TUG

About

"TUG" is a horror shooter game that can be played as a single-player, co-op with 2 players, or multi-player. The game features masterful visuals but has been reported as buggy. The developers are working on a new engine for version 2.0, which promises enhanced graphics, flexible modding and distribution systems, and new terrain generation. Existing users will have early access to the new version and will be able to invite friends.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

33%

Audience ScoreBased on 821 reviews

graphics27 positive mentions

optimization8 negative mentions

The game has a charming art style and unique crafting system that encourages player creativity.
The community around TUG is supportive and hopeful, with many players expressing excitement for potential future updates.
Despite its current state, TUG shows promise and has the potential to evolve into a great game.

The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no updates or communication for an extended period.
Many players report technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, making the game unplayable for some.
The crafting system is clunky and unintuitive, requiring players to throw items on the ground rather than using a traditional crafting interface.

graphics
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The graphics of "Tug" have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique art style and immersive environments, likening it favorably to Minecraft. However, several users have criticized the game's optimization, noting performance issues and the requirement for higher-end graphics cards, which limits accessibility. Overall, while the visuals are considered charming and creative, they are marred by technical shortcomings and inconsistent performance across different systems.
- “Graphically, Tug was charming in its own right with a distinctive art style that stood out among other sandbox games.”
- “The graphics in Tug are a treat.”
- “Gorgeous graphics and love the fresh feel in gameplay - looking forward to how this game progresses.”
- “The world's worst 3D graphic design program since Minecraft.”
- “Graphics are very old school and pretty crappy, to be honest.”
- “I cannot honestly recommend this game, since my computer is overqualified to handle it, yet the game still reliably overloads my CPU and GPU within a minute of startup, and then crashes, or at least my graphics driver does, then refusing to attempt running it.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
69%
8%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the solid building mechanics and extensive crafting options, while others criticize its lack of depth, clunky controls, and insufficient content. Many users express hope for future updates to enhance gameplay variety and fix existing issues, but some find the current mechanics complex and poorly explained, leading to frustration. Overall, while there are promising elements, the gameplay is seen as needing significant improvement to fully engage players.
- “Early iterations showed promise with basic crafting and survival mechanics that intrigued an eager player base.”
- “It already has solid building mechanics and tons of crafting recipes.”
- “Gorgeous graphics and love the fresh feel in gameplay - looking forward to how this game progresses.”
- “However, the gameplay never progressed beyond its foundational elements, leaving much to be desired in terms of depth and variety.”
- “The game does not work properly ever; the building mechanics are terrible, the combat is lacking, and the graphics and art style are not good. It explains nothing and is generally disappointing.”
- “But as of this writing, much of the gameplay just isn't there yet.”
optimization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues, lag, and a high demand for hardware despite unimpressive graphics. While some players note that the game runs smoothly on high-end rigs, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial improvements and content additions before it can be recommended for purchase. Many anticipate future updates to address these optimization concerns, but currently, it remains a challenging experience for general consumers.
- “The game is decently optimized but is lackluster in some areas.”
- “Performance is great for an early alpha and so is the crafting.”
- “Ignoring all of the fairly irritating 'for science!', the game itself does run smoothly and has a very nice aesthetic and feel, however it is still very early on.”
- “Poorly optimized and sorely lacking in content, you will either find the learning curve and finish the game in about 3 hours or its starting complexity will have this game as a wasted investment for you.”
- “Little to do, never finished, poorly optimized resulting in lag on general consumer PCs, in spite of unimpressive graphics.”
- “It being this poorly optimized and nearly unplayable just doesn't bode well for an early access game.”
stability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes, making it often unplayable. While some players note minor issues that don't significantly impact gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game is in a rough, unfinished state, lacking optimization and support from developers. Many recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing due to its current instability.
- “The game is stable and, after a few hours, appears to be almost bug-free, with the exception of some floating grass left after block destruction - not a gamebreaker, just visually annoying.”
- “Sadly abandoned by the devs, shame since it had potential but it is definitely not worth buying - it's buggy and there's very little to do.”
- “It appears all development of this game has halted leaving it in an unfinished buggy state.”
- “As it is right now I couldn't recommend this game, it is far too buggy and clunky.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's story is described as vague and underdeveloped, with players feeling dropped into a fantasy world without clear narrative direction or context. While there are elements of exploration and self-generated quests, many reviewers express a desire for a more structured plot and lore to enhance the experience. Overall, the game is seen as needing significant improvements in storytelling to fully engage players.
- “There's more to the story than meets the eye.”
- “More pets, more mounts, more weapons and armors, more enemies, boss monsters, and places to explore and learn more about the interesting story they've put behind this game.”
- “It is a refreshing take, and includes something resembling story without spoiling the feel of being a sandbox.”
- “It's a long, never-ending story full of promises (for which you have to Google, because the developer can't be bothered to keep us updated here).”
- “If you are expecting a story or a reason, then you are out of luck.”
- “This game would benefit from a plot and campaign storyline to explain what you are and give you tasks to accomplish as a kind of tutorial.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
10%
60%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a cash grab, with many users expressing frustration over the reliance on microtransactions and the perception that the game is unfinished. Despite some positive aspects, players feel that the developers are prioritizing profit over quality, leading to a lack of trust in their future projects. Overall, the monetization approach has detracted from the game's appeal and raised concerns about its long-term viability.
- “While monetization of aesthetics is better than that of actual content, it still indicates a desire for more money, as microtransactions have proven to be far superior to regular methods.”
- “I loved the taming mechanics of this game, but the idea of presenting users with microtransactions after we paid $15 for it is concerning.”
- “Developers had some bad luck and are now planning on making this game free-to-play with microtransactions, which is a great example of how companies can fall.”
- “I feel like it was a cash grab like a few other people have done to people on Steam.”
- “Unfinished and never will be, this is a cash grab!”
- “This game has been nothing but a cash grab.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its fun, relaxing, and mystical qualities, enhanced by distinct audio cues and charming graphics. Players appreciate the unique and refreshing design, which encourages exploration and creativity, making it a standout feature of the overall experience.
- “I love this game, and once the devs finish the conversion to OpenGL, I would recommend it to anyone who likes open-world creative games with a cute atmosphere.”
- “Really like the graphics and atmosphere; it is very refreshing, especially with these mushroom man/spirit ones who poof into mushrooms if you manage to corner or face them head-on.”
- “On the other hand, the atmosphere and design are absolutely breathtaking.”
- “The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, lacking any real sense of immersion or engagement.”
- “Despite the colorful graphics, the overall atmosphere is dull and uninspired, making it hard to stay invested.”
- “The game tries to create a whimsical atmosphere, but it often falls flat, leaving players feeling disconnected from the world.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that the grinding aspect of the game, while limited in its current alpha state, involves various activities such as building, farming, crafting, and hunting. Some find the repetitive nature of these tasks tedious, but others appreciate the realism and fun they bring to the survival experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as a necessary part of gameplay that may improve with future updates.
- “Maybe a lot of people would find that tedious and not worthwhile, but I think the realism is really cool.”
- “Aside from building, crafting, hunting, and farming, there isn't too much to do in the game's current state - but what is there is fun, with more on the way.”
- “Ex: digging up an area can be long and tedious.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a standout feature, with amusing character transformations and quirky bugs that often lead to laugh-out-loud moments. The presence of comical elements, such as the antics of goblin characters and the game's self-referential title "The Unfinished Game," adds to the overall enjoyment. Despite some frustrations, the humor consistently shines through, making the experience entertaining.
- “Even when it bugs out, it's still good because it's usually funny when it bugs out.”
- “And the funny thing is this game is named 'The Unfinished Game.'”
- “I seemed to be at a young man/boy stage, but when I jumped back in the game, I was a young girl... funny.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; some users express disappointment over the absence of music, which contributes to an eerie atmosphere, while others appreciate the game's effective use of ambient sounds and strategic audio cues that enhance emotional engagement without being distracting. Overall, players desire a balance between relaxing music and immersive soundscapes that support gameplay.
- “You want relaxing music with good atmospheric sounds, and audio cues that would be distinct a mile apart, and in Tug, you have that.”
- “While many games try to pull on your heartstrings too much with music and sound, Tug manages to make you feel things by playing the right sound at the right time.”
- “There is no music, so the ambient wind sound tends to make the game feel very eerie.”
- “In a sandbox you don't want obnoxious music distracting you from your building, fighting, hunting, crafting.”
- “Not only are the features I waited for not here, not only does it look like the features I'd love to see won't be included (music, for one), the company is so fraught with changes that it doesn't look like the game will ever be functional as originally advertised.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, particularly due to its recent multiplayer features and the abundance of activities available. However, there are calls for additional support or resources to enhance the overall playability and longevity of the experience.
- “Gameplay - 8 (recently multiplayer, very replayable and lots to do)”
- “Hopefully they will release source or whatever it takes for others to finish it or at least make it more playable.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of Tug is characterized by a profound sense of heartbreak, highlighting the game's potential that ultimately feels unfulfilled.
- “Tug remains a heartbreaking example of what could have been.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters left me in tears.”
- “I felt a profound connection to the story that resonated long after I finished playing.”

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TUG
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7h Median play time

45h Average play time

2-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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