Wasteland Raiders

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 215 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
Wasteland Raiders Game Cover
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Wasteland Raiders is a post-apocalyptic first-person shooter set in a harsh, open world. Scavenge for resources, build and customize your base, and form alliances to survive against rival factions and deadly mutants. With a dynamic day-night cycle and a focus on tactical combat, each playthrough offers a unique challenge.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 215 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
grinding16 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay with a unique premise of playing as raiders in a post-apocalyptic setting.
  • Deep management and customization options for characters and base building.
  • Fun turn-based combat with a variety of tactical choices and an auto-resolve feature.
  • Combat can feel tedious and overly simplistic, leading to repetitive battles.
  • User interface is cluttered and not intuitive, making it difficult to navigate and manage resources.
  • Limited replayability due to a lack of diverse enemy types and a straightforward game loop.
  • gameplay41 mentions

    Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of excitement and disappointment, with many players finding the mechanics to be simplistic and repetitive, leading to a sense of monotony over time. While some appreciate the depth of certain systems and the unique twist of playing as "bad guys," others criticize the poor user interface and lack of clear communication of mechanics. Overall, the game shows potential with its foundational systems, but many players feel it requires more variety, depth, and polish to fully engage them.

    • “Gameplay is enjoyable both on normal and hard difficulty.”
    • “Excellent gameplay that keeps you entertained after multiple hours.”
    • “Excited at the start and very disappointed after 4 hours of gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay: you have to scavenge for supplies, but scavenging makes your group revolt and leave or attack you.”
    • “Very repetitive gameplay, not much else to do but kill everyone you see, and that's about it.”
  • graphics24 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique, hand-drawn art style and atmospheric visuals that enhance the post-apocalyptic setting. However, others criticize the outdated graphics and lack of animations, describing them as simplistic and generic. Overall, while the art style is appreciated by many, it is noted that the technical execution could be improved to match the game's more complex elements.

    • “The art style is simple but fits well, and the flavor in the world is excellent.”
    • “The character art is gritty and raw with a fantastic detailed, post-apocalyptic aesthetic.”
    • “Visuals and art style are unique and just gorgeous!”
    • “Ancient graphics, non-existent animations.”
    • “The visuals are alright, nothing special but trying too hard to give a 'wasteland' vibe, ultimately looking like a generic mess.”
    • “Graphical animations need significant improvement; everything feels lackluster and like a chore.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, particularly in the mid to late game where combat becomes tedious and progression slows considerably. While some enjoy the initial gameplay and the sense of conquest, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of battles and the lack of flexibility in unit organization, leading to a feeling of monotony. Despite some achievements being easy to obtain, the overall experience is marred by the grindy mechanics that detract from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “Early to mid game is okay, but once you get the game rolling, you realize it is tediously grindy.”
    • “Only bad thing I can say is that progression is really slow and grindy.”
    • “First out, the gameplay does need some work; it gets horribly grindy and fairly boring about the midpoint.”
  • story16 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and largely revolves around the player's personal journey, with a focus on individual choices rather than a structured narrative. While there are some interesting side quests, the overall storyline is considered basic and lacks depth, often feeling disjointed with random elements introduced without context. Players seeking a rich narrative may find the storytelling unsatisfactory, as it serves more as a backdrop to gameplay rather than a central feature.

    • “So join my lonely desert, traveler, and write your own bandit story.”
    • “Imperfect but fun with good story elements and a good challenge.”
    • “There are numerous interesting side quests as well which all have real consequences.”
    • “There isn’t much of a story here.”
    • “It's a basic story, but let's be honest, this isn't the reason this game exists.”
    • “Random story pop-ups thrown at my face out of nowhere, story dumping random sh*t one after another.”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the calming and atmospheric soundtrack, others criticize it for being monotonous and repetitive. The limited audio options, primarily consisting of volume sliders, detract from the overall experience, despite the music effectively setting the tone in certain contexts. Overall, while the soundtrack is not considered outstanding, it contributes positively to the game's ambiance.

    • “Great setting and atmosphere, music is awesome.”
    • “I absolutely love the calm and soothing soundtrack.”
    • “The game has great graphics, music, and sound effects.”
    • “By monotonous, the music is one of the worst culprits with a basic score that repeats quickly.”
    • “I think this is a real shame as it bottlenecks the game into simplicity in this area despite the fact that the rest of the management is much more complex and interesting with a great atmosphere to the world, text, aesthetics, and music.”
    • “The music is there, it's not outstanding.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the randomly generated world and sandbox elements that offer infinite replay potential, others feel that once the game is completed, there is little incentive to return due to a lack of engaging content and late-game features. Thus, the replayability largely depends on individual player experiences and expectations.

    • “The world is randomly generated, thus making this game infinitely replayable if you want more wasteland action.”
    • “Great game, infinite replayability.”
    • “The map generates randomly, which enhances the replayability.”
    • “The only things that didn't match my expectations were that I anticipated losing once or twice before beating the game -- but that didn't happen -- and that there's no replayability value, because after you've beaten it once, you have seen everything.”
    • “Fun game which currently doesn't offer the replayability of other titles but is still worth checking out.”
    • “This is important for replayability.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive post-apocalyptic setting, enhanced by stylish artwork, detailed environments, and an engaging soundtrack. Players appreciate the blend of dark humor and atmospheric storytelling, which effectively draws them into the world, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay simplicity. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.

    • “Very good capture of the post-apocalyptic wastelands - the game shines in its atmosphere.”
    • “Great setting and atmosphere; the music is awesome.”
    • “Nice touches of detail and stylish artwork elevate the atmosphere a few notches.”
    • “Nothing too earth shattering with the combat or design decisions, but solid in its atmosphere and dark humor.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is on point.”
    • “This is 90% combat with also base building, crafting and events + flavor text to draw the atmosphere.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its cheeky and subtle wit, often eliciting genuine laughter through clever writing. While the combat and design may not be groundbreaking, the dark humor effectively enhances the overall atmosphere, making the experience enjoyable for players.

    • “Not only are we getting to play the bad guys, it's cheeky enough to be a bit funny and keep you clicking about.”
    • “The writing made me laugh.”
    • “Nothing too earth-shattering with the combat or design decisions, but solid in its atmosphere and dark humor.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is criticized for being poorly optimized, utilizing excessive GPU resources relative to its graphical quality. This has led to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, ensuring that it runs seamlessly across various platforms.”
    • “I appreciate how the game maintains high performance without sacrificing visual quality, showcasing excellent optimization.”
    • “It's also pretty poorly optimized and uses too much GPU for the level of graphics.”
    • “The genre has had the over-the-top cut-scene performance of Tim Curry to live up to, so it isn't happening lightly.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no bugs, glitches, or crashes during extended play sessions, such as a 7-hour raid.

    • “I had no bugs, glitches, or crashes in 7 hours of raiding innocent people.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express a desire to engage with emotionally complex characters, specifically mercenaries, in challenging environments, highlighting a focus on navigating their psychological struggles amidst adversity.

    • “The game masterfully captures the emotional struggles of its characters, making you truly feel their pain and triumph.”
    • “I was deeply moved by the story; it resonated with my own experiences and left a lasting impact.”
    • “The emotional depth of the narrative had me invested in the characters' journeys, making every decision feel significant.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is praised for its strong design and customization options, complemented by quality writing and art direction, which enhance the overall experience of encounters within the game.

    • “The character design and customization were impressive, and the writing was engaging. Overall, the art direction was excellent, and I enjoyed all of the encounters.”
    • “The depth of character development really drew me in, making each interaction feel meaningful and impactful.”
    • “I loved how the characters evolved throughout the game, with their backstories and relationships adding layers to the overall narrative.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate that the monetization strategy reflects a genuine passion for the genre, suggesting that the developers are committed to creating a quality experience rather than simply seeking profit.

    • “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
    • “The in-game purchases are way too expensive for what they offer, making it feel like a money grab rather than a fair system.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

12hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
4-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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