We Who Are About To Die

About

"We Who Are About To Die" is a unique combat game that features physics-based directional attacks and complex inputs. You'll need to slow down and carefully strategize your movements to hit weak spots and defeat your opponents. There are no pre-determined animations, giving you full control over your gladiator at all times. Mastering the combat system will take practice and patience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,369 reviews

gameplay261 positive mentions

stability97 negative mentions

The game features a unique physics-based combat system that is both challenging and satisfying once mastered.
There is a high level of replayability due to the variety of character backgrounds, each with different win conditions and bonuses.
The developer is very active in updating the game and engaging with the community, showing a commitment to improving the overall experience.

The combat can feel janky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments where hits do not register as expected.
The game lacks meaningful meta-progression, as many upgrades and benefits do not carry over between characters, making it feel repetitive.
There are frequent crashes and performance issues, especially during larger battles, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
721 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The gameplay of "We Who Are About to Die" is characterized by a unique blend of physics-based combat and roguelite mechanics, offering an addictive loop that keeps players engaged through character progression and challenging battles. While many players appreciate the depth and innovative mechanics, there are frequent complaints about janky controls, inconsistent hit detection, and a steep learning curve that can frustrate newcomers. Overall, the game shows great potential, but it requires further refinement and balancing to fully realize its ambitious design.
- “The gameplay loop is addictive and makes me want to do just another run, and another one…”
- “Amazing gameplay, a good challenge, very high replay value due to traits and randomization.”
- “The intense thrill of victory is suddenly quashed by the realization your body is wrecked and you'll need to pull out some kind of strategy to win the next match because you can't heal all the way etc. I think all the mechanics work pretty well for an early access game and the gameplay loop ate my whole afternoon while making me smile and laugh during some pretty tense moments.”
- “The issue I have with the game is that the gameplay, AI, and animations are just really, really bad and make the game feel extremely janky.”
- “Gameplay is repetitive and unintuitive.”
- “The mechanics are so interactive you never feel bored, love it!”
graphics
147 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and fitting for its unique aesthetic, with many reviewers appreciating the art style despite its simplicity and occasional glitches. While some players feel the visuals could benefit from improvements in lighting and textures, others highlight the game's engaging combat and overall enjoyable experience, suggesting that the graphics complement the gameplay rather than detract from it. Overall, the visuals are considered decent, especially for a game developed by a small team, with a mix of playful and serious elements that enhance the gladiatorial theme.
- “The aesthetic is a treat too, bringing enough 'vague ancient civilization' armor and weapons without feeling forced.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly good for a one-man dev team, and I find it quite charming.”
- “The graphics are well done - there are some downright beautiful effects happening in some places.”
- “Graphics, mainly lighting and textures should be improved for better clarity.”
- “Clunky controls, terrible camera, and tons of graphical glitches; not polished enough for a game that's been out almost two years now.”
- “The graphics aren’t bad but they are a bit cartoonish.”
story
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
80%
3%
The game's story aspect is characterized by a variety of character backstories that influence gameplay, but overall, it lacks a cohesive overarching narrative. Players appreciate the emergent storytelling that arises from individual gladiator experiences, yet many express a desire for deeper story elements and more content to enhance replayability. While the backstories provide unique gameplay mechanics, the absence of a structured campaign or significant plot development leaves some players feeling that the story is minimal and could be improved.
- “Quick version: I wholeheartedly recommend this game as an experience in emergent storytelling that's greater than the sum of its parts.”
- “Each character has a backstory, one of a handful. I have played and completed every backstory in the game and they all take very different play styles.”
- “Absolutely recommend it for those who enjoy gritty combat mixed with CK3 levels of storytelling.”
- “The only con I can point to is the total amount of story paths.”
- “If you look at it as a 'story mode' and complete all the paths to unlock the extras, it feels kind of short.”
- “Long-term progression is completely non-existent; there is no overarching story, plot, or anything closely related to a skill, prestige, or lineage feature which could interest you to keep going for more runs.”
stability
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
1%
92%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. Many players experience issues such as freezing, janky animations, and problematic hitboxes, particularly during combat. While some acknowledge the game's potential and fun mechanics, the overall consensus is that it remains too unstable for a satisfying experience, especially given its early access status.
- “Overall it's very polished, bug free so far... and is generally fun.”
- “However, it's made by one guy, is damn fun to play and so far (at this point of review, 5 - 6 hours playing) seems mostly very bug free.”
- “Its a game by 1 guy, relatively bug free and complete game experience.”
- “It's a buggy, crashing, stuttering mess.”
- “The game is a buggy mess.”
- “Overall game needs fixing but until then it's a negative review as the game is too buggy to play.”
humor
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its chaotic physics and ragdoll mechanics, which lead to unexpectedly funny moments during combat, such as exaggerated character movements and absurd death animations. Players appreciate the blend of intense gameplay with lighthearted, slapstick humor, making it an enjoyable experience despite some janky elements. Overall, the game is described as a hilarious and immersive gladiatorial experience that encourages experimentation and often results in laugh-out-loud scenarios.
- “The physics system can be hilarious; whether that's intended or not, I'm not sure, but I legit clubbed a dude's head nearly out of the stadium once, and another time I sliced a dude in half so hard he flew into outer space.”
- “The ragdoll effects are hilarious.”
- “Combat is super satisfying when you get into it; graphics and animations are charming and humorous, and the rogue-like progression/campaign is rewarding and characterful.”
replayability
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
4%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by diverse character classes, randomization, and various victory conditions that keep each run fresh and engaging. Many players find the combat satisfying and addictive, contributing to the game's longevity, although some express a desire for additional content and game modes to enhance replay value further. While the replayability is generally considered strong, a few reviewers note that it may diminish after completing all available content.
- “Amazing gameplay, a good challenge, very high replay value due to traits and randomization.”
- “The character rerolls and the stories the different archetypes bring to the experience give it replay value way beyond the norm.”
- “Replayability is fantastic and propelled by its roguelike nature, with various different weapons, armor, traits, playstyles, and more.”
- “It needs a bit more replayability to get out of this price range.”
- “However, currently it lacks a bit on the replayability front - after you won with all the backstories (6 or so currently), there isn't anything else to unlock.”
- “To keep this short, the game does lose its replay value fairly fast, that is if you are a cretin.”
optimization
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
78%
14%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting performance issues such as stuttering, crashes, and low frame rates, particularly during intense combat scenarios. While some users noted improvements after disabling overlays or acknowledged the game's potential due to its early access status, the overall consensus is that it requires further optimization to enhance gameplay experience. Despite its engaging combat mechanics, the current state of optimization detracts from the enjoyment for many players.
- “I'm quite disappointed it's not very optimized, but as it's in early access and a solo dev, I believe I'll patiently wait for it to be better optimized in the future.”
- “The game needs some gameplay and performance optimizations, but of course it's early access; anyways, the game is great!”
- “I can only hope to see where the future takes us with a project like this, not to mention how it puts larger developers to shame with how well this game is optimized and runs.”
- “It's a buggy, crashing, stuttering mess.”
- “The game has some serious performance issues dipping well below 60 fps depending on what's happening in the fight (RTX 3070/Ryzen 5).”
- “To top it off, the game is not optimized at all; the load screens load so fast I can't read the messages, then the game stutters horribly in fights with a lot of people, meanwhile I can run games like Elden Ring fine.”
grinding
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
2%
93%
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, often feeling like they spend more time managing upgrades and navigating menus than actually engaging in combat. While some appreciate the casual grind and the satisfaction of character progression, others criticize the repetitive nature of tasks and the slow pace of advancement, leading to frustration, especially with the game's mechanics and animations that prolong matches unnecessarily. Overall, the experience can be enjoyable for those who embrace grinding, but it may deter players seeking a more streamlined and rewarding gameplay loop.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “In Souls, you can generally consistently level your gear up to take on the ever-increasing challenge, but there's no grinding to be had here.”
- “It's okay, but very grindy and a lot of time is spent sifting through trash for mediocre upgrades.”
- “It's not a very rewarding loop; the pace and progression system is that of a really sluggish single-player arena fighter, but if you die, you get to redo all the early game grinding and menus!”
- “This game does not respect your time. Every match has a run-in to the arena and some sort of gate opening animation. The only thing this adds to the game is nothing; it wastes your time and gets tedious after many hours of gameplay.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
54%
9%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fitting ambiance and immersive sound effects that enhance the gameplay experience. While some find the soundtrack enjoyable and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, others note that it can become repetitive and lacks energy, particularly during combat. Overall, the sound design is praised for its quality, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion, despite some desires for a more dynamic and memorable score.
- “From the unique gameplay to awesome music and easy to navigate game flow, it's crazy one dude made this!”
- “The art style, music, and writing is charming.”
- “Music and sound design is clean and enjoyable.”
- “I'm honestly not a lover of music in games.”
- “In particular, mid-combat music only starts after a few minutes of straight fighting and isn't very noticeable.”
- “Sound/music - 7/10 found music getting repetitive after a while.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
33%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and detailed recreation of ancient gladiatorial combat, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and dynamic environments. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the visuals and sound, which effectively convey the tension and excitement of battles, making the experience both engaging and addictive. Overall, the game's atmosphere significantly contributes to its appeal, drawing players into its world and motivating them through the challenges they face.
- “The world is kind of immersive, and the atmosphere and threat of dying certainly impact your way of scheming, fighting, and choosing skill options all along.”
- “What's particularly remarkable is the attention to detail in recreating the atmosphere and tactics of ancient gladiatorial combat.”
- “Models and textures are detailed and varied; the day and night changes add their own atmosphere to the arenas, and the mood of the spectators comes across well and motivates the player during the fights.”
- “The world is kind of submersive and the atmosphere and threat of dying certainly impact your way of scheming, fighting and choosing skill options all along.”
- “Models and textures are detailed and varied, the day and night changes add their own atmosphere to the arenas, the mood of the spectators comes across well and motivates the player during the fights.”
- “It's like a story-telling game mixed in with a sports-like atmosphere.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of heartbreak and addictive fun, particularly when players experience the loss of their characters, which adds a thrilling yet sorrowful layer to gameplay. While the absence of recurring characters or a morale system limits deeper emotional attachments, the overall wholesome nature of the game and the developer's dedication resonate positively with players, creating a unique and engaging experience. Many find themselves emotionally invested despite the game's challenges, leading to moments of frustration and joy.
- “The risk of your character dying and barely making it is a rush and heartbreaking when you die.”
- “It is really heartbreaking to see your character die but it's really fun to start over.”
- “God, this game is fun... makes me want to cry sometimes, tear out my remaining hair, despair at my clumsy fingers... probably 100 lives in, I have yet to win a single origin (came real close once though)... but it is such addictive fun.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, which many players appreciate as a positive aspect, especially in contrast to the misleading advertising that suggests a rogue-lite experience. However, some users feel that the game does not meet the expectations set by its promotional materials.
- “This game has no greedy microtransactions to speak of, which is really nice!”
- “Unfortunately, the game does not live up to the hype the trailer brings nor the advertisements that lured me to purchase this game.”
- “The dev lies by advertising this game as a rogue-lite.”
- “Thank god this game has no microtransactions.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game offers a compelling "zero to hero" character development experience, reminiscent of gladiator and hack-and-slash themes, appealing to fans of RPG-like progression. Players appreciate the in-depth combat mechanics that enhance the overall character growth, making it an inspiring choice for aspiring developers.
- “Character development from zero to hero.”
- “As an aspiring solo developer myself, it is truly inspiring to play a game like this; it scratches those itches for in-depth combat and character development.”
- “If gladiator, Spartacus, 'hack-and-slash' games, or the phrase 'RPG-like character development' make you feel warm and fuzzy, this is the game for you.”
- “Character development feels like it goes from zero to hero, but lacks depth.”
- “While the combat is engaging, the character development is disappointingly shallow.”