The Castle Doctrine
- January 29, 2014
- Jason Rohrer
- 30h median play time
A merciless and thoughtfully-designed online strategy game whose clever systems enable a unique and troubling experience.
Get on Steam"The Castle Doctrine" is a multiplayer home defense game where you design and defend your house from other players' burglars, while also attempting to steal from them. Each player's house contains traps, guards and a safe, with the layout and defenses being unique to each individual. Permadeath is in effect, making each decision and strategy crucial as there are no second chances.
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Reviews
- The game has a unique and interesting concept that combines house building and trap setting with a competitive edge.
- Players can experience a thrilling sense of accomplishment when successfully defending their house or robbing others.
- The game encourages creativity in designing traps and defenses, allowing for a variety of strategies.
- The game suffers from a steep learning curve, making it difficult for new players to succeed without extensive trial and error.
- Permadeath mechanics can be frustrating, as players lose all progress and must start over after dying.
- The player base is dwindling, leading to unbalanced gameplay where experienced players dominate and new players struggle to compete.
- gameplay31 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its innovative mechanics and engaging core concepts, while others criticize it for being unbalanced, frustrating, and overly punishing, particularly for new players. Many users highlighted issues such as permadeath, tedious trial-and-error learning, and a lack of meaningful progression, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the gameplay is often described as boring and plagued by poorly designed mechanics that hinder enjoyment.
“Gameplay is amazing!”
“The gameplay itself is really quite interesting.”
“The gameplay is split between two tasks: building defenses to protect your vault and your family, and raiding your neighbors' houses for money and tools.”
“Seemed promising at first, but the lazy gameplay made it clear that this would only be mildly interesting for a very short period of time.”
“The gameplay is totally unbalanced, and the idea of losing everything on death is just bad.”
“While trial and error is good and all, when it's the only way you have to learn the game's mechanics, it becomes quite tedious.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally criticized for being simplistic and lacking detail, with many users expressing disappointment in their quality. While some appreciate the game's bleak aesthetic and themes, others feel that the visuals detract significantly from the overall experience, especially given the game's price point. Despite the poor graphics, a few players suggest looking past them to enjoy the gameplay.
“First of all, I like the themes and aesthetic of the game.”
“So get past the 8-bit graphics (I did) and buy this game; you won't regret it, it is only going to improve from here.”
“After a bit of poking from friends (a big thank you to Yorkie & Griff), I decided to get past the basic graphics and give this a go.”
“The visuals are bleak and the soundtrack is dour and oppressive.”
“I wish it had better graphics.”
“The graphics are terrible; there is no way this is worth the money.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a dark and tense atmosphere, with situational comedy emerging from the absurdity of players' actions, particularly when interacting with traps and security measures. Players find amusement in watching security tapes that capture the often comical failures of others, although some feel that repetitive gameplay can diminish the overall fun.
“The creator made some interesting but great choices which provide such a dark, tense, and strangely humorous atmosphere.”
“I watched my security tapes just now and they were funny.”
“Situational humor in game form.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often leading to boredom due to a lack of engaging multiplayer interaction. The process of designing and fortifying structures can be time-consuming, with the risk of losing progress due to minor mistakes, which adds to the overall sense of tedium.
“But don't buy it on Steam; there aren't enough players to engage with, and the process becomes frustrating and tedious.”
“After grinding and amassing a fortune, you can spend hours designing and fortifying your house, only to lose it all after a simple mis-wiring or off-by-one timing of a trap.”
“The game is tedious, frustrating, and incredibly boring.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised as one of its strongest features, blending dark tension with a unique sense of humor. Players appreciate the combination of Minecraft's creativity and the perilous environment reminiscent of the Eve Online community, where danger lurks at every turn and trust is scarce, resulting in a distinctly cynical ambiance.
“Perhaps the best game for atmosphere ever!”
“It combines the ingenuity of Minecraft with the dangerous atmosphere of the EVE Online community; all players are your enemies, and you are never in a safe spot.”
“It's really something how this game creates such a cynical atmosphere.”
“The creator made some interesting but great choices which provide such a dark, tense, and strangely humorous atmosphere.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by a creepy and oppressive atmosphere, enhancing the overall dark and bleak visuals. However, players noted a lack of music during building phases, which may detract from the immersive experience.
“The visuals are bleak and the soundtrack is dour and oppressive.”
“Frustration is key; the music is creepy, and everything is dark.”
“The visuals are bleak, and the soundtrack is dour and oppressive.”
“There is no music while building.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's story is straightforward and lacks complexity, with no saving feature, but it creatively parallels the concept of defending a castle while seeking loot. Overall, the narrative is considered underwhelming compared to other titles in the genre.
“This game has no fancy graphics, no complex story, and even no possibility to save your progress.”
“I'd personally rate a similar game, 'the pay-to-win quest for mediocre loot,' above this, and it's obvious how I feel about that one.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke strong emotions while engaging in puzzle-solving and constructing intricate structures, making it a highly recommended experience for those seeking an emotional connection in their gameplay.
“If you're into puzzle solving and building complex interacting structures, and you want to have an emotional experience while gaming, then I totally recommend this game to you.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users note that the game maintains a certain level of replayability, suggesting that it offers enough engaging content or experiences to encourage players to revisit it despite its age.
“Even today, it still has replay value somehow.”
“The game offers so many different paths and choices that I find myself coming back to it time and again.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the variety of character builds and strategies available.”
“Although even today, it still has replay value somehow.”
