Ship of Fools

About

Ship of Fools is a cooperative roguelike game where players control a crew of misfits on a perilous voyage. Navigate through treacherous waters, battle monstrous sea creatures, and manage your ship's resources to survive. With procedurally generated levels and a variety of character classes, each playthrough offers a new and exciting adventure. Work together to reach the end of the world and uncover its secrets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,179 reviews

gameplay225 positive mentions

grinding41 negative mentions

Fun and chaotic co-op gameplay that requires teamwork and coordination.
Charming art style and engaging soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Offers a variety of characters, ships, and items that provide replayability.

Game is relatively short, with many players completing it in just a few hours.
Lacks significant endgame content and variety in bosses and levels.
Multiplayer connectivity issues can lead to frustrating disconnections and loss of progress.

gameplay
423 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
43%
3%
The gameplay is widely praised for its fun, chaotic, and strategic elements, particularly in cooperative play, where teamwork and coordination are essential. Players enjoy the simple yet engaging mechanics, variety in character and ship options, and the addictive core gameplay loop, although some express disappointment over the limited content and repetitive nature after a few runs. Overall, it offers a delightful experience, especially with friends, but could benefit from additional content and polish to enhance replayability.
- “The gameplay is just so much fun, especially with friends.”
- “Experimenting with different builds and unlocking new gear always adds excitement to the gameplay loop.”
- “The core gameplay loop is simple - keep your ship alive while fighting through stages of enemy waves and slowly upgrading your ammunition, HP, abilities, etc.”
- “It is max a couple of hours of gameplay, and although afterwards you can go endless modes with increasing difficulty, it's always going to be the same three maps with the same bosses, etc. there's no real progression once you've gone through the whole run once, which is a huge shame.”
- “The mechanics work bad and the game gets boring very quick.”
- “Realizing that the gameplay loop really isn't anything more than the three zone bosses plus the last boss and the game abruptly ending after that is really a bummer.”
graphics
211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their whimsical and charming art style, characterized by cute and colorful visuals that enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some players noted issues with frame rates and lack of graphics options, the unique character designs and fluid animations were highlighted as standout features that contribute to the game's appeal. Overall, the art style is considered a significant strength, making the game visually engaging and enjoyable.
- “The art style is amazing and the gameplay has a surprising amount of depth.”
- “Visually, Ship of Fools is a delight, with colorful graphics that bring its quirky characters and zany situations to life.”
- “The artwork is excellent, animations are satisfying and really make the goofy nature of the characters shine through.”
- “When the screen scrolls, it's an extremely jittery mess and gave me eye strain. I could not find a way to fix it, and there are no graphics options in the game.”
- “Worse, there are no graphics settings.”
- “35fps on a game that uses vector graphics, lmao.”
music
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
25%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its exceptional quality and variety, describing it as "phenomenal" and "a banger." The soundtrack enhances the overall experience, elevating gameplay and contributing to the game's charming atmosphere, particularly during boss fights. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the majority agree that the music is a standout feature that significantly enriches the game.
- “The music is perfect and one of the best soundtracks in any game I have ever played.”
- “The soundtrack is perfect and elevates the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Philippe did an outstanding job on creating the music and it goes hand in hand with the simple but intense gameplay.”
- “Probably a fun game, but cannot get past the repetitive music and jarring sound effects.”
- “I will say there are some bugs which are quite annoying - the reflected projectile outline staying on the ship after the round has ended, dead enemies still appearing on your co-op partner's screen, the bomb artifacts not working for your partner, the battle music continuing even after the enemy has been defeated.”
- “The music.”
replayability
149 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
56%
15%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its fun co-op experience, diverse characters, and unlockable content that enhance replay value. However, some users express disappointment over the limited content and repetitive gameplay, which can diminish long-term motivation. Overall, while there is significant potential for replayability, especially with friends, the current state of the game leaves some players wanting more variety and depth.
- “The game is super fun and the different characters, ships, weapons, items, and modifiers provide a surprising amount of replayability.”
- “Ship of Fools is a fun, simple game with surprising depth and immense replayability.”
- “The replayability is practically unmatched; if I didn't have responsibilities, I could play this game with my brother for hours on end.”
- “As it stands currently, it's just uninteresting and doesn't really offer a lot of replay value.”
- “There is barely any content, and there is no replayability whatsoever.”
- “Very fun game with a friend, although I can't recommend currently as we managed to beat the game in about 5 runs taking less than 4 hours, and unlike other roguelikes it seems to lack much in the way of replay value.”
humor
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its chaotic and hilarious gameplay, witty dialogue, and quirky characters that enhance the overall experience. Many reviews note that the game is particularly fun in co-op mode, leading to memorable moments and laughter, despite some frustrations with friendly fire mechanics. Overall, the combination of stylish presentation, engaging humor, and strategic gameplay makes it a delightful experience for both solo and multiplayer sessions.
- “My buddy and I love to experiment with this game with a mix of hilarious, marvelous, and, it must be said, often disastrous results.”
- “There's a bit of witty humor, and some one-liners that made me and my friend laugh out loud.”
- “Despite its flaws, Ship of Fools is a hilarious and engaging experience that's perfect for anyone who enjoys a good laugh and a bit of swashbuckling adventure.”
story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
72%
4%
The game's story is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, with many players expressing disappointment over its brevity and lack of meaningful progression. While some appreciate the humor and character design, others find the narrative lacking depth and coherence, often feeling that it fails to engage or reward players adequately. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling element in its own right.
- “The point is that the game is beautiful, the music is very cool, the gameplay is good, the plot is enticing, I really want to continue, I also really liked the bosses!”
- “After 5 hours of playing this game (plus beta), I can safely say this game is really good at what it offers: roguelike combat, fun and replayable gameplay, very interesting mechanics, and enjoyable story/dialogues.”
- “The world of the archipelago has enough bits of lore sprinkled about to tell a story, but enough holes to perhaps fill in your own.”
- “I was left confused when I saw the credits, not believing how short it was and wishing there was a new game+ or any sort of variance in enemy or gameplay to make up for the short story.”
- “The game is over so quickly, it would be amazing to get more content - especially as it was left open-ended with the story.”
- “I was expecting a more rewarding finish to the storyline or even the option to spruce up the island with tendrils collected to keep playing the game.”
grinding
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
18%
80%
Reviews indicate that the game's grinding aspect can be both enjoyable and tedious, depending on the player's perspective. While some players appreciate the grind as a fun, cooperative experience, others find it repetitive and lacking in content, particularly in the post-game phase. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy grind-heavy gameplay, but it may not appeal to everyone due to its slow progression and limited endgame content.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “After defeating the first boss and moving onto the next area, the grind quickly starts to feel tedious.”
- “Fun game, but grindy and there's no end game.”
- “The theme, art style, co-op, and gameplay are all good, but progression is dull and slow, ending up being tedious after just an hour or two of playing.”
stability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits notable stability issues, including frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in co-op mode. Players have reported problems such as freezing during encounters, unresponsive controls, and crashes, which detract from the overall experience. While the game is enjoyable and has potential, these stability concerns significantly hinder its performance and enjoyment.
- “Has potential, but the glitches and the game saving mechanic of you not being able to go to the 'lighthouse' after every big level has finished really holds it back.”
- “The game itself is especially fun when played with a friend, but please release a patch where you fix important bugs. The game is buggy, co-op not working, and crashing at a black screen. Some visual bugs and even the bosses are bugged where despite the HP bar being at 0, the spirit of the boss remains and the run cannot be continued.”
- “The game freezes on its opening logos.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
33%
44%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting poor performance across various platforms, including the Steam Deck, where frame rates can drop to as low as 20. Even users with high-end hardware, such as an RTX 3060, experience subpar performance, particularly during critical gameplay moments. While some aspects of design are appreciated, the overall optimization, including AI performance and loading times, leaves much to be desired.
- “Good overall design and optimization.”
- “Some loading optimization would be cool too, but once the map is loaded there isn't much loading to speak of.”
- “The game is optimized for duo play.”
- “Great game, I’m enjoying it so far; however, there is terrible performance on the Steam Deck, hitting as low as 20 frames on the OLED. Hopefully, they can fix this soon!”
- “Also, the game is very poorly optimized even when I have a good machine with an RTX 3060.”
- “Really bad optimization despite being a 2D game.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The character development in the game is highly praised for its charming and cute designs, particularly the portrayal of whimsical sea creatures. Players appreciate the overall art style and graphics, which enhance the gameplay experience, although some technical issues, like crashes during online co-op, have been noted. Overall, the character designs contribute significantly to the game's appeal and replayability.
- “The character designs and overall look of the game are really nice and lovely; who wouldn't like to play as a foolish little sea creature?”
- “My sister loves the character design as well as the gameplay and the replayability.”
- “Excellent gameplay, art style, music, and character design.”
- “The character designs and overall look of the game are really nice and lovely, but the character development feels shallow and uninspired.”
- “While the art and graphics are appealing, the characters lack depth and meaningful progression throughout the game.”
- “The character development is disappointing; I expected more growth and complexity from the characters given the game's vibrant design.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a rainy setting and the experience of sailing the seas, enhanced by a perfect soundtrack that significantly elevates the overall ambiance.
- “The soundtrack is perfect and elevates the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Rainy atmosphere and sailing the seas!”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model of the game is generally viewed positively, allowing players to achieve 100% completion without feeling pressured by aggressive cash grabs. However, some players express concerns about balance issues related to certain powerful items and characters that may disrupt gameplay.
- “That way if you want to 100% the game, you can do it without getting hit with this snarky cash grab.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotional responses, particularly through its heartbreaking moments, which, while infrequent, leave a lasting impact. Players appreciate the wholesome nature of the game and express a desire for more content to deepen the emotional experience.
- “Very heartbreaking every time it happens, albeit not often.”
- “Very nice and wholesome game; I wish there would be more content in the future!”