Storm Chasers
- June 28, 2019
- Little Cloud Games
- 6h median play time
"Storm Chasers" is a simulation game that allows 2 players to experience the thrill of storm chasing either cooperatively or competitively. Players travel through a detailed map in their cars, activating pods and taking pictures of tornadoes and hurricanes from optimal vantage points. The game boasts great visuals, marvelous music, and an interesting plot, but could use some optimization and bug fixes. In single-player mode, players can complete missions to hone their skillset.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique storm chasing experience, allowing players to take on the role of either a storm chaser or a tornado.
- The graphics and tornado physics are impressive, providing a realistic representation of severe weather.
- The community is active and supportive, with the developer being responsive to feedback and suggestions.
- The game has been largely abandoned by the developer, with infrequent updates and unresolved bugs.
- The gameplay can become repetitive quickly due to a lack of content and limited missions.
- Performance issues and lag are common, even on high-end PCs, making the game less enjoyable.
- graphics138 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the realistic tornado and storm visuals, while others criticize the overall quality and optimization. Some users note that the graphics are impressive for an early access title, but highlight the need for updates and improvements, particularly regarding performance and the appearance of non-storm elements like buildings and landscapes. Overall, while the tornado effects are often described as amazing, there is a consensus that the game would benefit from further graphical enhancements and optimization.
“The quality of the visuals is super good!”
“The storm graphics are very good and look nearly real, and the tornadoes can have random shapes and sizes.”
“This game has amazing graphics and a good range of missions, all with their own details in real-life situations.”
“The graphics aren't the greatest, but it's still fun!”
“The graphics are terrible.”
“The only fix I've found is to occasionally change the graphics settings, but I haven't played a single game long enough to cycle through every single one, so I don't know if at some point the game is just downright unplayable.”
- story91 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game features a minimal story, primarily revolving around a series of eight single-player missions that focus on storm chasing and photography. While players appreciate the realistic graphics and engaging gameplay mechanics, many express a desire for a more developed narrative or additional missions, as the current content can be completed quickly. Overall, the emphasis is on gameplay rather than a traditional story, with multiplayer options enhancing the experience.
“This game comes with currently 8 single player missions you can do to learn the ropes as each mission introduces you to new mechanics of the game in increasing complexity or you can just jump in for some single player or multiplayer free roam.”
“The aim of the game is to take the best photos you possibly can as well as get direct probe intercepts in tornadoes to score the most amount of points to level up your character, unlocking new clothing options, missions, or to beat your friends in online competitive PvP modes.”
“Overall for only passing two missions and attempting the third tomorrow, I really enjoy this game so far and will put in a lot of hours in the future.”
“X the devs forgot what a story is.”
“When the single player portion of the game consists of 8 missions, which can easily be beaten in one to two hours, there's not much else to say.”
“Once you play all of the missions, and play online a couple of times, there's literally nothing else to do.”
- gameplay67 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its unique mechanics and fun concept, while others criticize it for being simplistic, repetitive, and plagued by bugs and performance issues. Many users appreciate the realistic tornado dynamics and the potential for fun, but note that the game lacks content and polish, leading to a quick decline in engagement. Overall, while the core gameplay is solid and enjoyable for short sessions, it requires significant improvements and additional content to maintain long-term interest.
“I've heard that updates are slow because it's one guy working on this game, but man is it good! Lots of really cool mechanics, and I keep finding myself coming back after 9 hours... really fun game to relax to and sometimes get scared when you misjudge the land speed on an EF4 tornado!”
“The core gameplay loop of storm chasers is essentially what it says on the tin; you chase tornadoes and try to capture the best photos possible.”
“The game handles great for being in early access; everything from the driving mechanics to the shop is enjoyable.”
“A fun and neat concept for a game, left with unfinished mechanics, and a multitude of bugs by a developer who seemingly abandoned the game.”
“There's not much to do in its current state, so the gameplay will get boring quickly.”
“Extremely laggy at times, have to wait until midnight each night to upload XP while playing free roam, crashes aren't uncommon, and the dev response to more common crashes during play after an update was to check antivirus.”
- optimization50 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including low frame rates and lag, even on high-end systems. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and the developer's efforts, they emphasize the need for substantial improvements in optimization and bug fixes, particularly in multiplayer modes. Many reviews suggest that the game feels unpolished and lacks content, contributing to a frustrating experience for players.
“I was able to run smoothly at ultra settings with my R5 5500 and an RX 6600.”
“As for performance and graphics, it could definitely use some improvement, but from what I can tell by their Discord community, it seems the developer is working very hard, and I believe it is a one-man job. Not 100% sure, but I can tell they are doing their best.”
“The developer still needs to make further amendments and optimization but is well on the right track.”
“The game is good, but it is very poorly optimized at the moment.”
“Horribly unoptimized, even with a 3080 + 3900x + 32GB.”
“The reality is that the game is empty to death, poorly optimized, not really beautiful, not really realistic.”
- stability30 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues, including game crashes and lag spikes. While some find the bugs add a humorous element to the experience, many express frustration over the game's lack of optimization and the impact on gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game is seen as a work in progress that requires substantial improvements to its stability and performance.
“Very fun game, runs great on a $1,000 gaming machine.”
“The game is extremely buggy, with one of its biggest problems being memory leaks (the game gets progressively more laggy as the age of the game you're playing goes on).”
“The only problem I'm having at the moment with the update 0.6.3 is once there's 4 or more people in free roam, my game freezes and crashes.”
“I would not recommend you buy this game, especially at full price; it's a buggy mess, and the developer completely abandoned communication for over 2 years.”
- music22 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the main menu soundtrack and the ability to stream real radio stations or add custom music, which enhances the overall experience. However, concerns about copyright issues and game-breaking bugs related to the music feature have been noted, alongside some technical difficulties with the in-game radio. Overall, while the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, players recommend caution regarding potential copyright infringements.
“I purposely sit at the main menu just to hear the music.”
“You know one thing I can appreciate that I never thought I needed in a game is legit radio stations playing real music.”
“The option to import your own music and stream music from real-world radio stations is a nice touch!”
“From that point forward, I could no longer enter the truck as it repeatedly tried to access music that caused the game to crash, and I couldn't toggle the radio off to stop the bug from causing the game to crash every time.”
“I will say that the music is concerning for copyright reasons, and there's some work within driving mechanics and things like that which could use some love.”
“The music for the game plays but there is no video to it, and items on my desktop do not respond to clicking unless I Ctrl + Alt + Del.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing physics and the chaotic, often hilarious interactions that occur during gameplay, especially when playing with friends. Players appreciate the blend of serious moments with unexpected comedic elements, such as funny tornado antics and the ability to play personal music, which adds to the overall enjoyment. While some bugs can detract from the experience, the game remains a fun and entertaining option for those who appreciate its quirky humor.
“The physics are really funny.”
“In all, it's a blast and funny.”
“Game can be very serious and then really funny, which I like a lot.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessive, often likening it to needing a "second life" to complete. The effort needed to unlock content is seen as disproportionate to the limited rewards, leading to a lack of motivation to engage in the grinding process.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Even the free roaming photography component of the game feels fairly lazy: it's one map that's pretty small and there's little motivation to bother waiting around and grinding XP for cosmetics that have little value to a player.”
“The unlocks require way too much grinding for the amount of content the game provides.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited due to its short campaign, small map, and lack of realism, which detracts from the experience. While some players find enjoyment in the storm chasing mechanics, the current state of the game, being in early access, suggests that significant improvements are needed to enhance replay value. Many users recommend waiting for future updates or exploring other options in the genre.
“From your thin rope carving through an open field, to your stout stovepipe making its way through a small town, to the monster EF5 wedges decimating entire cities, it certainly has a lot of replay value to it already.”
“Keep in mind it's early access and there's going to be a good amount of time before the game has decent replay value.”
“Play Roblox, or just wait for Little Cloud to actually get the game some replay value while knowing bigger and better things are on the horizon in Storm Quest, Outbrk, and Storm.”
“The game is kind of short and not really replayable.”
“Even then, it only supports so much replay value on such a small, single map.”
“Finally, tiny map, near non-existent realism, and short campaign is the end of any replay value this game may have had.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and realistic depiction of storm chasing, enhanced by impressive graphics and engaging gameplay elements. While still in development, it effectively captures the thrill of meteorology, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre. Regular updates and community engagement further contribute to its evolving atmosphere, promising an exciting experience for players.
“The atmosphere is amazing, but it's not a triple-A game; it's a weather chasing game with so much to do, such as waiting for storms to develop, going into hail storms, breaking your window of course, and trying to earn points to upgrade your weather gear.”
“If you are looking for a thrilling experience and are a fan of meteorology (the study of atmospheric science), then this is most likely the game for you.”
“For an early access game, it sure offers great atmosphere and realism!”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be a heartwarming experience, particularly appreciating its wholesome fun and connection to their interests in storms and tornadoes. The emotional resonance stems from the joy and nostalgia it evokes for fans of the theme.
“This game is so amazing; I have been a huge fan of storms and tornadoes, so this game is so heartwarming to me!”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, indicating that players feel it prioritizes profit over quality or player experience.
“This game was a cash grab from the start.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
“I can't enjoy the game without being bombarded by ads and in-app purchases.”