of realization and loss that evoke strong feelings, while others share humorous yet dark experiences that contrast with the game's intended emotional impact. Overall, the emotional experience is mixed, with some finding it heart-wrenching and others feeling let down by technical issues.

    • “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what was at stake; he gave up smoking immediately.”
    • “I just want to cry... the game's idea and aspect is amazing.”
    • “Death results in the loss of everything; all your items and experience drop to the ground as your claim to them is lost, which results in some emotional gameplay.”
  • replayability
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is generally viewed as moderate to high, with players appreciating the variety of challenges and modes available, particularly in multiplayer settings. However, some users note that solo play can feel grindy and may lead to lower replay value. Overall, while the game offers engaging mechanics that encourage repeated play, its longevity may depend on the player's preferred mode and the current content available.

    • “This game has a decent amount of replayability, from getting ATVs off a territory to scavenging for high gears, such as a completely silent and long-range semi-automatic sniper rifle.”
    • “But through and through, this game has a very high replay value even though it is a single death elimination game mode.”
    • “I always seem to come back to it because of its replay value in being multiplayer.”
    • “To trying to attain territory, etc. however, I can see because of the current content, that you can end up feeling like a grind - and replayability is not virtually unlimited.”
    • “This is a game with moderate replay value, but once again it all depends on if you are playing solo or in groups.”
    • “Solo I would say more of a low end replay value.”
  • music
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting the absence of a traditional soundtrack. Instead, a continuous haunting hum enhances the gritty atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic setting, while some find the ambient sounds effective in maintaining tension. However, there are calls for more diverse music tracks to enrich the gameplay experience.

    • “Soundtrack & audio: there is no real soundtrack but a low continuous haunting humming sound provides a constant companion as you trek through the post-apocalyptic environment that perfectly adds to the gritty atmosphere.”
    • “Good music, ambience, atmosphere, setting.”
    • “The soundtrack and ambient noises will keep you alert forever.”
    • “Everything is dark so that you can barely see, the music is aggrieving, you hear nether screaming from above you and maybe gunshots from other people defending themselves against other nether.”
    • “Soundtrack & audio: there is no real soundtrack but a low continuous haunting humming sound provides a constant companion as you trek through the post-apocalyptic environment that perfectly adds to gritty atmosphere.”
  • character development
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with players noting a simplistic design process that offers limited customization options. While the graphics are praised, the character models are described as one-dimensional and not as visually appealing as advertised, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with the overall character progression experience.

    • “- satisfyingly good graphics, lens flare, textures, character design.”
    • “Character design is very one-dimensional: pick 1 of 3 races, pick 1 of 4 shirts and pants, play the game.”
    • “The only element of RPG that exists is a slight level of character development, which is quickly overshadowed by the lack of permanence.”
    • “The character designs/models are okay, though there is room for improvement.”

Buy Nether

8h Median play time
53h Average play time
3-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 108 analyzed playthroughs

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