Wasteland 3

Wasteland 3 is one of the best RPGs around. The world is fantastic, the characters are interesting, it is packed with content, and combat is engaging. It has a few issues, but the game is just too good for them to distract me.

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In Wasteland 3, you lead a team of Desert Rangers in post-apocalyptic Colorado, where choices matter and have lasting consequences. Engage in tactical combat, recruit and manage allies, and navigate a dangerous world filled with factions vying for power. Your decisions will shape the fate of your squad and the future of the wasteland.

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Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,186 reviews

story1,532 positive mentions

stability732 negative mentions

story
4,050 mentions
38 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of Wasteland 3 has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its engaging narrative and moral complexity, while others criticize it for being predictable and linear. The game features a variety of choices that significantly impact the storyline and character interactions, creating a sense of immersion and replayability. However, some players have noted bugs and glitches that can disrupt the experience, leading to frustration with quest progression and overall enjoyment of the story.
- “The game has a well-crafted story and atmosphere.”
- “The story is engaging and keeps you wanting to come back to play more and more.”
- “Wasteland 3 delivers a thrilling post-apocalyptic experience with a captivating story, diverse weapon options, and exciting gameplay.”
- “The story and motivations it gives are so bland you just don't care.”
- “The story feels linear, and the choices you make don't seem to have meaningful consequences.”
- “The overall story is shallow, and seems like a vehicle to drag you from combat to combat.”
gameplay
1,429 mentions
38 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Wasteland 3 has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging turn-based combat and RPG mechanics reminiscent of XCOM and classic Fallout games. Players appreciate the depth of character customization and the impact of choices on gameplay, though some criticize the game for bugs, balance issues, and a lack of innovation compared to its predecessor, Wasteland 2. Overall, while the gameplay is generally enjoyable and offers a solid tactical experience, it is marred by technical problems and some design flaws that detract from the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is superb (combat, crafting, modding, wide range of classes and weapons).”
- “Wasteland 3 is a brilliantly-made combination of RPG and tactics gameplay.”
- “The combat mechanics strike a balance between accessibility and depth, allowing players to plan their moves, utilize cover, and exploit enemy weaknesses.”
- “Gameplay based on skill checks sucks like hell, especially when forced into every interaction.”
- “It feels like they tried to make it more varied and interesting but they forgot to balance all the new mechanics, the tweaks, and just everything really.”
- “The gameplay side leaves much to be desired; the combat AI is horrible and your allies will just run through every goddamn landmine.”
music
1,035 mentions
55 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its exceptional quality and integration into gameplay. The soundtrack features a mix of original compositions and clever covers of classic songs, enhancing key moments and battles with emotional depth and atmosphere. While some players noted that the music could be sparse or repetitive during regular encounters, the standout tracks during significant events left a lasting impression, making it one of the game's most celebrated aspects.
- “The music was top notch though, with several custom battle vocal tracks that were just stunning.”
- “Most importantly I wanted more of that hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that reimagines classic, biblical and patriotic hymns of Americana in the context of this post-apocalyptic universe.”
- “The soundtrack is outstanding, I mean really outstanding.”
- “The music is so forgettable I don't even remember a single track.”
- “They messed around with old songs and put them in some weird places.”
- “The writing is infantile, the music (when it's not ambient music) is off-putting and over the top, and the characters are frustrating and shallow.”
humor
811 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Wasteland 3" is characterized by a blend of dark, absurd, and often adult-themed comedy, reminiscent of the classic Fallout series. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and the ability to balance serious themes with comedic relief, resulting in moments that provoke genuine laughter amidst the game's grim setting. However, some find the humor inconsistent, with certain jokes feeling forced or overly juvenile, leading to mixed reactions about its effectiveness throughout the gameplay experience.
- “The humor and cynicism are unparalleled.”
- “Wasteland 3 is a gripping post-apocalyptic RPG that blends dark humor with deep strategy.”
- “The writing is amazing and hilarious, and the characters you encounter all have a unique story and background to them.”
- “The humor is somehow more obnoxious and unfunny than Borderlands, but at least Borderlands didn't try to take itself seriously.”
- “Literally, they are just a bunch of mostly unfunny jokes.”
- “A lot of the time, humor in RPGs gets too cringey or completely obscure, or is hindered by poor English translation.”
stability
755 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as an "extremely buggy mess" even years after its release. Common issues include game-breaking bugs, frequent crashes, and glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly in co-op mode. While some players report minor bugs that don't severely impact their experience, the overall consensus is that the game remains plagued by instability, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.
- “Grafix and audio are both good and the game runs great.”
- “The game is incredibly polished and almost completely bug free on launch.”
- “No bugs, looks great and runs great.”
- “This game is still a buggy mess after 4 years of being out; I've encountered over a dozen game-breaking bugs and I've had enough.”
- “The second infraction is choosing to leave this game as a ridiculously buggy mess - I've experienced more game-breaking bugs in the span of 28 hours than I have in all my experience playing modern Fallout and Elder Scrolls titles, and that's not hyperbole.”
- “The game is a buggy mess, especially in multiplayer, and I'm honestly astounded it was released in this state.”
graphics
673 mentions
41 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of Wasteland 3 receive mixed reviews, with many praising the overall aesthetic and improvements over its predecessor, Wasteland 2. While some players appreciate the detailed environments and character models, others criticize the visuals as dated or inconsistent, noting issues like graphical glitches and performance drops. Overall, the game is seen as visually appealing for an isometric RPG, but it doesn't reach the high standards set by contemporary AAA titles.
- “The graphics are fantastic and the attention to detail is remarkable.”
- “The visuals paint a vivid picture of this post-apocalyptic landscape, with its icy tundras and ruined cities.”
- “Wasteland 3 is a good RPG/strategy game with good writing and dialog options, a good soundtrack, and good graphics.”
- “The graphics are just passable.”
- “A boring game with very simple graphics (only the character models and effects are good), I mean I have older top-down 2D and 3D RPG games that look better overall, or more coherent I may say.”
- “The graphics are really disappointing.”
optimization
250 mentions
14 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, memory leaks, and crashes, particularly during combat and in open areas. While some updates have improved stability, numerous bugs and inconsistent performance persist, leading to frustration among users. Overall, the game is seen as needing further optimization to reach its full potential, especially on high-end systems.
- “Character build experimentation and optimization is encouraged because each party member can be respecced at base for a small fee.”
- “Very well optimized for co-op, as I didn't feel like I missed out on much regarding the single-player experience, and it's easy for both players to participate and use their skills in conversations.”
- “With the recent patches, this game is vastly more optimized than at launch.”
- “A good game but left in a state plagued by bugs and performance problems caused by memory leaks even after all these years.”
- “Massive performance problems and frustrating mechanics have put me off.”
- “The game is not optimized, and is far more demanding than what is suggested/recommended by the devs. I cannot in good conscience recommend a broken product to anyone!”
replayability
226 mentions
39 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its extensive choice-driven mechanics, allowing players to explore multiple endings, character builds, and quest outcomes. Many reviewers highlight the significant impact of player decisions on the narrative, encouraging multiple playthroughs to experience different story paths and character dynamics. However, some players express concerns about limitations in exploration and character customization that may affect long-term replay value.
- “Amazing, fun irreverent game with masses of replayability.”
- “The game's replayability is high, as different choices can lead to alternate outcomes, encouraging multiple playthroughs.”
- “With a bunch of different endings to individual side quests that surround the story as well as 10 different endings to the main story, replayability is extremely high in my opinion.”
- “I honestly hate this trend of creating meaningless dilemmas and taking agency from the player in order to whip up 'replayability' so that really irked me.”
- “For a game that is built around impactful player choices and having multiple outcomes, having low replayability is a damn shame.”
- “It has little to no replayability due to lack of depth in the story and lack of impact as to the decisions you make.”
atmosphere
196 mentions
51 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag, with many praising its rich, immersive world and excellent soundtrack that evokes the classic post-apocalyptic feel reminiscent of the Fallout series. However, some players find the tonal inconsistencies and juvenile humor detract from the overall experience, leading to moments where immersion is broken. Overall, while the game successfully captures a unique atmosphere with engaging environments and character interactions, opinions vary on its effectiveness in maintaining a cohesive mood throughout.
- “It's incredible really how well these songs fit the scenes and the overall atmosphere of the ravaged American countryside.”
- “The game expertly captures the atmosphere of a bleak world struggling to rebuild, providing a captivating backdrop for players to explore.”
- “The atmosphere, soundtrack, and visuals are all great and create a fantastic feeling while playing this game.”
- “Endless non-stop droning of drab, cringey, cliché yammering and jokes really ruin the atmosphere of what is supposed to be a big scary daunting world.”
- “The atmosphere is boring and dull, just a white wasteland.”
- “Uneven atmosphere makes immersion impossible - broadcast of manslaughter on the radio and next to it chirpy NPCs voiced by actors that try way too hard.”
grinding
119 mentions
1 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious, with repetitive combat encounters, slow world travel, and cumbersome inventory management contributing to a frustrating experience. Many reviews highlight that the combat can feel monotonous, especially when faced with bullet sponge enemies and lengthy animations, while exploration often devolves into a chore due to frequent random encounters and long loading times. Despite some enjoyable elements, the general consensus is that the game suffers from excessive grind, making it less engaging over time.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Between functional but incredibly tedious combat and a competent story that shoots itself in the foot at every turn due to a complete inconsistency in tone, Wasteland 3 simply fails to provide a compelling experience.”
- “The world map is a tedious chore and random encounters are not random encounters at all.”
- “Overworld travel feels extremely slow and tedious; it's a chore to put up with.”
character development
54 mentions
39 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and impact on the story, with meaningful choices that influence the plot and character progression. Players appreciate the detailed character customization, engaging NPC interactions, and the humorous elements woven into character arcs. However, some reviews express a desire for more interaction and development among companion characters, indicating that while the main characters are well-developed, the overall experience could benefit from a broader focus on character dynamics.
- “This game is excellent in terms of character customization, story trees where decisions really do impact the plotline and your character development and the variety of ways you can play the story.”
- “In-depth character development, decisions that matter and a destiny to craft while imparting and taking lessons along the way.”
- “Great story, interesting character development, challenging tactical combat, beautiful graphics, amazing voice acting and soundtrack.”
- “Most consequences seem to come from character development rather than dialogue or other actions.”
- “I could wish there were more character development and interaction with a wider cast of companions that could join you, but Wasteland 3 is a tactics game first, so unfortunately character drama is pretty much only for the major villains of the story.”
- “It loses one point just because I wish there was more interaction and character development within your ranger team.”
emotional
25 mentions
96 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses, with some players praising its engaging narrative and character depth, while others criticize its linearity and lack of profound themes. Many appreciate the quality of voice acting and the ability to make impactful choices, which can lead to both humorous and regretful moments. However, some feel that the emotional potential is undermined by superficial storytelling and gameplay mechanics that detract from genuine investment in the characters and their journeys.
- “This was a great, consequence-driven narrative that really made me feel like I was making a difference in the world.”
- “The voice acting is well done and each character with a dialog set stands out and has emotional depth.”
- “I find myself emotionally invested in the characters at such a fast rate (which I love) and I also find myself laughing out loud at the dialogue at times, which is awesome.”
- “The boring story, the atrocious writing, the ho-hum gameplay... all the same nonsense I suffered through the three times I tried to get through Wasteland 2 before it choked out my PC and I had to give up anyway.”
monetization
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its lack of intrusive microtransactions, others criticize it as a potential cash grab, questioning the funding and advertising strategies behind it. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing alternative in a market often dominated by microtransactions, though concerns about its promotional tactics linger.
- “I love this game! The YouTuber who said that games nowadays are too focused on microtransactions nailed it; this is a great alternative!”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, which makes the game enjoyable without the pressure to spend.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring players to spend money, making it accessible for everyone.”
- “I sat for the first 5-10 hours wondering whether the project was funded by the US Army as an advertisement campaign somehow.”
- “Total cash grab.”
- “Wasteland has always been an underdog game that never garnered a lot of support in media exposure and advertising.”