WASTED
- June 7, 2016
- Mr. Podunkian
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"WASTED" is a single-player comedy shooter game set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where you play as a Waster fighting for precious resources, particularly booze. The game boasts good mechanics, fantastic visuals, and a stellar soundtrack, but be prepared for plenty of grinding and humor. As you explore mysterious bunkers, expect to gain strange mutations and uncover old world secrets.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- WASTED combines a humorous take on the Fallout universe with engaging roguelike mechanics, making for a fun and unique experience.
- The game features a variety of weapons and items, allowing for different playstyles and strategies during runs.
- The writing and voice acting are entertaining, filled with clever jokes and references that enhance the overall atmosphere.
- The S.O.B. mechanic, which introduces a powerful enemy that hunts players if they take too long, can feel frustrating and disrupt the exploration aspect of the game.
- The inventory system is limited, with only 10 slots available at the start, making resource management tedious and challenging.
- The game can become repetitive quickly, as the randomly generated levels often reuse the same room layouts and enemy types.
- gameplay400 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Wasted" is a blend of first-person shooter mechanics and roguelike elements, featuring a fast-paced, loot-driven experience reminiscent of the Fallout series. While many players appreciate the humor and engaging core loop, criticisms arise regarding certain mechanics, such as the punishing "purifier" that forces players to rush through levels, detracting from exploration and strategy. Overall, the game offers a unique mix of chaotic fun and challenging gameplay, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its design flaws and repetitive elements.
“When you get into the swing of this gameplay loop, it's so much fun.”
“A fantastic parody FPS RPG that is hilarious while also still having super fun gameplay.”
“The core gameplay mechanics and gameplay loop of Wasted are really unique for the roguelike genre and playing the game really feels like the best moments of the 3D Fallout series's combat gameplay.”
“The gameplay is deeply flawed.”
“The purifier mechanic is one of the most infuriating things I've ever encountered and instantly killed any interest I had in playing this game.”
“The mechanic that rushes players through this game detracts from any fun you might have.”
- humor226 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is a standout feature, characterized by a mix of absurdity, toilet humor, and clever satire, particularly aimed at the Fallout franchise and 80s pop culture. Players appreciate the well-written dialogue, quirky characters, and the game's ability to deliver laughs through its outrageous scenarios and comedic writing, although some find the humor to be juvenile or overly wordy. Overall, the game's comedic style, reminiscent of Borderlands and Adult Swim productions, adds a unique charm that enhances the gameplay experience.
“This game has been such a blast, such a hilarious satire of the Fallout franchise with stupid humor and wild gameplay.”
“It is genuinely funny, with excellent writing and characters that lend the game a very individual comedic style.”
“Wasted is a humorous satirical adaptation of the Fallout universe.”
“So, with this game that is mainly supposed to be funny, you'd expect really funny ideas for these debuffs, right?”
“The main problems with the game, besides being ugly, dangerously unfunny, repetitive, and did I mention ugly in a really disturbing kind of way, is that you are chased through the vaults *cough* 'coolers' (sorry) by powerful enemies if you take too long.”
- story165 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is a quirky, humorous take on post-apocalyptic themes, drawing inspiration from the Fallout series while maintaining a unique charm. Players navigate through a series of dungeons, known as "coolers," engaging in absurd quests and interactions with zany characters, though some find the narrative shallow and repetitive. Overall, the writing is praised for its comedic elements, but the story's depth and world-building leave some players wanting more.
“The story that unravels itself is a little derivative, but the uniqueness of the setting carries it along nicely.”
“You expect the story to be some sort of silly National Lampoon-like booze fest, but it evolves into so much more.”
“The writing style pays homage to the Fallout series for sure, inasmuch as you will uncover information through exploration, but will also find other parts of the story out by helping your fellow wasters.”
“The fact that such an important quest item, vital to the plot, was hidden under some innocuous stairs in the admin office, a relatively benign and pointless area, was an insane decision.”
“The story is a negative of its role model.”
“The quests were simple and didn't really have much unique in terms of gameplay.”
- graphics145 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant, cartoonish, cel-shaded style reminiscent of Borderlands, which some players find charming while others consider unoriginal or lacking depth. While the visuals effectively complement the game's humorous and lighthearted tone, they are often described as mediocre or low-budget, with noticeable graphical errors and performance issues on certain systems. Overall, the art style is polarizing, appealing to fans of quirky aesthetics but potentially off-putting to those seeking more realistic graphics.
“The graphics in Wasted are of the fun cartoonish characters meet 'cel-shaded' style with over-the-top animations and an awesome use of vibrant colors throughout.”
“The art style is quirky and endearing, and since it's so stylized, the game looks great even on low settings.”
“Graphically, the game is unique, while clearly drawing inspiration from Borderlands.”
“The wacky tone and cel-shaded graphics can only carry it so far.”
“The visuals are nothing to write home about; I would have really liked a few more open areas or a few more wall types, because the repetition is really noticeable.”
“Wasted has poor graphics, worse writing, limited play options, derivative theming, and is just really boring.”
- music108 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy 80s-inspired soundtrack that complements the game's humorous and retro aesthetic. However, some users noted that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, particularly during extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, though a desire for more diverse music options has been expressed.
“The soundtrack is quite nice, and I still find the tunes catchy after 90+ hours of play.”
“What makes this game fun is the satisfying mixture of comedy, gameplay, and incredible soundtrack.”
“The music is really, really good.”
“It would've been nice if there was a separate slider for dialogue, but all you get is music and SFX.”
“One thing I do dislike though is the radio and songs playing in the radio; I would like more variety, and hearing the radio host saying the same things over and over again and playing the same songs (there are like 5 of them in the radio playlist) gets really boring.”
“The music can get a bit bland, especially when it's like your tenth time in the same cooler; it can get a bit... meh...”
- grinding35 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious, repetitive, and often frustrating, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the addictive nature of item farming and the potential for character improvement, the reliance on RNG and the punishing mechanics can lead to burnout. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant barrier to fully appreciating the game's creative elements and replayability.
“At this point, the game has modding support so you can technically remove it yourself, but beyond that, it's an incredibly grindy slog of a game that actively punishes and trolls you by making dungeon rewards be actively harmful unless you play double or triple the amount of floors required to beat a level.”
“It is tedious, unwieldy, and repetitive.”
“This could be a great game, but the roguelike aspect is just too grindy and punishing to the point that I'm unable to progress in the game to new content.”
- replayability35 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game offers a solid level of replayability, with many players appreciating its humor, diverse mechanics, and multiple endings that encourage repeated playthroughs. While some find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, others note that the grindy nature and lack of substantial story can lead to fatigue. Overall, it is recognized for its potential to keep players coming back, especially within the roguelite genre.
“The game has high replay value because enemies are many, perks are numerous, which you get from drinking alcohol products.”
“There are multiple endings and paths that can be achieved through its questlines, which warrant multiple playthroughs, adding to its replayability factor.”
“It has the inherent replayability of a roguelite, and also a daily seed (a dungeon/character that everybody plays the same version of, and you can even sometimes take an item from it and give it to your own character).”
“The replay value here therefore depends on how much the player likes pure repetition without much of a story or worldbuilding context to keep going.”
“Instead of utilizing its material creativity, it unfortunately becomes tedious, exhausting, and furthermore lacks substance and replay value.”
“In some sense, I am a little disappointed in this as the game really has a lot of potential, and to point out a con like this damages the game's replay value slightly.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, blending retro aesthetics with a humorous take on apocalyptic themes, creating a vibrant and engaging world. Players appreciate the unique charm, laugh-out-loud moments, and strong world-building, which are complemented by a fitting soundtrack and quirky character interactions. Overall, the atmosphere is described as immersive and enjoyable, making it a key element that keeps players invested.
“Even the incidental characters have laugh-out-loud moments, and the item names and descriptions fit right in with the insane atmosphere of the retro apocalypse.”
“Normally I avoid roguelike games like the plague, but I've thrown over 25+ hours into this, and the charm and atmosphere keep bringing me back, not to mention the incredible soundtrack and pretty good voiceover.”
“Normally I avoid roguelike games like the plague, but I've thrown over 25+ hours into this. The charm and atmosphere keep bringing me back, not to mention the incredible soundtrack and pretty good voiceover (for all characters other than the player).”
“The music is completely different from what I expected given the atmosphere.”
“This game somehow takes the retro atmosphere and successfully meshes an apocalyptic dungeon crawler with a humorous take on modern first-person shooters.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant FPS drops, particularly on lower-end systems, despite some achieving smooth performance on high-end setups. Common complaints include poor resolution support, lack of customizable settings, and general performance issues typical of Unity games. While some aspects, like combat and UI, are praised for their fluidity, the overall optimization remains a concern for many users.
“Performance is also good, with me being well over 120fps at 1080p (i7 4790k gtx 980) no matter what, though my laptop (a10 8700p, igpu, 8gb ram 1x8gb@1333mhz) could only run this well at 640 x 480.”
“There's a good variety of items to loot and weapons to use, but you're limited by small carrying capacities to stress optimization of your loadout.”
“It's fairly well optimized, the combat feels nice and fluid, the UI is basic but well made, and the looting system is optimized for speed and the dialogue and general atmosphere is hilarious.”
“But, optimization problems caused constant FPS drops even indoors.”
“The optimization is fairly bad; if you have a beast of a computer, you can of course run it, but there's no reason why a 980 Ti shouldn't be able to play this at max settings with zero frame drops considering the art style and size of the levels.”
“Now, first things first, I think this game needs to have a few improvements on a technical level - namely, the support for more resolutions (there’s zero 16:9 resolutions between 720p and 1080p for some reason), FOV settings, and general optimization, as just standing outside in a pretty normal, non-intensive place nets me a pretty confusingly low framerate.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with players reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. While some users note that the game runs well under optimal conditions, the overwhelming presence of bugs and a cumbersome HUD detracts from the overall experience. Improvements are needed to address these stability issues for a smoother gameplay experience.
“The game runs smoothly and performs exceptionally well.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”
“The gameplay is consistently reliable, making for a seamless experience.”
“Obviously, if you want to enjoy this game, it has to be on the IBM Sequoia to actually play it on the lowest graphics settings without experiencing lag and freezes.”
“There are some huge glitches that need fixing.”
“The HUD is huge; it covers my entire screen and there is no option to scale it. The game freezes sometimes, and blood and shot effects also cover the entire screen, making it impossible to orient in battle. It's just a real pain to use your inventory; it really needs proper item icons and slots for armor and weapons.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as shallow and repetitive, with a storytelling approach that feels disconnected from the characters' behaviors, particularly in portraying intoxication. While dying in the game evokes a sense of heartbreak, the overall experience is marred by frustrating mechanics and a narrative that fails to engage, leading to a mixed emotional response from players.
“Dying is a little heartbreaking, but the mechanics make it intense.”
“Really shallow and repetitive roguelike game, with a weird obsession with boring storytelling.”
“The story could be acceptable, but when characters are drunk and acting foolishly, they shouldn't be delivering long and tedious narratives in cutscenes as if they were scholars.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some users criticizing it as a typical cash grab filled with ads, while others have found it surprisingly engaging and not as exploitative as initially assumed. Overall, opinions vary, highlighting a tension between perceived greed and genuine gameplay value.
“Now they're all on void bastards, because you know, ads and capitalism stuff... that game got overplayed.”
“I've always had the misconception that the games advertised were shameless cash grabs, but Wasted has turned that assumption of mine upside down.”
“This game is, at first glance, just another crappy cash grab.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its simplicity and humor, offering a unique charm, though it lacks the depth found in other titles like "Binding of Isaac." While the character designs are described as simple, some users feel this aspect could be improved. Overall, the game strikes a balance between light character development and engaging gameplay elements.
“The humor is good, and the simple character design makes it one-of-a-kind.”
“It doesn't have the fast-paced action of a Tower of Guns nor the in-depth character development of, say, Binding of Isaac, but it offers a little bit of both mixed with a nice soundtrack and a sense of humor.”
“The character designs are lacking.”
“It doesn't have the fast-paced action of 'Tower of Guns' nor the in-depth character development of 'Binding of Isaac', but a little bit of both mixed with a nice soundtrack and a sense of humor.”
