The Other 99
- August 25, 2016
- Burning Arrow
"The Other 99" is a first-person, action-survival game where you are stranded on a desolate island with 99 other individuals. Your objective is to get off the island, and you can choose to do so through brutal combat, stealth, or problem-solving. Permadeath is a feature, so choose your actions wisely. The game also includes elements of mystery and discovery as you uncover the secrets of the island.
Reviews
- The game has a unique and interesting concept, reminiscent of survival horror and battle royale themes.
- The atmosphere and sound design are praised for creating a thrilling and immersive experience.
- The developers have shown responsiveness to community feedback, implementing improvements and updates based on player suggestions.
- The game appears to be abandoned, with no updates or communication from the developers for an extended period, leading to frustration among players.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay feel tedious and unsatisfying.
- Many players report a lack of content and features, with the game feeling incomplete and not worth the investment.
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, characterized by its immersive sound design and engaging music that enhance the overall experience. Many players highlight the game's ability to create a thrilling and sometimes frightening environment, contributing significantly to its enjoyment. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, elevating the game's appeal.
“I have to say though, that what made the game for me was the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is stunning.”
“The depressing and frightening atmosphere is heavily supported by the sound here.”
“The atmosphere is thrilling, the notes are well written and authentic.”
“And yet the atmosphere makes up for all of that.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is intriguing and avoids common clichés, drawing comparisons to films like "The Cube" and "The Hunger Games." Players appreciate the mystery surrounding the world and its locales, suggesting significant potential for future narrative development. Overall, the story is engaging, with a promise of more depth to come as the game evolves.
“The world is really good looking, and the story so far is very interesting.”
“By cresting some of the hills in the game, you can catch glimpses of civilization in the distance, leaving you wondering how each of those might fit into the story behind the scenes.”
“There is enough mystery surrounding each element and locale within the game that there is a huge amount of potential for storyline development, and I can't wait to get stuck into it.”
“That's how the story is being revealed so far, unless I'm missing something.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are praised for their quality, especially considering it is still in early access, with many users noting impressive visuals, including weather effects and a day-night cycle. However, some players suggest that further optimization is needed for lower-end machines to enhance performance. The graphical representation of combat and weapon effects adds to the immersive experience, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic appeal.
“Considering the game is in early access, it looks great; the graphics look fantastic.”
“The graphics and sound are really good, especially when you think that this is a game in early access.”
“The visuals are really nice too, with changing weather effects and a day-night cycle.”
“I have a 3-year-old rig with an aging graphics card, but by tweaking the settings I got it running okay. However, it may need a bit more optimization for lower-end machines.”
“Fix the combat, fix the stealth, fix the graphics, add in the rest of the advertised game, and maybe you've got something.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers a few hours of engaging content with a promising concept, but it feels incomplete and lacks depth, particularly in combat mechanics, which are described as straightforward and underutilized. While there are some exploration opportunities, the overall experience may leave players wanting more.
“Very interesting game, very nice concept and gameplay.”
“And I actually enjoy that kind of gameplay.”
“There's a few places to explore and the fighting mechanics aren't too bad, but that's pretty much it.”
“The combat is a little straightforward; although the block mechanic is there, it will largely go unused by the majority of players.”
“Current gameplay feels repetitive after just one proper playthrough with 70 survivors left.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with players appreciating its quality and the strategic use of music during combat. However, some users feel that the music can undermine stealth gameplay by alerting them to nearby enemies too easily.
“The atmosphere, music, etc. are all great, as are touches like the wristwatch.”
“The music always informs me that someone is around, making it difficult for the AI to hunt me down in sneaky mode.”
“I only turn up the music once I am in combat.”
“The music only turns up once I am in combat, which feels out of place.”
“Currently, the AI can never really hunt me down in sneaky mode, as the music always informs me that someone is around.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding mechanics to be tedious, particularly when using a keyboard, making the experience less enjoyable compared to using a controller.
“Bottom line: it's more tedious than fun.”
“You can crouch, but the actual mechanic for it is tedious on a keyboard, versus the way you can with a controller stick.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by dark comedic elements, including unexpected deaths caused by AI or absurd accidents, often occurring off-screen, which adds a layer of unpredictability and amusement to the gameplay experience.
“The dynamic weather adds a layer of unpredictability, and the way characters meet their demise—whether by fellow AI or through hilarious accidents—keeps the humor fresh and unexpected.”
“The game is filled with laugh-out-loud moments, especially when characters find themselves in absurd situations that lead to their untimely, yet comical, ends.”
“I love how the humor is woven into the gameplay, with unexpected deaths and ridiculous scenarios that make every playthrough entertaining.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with frequent framerate drops that detract from the overall experience, especially given the simplicity of the island's design reminiscent of Far Cry's map editor.
“It's poorly optimized, with the framerate dipping constantly – really impressive considering the island you explore could have very well been made with Far Cry's map editor.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable framerate, making the experience frustrating and unplayable at times.”
“Optimization seems to have been an afterthought, as the game frequently stutters and lags, detracting from the overall enjoyment.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users appreciate the game's stability, noting that it runs well both with and without updates, despite some initial glitches. The positive reception highlights the effectiveness of the indie development team's efforts in maintaining a smooth gaming experience.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
“There are so many bugs that it feels like the game was released in an unfinished state.”