UNDERDOGS
- January 25, 2024
- One Hamsa
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Underdogs" is a single-player simulation game set in a brutal world of underground mech fights. Players can customize their mechs with 120+ items, meet unique characters, and navigate the city's criminal underworld in a roguelike experience. The game features phenomenal visuals, a compelling soundtrack, and a physics-based mech brawler system for metal-on-metal violence. This is New Brakka, the mech fighting capital of the world, where only the strong survive.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Incredible gameplay that combines physics-based combat with a unique roguelike structure, making each run feel fresh and engaging.
- The art style and soundtrack are exceptional, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The movement mechanics are intuitive and fun, allowing players to feel like they are truly piloting a mech while delivering satisfying punches and throws.
- The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in just a few hours, leading to concerns about replayability.
- Some players have reported issues with the game's difficulty spikes, particularly during boss fights, which can feel unbalanced.
- There is a lack of enemy variety, with many encounters feeling repetitive after multiple runs.
- gameplay179 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Underdogs" is widely praised for its solid mechanics, smooth controls, and immersive combat experience, particularly in VR. While some players express concerns about the repetitiveness of the roguelite structure and the simplicity of certain mechanics, the overall consensus highlights the game's addictive nature, satisfying physics-based combat, and engaging art style. Many reviewers appreciate the unique blend of movement and combat mechanics, making it a standout title in the VR genre.
“Simply put, Underdogs is one of the best gameplay experiences you can have in VR; every hit has solid weight behind it, and the flow of fights leads to you getting 'in the zone' very easily.”
“The combat and movement mechanics are well-designed, providing a fluid and immersive experience that stands out among VR games.”
“The gameplay loop is incredibly addicting; the only things stopping me from playing this for hours on end are the battery life on my headset and the accumulation of sweat from moving around.”
“They all feel restrictive or clunky with mechanics that try so hard to be realistic, it ends up sacrificing the fun aspect.”
“I really like it but it does have some things that push me away from the game; I don't like the roguelike aspect of this game, it kind of outshines the story for me. I understand the whole point of a roguelike is different experiences and making each playthrough unique, but there's not enough variation in gameplay to make me want to restart from the beginning. I want more encounters, but as the gameplay loop is now, it's fun but repetitive.”
“It's got some original aspects but ultimately feels kind of shallow; combat is mindless and the arena is small. The gameplay loop is really basic and slow as it takes you out of the action constantly.”
- story144 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and engaging presentation, particularly the comic-book style storytelling. However, a common critique is its brevity, with most players completing the story in around 2 to 5 hours, leading to a desire for more content and deeper narrative choices. While the story is considered enjoyable and well-crafted, many players feel it doesn't fully capitalize on its potential, often ending on cliffhangers that suggest future expansions could enhance the experience.
“The story is great, the voice acting/sound design is phenomenal, and the graphics are so good that I find myself just looking around at my character and the level during downtime.”
“Amazing game, great storytelling/world building, and the gameplay is phenomenal.”
“I wanna start off by saying this VR game has a great story; I don't think I've been more invested in a VR game's story. This is one of the biggest things that makes me wanna keep playing this game.”
“I wish there were more options when it comes to speaking to NPCs and choices in the main story.”
“The only flaw is the short story; they have so much room for expansion with the current ending, and it's a shame they have yet to do anything with it.”
“Once I completed the story, I lost most of my motivation to explore anymore.”
- music113 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive and energetic qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the unique soundtrack, which blends well with the game's gritty aesthetic and combat mechanics, often finding themselves enjoying the music even outside of gameplay. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack not only fits the game's atmosphere perfectly but also elevates the excitement during combat, making it a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The music is always perfect at every point of gameplay.”
“The soundtrack is a banger, it's really damn good.”
“The art style, the music, the mechanics, bravo!”
“Some bugs here and there (one in particular is the grabber arm can get stuck under the ground which roots you in place, but quitting and reloading the level usually fixed it), and the music isn't super up my alley, but the visuals are amazing, the combat is both responsive and a hell of a lot of fun, and it's clear a lot of love went into making it.”
“The only gripes I have are purely subjective though, I'm personally not a fan of the music genre but I can easily just swap it out for something else.”
“I'm hooked -- from the incredible visceral gameplay and dark seedy visuals (man those 2.5D comic book style cutscenes couldn't be more in line with the mood), to the bangin' grimey soundtrack that I searched frantically to find on streaming services.”
- graphics96 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style and immersive atmosphere, often described as a blend of comic book aesthetics and vibrant visuals. Players appreciate the unique and polished design that enhances gameplay, with many noting the game's ability to run smoothly even on lower-end hardware. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout title in the VR space.
“The atmosphere in this game is incredible, with great art and aesthetics that really give you a vibe for the setting of the game before you even play.”
“The art style is excellent, the in-game announcer is reactive, often talking about what is actually happening, and the voice acting is absolutely brilliant.”
“The graphics are high resolution and the art style paints some huge jaw-dropping cities around you, but it's not very demanding on a GPU which means anyone can pick this up.”
“9.5/10 would be 10 with better optimization and more graphic options.”
“Realistic graphics look a bit poor in low resolution, and my poor 3080 doesn't run them in high resolution.”
“It's hard to see details in Underdogs because the game is so dark - but the darkness also hides the low-quality phone VR graphics (Quest 2 uses the Adreno 650 phone GPU, part of the XR2 SoC).”
- replayability26 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its strong replayability, driven by diverse build options, engaging combat mechanics, and regular content updates. While some players note it may be shorter than expected, the variety of unlockables and tactical gameplay keeps the experience fresh and enjoyable. Many reviewers highlight its roguelike elements as a key factor in its addictive nature, making it a worthwhile investment for players seeking longevity.
“Worth the price and is being continuously updated from the looks of it, has plenty of replay value due to build variety and the daytime mechanics.”
“But the replayability - the draw - is, as with any good roguelike, in the variety.”
“The rogue-like style makes it very replayable, and when new content drops, it makes it an addictive game that I would play much longer if I didn't tire my arms out.”
“There's just enough variety of upgrades, add-ons, weapons, and other parts for you to make quite a few different builds to suit your play style and keep it fresh, so replay value is definitely there.”
- atmosphere19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning art, immersive sound design, and engaging worldbuilding, creating a captivating experience that enhances gameplay. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and aesthetics, which contribute to a gritty, cyberpunk vibe that keeps players invested. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, elevating the game's appeal despite some criticisms of its roguelike mechanics.
“The atmosphere in this game is incredible, with great art and aesthetics that really give you a vibe for the setting of the game before you even play.”
“The cyberpunk atmosphere, dialogues, and music really kept me in the zone, movement-to-moment.”
“The atmosphere created by the graphics and sound is well made.”
“The cyberpunk atmosphere, dialogues, and music really kept me in the zone, moment-to-moment.”
“The gameplay is a 11/10, the atmosphere is a 9/10, the story is a 7/10 (I wish I had some more context but hey, mech fist go bonk).”
- optimization15 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback. While some players report excellent performance with smooth gameplay and minimal issues, others feel that it could benefit from further optimization and additional graphic options, particularly for higher-end rigs. The general consensus highlights strong visuals and intuitive physics, but there is a desire for updates to enhance performance and content.
“Gameplay flows well, there's a lot of flexibility, and it generally runs smoothly.”
“It is one of the best VR games performance-wise; I haven't experienced any stuttering or input lag or other issues.”
“No bugs, great performance.”
“My biggest complaint with any VR game is when it just doesn't feel properly optimized.”
“Hoping for some more content and some performance updates to allow more carnage and eye candy as smoothly as possible.”
“To get the game working with Rift CV1 (or other Meta HMDs), just set OpenXR to Meta in the Meta desktop app - you do not need to use Virtual Desktop or Steam Link to get optimal performance.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is widely praised, with players noting its ability to evoke genuine laughter through clever and entertaining gameplay. Many find the combination of smashing robots and challenging mechanics to be both funny and addictive, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.
“Genuinely challenging, made me laugh, and super addicting gameplay.”
“This game is good because smashing robots is fun and funny.”
“No other game has had me laughing maniacally as much as this.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players express that grinding in the game can be extremely time-consuming, likening it to needing a "second life." However, the variability in each run and the roguelike elements contribute to a rewarding experience, making the grinding feel less tedious and more engaging.
“You do have to start from scratch each time you die in the game, but it can vary so much from run to run that it still feels great and not tedious.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“One of the few recent games where being a roguelike adds to the experience and fits lore-wise instead of being tedious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits good stability, with only a few minor glitches noted, such as an issue requiring a restart on day 13. Additionally, performance on the Quest 3 is praised, indicating a smooth experience for PCVR users.
“PC VR runs great on Quest 3.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, ensuring a smooth experience.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
“I encountered several glitches that forced me to restart my run on day 13 because I couldn't select one of the two options.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing my progress.”
“There are constant stability issues that disrupt the gameplay experience, leading to frustration.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game features impressive art and character design, along with strong music and mechanics, the reviews do not specifically highlight the depth or progression of character development. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics and gameplay rather than on the evolution of characters.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a longing for emotional depth in games, noting that since experiencing "Alyx," they have found it challenging to connect with other titles on a similar emotional level.
“Since playing Alyx, I have been struggling to find a game that made me feel... something.”
