The Desolate Hope

About

The Desolate Hope is a single player role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Scott Cawthon and was released on May 5, 2014. It received very positive reviews from players.

On a distant edge of an unknown planet, an abandoned structure sits in silence. Constructed by an unmanned research vessel sent from Earth, the Lun Infinus station was designed to run simulations for a five year period, exploring possibilities of human colonization in the case that Earth became uninhabitable. Developed during an age of ambition and wealth, the project was quickly abandoned when in…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,292 reviews

story174 positive mentions

grinding75 negative mentions

Unique blend of gameplay styles including platforming, dungeon crawling, and fast-paced real-time RPG boss battles.
Visually impressive with detailed, atmospheric pre-rendered graphics and unique robot character designs.
Engaging and thought-provoking story with compelling characters and a melancholic sci-fi atmosphere.

Lack of tutorial and explanations for gameplay mechanics makes it confusing and difficult to grasp initially.
Grinding can be repetitive and tedious, especially during night cycles and in some simulation areas.
Technical and UX issues include no pause function, escape key instantly quits the game, fixed low resolution, and occasional frame rate drops.

story
344 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The story of "The Desolate Hope" is widely praised for its originality, emotional depth, and compelling sci-fi narrative, featuring a sentient coffee machine protagonist on a mission to save a failing space station. It combines intricate worldbuilding with memorable characters and surprising plot twists, engaging players through exploration and subtle storytelling, though some find it occasionally confusing or disjointed. Overall, the narrative is considered a standout element that, along with its unique atmosphere and artwork, makes the game a memorable and heartfelt experience.
- “The desolate hope skillfully meshed an excellently illustrated story with a fast-paced and unique combat system, all complemented with an uplifting and suitably conclusive ending.”
- “Still, the strongest point of the desolate hope is in the story: it asks you to keep in mind what you are doing when talking to Coffee and the Derelicts while time is ticking away. It doesn't hold your hand (while really wanting to) but still gives you answers about what is happening in Lun Infinus—you just have to look for them.”
- “The story was amazing, the twists, the turns, it was all beautiful; I genuinely almost cried a few times from it.”
- “The story is one of those that catches your attention but by the end the entire experience is retroactively cheapened when all the buildup doesn't amount to much.”
- “Though being able to know what everything does is an issue that will make you confused for hours (unless you look up a guide like I did), knowing what does what is such a major problem for me. If it was just for the simulations themselves it would have been okay, but not understanding the thing that allows you to progress the story is not good at all.”
- “The visuals are passable, but the story... god, the story.”
gameplay
325 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The gameplay of The Desolate Hope is a unique and ambitious blend of three main styles—platformer, top-down shooter, and turn-based RPG battles—that, while initially convoluted and sometimes poorly explained, mesh surprisingly well to create an engaging and varied experience. Players appreciate the depth and challenge of the combat system, though exploration and platforming segments can feel repetitive or janky, and the lack of clear tutorials often requires external guides. Overall, despite some clunky mechanics and a steep learning curve, the gameplay is praised for its originality, integration of genres, and rewarding complexity once mastered.
- “The gameplay is a clever mix of RPG, exploration, and platforming, combining three distinct gameplay types into a unique and engaging experience.”
- “The gameplay consists of exploring four simulations, looking for viruses to fight and upgrades/boosts to help you fight them, blending platforming, top-down dungeons, and real-time RPG fights effectively.”
- “The gameplay is unique and varied, alternating between a platformer mode, fast-paced turn-based battles with a high skill floor, and dungeon crawling, creating a rewarding and immersive loop.”
- “Although the gameplay itself could use adjustments, such as a guidance system for the player so that they don't have to wander around the four simulations in search of a boss that can actually be beaten, or a better clarification of the battle system and a less overwhelming interface, the story and dialogue more than make up for these flaws in my opinion.”
- “There are far too many mechanics and subtleties that first-time players will miss; I had to restart twice to even stand a chance against half the bosses.”
- “The gameplay is three games stapled together to form a Frankenstein of a game where none really stand out, but there's certainly padding with the boss battles being perhaps a bit too brutal, leading to grinding to get stats up.”
graphics
271 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, charming, and richly detailed art style reminiscent of late 90s and early 2000s prerendered CGI, creating a striking and immersive sci-fi atmosphere. While some note the visuals can be overwhelming or occasionally inconsistent, the overall aesthetic is considered a standout feature that enhances the storytelling and draws players in. Despite being slightly dated, the visuals are seen as artistic and integral to the game's distinct identity, with many reviewers calling the graphics stunning, memorable, and a major highlight.
- “The visuals alone are absolutely stunning, in my opinion his best work.”
- “It's got stunning hand-made prerendered graphics, a trinity of well fleshed out and interesting genres mixed together, and amazing atmosphere a story that's unintrusive and engaging enough that you want to learn more.”
- “You'd think that this artstyle; like in Chipper and Sons, would be creepy and lifeless in an unnatural sense, but in a technique Scott later used in FNAF, he used the stiff eerieness of the CG artstyle to its benefit and created an incredibly endearing eerie atmosphere that is full of small intricate details around every corner of its incredibly well modelled immersive, sci-fi world.”
- “Horribly old and engine has low graphical settings, messing with the screen resolution!”
- “Visuals were slick yet very grating with flickering lights and uneven quality from screen to screen.”
- “One flaw that the game has that I'll point out is that the game, while looking amazing at times, can have the occasional moment where something just looks really out of place, and it can take away from the experience if you are very picky about graphics and art style.”
music
202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality, fitting atmosphere, and memorable tracks, especially the battle themes. Though mostly composed of royalty-free or third-party music, it is expertly curated to enhance the narrative, visuals, and gameplay, often described as a standout feature that elevates the overall experience. Players appreciate its nostalgic, electronic vibe and express strong desires for an official soundtrack release.
- “The character/enemy designs are creative and the music perfectly encapsulated the mood and circumstances while simultaneously being great to listen to; it was, overall, an enjoyable experience.”
- “Scott Cawthon knows how to use stock music to its maximum potential, and the music in this game has inspired my own music (I create alternative/electronic music of my own as a hobby, in fact I'm creating a TDH song right now).”
- “The soundtrack is just incredible; I love each and every track, with the epic boss themes to all the mild exploration themes.”
- “A similar issue plagues the music, though that can be split in three parts - there are some magnificent bits of music, some satisfactory songs, and then some that grow to be annoying.”
- “Another noteworthy mention is the not-so-original soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is nothing truly special, but fits the game's look and feel perfectly.”
grinding
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game is widely regarded as grind-heavy, especially near the end when upgrades and preparation for tough boss battles become necessary. While the grinding can be tedious and slow-paced, many players find it tolerable or even satisfying, often aided by the engaging story, unique gameplay mix, and enjoyable visuals. However, some players find the grind excessive, repetitive, and occasionally detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game is too grindy.”
- “My only beef with the game is the large amount of grinding that is needed to beat the bosses.”
- “My biggest complaint was that I ended up needing to grind some towards the end to beat the penultimate boss, and grinding in this game is very boring, but luckily that didn't take too long.”
atmosphere
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
29%
5%
The game is widely praised for its stunning, immersive atmosphere, characterized by beautiful art, detailed environments, and a unique sci-fi setting that evokes a sense of desolation and eerie charm. The atmospheric music and sound design deeply complement the visuals, enhancing the emotional and narrative impact, while the combination of visual storytelling and ambient details draws players into a captivating and memorable experience. Overall, the atmosphere is frequently highlighted as a standout feature that enriches the gameplay and story.
- “You'd think that this artstyle, like in Chipper and Sons, would be creepy and lifeless in an unnatural sense, but in a technique Scott later used in FNAF, he used the stiff eerieness of the CG artstyle to its benefit and created an incredibly endearing eerie atmosphere, full of small intricate details around every corner of its incredibly well-modelled immersive, sci-fi world.”
- “Overall, the story, the desolate atmosphere, the impeccable art design especially the robotics, the solemn music tracks, and engaging 2D platforming + JRPG style boss fights make this a wonderful sci-fi adventure that can be completed between 6 to 7 hours.”
- “The atmosphere is captivating, and every room you waddle into is full of ambiance.”
- “Not for everyone: the dark story and awkward engine make this a game without much universal appeal, but if you're into the kind of atmosphere and elaborate, mechanical graphics TDH has to offer, this game will provide you with a decent amount of fun.”
- “I have to say that the story, pacing, atmosphere and enigmatic nature of the game drew me in at the start, but I think that the game escalates the difficulty carelessly.”
- “And the music really sucks you into this bizarre atmosphere.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The game's emotional impact is profound, featuring a heartwarming, touching, and often heartbreaking sci-fi story that deeply resonates with players, frequently evoking tears by its meaningful narrative and powerful ending. The unique protagonist and strong emotional themes amplify a sense of urgency and connection, making the experience both memorable and rewarding.
- “It has aesthetically pleasing graphics, especially the derelicts, and a heartwarming story that very early on hooks the player with a sense of urgency.”
- “Extremely underrated mashup of an RPG with fantastic visuals, a good soundtrack, and a tragic story based on the fall of mankind with a strong emotional message that hits home.”
- “Choosing to make a sentient, coffee-making service bot the main protagonist amplifies the feeling of 'all odds are against you,' making the overall story more touching and the ending more rewarding.”
character development
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
17%
18%
The character development is highly praised, with many highlighting unique, detailed, and visually striking character designs that enhance the engaging and in-depth story. While mostly celebrated for creativity and style, some note a slightly robotic aesthetic in certain designs. Overall, character design is a standout aspect that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience.
- “The in-depth story and character development is really engaging.”
- “Character designs are also wonderful and range from beauty in simplicity to visually overwhelming and I love them all, honestly.”
- “This game not only has an enticing story that involves really awesome futuristic character designs, and a really cool setting, but the gameplay is very interesting because it changes the gameplay style in multiple ways.”
- “The character designs are a bit too... robotic.”
- “The character designs?????”
- “(I won't mention the character designs because if you look at any other review for this game, they will definitely be mentioned.)”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, praised for its clever, quirky, and sometimes aloof tone that complements the unique story and characters. While many find the dialogue and comedic elements engaging and refreshing, a few feel the humor occasionally falls flat or misses the mark. Overall, the game balances humor with a deeper narrative, making it a fun and distinct experience.
- “The main character's dialogue is funny and compelling, and the 4 major characters are all incredibly unique and distinct, making this world an absolute treat to get sunk into.”
- “The story and setting are the biggest draw, a cyberpunk style throughout it all, with an aloof humor in the machines and their visions of a perfect human habitat, in a forgotten corner of space.”
- “The writing was also pretty good and at times pretty funny too.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's optimization is mixed, with some technical issues and occasional sluggish performance, though it remains playable even on laptops. Lack of screen optimization is noted, but overall, the performance is manageable despite occasional hiccups.
- “Only bad thing about this game is the grind and how at some points you can get kinda lost, performance is a bit iffy but it was playable on a laptop, good game.”
- “- No screen optimization.”
- “There are some technical issues with the game, and performance can be a bit sluggish at times.”
- “No screen optimization.”
- “Performance is a bit iffy but it was playable on a laptop.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily driven by a collectible completion percentage that encourages a second run. However, the core experience remains largely unchanged, reducing the motivation for multiple playthroughs.
- “I might do a second run to get those 200% (only had 168% this time), but there doesn't seem to be any major replayability.”
- “The game, while still being the same experience each play-through, still has some replay value in that there is a 'final files recovered' percentage.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game generally runs smoothly but has occasional minor glitches, such as animations playing incorrectly during dialogue boxes. These issues do not significantly impact overall stability.