Vandals
- April 12, 2018
- ARTE France
With perfectly crafted levels and an awesome electronic soundtrack, Vandals proves to be a great entry into the turn-based stealth genre. In many ways, it captures the sensation of what painting at night feels like.
Get on Steam"Vandals is a turn-based infiltration game that takes you on a street art journey across famous cities like Paris, New York, and Tokyo. With simple mechanics, players evade police and spray walls inspired by real-life artists, creating their own unique graffiti. Featuring an original soundtrack and various sharing options, Vandals offers a fun, immersive experience for both portrait and landscape play."
PC
Reviews
- Vandals offers a unique non-violent turn-based strategy experience that allows players to unleash their creativity through graffiti.
- The game features interesting puzzles and a relaxing atmosphere, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate stealth mechanics.
- It provides educational trivia about the graffiti scene, adding depth to the gameplay experience.
- Many achievements are broken and have been unresolved for years, leading to frustration for achievement hunters.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and boring over time, lacking the engaging mechanics found in similar titles like Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including poor controls and a simplified interface that detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is reminiscent of titles like Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, featuring simple puzzle mechanics and a unique graffiti experience, but it suffers from a lack of variety and pacing in introducing new elements. While the puzzles are enjoyable, the overall design and user interface are criticized for being off-putting, leading to a repetitive experience. Players appreciate the game's potential and hope for future content improvements.
“Gameplay is very similar to, for example, Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, but without any violence.”
“Gameplay is similar to Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, with a few additional creative twists.”
“It has nice puzzles with various mechanics that give you the feeling of a real illegal graffiti experience.”
“Although I must admit, the OST alongside the general gameplay loop can make this game kind of boring from time to time, and for that all I have to say is: just put on some music of your own!”
“And, despite the fact that new gameplay elements are added in each new city, the game quickly becomes quite boring.”
“The gameplay is very well made, but the design is completely off compared to the Hitman and Lara Croft games that inspired it. Plus, the UI is messed up, window mode resolution is fixed to your screen, and the achievements are bugged!”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find the original soundtrack cool and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others feel it can become monotonous and suggest playing personal music instead. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its style and ability to enhance the relaxing gameplay experience.
“Cool style, cool soundtrack, relaxing gameplay.”
“Great puzzles and nice atmosphere and soundtrack.”
“I used the Everhood OST, but any OST will do just fine.”
“Although I must admit, the OST alongside the general gameplay loop can make this game kind of boring from time to time, and for that all I have to say is: just put on some music of your own!”
“(I used the Everhood OST, but any OST will do just fine :p)”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of Vandals has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment that the mobile app has been poorly adapted for PC, resulting in a simplified experience that feels exploitative rather than genuine.
“Vandals is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game. It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The mobile app looks like it's some kind of stealth action game, but it's not at all; it's much more dumbed down than that, intended for mobile users and their cell phones.”
“The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it impossible to enjoy without spending a fortune.”
“I was really disappointed to find that the game is riddled with microtransactions. It ruins the experience and makes it feel like a constant money grab.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a combination of engaging puzzles and a pleasant soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
“Great puzzles, along with a captivating atmosphere and soundtrack.”
“The atmosphere is immersive and enhances the overall experience.”
“The game's environment is beautifully crafted, creating a rich and engaging atmosphere.”
