UnReal World

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,806 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
UnReal World Game Cover
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UnReal World is a graphical, open-ended survival fantasy roguelike set in the lush forests and frozen tundras of ancient Finland. With in-depth seasonal cycles, crafting, and skill systems, players must hunt, trap, and forage to survive, while forming alliances or engaging in combat with AI-controlled clans and creatures. Immerse in a rich, procedurally generated world, where every decision counts, and death is permanent.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Ms Dos
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,806 reviews
graphics68 positive mentions
grinding58 negative mentions
  • UnReal World offers an incredibly deep and immersive survival experience set in iron age Finland, allowing players to engage in various activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, and crafting.
  • The game features a unique and realistic approach to survival, where players must manage hunger, thirst, and temperature, making every decision impactful.
  • The developer has been actively updating the game for over 30 years, showing a commitment to improving the gameplay and adding new features.
  • The user interface and controls can be clunky and unintuitive, requiring players to memorize numerous keyboard shortcuts, which may deter some players.
  • The graphics are dated and may not appeal to players accustomed to modern visuals, potentially leading to a lack of initial interest.
  • The game can feel lonely and repetitive at times, as there are limited interactions with NPCs and no real overarching goals beyond survival.
  • graphics376 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and dated, often reminiscent of older titles from the 90s, which may deter some players. However, many reviewers emphasize that the minimalistic visuals do not detract from the immersive gameplay experience, allowing players to engage their imagination and appreciate the game's depth. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they are considered adequate for the game's theme and contribute to its unique atmosphere.

    • “Don't let the first impression of the visuals fool you; after a few hours of gameplay, every pixel will feel immersive.”
    • “While the graphics are indeed basic, the vastness of the open world leaves it wide open for the imagination, and with all the specific aspects of survival in the natural world, there is far more at hand in this game to enrich the mind with wonderment.”
    • “The game's graphics, while simplistic, painted a vivid picture of Unreal World's rugged beauty.”
    • “The graphics are off-putting and extremely dated.”
    • “Terrible graphics, terrible controls.”
    • “The graphics may turn many away from this game as they are the only real weakness I have found.”
  • gameplay254 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by its deep and immersive survival mechanics, offering players a unique experience that emphasizes exploration, crafting, and adaptation to environmental challenges. While the controls and user interface can be clunky and unintuitive, many players find the complexity rewarding after investing time to learn the systems. Overall, the game is praised for its rich mechanics and replayability, making it a standout in the roguelike survival genre despite its dated graphics and occasional frustrations.

    • “The gameplay is immersive, challenging, and just plain fun.”
    • “The depth of gameplay, replayability, and difficulty are great.”
    • “An incredibly rich game in both environment and gameplay.”
    • “The controls and mechanics are confusing, difficult, and time-consuming to learn.”
    • “At the time it was amazing, but years and years with hardly any progress in important aspects of the game... nowadays, there are better survival games, better 'sword and survival' games, better simulators of life in a wild environment.”
    • “I really wanted this game to work out and was willing to forgive it a lot, but it just fell flat on its face because, apparently, it looks like in those 25 years nobody bothered to put any time whatsoever into a more intuitive and convenient UI or just improve the gameplay experience in general.”
  • story98 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is highly praised for its immersive and player-driven narrative, allowing each player to craft their own unique experiences through survival and exploration. While the game lacks a traditional overarching plot, it offers a rich storytelling engine where players can engage in various quests and interactions, leading to diverse outcomes and personal tales. The character creation and customizable starting scenarios further enhance the depth of storytelling, making each playthrough a distinct adventure filled with challenges and self-discovery.

    • “Unreal World is a testament to the power of storytelling and the spirit of adventure; it is a game that transports players to a realm of survival and self-discovery.”
    • “Every game of Unreal World is a story of its own that you write yourself, not a grind towards a set goal.”
    • “You make your own story and it's done with such detail that you feel really immersed.”
    • “May not have the best graphics or storyline.”
    • “30 years of work really shows in how the tone of the game bleeds through despite the graphics and lack of real story.”
    • “This game has no overarching plot, no real mission other than survive.”
  • grinding58 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with players noting that the repetitive nature of hunting, gathering, and farming can feel forced and lacking in engagement. While the game offers a rich atmosphere and meaningful crafting, the cumbersome controls and excessive key presses detract from the overall experience, making progression feel more like a chore than a rewarding challenge. Many players express that the grind lacks purpose, often leading to a sense of annoyance rather than satisfaction.

    • “In its original form, this game was a tedious and frustrating grind for me.”
    • “Just grindy with no real purpose or overarching theme.”
    • “It's just tedious and not the least bit of fun.”
  • music40 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while the main menu's soundtrack is praised as good and reflective of Finnish culture, players express a desire for more in-game music and ambient sounds. Some argue that the lack of music enhances realism, while others feel it detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the existing soundtrack is noted as outstanding, but many hope for future updates to include more musical elements.

    • “The music is phenomenal.”
    • “The soundtrack is great and the theme song is played on a kantele, which is apparently a Finnish instrument.”
    • “You can see from the start as soon as you launch the game that the traditional and folklore of the Finnish culture is in place by listening to the music.”
    • “Even so, the lack of music makes the video game realism and setting.”
    • “For cons, there are definitely some janky bits, and the music and graphics are fairly poor even for a tileset-based roguelike.”
    • “The game does lack music and sound effects; there is some, but it could be more.”
  • atmosphere36 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and unique qualities, effectively capturing the essence of the iron age with its retro graphics, rich lore, and deep survival mechanics. Players appreciate the enchanting setting of a sparsely populated land filled with traditional rituals and crafting systems, which enhances the overall experience and encourages imaginative gameplay. Despite some rough edges, the atmospheric depth and engaging presentation make it a standout in the survival genre.

    • “While the graphics are not AAA standards, they are perfectly suited to the game's theme and contribute significantly to the immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere of a sparsely settled land, small villages, and vague magic is genuinely enchanting to me, and I think if you enjoy role-playing, you'll have lots of room and tinder for your imagination to run wild.”
    • “The gameplay has a ton of freedom and depth, and the setting is rich in its historical atmosphere and lore.”
    • “Ignore the 1990's graphics, the atmosphere is such that I hate to leave a wounded animal or waste anything.”
    • “Every bit of this game was filled with iron age atmosphere!”
    • “The presentation is apt & the atmosphere effective, making it very easy to enter into the spirit of the game.”
  • replayability22 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, primarily due to its open-ended survival mechanics and randomly generated maps, which provide endless exploration opportunities. Players appreciate the depth of gameplay and the continuous updates that enhance the experience, making it a highly recommended choice for fans of survival games. Overall, the combination of challenging gameplay and a richly developed world contributes to its high replay value.

    • “The game is fantastically replayable, which is good as you will be replaying it a lot when your characters die, over and over.”
    • “The game is constantly being expanded and improved upon, which only adds to the replayability.”
    • “The only game I can think of that compares to Unreal World in terms of depth and replayability is Nethack.”
    • “There really is no aim other than to survive, and how you do it gives the game so much replayability.”
  • stability12 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players noting a significant number of glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in a rogue-like context. While some appreciate the game's aesthetic and the evolving world, others find it poorly designed and unplayable, leading to frustration after investing time. Overall, opinions vary, with some players willing to overlook issues for the game's charm, while others cannot recommend it due to its instability.

    • “Oh, and a nice note to end on, it's pretty bug free.”
    • “However, I can't recommend a game that glitches and ruins my runs after investing many hours in.”
    • “Now, I'm willing to put up with a certain level of junky UI and buggy mechanics from a game I like, but let's also not forget that this is a rogue-like.”
    • “In the time I got while still being able to refund, all I saw was a buggy, poorly designed, and unplayable mess that belongs in the '90s where it crawled out from.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky scenarios, such as a comical Iron Age Finnish man navigating a wealthy village and engaging in absurd situations in the wilderness, including the consumption of bizarre mushrooms. The immersive storytelling engine enhances these humorous moments, creating a lighthearted and entertaining experience.

    • “An immersive storytelling engine through all kinds of funny situations in the wilderness.”
    • “Funny iron age Finnish man enters random well-to-do village.”
    • “Funny thing, I did not have much more than four weapons on me at the time, and they were on the ground.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, highlighting the heartbreak and frustration of character deaths, which foster a sense of attachment and investment in the world. The narrative of loss and the impact of choices on relationships within the game contribute to a rich emotional experience, underscoring the respect and affection players have for the developers and the game's universe.

    • “You will die many, many times, and it will be both heart-breaking and infuriating.”
    • “Touching back on the spirits, I believe leaving the kills to rot like that bombed my relations with the spirits, as my character did start to feel as if the world was hostile to them.”
    • “My first few characters died quickly, and I had no idea at all how to play, but I learned and discovered and got way too emotionally attached.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game is generally viewed positively, with users emphasizing that it does not feel like a cash grab.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

70hMedian play time
47hAverage play time
1-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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