Urtuk: The Desolation

About

Urtuk: The Desolation is a single player open world role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by madsheepstudios and was released on February 27, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

"Urtuk: The Desolation" is a survival RPG set in a dark, post-apocalyptic world with turn-based tactical combat. Recruit followers, loot enemies, and upgrades characters by extracting abilities from fallen foes. With procedurally generated campaigns, hand-drawn graphics, and dynamic battles, players must navigate a dangerous realm in this open-aring, challenging game. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,056 reviews

gameplay158 positive mentions

grinding118 negative mentions

Engaging tactical combat with a focus on positioning and terrain advantages.
Deep character customization through a unique mutation system that allows for varied builds.
Visually appealing art style reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon, creating a grim atmosphere.

Repetitive gameplay with a lack of variety in encounters and missions.
Clunky inventory management and UI that can hinder the overall experience.
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially when transitioning between levels.

gameplay
462 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The gameplay of "Urtuk: The Desolation" is characterized by its deep tactical mechanics and customization options, appealing to fans of turn-based strategy. However, many players find the mechanics complex and sometimes poorly explained, leading to frustration and a steep learning curve. While the game offers engaging combat and replayability, it can also become repetitive and grindy, with some users expressing a desire for more variety in maps and events to enhance the overall experience.
- “This is an amazing, very carefully crafted game with excellent combat mechanics.”
- “The core mechanics are solid and well thought-out.”
- “Gameplay is fun and always challenging.”
- “It can be a little confusing to understand all the mechanics, which can make strategizing a little frustrating at times.”
- “Seems the way to play is just repeatedly throw yourself at the wall to learn every mechanic, and honestly the game isn't fun enough to do that, especially when you're on a great run, start a normal fight, and lose your entire team.”
- “The gameplay I loved in my first playthrough got boring and repetitive, regardless of whichever character I was playing; maps are generated randomly, but it's mostly the same elements over and over again.”
graphics
390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, hand-drawn art style that evokes a dark fantasy aesthetic reminiscent of titles like "Darkest Dungeon." While many players appreciate the gritty and imaginative visuals, some note a lack of polish and variety in the environments, leading to a somewhat monotonous experience over time. Overall, the art style is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and appeal, despite some criticisms regarding clarity and character differentiation during gameplay.
- “The graphics are great, and holy $hhhhhhhiiidddd the price is actually more than reasonable.”
- “The art style is fantastic - think along the lines of darkest dungeon, and the music and sfx are all very fitting and well done - whoever did the death screams and gurgles must have had a lot of fun!”
- “Fun, engaging turn-based combat on a grid system, with an amazing art style that reminds me of darkest dungeon in all the right ways!”
- “Also, the UI and graphics are rudimentary to the point that they feel really monotonous after some hours.”
- “The game's comic-styled visuals are gritty and most enemy designs are downright hideous.”
- “1- It tries to imitate the artwork of Darkest Dungeon but ends up looking too cartoonish and ugly.”
story
322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
75%
11%
The story in "Urtuk: The Desolation" is largely considered minimal and underdeveloped, serving primarily as a backdrop for the game's tactical combat. Players note that the narrative lacks depth and variety, often feeling repetitive and unengaging, which can detract from the overall experience, especially in the later stages of the game. While some appreciate the focus on gameplay over story, many agree that a more substantial narrative could enhance the game's appeal.
- “Urtuk: the desolation depicts a story of one Urtuk and his band of companions, facing the desolated wilderness of a dying world.”
- “The story just gives you enough to want to know more.”
- “An unforgiving and harsh desolate world tells us the story of Urtuk - just an ordinary person who was 'lucky enough' to become a victim of an experiment.”
- “The main negative is there is practically zero story.”
- “There's no story to keep going into the later part of the game.”
- “The story is bare bones and the overworld map is largely pointless, but the combat is easily some of, if not the best, that I have seen in the genre.”
grinding
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its grindy nature, particularly in the second half, where repetitive combat and lack of engaging story elements lead to player fatigue. Many reviewers note that while the tactical gameplay can be enjoyable, the necessity to grind for experience and traits often makes battles feel tedious and unexciting. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant drawback, with some players finding it off-putting enough to abandon the game altogether.
- “The game, which is almost entirely combat, gets very 'grindy' and 'samey' in the second half, and with no story to keep you going, you may decide not to continue.”
- “It is recommended to spend 100 days, around 50-80 battles in the first zone; this grinding is what will make 90% of the players quit.”
- “Ultimately, the premise is sound, but the grindy nature of this game is extremely off-putting.”
replayability
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse factions, customizable units, and various difficulty levels, allowing players to explore different strategies and combinations. However, some players note that the mid-game can become repetitive and grind-heavy, which may detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, many reviewers highlight the game's depth and tactical combat as strong incentives for multiple playthroughs.
- “The campaign is challenging, and when you win battles it's rewarding. The fact that there are so many different battle types and events gives this game a lot of fun and replayability.”
- “Amazing replayability! This game is big on party synergies and cooperation; each group will be different enough to make it worth returning to the game after some time for another run.”
- “There is an immense amount of strategic depth as well as replay value, making this game extremely replayable.”
- “As a result, the mid-game can become a bit of a grind, which hurts the overall replayability of the game.”
- “Campaign's not very replayable either; there is so much repetitive grinding that I don't ever see myself going back and playing it again from the beginning.”
- “Alas, ultimately, I will still have to suggest players find another tactical game with high replay value over Urtuk.”
music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
30%
3%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during battles. While some players find the soundtrack addictive and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others feel it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its immersive and dramatic qualities.
- “The music is excellent, fitting in with the setting perfectly and goes well with the ghoulish, gore-filled comic book art style of the story cut scenes, which go all out when it comes to delivering the grimness of what Urtuk and others have suffered at the hands of the evil forces in the land.”
- “This is a great gory battle simulator with addicting music.”
- “The art style is fantastic - think along the lines of Darkest Dungeon, and the music and sound effects are all very fitting and well done.”
- “Music is a thing but it's nothing special.”
- “Music: soundtracks are barely okay, nothing interesting about the music, only better than no music.”
- “I really don't get why they released soundtracks as a purchasable item on Steam!”
atmosphere
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating and gritty qualities, effectively immersing players in a dark, apocalyptic fantasy world filled with unique art and a haunting soundtrack. While the setting and sound design contribute significantly to the overall experience, some reviewers noted a lack of depth in lore and storytelling that could enhance the living world feel. Overall, the combination of striking visuals and atmospheric elements creates a memorable backdrop for the tactical gameplay.
- “The game's atmosphere is spot on; the art, the world, everything plays to how desperate you are to find a cure and save yourself.”
- “This is a tactical gem with outstanding atmosphere and visuals.”
- “Amazing tactical strategy with a great combat system, heavy grimdark atmosphere, dynamic map with random points of interest and roaming enemies.”
- “There is almost no lore to speak of, no descriptive language to help build the atmosphere.”
- “The game has a gritty and gory atmosphere resembling much like some recent games of the same genre.”
- “I would classify the game as a cross between the core gameplay of Final Fantasy Tactics meets the atmosphere of Darkest Dungeon.”
character development
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
13%
Character development in the game is noted for its unique and intentional design, with a solid system based on mutations that extends to weapons and armor. While some players find the mechanics overly complicated, leading to a sense of dullness, others appreciate the tactical depth and the thrill of evolving characters despite the challenges they face. Overall, the character development is seen as enjoyable but can feel limited due to a lack of engaging overworld management compared to similar titles.
- “I am a bit less attracted to games with graphics like Darkest Dungeon, even though it is a good game in its own right, but Urtuk: The Desolation captured my eye with turn-based tactical combat and character development with RPG elements, which I like, because I enjoy games like early Fallouts, Commandos, X-COM, etc. It is tough as nails; I found my characters that I grew and evolved dying easily at times, which is frustrating, yet this kind of challenge gives a thrill.”
- “The game has an excellent bolted-down combat and character development system based on mutations, which can even extend to weapons and armor.”
- “What I really enjoy about this game and specifically want to highlight is the level of intentionality in the strategic decisions and the uniqueness of character development.”
- “The mechanics are too complicated to be tracked, so that character development feels dull.”
- “Waiting for plot twists, character development, romance options, and interactive minigames will leave you disappointed, and the game will quickly feel monotonous while the encounters become repetitive.”
- “At just under 12 hours in, the game is good at what it does; the combat is solid, but the character development is just okay. You can choose to put certain abilities on your characters, some better than others. However, the overworld, or 'management phase,' has very little to do. You move your party to the next node, can only take certain paths, level up your characters, sort any new gear, and equip it, and that's pretty much it. You're in the next battle in the space of 2 minutes.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly even on low-end systems, players report poor performance and a confusing user interface that detracts from the experience. However, the character optimization options and combat synergies are praised, offering depth and variety that enhance gameplay for those who enjoy fine-tuning their characters. Overall, the optimization aspect has potential but is hindered by UI issues.
- “Your warriors gain specific perks related to their performance in combat.”
- “I actually prefer the combat here, because each character/class appears to have more options/synergy that can be successful, whereas other games tended to herd you down a linear optimized path, while making most of the more interesting combat options less efficient and rarely used.”
- “Performance is bad and it's hard to understand what is going on, mostly due to poor UI.”
- “I actually prefer the combat here, because each character/class appears to have more options/synergy that can be successful, whereas BB tended to herd you down a linear optimized path, while making most of the more interesting combat options less efficient and rarely used.”
- “Each character may be fitted with a set of mutations – passive effects capable of significantly improving or altering a warrior’s performance.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its grotesque graphics and unique atmosphere, which many players find amusing. The character Amos, described as overpowered, adds a layer of humor with his ability to carry runs and acquire the "champion" trait, contributing to the game's overall comedic tone. Players appreciate the effective use of humor throughout the gameplay experience.
- “Amos the champion is so broken he will carry your run almost by himself (he can also get 'the champion' trait; weird and funny).”
- “Graphics are hilariously grotesque.”
- “Art or the atmosphere is pretty unique and funny.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while players have encountered various bugs and a poorly designed UI, these issues do not significantly detract from the overall experience, and there have been no major crashes or glitches reported.
- “The UI is godawful and buggy.”
- “Nice game, although kind of buggy; I encountered some bugs, but it didn't really affect the game experience.”
- “The game has some bugs, which can be distracting at times.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while some games feature captivating environments and intriguing systems, they often suffer from poorly designed characters and gameplay mechanics that hinder emotional engagement. The lack of immediate feedback and the abstract nature of certain elements make it difficult for players to connect emotionally with the game.