VERSUS: The Deathscapes
- May 27, 2021
- Choice of Games
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreIn "Versus: The Deathscapes," an interactive 200,000-word novel by Zachary Sergi, you wield stolen superpowers from gods to unlock galactic secrets. Imprisoned on planet Versus, you've gained the abilities of flight, energy beams, and mind control, but to find Dhan, your journey of rivaling gods and reshaping the galaxy's fate is just beginning. This thrilling text-based adventure lets your choices control the story, with no graphics or sound effects to distract from your imagination.
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Reviews
- The game features interesting philosophical themes and character development that provoke deep emotional responses.
- The structure of choices is clear, allowing players to understand how their decisions impact the story, with varied endings based on stats and alliances.
- The world-building and narrative scope are extensive, providing a rich backdrop for the story and engaging gameplay.
- The conclusion feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving many plot threads unresolved and failing to deliver a proper ending to the series.
- Character relationships, particularly romances, are underdeveloped, with many beloved characters sidelined or removed from the story.
- The pacing is inconsistent, with excessive exposition and a lack of meaningful consequences for player choices, leading to a disappointing experience overall.
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for being convoluted and lacking direction, often feeling like a textbook rather than an engaging narrative. While it offers varied endings based on player choices and has moments of intrigue, many players felt disappointed by the lack of closure and the sidelining of established characters in favor of new ones. Despite its flaws, some elements of the plot and world-building were praised, though they were overshadowed by the unsatisfying resolution and character dynamics.
“There were varied endings in terms of the stats you built and the alliances you made, making the story feel truly responsive.”
“Book 2 enhanced my fulfillment of the series by turning it into a story of intrigue and politics, where it wasn't just about beating stuff up, but about simply surviving against something more massive than your puny mortal power or comprehension.”
“Well, this last installment of the versus storyline truly sticks to its roots in both being immensely thought-provoking and with its ability to provoke intense emotions in those reading it.”
“The story had a lot of information that just didn't lead anywhere, and half of it came across with the feeling of reading a textbook.”
“This rushed story feels like a fanfiction-level of science fantasy for teenagers.”
“To say I felt cheated by that plot mechanic would be an understatement.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as having strong motivation and impactful final choices, but the integration of new gameplay mechanics and character information can detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. While the core premise involves collaboration among aliens to save their galaxy, some players feel overwhelmed by the frequent introduction of new elements. Additionally, the hint DLC is recommended for simplifying decision-making, though other DLCs may not enhance the gameplay experience.
“Gameplay, the motivation and final choices are very good too.”
“To say I felt cheated by that plot mechanic would be an understatement.”
“World building aside, the core story is actually [spoiler] you an alien must work with other aliens of the same galaxy to find a galaxy savior to beat an alien from another galaxy and be new galaxy superheroes [/spoiler]. Too bad there is a lot of new gameplay and character information thrown in consistently to enjoy the story.”
“Btw, only get the hint DLC for simpler choice making; others are irrelevant to the gameplay experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while there is notable character development in the series, particularly in the earlier books, the third installment is criticized for neglecting this aspect, leading to a loss of suspense and emotional investment in the characters.
“The character development is written beautifully, adding depth and complexity to the story.”
“The journey of character growth is engaging and keeps you invested in their arcs.”
“Each character evolves in a way that feels authentic and meaningful throughout the game.”
“I feel like Book 3 took all that suspense and character development and shoved it out the window.”
“The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked any real growth throughout the game.”
“There was a missed opportunity for deeper character arcs; instead, they remained static and uninteresting.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious and repetitive, often feeling like they are forced to replay past content without meaningful engagement, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Unfortunately, for me, it was a lot of gibberish mumbo-jumbo that was tedious to replay past games and refresh. This was an issue in other spin-off series as well.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I found myself stuck in a loop of grinding for resources, which quickly became boring and unfulfilling.”
