Until We Die
- June 3, 2021
- Pixeye Games
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Until We Die" is a base defense strategy game where you play as Ivan, defending a subway station from relentless mutant attacks for 30 days. You'll need to manually assign tasks to your AI-limited human allies for building defenses, researching technology, and launching counter-attacks against mutant lairs to ensure survival. The game ends if Ivan dies or the power generator is destroyed.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a captivating atmosphere, reminiscent of Metro 2033 and Metal Slug.
- Gameplay is challenging and engaging, requiring strategic planning and quick decision-making to survive against waves of enemies.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and have plans for future updates and content expansions.
- Currently, the game lacks a save feature, making it frustrating to lose progress after long play sessions.
- There is only one map available, leading to limited replayability and a feeling of unfinished content.
- The difficulty spikes can be punishing, with little room for error, which may deter casual players.
- gameplay304 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Until We Die" is characterized by its wave-based, side-scrolling mechanics that blend elements of resource management and strategic defense, reminiscent of the "Kingdom" series. While many players appreciate the engaging art style and the challenge presented by the mechanics, there are significant criticisms regarding the game's difficulty, micromanagement requirements, and lack of content, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the gameplay is seen as fun and innovative, but it requires mastery of its systems and may benefit from further updates and balancing.
“The engaging storyline, coupled with strategic gameplay and captivating visuals, creates an immersive experience.”
“The mechanics of the game start simply, then build into more complex systems and tactics that I enjoy; abilities/resources/functions are added in as you expand, and they do so at a fairly constant rate, which keeps you excited for the next upgrade or expansion.”
“Addictive, adrenaline-fueling, nail-biting gameplay.”
“This game is like a 2004 flash player game with the current state of the mechanics.”
“This game is needlessly hard; even to really summarize this review, go play Kingdom Two Crowns. You'll have a better time and won't be pulling your hair out at what should be small setbacks. Don't get me wrong, the game is beautiful artistically and reminds me of Metal Slug, it's just that certain mechanics are very close to pure torture.”
“Because of a lack of freedom when it comes to base building, tedious micromanagement of your troops, set enemy wave patterns, and very basic player combat mechanics, I can't recommend this game.”
- graphics190 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beautiful pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles like Metal Slug, and for creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances gameplay. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the environmental design and the overall aesthetic, which combines elements from various genres, including dark fantasy and survival horror. While the visuals are praised, some users note that the gameplay could benefit from further refinement to match the high quality of the graphics.
“The game has very gorgeous graphics, a very cool enjoyable base defense gameplay, and a cool world.”
“The art style is beautiful, the music is great, and the level of tension between waves is unmatched.”
“The graphics and art style are also excellent.”
“I have no problem with sound, graphics or any of the designs, difficult or not the simple fact of pure lack of content makes me regret my purchase choice.”
“Until we die is a base defense game that is heavily inspired by Metro 2033, and whose graphics remind me of old Armor Games, particularly Infectonator and the like.”
“I have been experiencing slowdowns as the game progresses, but this old rig of mine is running a Xeon server chip and Quadro K4200 graphics card meant for AutoCAD - not exactly an optimized gaming PC.”
- story96 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging yet lacking depth, primarily revolving around a single long mission set in a post-apocalyptic metro environment. While players appreciate the immersive visuals and the potential for strategic gameplay, many express a desire for a more developed narrative and additional missions to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for gameplay but is seen as needing expansion and coherence to fully captivate players.
“The engaging storyline, coupled with strategic gameplay and captivating visuals, creates an immersive experience.”
“Until We Die is a great game similar in style to that of Kingdom but with its own unique twists and story.”
“The game has you plot a mental course in a mostly abandoned subway tunnel that serves as the beachhead to drive back an extraterrestrial invasion that has wreaked havoc on the surface, leaning heavily on pre-existing shelters and structures found within the now overrun areas of an as of yet unknown location.”
“So there's no AI behind it at all, it's just a scripted 'story'.”
“Once you beat the first 'mission' (if you can even get that far without running into the various game-breaking bugs that either soft-lock your progress or get you stuck completely), there is absolutely nothing else to do in the game but repeat that same mission, over and over.”
“It just needs more story and more scenarios to play through.”
- atmosphere54 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and beautifully crafted environment, drawing comparisons to beloved franchises like Metro and Stalker. Reviewers highlight the combination of pixel art, sound design, and a dark, grim aesthetic that enhances the overall experience, making it both engaging and challenging. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay elements, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates players.
“A beautifully atmospheric and challenging game, 'Until We Die' is a fantastic competitor to the Kingdom series that is held back by its tiny amount of content.”
“Incredible fun and very tactical base defender, I really love the atmosphere and the art style!”
“Overall, I love this game and its atmosphere accompanied with the great pixel art and the soundtrack; I definitely recommend it to anyone with a hardcore strategy mindset.”
“Music is mostly there in the background to build atmosphere, and the sound effects were okay, nothing really standing out.”
“It's sad, as the atmosphere, the music, the art style and basically everything else is great, but these two elements will completely ruin the game for you.”
“The pixelated art direction, atmosphere, and simple controls made me lean toward giving this game a few more runs.”
- replayability52 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it enjoyable with potential for future updates and varied difficulty levels, many express disappointment due to limited content and repetitive scenarios after initial playthroughs. The current state of the game offers minimal replay value, with hopes for more characters and maps in future updates to enhance the experience. Players generally agree that while the game has charm and promise, it feels lacking in replayability as it stands.
“Good replayability and challenging difficulties.”
“It is charming, the world feels alive, and there is the chance for heavy replay value.”
“Well worth the purchase and highly replayable.”
“I enjoyed the game until I put in a few playthroughs, then the lack of replay value set in and the game started feeling unfinished.”
“Sadly this also means there is little to no replayability in the game's current state and after you beat the first level it becomes stale rather quickly.”
“If you're gonna get this game, I will say that there isn't too much to do and really only a few different approaches really work and allow you to succeed, so don't expect this to be replayable for hundreds of hours.”
- music50 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and tension, while others noted a lack of variety and presence during gameplay. Some tracks are highlighted as memorable, particularly the credits song, but overall, the soundtrack is often described as simple and mostly background noise that aids concentration. Despite these critiques, the sound design is generally considered solid, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience.
“The art style is beautiful, the music is great, and the level of tension between waves is unmatched.”
“Massive fan of the Metro franchise and the Stalker series as well and felt really at home with the atmosphere and music.”
“Overall, I love this game and its atmosphere accompanied with the great pixel art and the soundtrack; I definitely recommend it to anyone with a hardcore strategy mindset.”
“As you probably have seen already, the game really deserves to be praised for its really neat metal slug look, the sound design holds up and the OST is not bad either, although it lacks variety and substance.”
“Music is mostly there in the background to build atmosphere, and the sound effects were okay, nothing really standing out.”
“It's sad, as the atmosphere, the music, the art style and basically everything else is great, but these two elements will completely ruin the game for you.”
- grinding28 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the challenge and learning curve can be engaging, the lack of randomness and tedious micromanagement often make gameplay feel like a chore. Many reviewers express frustration with the repetitive tasks and the necessity of constant player interaction to manage resources and troops, leading to a sense of monotony. Suggestions for improvement include automating certain tasks to reduce the grind and enhance overall enjoyment.
“Because of a lack of freedom when it comes to base building, tedious micromanagement of your troops, set enemy wave patterns, and very basic player combat mechanics, I can't recommend this game.”
“Right now with how powerful the mutants are, how weak everything you have is, and just how slow and tedious everything is to do, the end result is a needlessly difficult game.”
“I spent almost 20 hours grinding to the end of a level thinking there was more.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it is designed with optimization as a core element, some players experience performance slowdowns, particularly on older hardware. The graphics are generally well-received, with no major bugs reported, but there is a desire for further optimization and a richer narrative to enhance the experience.
“The graphics are good and I never saw a bug, just some minor optimization needed and a more rich story.”
“It was fun, but the whole purpose of the game is optimization; after that, the game becomes very boring.”
“I have been experiencing slowdowns as the game progresses, but this old rig of mine is running a Xeon server chip and Quadro K4200 graphics card meant for AutoCAD - not exactly an optimized gaming PC.”
“It's a speed-run style side scroller with optimization in mind.”
- stability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences regarding stability; while some aspects of the game run smoothly and are considered bug-free, there are significant issues with basic functionalities, such as saving and exiting, which are either poorly implemented or buggy. Additionally, the developers' history of releasing buggy games raises concerns about long-term stability.
“Mechanically, it runs great.”
“+ Bug free”
“Mechanically, it runs great.”
“Moreover, their previous work has proven to be buggy.”
“Not only is there only one scenario, but even basic functionality (like 'save and exit') is not implemented or is buggy.”
“Moreover, their previous work has proven to be buggy.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a "cash grab," with users expressing disappointment over the developers abandoning the game without further updates. While the game has potential for fun and replayability, the lack of ongoing support and content has led to a negative perception, making it difficult for players to recommend it.
“Too late for a refund for me, but hopefully you won't buy this cash grab.”
“The game was abandoned by the devs as a quick cash grab. I would love to see the game updated with more content, as it is a very fun game with good replayability. However, this does not change the fact it has been abandoned by the devs, and with that being said, I cannot recommend it.”
“It could be an amazing experience, or it could be a bare-bones cash grab.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely absent, with comparisons made to "Metro 2033" but lacking its comedic elements. Players find irony in the developers' decision to offer a mere 10% discount as an apology for a non-functional save system, which is seen as a common practice in the industry rather than a genuine gesture.
“They released the game without a working save system (they slapped it with a 10% discount as 'apologies,' which is funny considering every single other game discounts their game at 10% anyway).”
