Serial Cleaners
- September 22, 2022
- Draw Distance
- 12h median play time
Serial Cleaners is a stealth action game from Draw Distance and 505 Games where you take on the role of characters as they utilize their skills to clean up crime scenes.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Serial Cleaners" is a thrilling stealth game where players take on the role of four different cleaners, each with their own special abilities. The cleaners must dispose of bodies and clean up crime scenes while avoiding detection from the police. With a unique 90's setting and a darkly humorous tone, players must plan their moves carefully and think on their feet to successfully complete their missions.
Nintendo Switch
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Playstation 5
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Reviews
- The game features a unique and satisfying premise of cleaning up crime scenes while avoiding police, adding a fun twist to the stealth genre.
- The addition of multiple characters with distinct abilities enhances gameplay variety and keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
- The art style and music are praised for their nostalgic and immersive qualities, contributing to an enjoyable atmosphere throughout the game.
- The AI of the police is often criticized for being unrealistic and lacking challenge, making the game feel too easy and sometimes frustrating.
- Many players found the story and character development to be shallow, with dialogue that can feel forced or clichéd.
- The gameplay can become repetitive over time, with some players expressing disappointment in the lack of depth compared to the original game.
- story120 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in "Serial Cleaners" is a mixed bag, featuring a somewhat charming yet confusing narrative told through the perspectives of four playable characters as they reminisce about their past experiences cleaning up crime scenes. While some players appreciate the character backstories and dialogue, others find the overall plot lackluster and disjointed, with many missions feeling like a collection of random memories rather than a cohesive story. Despite its flaws, the story adds a layer of atmosphere and character development, though it may not be the main draw for all players.
“The story is told through four playable characters as they reminisce at the end of the 20th century.”
“Very good story, beautiful music, pleasant aesthetics, and fun characters with their own issues, talents, and perspectives.”
“The story provides enough background for each mission and character, that can easily keep you playing.”
“The story isn't really a story, just a bunch of memories from the main characters talking about 'this one time...'.”
“While the game has a story mode, it feels more like a vessel for character building rather than any actual overarching story.”
“The missions feel like a random amalgamation of locations, rather than a coherent story.”
- gameplay78 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Serial Cleaners" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the stylish art and unique mechanics that encourage bold, stealthy maneuvers, while others criticize the clunky mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and frustrating AI. The game offers a variety of characters and settings that keep the experience fresh, but many feel that the overall execution lacks the compelling nature of its predecessor, leading to a gameplay loop that can become tedious. Overall, while the core mechanics are solid and enjoyable for a time, the game struggles with pacing and design issues that detract from the overall experience.
“The gameplay is top notch; I love loading into a level, getting the lay of the land, and then trying to clean up the scene without letting the cops know I'm there.”
“The mechanics, visual design, sound design, story, everything works together to create a stealth game like no other.”
“Each character has unique gameplay elements that change how you go about each mission, keeping the gameplay feeling fresh.”
“I'm not sure why, the premise of the game is fun, but the actual gameplay is really not compelling.”
“The gameplay is not fun after about two levels.”
“However, there are too many clunky mechanics, poorly designed maps, and painful AI.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game maintain the original style while incorporating improvements that enhance the overall aesthetic, which is often praised for its retro-inspired visuals and vibrant art style. While many players appreciate the unique artistic direction and nostalgic atmosphere, some have noted issues with visibility and occasional glitches. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's charm, complemented by a fitting soundtrack and engaging character design.
“The game has a great art style and runs very well; overall it delivers what the first game had and a lot more.”
“The retro-inspired visuals and soundtrack evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of crime dramas from the 1970s.”
“Keeping the original charm from the first game with an improved art style and a new cast of lovable characters, we are stuck with an artistic masterpiece that speaks for itself.”
“The added graphics and details make it harder to see where you're trying to go as well.”
“Characters are not likable at all, the graphics are truly terrible but the art style is great; it reminds me of True Crime: NYC.”
“Though the game tries to capture the late 90s atmosphere, the artwork feels out of place most of the time, creating a blank atmosphere.”
- music41 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its nostalgic and immersive qualities. While the soundtrack is generally considered top-notch, some players have pointed out issues with repetitiveness and audio mixing. Overall, the music is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal, despite a few criticisms regarding specific tracks and volume levels.
“The retro-inspired visuals and soundtrack evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of crime dramas from the 1970s.”
“The music is great and I love the game's atmosphere and presentation; this I would say is the main reason for playing the game.”
“The artwork is really good, it's visually interesting and the soundtrack is fantastic; I really enjoyed it throughout.”
“My only qualm is that the music can get pretty repetitive.”
“The audio mixing is all over the place with blaring jazz music in your ears at all times.”
“The cut scenes are a bit cringe and the music is a bit bland.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, blending a nostalgic y2k aesthetic with engaging music and character backstory. While some players appreciate the lighthearted juxtaposition of serious themes and mundane tasks, others feel that the artwork occasionally detracts from the intended late 90s vibe, resulting in a less cohesive experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a key highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Really worth checking it out, just for the Y2K aesthetic and the dense atmosphere it provides.”
“The atmosphere in this game is amazing, and the characters are very interesting.”
“Though the game tries to capture the late 90s atmosphere, the artwork feels out of place most of the time, creating a blank atmosphere.”
“Though the game tries to capture the late 90s atmosphere, the artwork feels out of place most of the time, creating a blank atmosphere.”
“The juxtaposition of the serious setting with the mundane task of cleaning creates a lighthearted atmosphere that, at times, brought a smirk to my face.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its dark and dry wit, with players enjoying the absurdity of scenarios like cleaning up crime scenes and engaging in comical interactions with guards. The dialogues are noted as particularly funny, and the overall concept is described as fresh and entertaining, contributing to a stylish and relaxing gameplay experience.
“Playing as a crime scene cleaner tasked with mopping up the aftermath of various criminal activities adds a darkly humorous element to the gameplay.”
“A very decent game with really good and funny dialogues.”
“The concept by itself is just so fresh and hilarious, and I think they did it justice!”
- grinding4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some achievements are deemed worthwhile, the gameplay can feel simplistic and certain levels, particularly those involving hacking, may become tedious. Additionally, some users suggest that a second life may be necessary to effectively manage the grinding process.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
“The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always keeps me engaged.”
“Totally worth it, yet gameplay is a bit simplistic, and the levels are a bit tedious.”
“I think some of the negative reviews may have become frustrated with the early hacking mission, which I feel is a little bit tedious.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- stability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it initially runs well and offers a polished experience, users report occasional bugs and glitches, particularly during specific missions. Despite these issues, many players find the game enjoyable and visually appealing, with minor stability problems that do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“Even though this game currently sits on a mostly positive rating, it definitely deserves more praise than that; it runs great, the soundtrack is very fitting, and the game just feels polished overall (even the occasional buggy guard will get unstuck without having to reload).”
“The rest of the game is fine at first, but then some buggy controls started to pop up, and the prison mission became the second worst out of all of them.”
“The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the sequel to the original Serial Cleaner game is highlighted as both heart-wrenching and exhilarating, with players noting it evoked strong feelings, including near tears. The game is praised for its ability to blend excitement and emotional depth, creating a unique and impactful experience.
“An absolutely delightful, heart-wrenching, and infuriating sequel to the original Serial Cleaner game.”
“Literally almost made me cry twice.”
“It was such an emotional, gut-wrenching, exciting, action-packed, stealth-driven adventure that no other game could ever match.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development is hindered by poor character design, which detracts from the overall depth and engagement of the characters.
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired.”
“I found the characters to be one-dimensional and lacking depth.”
“There is little to no growth in the characters throughout the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game offers an enjoyable single playthrough with impressive level design and diverse characters, reviewers note that it lacks significant replayability.
“This game is very fun for a single playthrough with beautiful level design and rather different characters to play, but I would say there is little to no replayability.”
Critic Reviews
Serial Cleaners review --- A bloody good time
Serial Cleaners is a unique entry into the stealth genre, featuring fun gameplay mechanics, a quirky cast of characters, and increasingly complex missions. Sneaking past guards, disposing of evidence, tackling innocent bystanders, and coming up with increasingly chaotic ways of dealing with tough situations never became dull, rather I was constantly excited for what came next. While there were a few sound issues and the on-screen text can be a bit small, I still found myself greatly enjoying my time as a cleaner for a mob boss.
85%Serial Cleaners Review – So death so clean
Serial Cleaners has taken the monotonous act of cleaning and spun it on its head by placing it in a gritty criminal world with characters that are eccentric and passionate about getting the job done. Though the gameplay can be repetitive and the dialogue may make you wince, the location art and the special abilities of each character makes up for the lack of “action” in this “action crime” game. Instead, the elements of dead bodies, shining pools of blood, and the game’s dark colour palette brings the excitement as you clean up the carnage other games would usually have you create.
70%Serial Cleaners Review
Serial Cleaners' main problem is that it's kind of a wasted opportunity. There's room for a game like this on the market, and it's stylishly presented enough that it could easily garner an audience of obsessive stealth-loving cleaners. It just doesn't achieve the necessary tension to make it a compelling stealth game and its mechanics are too open to abuse to reward careful play and smart decisions. As a result, the potential thrill that it could have been is lost.
50%
