Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening

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Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening is a single player survival role playing game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by unity and was released on February 6, 2023. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "Weird and Unfortunate Things are Happening," Alicia, who can see otherworldly beings, receives a call for help from her captured niece in the vanished city of Daybreak. Alongside Miriam and Lamar, Alicia must explore the eerie city, confront mysterious beings, and save her niece. The game features a mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving in a surreal and unsettling environment.

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Single-Player

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening screenshot

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

story18 positive mentions

grinding17 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with well-developed characters and engaging writing, reminiscent of classics like Earthbound.
Combat mechanics are well-designed, offering strategic depth with unique character abilities and a novel encounter system that enhances gameplay.
The game is a hidden gem, providing a rich experience with extensive content, impressive visuals, and a fantastic soundtrack, all for free.

The game suffers from pacing issues, with some sections feeling overly long and tedious, particularly in the late game.
Exploration can be confusing due to maze-like dungeons, making navigation challenging and sometimes frustrating.
There are occasional technical issues, such as crashes and limited customization options for controls, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
67%
5%
The story of the game is widely praised for its depth, originality, and emotional engagement, blending elements of gothic romance, humor, and horror. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and intricate world-building, though some note that the narrative can feel lengthy or meandering at times. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience with its charm and complexity.
- “Wautah is a love letter to the Dragon Quests of the world while also being a modern gothic and tragicomic lesbian romance, and that is a coup.”
- “The plot is well-written, emotionally charged, and refuses to hold its punches.”
- “I love the story, which strings sections of levity that get you nice and comfortable just before something pulls out the rug and knocks you over.”
- “However, those who don't prefer to read much will likely be put off by the amount of story and conversation and lack of voice acting.”
- “At 17 hours in, the story has felt unnecessary and got away from the initial plot about 3 hours ago.”
- “There wasn't much dialogue or story scattered throughout it, so it felt kind of different from the rest of the game.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay of the game is a mix of traditional RPG mechanics, primarily turn-based combat, with some innovative elements that keep it engaging, such as a well-integrated risk/reward system and character-specific abilities. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and character interactions, others criticize the repetitive nature and lack of depth in certain gameplay aspects. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable mechanics and storytelling, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay experiences.
- “The developer does an excellent job at trickling the mechanics into play slowly but surely, while also allowing the player the agency as to when they wish to unlock certain skills or passives, which all synergize quite well with the kits of the characters and the party, making it all work like a well-oiled machine.”
- “Choosing upgrades feels important, the encounter system makes for a risk/reward tightrope as opposed to randomly-interrupted tedium, the 'effectiveness' mechanic makes every fight a genuine challenge - there are micro-choices at every stage in the gameplay loop and every one asks for your thought and engagement.”
- “Gameplay is great, overarching story is above average, characterization is excellent, it's just a fun time.”
- “Like most RPG Maker shovelware and asset flips, the game features extremely low quality copy-pasted 2D retro pixel art, looks awful, and has even worse gameplay.”
- “The majority of the gameplay isn't fun or at least passive ('turn your brain off') to play through.”
- “Often at points when the game feels like it should be wrapping things up, it decides to keep going without any meaningful changes in the gameplay.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
41%
13%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising the soundtrack as "phenomenal" and "distinct," often choosing to listen to it over progressing in the story. The battle themes evoke nostalgia and enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing to a unique gaming experience. While some noted minor issues with looping tracks, the general consensus is that the music significantly elevates the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is to die for; there wasn't a moment where I wished I could be listening to something else, and I often just sat listening to the music instead of continuing the story because it was so good.”
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, and the game is free; what's not to love?”
- “The music is very distinct, and that Earthbound-turned-survival-horror feel is a good idea as it is, but it's ramped up to eleven.”
- “Characters, story, lore, and music were decent most of the time.”
- “Even the music is strange.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The graphics in this RPG Maker game receive mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the engine's limitations, such as lack of fullscreen support and HD options. However, many praise the polished visuals, unique character artwork, and captivating environments that blend old-school and modern aesthetics, creating an engaging and visually appealing experience. The game's art style, reminiscent of Earthbound and Steven Universe, along with impressive battle animations and a wealth of unique assets, contribute to its overall charm.
- “This is one of the most polished RPG Maker games I've played - not a stock visual in sight, crisp character artwork, and smooth combat animations.”
- “Beyond battles, the game's visuals and exploration are captivating.”
- “I think 'Weird and Unfortunate' might hold some sort of record for the highest number of unique tiles and graphics in an RPG Maker game, and the sheer volume of unique assets is beyond impressive.”
- “As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
- “The graphics are 2D, but don't let that deter you.”
- “On the cute art style, I don't know if it meshes well with just how raw the story goes, but considering that there was a sequel hook, I would be more upset about a style change than it just staying the same.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some encounters can become tedious, especially towards the end, the game offers quality-of-life features and a New Game Plus option to alleviate some of the grind. Many reviewers noted that while grinding is not required, it can enhance the experience for those who choose to engage with it, though it may lead to prolonged combat and exploration fatigue.
- “My reward for beating the most tedious boss in any RPG Maker game I've ever played - in addition to being in the top ten most tedious bosses I've ever had the misfortune of beating in any game I've played in the past 33 years - is a crash to desktop during the ending.”
- “The only downside is that the fighting can become a bit tedious toward the end as the random monsters become stronger and have more HP; the fights drag on longer.”
- “Postgame content was an extra 4 hours, but a lot of that was grinding to level 99 on all party members.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its awesome and charming humor, featuring lovable characters that engage in witty banter reminiscent of Earthbound. Players appreciate the balance of humor with spooky moments, creating an enjoyable and entertaining experience.
- “The characters are lovable and humorous without trying too hard.”
- “It has an Earthbound feel to it with charming characters, humorous back-and-forths, and spooky moments here and there.”
- “Awesome humor.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Overall, users report a positive experience regarding stability, noting the absence of glitches, unexpected freezes, and error messages in the game. This reliability contributes to a smoother gameplay experience, reducing frustration often associated with buggy RPG Maker games.
- “The game runs smoothly without any glitches.”
- “I haven't encountered any stability issues during my gameplay.”
- “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
- “And maybe I won't have a burning need to punch something the next time I play a buggy RPG Maker game.”
- “No glitches.”
- “No unexpected freezes, no error messages.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere in Wautah is highly praised for its strong Lovecraftian elements, complemented by atmospheric music and a fitting narrative. Players appreciate the immersive experience that enhances the horror and overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The atmosphere is really good.”
- “It has a proper Lovecraftian atmosphere.”
- “Wautah is a fun horror game with respectable turn-based combat, good out-of-combat mechanics, some strong atmospheric music, varied low-key references, and a fitting story with relatable, lively characters.”
- “The game attempts a Lovecraftian atmosphere, but it falls flat and feels more cliché than eerie.”
- “While there are moments of potential, the overall atmosphere lacks the depth and immersion expected from a horror title.”
- “The ambiance is inconsistent, often breaking the tension with jarring sound effects and poorly designed environments.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its lack of diverse content beyond difficulty settings and some dialogue variations. Players feel that while there are elements to explore, they do not significantly enhance the overall experience upon replay.
- “The game offers a wealth of choices that make each playthrough feel unique, encouraging players to explore different paths and outcomes.”
- “With multiple difficulty levels and branching storylines, there's always a reason to dive back in and experience the game from a new perspective.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies available ensures that no two runs are ever the same, enhancing the overall replayability.”
- “I think this is appropriate, since I'm sure translating some of the dialogue would reveal things early, but unfortunately the game doesn't have a ton of replay value aside from this aspect and playing on other difficulties.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there isn't much incentive to go back and play it again. The story doesn't change significantly, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with well-written and compelling characters that avoid typical RPG tropes. However, reviewers note that the pacing of character development is uneven, and the party may not experience as much growth as expected for a game of its length.
- “The real strength of the game comes from the character development and writing, which is very well done and compelling; the eventual four members of the player's party don't fall into the usual RPG party tropes and act (mostly) believably under the circumstances they find themselves in.”
- “New characters join Alicia, each with distinctive traits, though character development faces uneven pacing.”
- “Indeed, if I could fault Weird and Unfortunate on any one particular thing, it is that character development tends to be a bit uneven and the party may not go through as many developments as you might expect from a game of this length.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a well-crafted, emotionally impactful plot that elicits both laughter and tears. While the second half may feel stagnant in character motivations, it ultimately redeems itself with a heartwarming conclusion that rewards players who persevere through slower moments.
- “The plot is well-written, emotionally charged, and refuses to hold its punches.”
- “I laughed and I cried.”
- “Thankfully, this picks back up towards the game’s final hours, and those who can stick it out through those dead zones will be rewarded with some truly heartwarming new resolve.”

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26h Median play time

23h Average play time

15-30h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening is a survival role playing game with horror and fantasy themes.

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 23 hours playing Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening.

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening was released on February 6, 2023.

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening was developed by unity.

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening is a single player game.

Similar games include SKALD: Against the Black Priory, Skyborn, Chained Echoes, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass, CrossCode and others.

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