Urtuk: The Desolation

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,101 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Urtuk: The Desolation Game Cover
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Urtuk: The Desolation is a turn-based tactical RPG set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. Lead a band of survivors, scavenging for supplies, fighting off mutated creatures, and recruiting new party members. Navigate through procedurally generated landscapes, making strategic decisions for your party's survival and uncovering the world's dark secrets.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,101 reviews
gameplay85 positive mentions
grinding62 negative mentions
  • Engaging turn-based tactical combat with a variety of classes and abilities.
  • Unique art style reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon, creating a dark and immersive atmosphere.
  • Deep customization options through the mutator system, allowing for diverse character builds and strategies.
  • Repetitive gameplay with battles becoming monotonous after a while.
  • Limited story and world-building, leading to a lack of motivation to progress.
  • Clunky inventory management and UI issues that can hinder the overall experience.
  • gameplay251 mentions

    The gameplay of Urtuk: The Desolation is characterized by its deep tactical mechanics and customization options, offering a mix of engaging turn-based combat and strategic planning. While many players appreciate the variety of classes and abilities, some find the mechanics overly complex or repetitive, leading to a grindy experience. Overall, the game provides a solid foundation for tactical gameplay, though it may require patience to fully grasp its intricacies and avoid monotony.

    • “The game is already addictive with very deep and tactical gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay is fun and always challenging.”
    • “This is a great tactical fighting game, love the mechanics and different modifiers to really make the game unique, even on easy there are battles that I just can't win, hard challenge but rewarding.”
    • “It can be a little confusing to understand all the mechanics, which can make strategizing a little frustrating at times.”
    • “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.”
    • “The main issue with Urtuk is that you have what appears to be endless diversity and depth that is unfortunately limited by game mechanics that aren't apparent from the get-go.”
  • graphics215 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received praise for their unique, hand-drawn art style, often compared to "Darkest Dungeon," with a gritty and dark aesthetic that enhances the game's atmosphere. While many players appreciate the artistic direction and smooth animations, some have noted a lack of polish and variety in the visuals, leading to a somewhat monotonous experience over time. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to the game's engaging tactical gameplay and immersive world.

    • “The artwork is endearing; it strikes the perfect balance between being horrific and being cartoony.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, the theme and ambience are really beautiful.”
    • “The art style is amazing and one of my favorite ones I have seen.”
    • “The graphics are rudimentary to the point that they feel really monotonous after some hours.”
    • “Graphically, it looks a bit like Darkest Dungeon and that's a good thing.”
    • “Despite a general lack of narrative, Urtuk’s visuals manage to convey a remarkably dour vision of the state of the game’s world.”
  • story174 mentions

    The story in "Urtuk: The Desolation" is largely minimal and often described as an afterthought, with many players noting its lack of depth and engagement. While the game features a basic narrative about the main character's quest for a cure, it primarily focuses on tactical combat, leading to repetitive gameplay without a compelling storyline to motivate players. Overall, those seeking a rich narrative experience may be disappointed, as the game prioritizes combat mechanics over storytelling.

    • “Urtuk: The Desolation depicts a story of one Urtuk and his band of companions, facing the desolated wilderness of a dying world.”
    • “The ugly, ravaged world and the hideous, mutant antagonists set the tone for a story right out of an old heavy metal magazine.”
    • “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 and are suffering at the hands of the evil forces in the land.”
    • “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 bland and maps and events are the same at every level, you just get different opponents, so it can get stale.”
  • grinding62 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding, particularly in the second half, where battles become repetitive and tedious due to poorly designed maps and a lack of engaging story elements. Players often find themselves stuck in a cycle of grinding for experience and resources, which can lead to frustration and a diminished sense of progression. While some enjoy the tactical gameplay and character development, many agree that the grindy nature detracts from the overall experience, making it feel monotonous over time.

    • “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.”
    • “Campaign maps are too big, which leads to a feeling of grindiness.”
    • “Ultimately, the premise is sound, but the grindy nature of this game is extremely off-putting.”
  • replayability54 mentions

    The game offers a mixed bag of replayability, with many players appreciating its depth, variety of factions, and customizable mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers noted that the grind and repetitive nature of certain battles can detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of limited replay value compared to similar titles. Overall, while there is significant potential for replayability, especially with different factions and difficulty levels, some players feel it may not reach the heights of other games in the genre.

    • “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, with each group being different enough to make it worth returning 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.”
    • “These titles are all enjoyable to play and can certainly put you through the wringer if you’re playing them ironman-style, but whereas I could pick up a brand new campaign of its inspirations at any time, Urtuk seems to lack that same level of replayability.”
  • music52 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its excellent quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its dark and immersive qualities. While some players found the soundtrack repetitive over time, others highlighted its addictive nature and ability to complement the gameplay effectively. Overall, the combination of a strong soundtrack and unique art style contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a memorable experience for players.

    • “The accompanying music is so good that I haven’t turned it off even after all these hours of playtime, which is the greatest compliment I can think of.”
    • “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.”
    • “Great atmosphere to the game world, great artwork, beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack gets old after a while, but this is a fun game with a small learning curve as far as knowing what all the mutations are and figuring out how to combo them.”
    • “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!”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    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 some reviews note a lack of depth in lore and storytelling, the overall ambiance, combined with engaging tactical gameplay, creates a memorable experience that resonates with players. The blend of beautiful visuals and atmospheric sound design enhances the sense of desperation and urgency throughout the game.

    • “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.”
    • “Great atmosphere to the game world, great artwork, beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “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 and the atmosphere of Darkest Dungeon.”
  • character development15 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its unique approach and intentionality, offering enjoyable RPG elements and tactical combat mechanics. However, some players find the complexity overwhelming, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration, especially when characters can die easily despite their growth. Overall, while the character design and development options are praised, the lack of depth in the overworld management phase detracts from the overall experience.

    • “A unique approach to character development and building.”
    • “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, with encounters becoming 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, making the experience feel less engaging compared to other games like Battle Brothers.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and grotesque graphics, with players finding amusement in the overpowered character Amos and the chaotic nature of battles driven by RNG. The unique art style and the blend of challenge and humor contribute to an overall entertaining experience, making the gameplay both stylish and comically engaging.

    • “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.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly even on low-end systems, players report poor performance and a confusing UI that detracts from the experience. However, the character optimization options and combat synergies are praised for their depth, allowing for varied and successful strategies. Overall, the optimization aspect is enjoyable for those who appreciate character customization, despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “Really fun game, especially if you're the kind of player that enjoys fiddling around with the optimization of your characters :)”
    • “Each character may be fitted with a set of mutations – passive effects capable of significantly improving or altering a warrior’s performance.”
    • “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, making 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.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report encountering bugs, they generally do not significantly impact the overall experience. Notably, there have been no crashes or major glitches reported, although the user interface has been criticized for being problematic.

    • “The UI is godawful and buggy.”
    • “Nice game, although kind of buggy. I encountered some bugs, but it was still good enough and didn't really affect the game experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express that while some games feature captivating environments and intriguing systems, they often struggle to evoke emotional engagement due to poorly designed characters and slow, unresponsive gameplay mechanics. This disconnect can make it difficult for players to form a meaningful connection with the game.

    • “The game masterfully weaves a narrative that pulls at your heartstrings, making you feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
    • “Every choice you make has emotional weight, leading to moments of joy and heartbreak that linger long after the game is over.”
    • “The stunning visuals and haunting soundtrack create an atmosphere that enhances the emotional experience, making every moment feel significant.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

42hMedian play time
57hAverage play time
20-110hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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