Nodebuster
- August 13, 2024
- Goblobin
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Nodebuster is a single-player strategy game with a focus on ingenious gameplay and resource management. Pretty visuals and exceptional music enhance the experience as you harvest nodes, acquire upgrades, and climb the skill tree to become all-powerful. Be prepared for lots of grinding as you work towards godhood."
steam_deck
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Short but sweet gameplay experience, lasting around 3-5 hours.
- Fun and addictive with satisfying progression and a well-designed upgrade system.
- Great value for the price, providing a relaxing and enjoyable gaming session.
- The game feels short and may leave players wanting more content or replayability.
- The late game can become grindy and lacks meaningful upgrades or challenges.
- Some players experienced issues with screen brightness and accessibility features.
- gameplay59 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as satisfying and engaging, with a simple yet addictive loop of upgrading and resource collection that keeps players hooked for about 3 to 5 hours. However, many reviewers noted a lack of depth and variety in mechanics, particularly towards the end, where the gameplay can feel repetitive and less challenging. While the core experience is enjoyable and visually appealing, there are calls for more features, such as a prestige system and additional gameplay elements, to enhance the overall experience.
“The gameplay is satisfying and well-designed with a smooth progression system.”
“The upgrade system is very fun to explore, there's just enough of a challenge to be engaging without becoming tedious, and the gameplay is satisfying.”
“This is a fantastic game with a simple and addicting gameplay loop.”
“The gameplay is repetitive, upgrades are uninteresting and run out very quickly, the game is very short.”
“Unfortunately not a lot of game :/ it really lacks more gameplay or at least making it harder to progress so quickly.”
“Only negative is that there's little active gameplay in the final ending sequence, especially compared to the rest of the game.”
- music42 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and chill qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the cozy and calming soundtrack, which complements the visuals and sound design effectively. However, some reviewers noted that the music can feel out of sync with the game's pace during more intense moments, suggesting a desire for a wider variety of tracks or a jukebox feature.
“The music helped me through to the end; it was relaxing and chill.”
“The music is calming and fun, and the gameplay is addictive.”
“Great game with an amazing chill soundtrack.”
“The music is very chill albeit a bit monotone - additional songs would be a big boon for it, but not a requirement.”
“It would be cool if the game had some sort of jukebox feature so you could select faster tempo songs later on.”
“The music and sounds are unbeatable; I can see myself playing this again off shrooms to enjoy the music and gameplay!”
- graphics25 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple yet cohesive retro aesthetic that many players find engaging and satisfying. Users appreciate the stylized abstract visuals and the use of filters that evoke a nostalgic CRT feel, enhancing the overall immersive experience. While the visuals are described as minimalistic, they effectively complement the gameplay and sound design, contributing to a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.
“The gradual difficulty spikes between prestige levels, the sound design, the intrigue that came with discovering a new segment of the skill tree, and the simple, retro graphics created a nice space for me to think, reflect, and explore.”
“The aesthetic is very simple, but is coherent and comes together nicely.”
“The graphics are simplified but at the same time compelling - I enjoy the used filters to create a CRT-like feeling.”
“There are accessibility settings to remove the more intense visuals, but there is a lot of complex motion at high contrast that may still present an issue.”
“Graphics are, well, red boxes.”
“The graphics are simplified but at the same time compelling - I enjoy the used filters to create a CRT-like feeling.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 81 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some describe it as a bit tedious, especially at the beginning and end phases, many appreciate the satisfying progression and the ability to leave the game running in the background. Most agree that the grind is manageable and not overly burdensome, with enjoyable gameplay that keeps players engaged throughout.
“Not too grindy and no spiders.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Fun little incremental game, satisfying, not grindy.”
“There is a bit of annoying grinding before you get to the very end phase, but after you've pretty much maxed everything out.”
“However, even as short as it is, the ending drags on a bit, with you not progressing anymore and just farming the same end stage several times.”
“It does get a little more draggy/grindy at the very end, but that's basically the last 5% of the game.”
- story11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, with some players expressing a desire for a more narrative-driven experience and greater player choices. While the ambient storytelling and satisfying gameplay loop are appreciated, many reviewers note the lack of a substantial story as a drawback. Overall, the game is seen as fun and engaging, but it leaves players wanting more depth in its narrative.
“I would love to see a sequel to this that's a little more story-driven and gave more choices than just 'this is the cheapest next upgrade.' Besides that, it's an amazing game that I got on sale.”
“I love the ambient storytelling; the completion of my first full run felt satisfying and solid.”
“However, I would like a story to follow along with.”
“I would love to see a sequel to this that's a little more story-driven and gave more choices than just 'this is the cheapest next upgrade.' Besides that, it's an amazing game that I got on sale.”
“However, I would like a story to follow along with.”
“No story, but a satisfying loop that doesn't wear out its welcome, with a satisfying upgrade tree.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 44 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its enjoyable gameplay and satisfying visuals, but it suffers from a lack of replayability once players have completed it. Many users express a desire for additional content or updates to enhance replay value, as the current experience feels limited after unlocking everything. While it offers a fun and relaxing session, it ultimately does not provide enough incentive for repeated playthroughs.
“An enjoyable, relaxing game that reminded me of a classic flash game in terms of its length, difficulty, and replayability.”
“Ending was a bit anticlimactic, and I yearn for infinitely replayable games like this, but it was still a fun ride.”
“I do really hope for some replayability in the future, but it is perfectly fine how it is.”
“Very fun game, but not much replayability; I would really love to see this game get future content updates.”
“I recommend this for a quick fun session, but there is no replayability.”
“As it stands, it lacks replayability once you've unlocked everything.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally effective, particularly on older hardware, with low CPU and GPU usage. However, some users report slight issues when the game is left idle for extended periods, and there are concerns about resource management related to ground objects. Optimizing for the Steam Deck is anticipated as a potential improvement.
“I hope for better Steam Deck optimization.”
“The game is very optimized, using low CPU and GPU resources on my 6-year-old PC, although there are performance drops due to too many resources on the ground.”
“Slightly poor optimization that only really occurs if you go completely AFK, which defeats the purpose of the game.”
“The only hope for improvement would be optimization for the Steam Deck.”
“The game is very optimized for low CPU and GPU usage on a 6-year-old PC, but excessive resources on the ground lower performance.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its lighthearted and amusing content, making it an enjoyable experience for a casual one-evening play session.
“A delightful and humorous game perfect for a fun evening.”
“This game is packed with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing.”
“The humor is spot-on, making every moment enjoyable and entertaining.”
