PERISH

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 169 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
PERISH Game Cover
Perish is a solid FPS roguelike with tons of replayability, often giving off a DOOM-vibe that pushes you to the limits of your own sanity.
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"PERISH is a horror shooter game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes for 1-4 players in a co-op setting. As a condemned spirit, players must fight through hordes of creatures in Purgatory to collect gold-stained corpses and face magnificent bosses, with the goal of reaching Elysium. The risk versus reward system adds tension as losing to enemies causes players to drop their accumulated wealth, making each encounter high stakes."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews
gameplay13 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and engaging gameplay loop, especially when played with friends, combining elements of FPS and roguelike mechanics.
  • The art style and soundtrack are highly praised, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • There is a good variety of weapons and upgrades, providing players with a sense of progression and replayability.
  • The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and limited map variety, leading to a feeling of monotony over time.
  • Enemy spawn mechanics can be frustrating, with enemies often appearing right behind players, leading to unexpected deaths.
  • Numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and glitches, detract from the overall experience and indicate a lack of polish.
  • gameplay37 mentions

    The gameplay is generally described as fun and engaging, blending elements from titles like Vermintide and Diablo 2, with a unique setting that combines various historical styles. While the core mechanics and art direction are praised, some players note issues with balance, repetitiveness, and minor bugs that detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the game offers a solid gameplay loop and enjoyable multiplayer aspects, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate its style and mechanics.

    • “Very fun, decently optimized, smooth gameplay, and an amazing soundtrack. The gameplay is like a mix between Vermintide and Greek mythology with their own creative spin on it; very, very fun.”
    • “The setting that mixes many different historical styles is interesting, and the gameplay loop is solid enough to keep you playing for a good amount of time.”
    • “Fluid gameplay, vibey soundtrack, and visually pleasing environments.”
    • “Core gameplay is pretty repetitive; this is not a big problem for me, but I think more ways to alternate your journey would be nice.”
    • “Half-baked mechanics plague this absolute mess of a game.”
    • “Overall, feels like early access more than a full release; needs better optimization, gameplay is not fun and tedious, multiplayer is the only saving grace for an otherwise mediocre experience.”
  • music33 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many praising its unique blend of metal and Greek instrumentation, creating an engaging and immersive atmosphere that complements the gameplay. While some tracks stand out and enhance the experience, a few players noted that the music can feel repetitive and occasionally uninspired, particularly in relation to the game's mythological setting. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's fun and aesthetic appeal.

    • “Aesthetically, it is a huge feast between the ancient world backdrops and the culturally colored banger of a metal soundtrack.”
    • “The OST is a nice blend of metal fused with what I think is Greek instrumentation (I want to say I hear a bouzouki in there?).”
    • “The music is amazing; it goes really well with the game and the stream enjoyed it as well.”
    • “Overall - if you are looking for a mindless, hack n' slash type of game while just listening to music or podcasts, then I can recommend this game; however, if you are a bit more picky with things, then I'd take your money elsewhere!”
    • “However, none of it really stands out - I don't find myself in any particular area thinking that I really want to hear the music there again.”
    • “Also, the metal soundtrack is alright, but feels uninspired and out of place by the mythological setting the game takes place in; it made more sense in games like Metal: Hellsinger and Doom because you were fighting demons in hell.”
  • graphics29 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received a mixed reception, with many praising the art style, aesthetic appeal, and impressive visuals for an indie title, particularly highlighting the vibrant backdrops and character designs. However, some users feel that the graphics appear outdated compared to AAA standards, and there are mentions of a lack of polish in certain areas. Overall, while the visuals are generally appreciated, they may not meet the expectations of players seeking cutting-edge graphics.

    • “Aesthetically, it is a huge feast between the ancient world backdrops and the culturally colored banger of a metal soundtrack.”
    • “The graphics are wonderful for the playstyle.”
    • “Perish offers a great world to explore and a surprising amount of graphical prowess for an indie roguelike.”
    • “If you play this game and expect AAA title graphics and gameplay like Doom, you're going to stay mad. That being said, the atmosphere is gentle and crisp, and the ambience of the game is further enhanced by the Doom-esque heavy metal in the background.”
    • “It's entirely possible that with future updates, the game will heal its scars, but for now, they run deep, blemishing the gameplay; yet, the aesthetics remain immaculate.”
    • “[bad stuff, subpar visuals, messy user interface, clunky movement and interactions, overall an unpolished game]”
  • story16 mentions

    The game's story is described as minimal or non-existent, with some players likening it to a simple framework for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. While the level design and mission variety provide some engagement, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed storyline and better tutorial guidance. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay mechanics than on delivering a rich narrative experience.

    • “Level design and story are both very fun to play through.”
    • “Intrigued by murmurs of its allure, I, your ever observant, embarked on a clandestine mission to unveil its secrets and unveil them I did, with delight I might add!”
    • “Epic story.”
    • “If you can look past this fact, there's the case of the in-game quests needing you to 'kill this specific enemy that only appears on this stage' hundreds of times, because the condition of said kills is based on RNG.”
    • “The second issue is (minor), the game didn't teach you anything really; you just find yourself crawling out of a Dark Souls tomb and walking into the golden gates without any tutorial (besides jump and dash). I didn't know I had a kick until after my third mission, let alone bomb throwing and knife throwing as well.”
    • “🔲 this game has no story”
  • replayability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly replayable due to its roguelite elements and challenging gameplay, others feel it becomes repetitive quickly, limiting long-term engagement. Many appreciate the fun mechanics and variety, but some express concerns about its longevity and the potential for it to feel stale after a few playthroughs.

    • “Very good game, so much replayability.”
    • “Cool style FPS with high replay value thanks to those roguelite elements.”
    • “Perish is a solid FPS roguelike with tons of replayability, often giving off a doom-vibe that pushes you to the limits of your own sanity.”
    • “This gets old pretty fast, and limits the overall replayability.”
    • “Another large issue is the replayability of this game.”
    • “In its current state, though, it's an RPG worth playing through a couple of times with great controls, satisfying weapon play, a variety of enemies (even if they're kind of obnoxious in some places, like the marble palace), gorgeous graphics, and it truly is a very fun experience with your friends, just not a replayable one.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth gameplay and great performance on mid-range hardware, others experience frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems. This inconsistency suggests that the game may require further optimization to enhance the overall experience.

    • “Very fun, decently optimized, smooth gameplay, and an amazing soundtrack. The gameplay is like a mix between Vermintide and Greek mythology with their own creative spin on it. Very, very fun.”
    • “Great graphics and performance.”
    • “The game runs great on a 2070 Super with no stuttering whatsoever.”
    • “Performance seems questionable.”
    • “I was experiencing frame drops and stuttering in this game with an RTX 3080, so I'm not sure what's going on with that...”
    • “Overall, it feels more like early access than a full release; it needs better optimization. The gameplay is not fun and tedious, while multiplayer is the only saving grace for an otherwise mediocre experience.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs, including game-breaking issues like falling through the world and spawning glitches. While some users experienced minor visual glitches, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by significant stability problems that detract from the experience. However, a few players noted that it runs smoothly on high-end hardware without stuttering.

    • “The game runs great on a 2070 Super with no stuttering whatsoever.”
    • “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”
    • “The performance is smooth and consistent, making for an enjoyable gaming experience.”
    • “Incredibly buggy game-breaking bugs that make you fall through the world.”
    • “Secondly, in my almost 2 hours of game time, I ran into several bugs and glitches which shouldn't be there in a fully released game, like players spawning on top of each other and getting stuck after spawning back in the pantheon (hub-like starting area).”
    • “Speaking of glitches, the spectator camera bugs out and allows you to travel outside the map. You can sometimes spawn beneath a map (happened to me in the Orphic Temple), various subtitles for lines that are never spoken show up for some reason when you respawn in the pantheon, random health bars will flicker in and out of existence in some levels, and so on.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it enjoyable and engaging, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the need to replay the same maps. The game's current balance makes it too easy to complete, leading to a sense of monotony, although the multiplayer experience is highlighted as a redeeming feature. Overall, the grinding experience feels more like an early access title in need of optimization and refinement.

    • “Is it a tedious grind?”
    • “Overall, feels like early access more than a full release; needs better optimization, gameplay is not fun and tedious, multiplayer is the only saving grace for an otherwise mediocre experience.”
    • “It's tedious because you need to play the same maps, but that's the idea of the game.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive dark fantasy setting, complemented by a gentle yet crisp ambiance and a heavy metal soundtrack that enhances the experience. While some design choices may be questionable, the overall atmosphere successfully captivates players, making it a standout feature despite its lack of AAA graphics.

    • “Despite questionable design choices, Perish still managed to win me and my friend over with its immersive, atmospheric dark fantasy setting and plenty of weapons and various items to play around with.”
    • “If you play this game and expect AAA title graphics and gameplay like Doom, you're going to stay mad, but that being said, the atmosphere is gentle and crisp. The ambience of the game is further enhanced by the Doom-esque heavy metal in the background.”
    • “On a positive note, I like the setting, dark atmosphere, and the soundtrack seems decent.”
    • “If you play this game and expect AAA title graphics and gameplay like Doom, you're going to stay mad. That being said, the atmosphere is gentle and crisp, and the ambience of the game is further enhanced by the Doom-esque heavy metal in the background.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I was hoping for.”
    • “While the game has some interesting concepts, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to engage the player.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its slapstick elements, such as enemies comically slipping on spilled wine and falling to their demise, which adds an unexpected layer of amusement. Players find the absurdity of these moments entertaining, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.

    • “For example, the ability to spill wine everywhere is very funny for the wrong reasons - enemies approaching you, stepping on wine, and just falling down to their death, screaming in agony.”
    • “After beating two runs and laughing at the claws, this game is great.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a desire for improved ad sensitivity controls, suggesting that while the game's monetization strategy may include ads, players find the gameplay mechanics, such as hipfire accuracy and damage multipliers, to be somewhat balanced despite the presence of ads. Overall, the monetization approach appears to be a point of contention, with players seeking enhancements to their experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

Buy PERISH

Play time

3hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
2-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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