Sub Rosa

About

Sub Rosa is a multiplayer open world shooter game. It was developed by Cryptic Sea and was released on March 25, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Sub Rosa is a multiplayer first-person shooter about tense deals, double-crosses, and the occasional high-speed car chase.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+24

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,810 reviews

gameplay47 positive mentions

graphics9 negative mentions

Unique and fun gameplay with chaotic interactions and physics-based mechanics.
Great potential for memorable moments and player-driven stories.
Can be hilarious and entertaining, especially when played with friends.

Abandoned by the developer, with no significant updates or support for years.
Toxic community filled with RDMers and players who ruin the experience for newcomers.
High price point for a game that feels unfinished and lacks content.

gameplay
175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a unique physics-driven experience that can be both chaotic and fun, but it suffers from a steep learning curve and a reliance on community interaction, which can be toxic. While some players appreciate the innovative mechanics and potential for emergent gameplay, many criticize the game's lack of updates, confusing controls, and the overwhelming presence of bugs and unbalanced gameplay. Overall, the experience varies significantly based on server conditions and player behavior, leading to mixed reviews on its enjoyment and functionality.
- “The style is unique, the gameplay loop is perfect, and the physics make the combat even more chaotic and fun.”
- “The gameplay loop itself is engaging, requiring other players to organically complete the objectives set out, depending on the other team even if they might be against you.”
- “The game has fun mechanics that allow for wacky moments with friends.”
- “The gameplay fails to play out how the developers intended it to 90% of the time.”
- “The client is barely functional, the controls are nonsensical, the features lack any meaningful purpose in the gameplay, the community is seemingly toxic to the point of ridiculousness, and of course, on top of that, it looks terrible.”
- “This is another example in the gaming industry of an amazing concept that is ruined by horrible gameplay and controls.”
humor
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in this game is widely praised for its chaotic and goofy nature, with many players highlighting the hilarious interactions and emergent gameplay that arise from its physics engine. While some reviews note that the humor can become repetitive or overshadowed by a toxic community, the overall sentiment is that the game offers a unique and entertaining experience, especially when played with friends. However, concerns about the game's declining player base and community dynamics suggest that the humor may not be as prevalent as it once was.
- “Absolutely hilarious and unique game, plenty of love in these reviews below.”
- “This game is absolutely hilarious, the community is funny, but toxic, and the mechanics and gameplay are groundbreaking.”
- “If you are looking for a game to piss yourself laughing at, this is it.”
- “But then one of them said something that made my heart drop: 'What are you doing with this RP stuff? It's not 2019; that stuff's not funny anymore.'”
- “Awful community, painfully unfunny, corny, and elitist. The game is also abandoned and dead.”
- “Is that supposed to be funny?”
story
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
88%
4%
The game's story revolves around player-driven interactions within a chaotic environment where factions compete through missions that often involve betrayal and negotiation. While the potential for engaging narratives exists, many players find the repetitive mission structure and toxic community detract from the experience, leading to a focus on random violence rather than meaningful gameplay. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the emergent storytelling that arises from their interactions and the unpredictability of the game's social dynamics.
- “Moral of the story, you never know what life holds in store for you, and if I would have given up when all the odds were stacked against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “This is my first time playing, I join, spawn in subway, I get recruited by a huge group and join their association, we start fighting, I find out I'm a girl, they call me 'the woman', me and another guy are both called 'the women', we have the most insane firefight that ends up killing the entire enemy team, we all are proud, and then get a huge money boost since people completed a mission on computers. This is the best gaming experience I have had with people in such a social game.”
- “My favorite things about this game is everything is physics-based, and the fact that you are thrown into the world and have zero directions other than to get on a train and ride into the city and find a job. Once you join a company, you are given missions, usually trades with other real players or raids against NPCs, but the thing is, as a player regardless of company, you can see the opportunity to cut off someone else's business deal to make a profit. I've seen so many interesting things happen in this game that it always keeps me engaged for the sheer fact that anything can happen at any time.”
- “The missions can get repetitive fast, and along with the AI having complete contrast aim, they make them really not that fun.”
- “I wanted to actually try the missions and play the game, but you can't because there are so many people that interfere with deals, or kill you outright in the street, or simply have nothing better to do than to ruin your day in a game that you want to chill in.”
- “You just do one mission over and over, there is nothing to spend money on and there's nothing to do in general, so it gets boring very quickly.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
75%
14%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the performance issues, such as low frame rates and glitches, particularly on AMD graphics cards. While some appreciate the simplistic art style and nostalgic aesthetic, others feel that the visuals do not match the quality promised in promotional materials, leading to disappointment. Overall, the lack of customizable graphics settings and persistent bugs detract from the gaming experience, leaving many players frustrated.
- “The combat is cool, the art style is simplistic but easy on the eyes (when lighting loads in properly) and the outdoor map of the city is amazing.”
- “Graphics are nothing to be amazed by, but they suit the game very well and allow you to focus more on the interactions with others and the environment.”
- “The game's graphical improvements in recent updates have been nothing short of wonderful.”
- “If you have an AMD graphics card, do not purchase this game.”
- “I can run most games on medium to high graphics on my 10-year-old laptop, and still get at least 60 fps; however, with this game, I got like 5 fps.”
- “The trailer made the game look pretty cool, but when you actually get into the game, the graphics are nothing like the trailer.”
optimization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
47%
44%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. Recent updates have exacerbated these problems, leading to unplayable conditions for some users and a significant decline in the game's community. While the gameplay remains enjoyable, the lack of proper optimization is a major barrier to recommending the title.
- “Might look like a game that any PC/laptop can handle; however, apparently this game has a massive optimization issue where not all systems can run this game smoothly.”
- “7/10 needs to be more properly optimized; for such simple polygons and models, the frame rate is quite horrendous. Other than that, it's fun as hell.”
- “10/10 little optimization fix and this game will be one of my favorite games in my library.”
- “Used to be fun, but they completely ruined the optimization; it's unplayable on low to mid-end GPUs.”
- “Might look like a game that any PC/laptop can handle; however, this game has massive optimization issues where not all systems can run it smoothly.”
- “I tried to give this a try... I truly did, but in its current state after two years, this game still looks like it could run on computers from 2002 and is poorly optimized to the point that FPS drops constantly.”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Many feel that the game is not ready for early access, describing it as a "buggy mess" that lacks proper updates and support from developers. Despite these flaws, some players still find enjoyment in the game, suggesting that its chaotic nature can be entertaining, albeit frustrating.
- “I love this game! There are not too many bugs for an early access game; it runs great, and I love how you can legitimately take over the whole city if you have enough people.”
- “But my god, a $10 price tag for a buggy, unstable, pre-alpha game that will never be released nor updated is too much than I would pay for.”
- “The developers don't care for this game anymore so now it's just infested with glitches and bugs.”
- “The game is so buggy it shouldn't even qualify for early access.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
56%
25%
The music in the game serves as a chaotic yet integral backdrop, with players frequently blasting various tracks, from classic hits to contemporary pop, creating a lively and often overwhelming atmosphere. While some players appreciate the spontaneous musical moments that enhance the experience, others find the excessive noise and lack of regulation frustrating, leading to a mixed reception of the game's audio environment. Overall, the music contributes to the game's unique charm but can also detract from gameplay due to its volume and frequency.
- “Watching a guy with a music bot literally levitating while playing Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day' or 'Just the Two of Us' on full blast (shout out to that guy, literally became the de facto soundtrack to this game) as you're getting your stuff blasted by oxs.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
- “Never before have I listened to 4 different Kenny Loggins songs at the same time while doing drive-bys on other companies.”
- “It's one of the best ways to improve so many of the issues (i.e. chuds screaming at max volume on their mics and blasting max volume music.) it's just so bad.”
- “Please get this game, we need more actually good people playing this, right now the game's filled with either edgy teens or tryhards that blare shitty music on their soundboard and kill everyone.”
- “Can't even do good business without people RDMing every time or those who play music in their mics.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being a cash grab, with sparse updates and a lack of advertising, leading to a perception that the developer has abandoned the project. Users express frustration over the game's obscurity and the overall lack of engagement from the developers.
- “Updates were sparse, advertising was non-existent, and the game was seemingly kept obscure intentionally, while the developer has moved on.”
- “Cash grab, don't buy.”
- “The monetization feels like a cash grab, and the game lacks meaningful content.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Players highlight a strong sense of replayability in the game, particularly due to the engaging community and interactions. However, some users criticize it for lacking depth and development, suggesting that it falls short compared to free alternatives, which diminishes its overall replay value.
- “I've been playing the game for years; it's a great game with lots of replay value due to the fun people you can meet in-game.”
- “Endless replay value.”
- “You could get a lot more fun out of games like Roblox or Unturned, which are both free. Asking $20 for a broken game with a lack of replayability and no development plans is horrible to do to a consumer. This is an obvious money grab and should be avoided until the one-man developer actually invests in a decent development team.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it can lead to enjoyable experiences, particularly with adaptation and perseverance, it often becomes tedious, especially during AI missions and downtime between tasks.
- “Depending on how fast you can adapt to a situation and how much you can endure annoying people, this game will either be very fun or super tedious.”
- “Good game, but I spent a week grinding on a server to try and get the white suit.”
- “AI missions can get a little tedious from time to time, and there is always some dead air between missions.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game evokes strong emotional connections, likening the experience to being immersed in the dramatic world of HBO's "The Sopranos." However, some responses are more humorous and abstract, such as feeling like "big chungus," indicating a mix of serious and lighthearted emotional engagement.
- “Made me feel like I was in HBO's hit show, 'The Sopranos'”