Westboro

About

Westboro is a single player role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Chernov Vyacheslav and was released on April 27, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

2039. Water is no longer environmentally sustainable supply. The complicated and unstable situation resulted in violent uprisings among themiddle-class across the globe. The world approaches its first week in state of emergency...

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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65%

Audience ScoreBased on 130 reviews

story10 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Unique dystopian cyberpunk setting with a bleak, atmospheric world and strong visual and sound design.
Challenging and strategic combat that emphasizes resource management and tactical play, rewarding patience and planning.
Varied weapons and skills allowing multiple playstyles, adding some replayability and customization.

Clunky, unresponsive, and awkward controls with problematic camera and movement make combat frustrating and limit enjoyment.
Poor game balance with extremely scarce ammo causing forced stealth or repetitive combat, alongside excessive enemy respawns.
Minimal storytelling and narrative depth, coupled with English translation issues and lack of polish dilute the overall experience.

story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
74%
11%
The story in Westboro is centered on a dystopian future involving corporate control over scarce water resources, but it is generally seen as minimalistic, derivative, and underdeveloped, with sparse dialogue and limited narrative depth. While some appreciate the bleak setting and occasional plot developments, many find the storytelling rough, poorly executed, and failing to fully engage or immerse players, often feeling like a missed opportunity within the gameplay. Overall, the narrative supports the action but lacks richness, complexity, and meaningful player impact.
- “Soon however, a deeper plot starts to surface and the average wetwork turns out to be much more dangerous.”
- “Regardless, developer Chernov Vyacheslav played upon this “bleak” future and used a plot of a worldwide water crisis.”
- “The story tries to be edgy and dark, but comes off as trying too hard.”
- “So the gameplay is bad, and unfortunately the badly written and translated story, dribbled at you like a visual novel (show, don't tell, when will developers learn this?) doesn't save it.”
- “Finally, while the story in itself is decent (we are a mercenary who tries to uncover a corporate plot about exploiting the global water shortage), it plays a very marginal role, feeling more like a missed opportunity.”
gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
12%
Gameplay in this isometric shooter-ARPG hybrid combines real-time combat, exploration, and light RPG elements but suffers from clunky controls, lack of polish, and underdeveloped mechanics such as stealth and cover systems. While some find the gameplay loop engaging and reminiscent of classics like Hotline Miami or old Diablo, many criticize its jankiness, poor AI, tedious combat, and inconsistent difficulty, which detract from overall enjoyment. Despite its unique atmosphere and moments of fun, gameplay flaws limit its appeal mostly to genre enthusiasts or bargain buyers.
- “Gameplay unfolds from an isometric perspective and centers on real-time combat and exploration.”
- “Movement and actions are largely controlled through mouse input, giving the experience a point-and-click feel that blends shooter mechanics with light role-playing elements.”
- “The gameplay of Westboro breaks down into exploration, character management, quests and combat.”
- “So the gameplay is bad, and unfortunately the badly written and translated story, dribbled at you like a visual novel (show, don't tell, when will developers learn this?) doesn't save it.”
- “It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
- “Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their detailed, atmospheric, and stylistic design, with many highlighting the pleasing art style and smooth animations suitable for an indie title. Some reviews note bland or washed-out colors and minor graphical oversights, but overall the visuals create a compelling cyberpunk/post-apocalyptic mood that enhances the experience despite some lacking in atmosphere compared to similar games.
- “For an indie Unity game, the somewhat washed-out graphics and animations look great, and controls feel fluid and natural.”
- “The visuals and sound effects are amazing and so is the atmosphere, I'm no expert in this genre of games but I really liked it.”
- “I enjoyed the story and graphics - water problem is coming indeed, and overpopulation is getting to be a problem as well - maybe bestly described in Dan Brown's 'Inferno'; graphics is interesting, postapocalyptic, all desaturated and thoroughly done everywhere - levels, user control panel, all incoming popups - and the rats - rats run everywhere.”
- “This seems like graphics and sound effects were made first and everything else later and isn't properly finished.”
- “It felt a bit low quality and the nearly monochrome visuals were a bit off-putting.”
- “Graphics are reasonably detailed, but the colours are bland and boring.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
40%
15%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its dark, bleak, and dystopian tone, with strong visual and sound design that effectively create tension and immersion. While some find the atmosphere reminiscent of other beloved titles and highly engaging, others note a disconnect due to gameplay or control issues. Overall, the atmospheric elements are a standout aspect that significantly enhance the game's identity and mood.
- “This premise establishes a bleak dystopian backdrop that immediately signals a world defined by desperation rather than heroism, and while the game’s ambitions often exceed its technical reach, its commitment to atmosphere and survival-driven tension gives it a distinct identity within the indie RPG space.”
- “The atmosphere and settings are both top-notch, yet the controls themselves as well as difficulties with gameplay make it a pretty much unenjoyable experience to me.”
- “The visuals and sound effects are amazing and so is the atmosphere; I'm no expert in this genre of games but I really liked it.”
- “Sound design prioritizes clarity over atmosphere, which detracts from the immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere and settings are top-notch, yet poor controls and gameplay difficulties make the experience unenjoyable.”
- “The overall atmosphere is pleasing, but sending a cyborg without ammunition breaks immersion and undermines the game's tension.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for its cool, dark, and atmospheric electronic style, with an immaculate soundtrack that complements both combat and overall ambiance. Many users consider it one of the game's standout features, comparing it favorably to notable soundtracks, and appreciating its ability to enhance the immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack is immaculate for the game and fits well with combat scenarios or the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing and the OST is probably the best I've heard bar Neotokyo.”
- “What makes this game very unique is the quality of animations, the art-style and the amazing soundtrack, as well as the gun-play.”
- “[i]cool dark aesthetics/atmosphere and music - garbage gameplay mechanics & enemy AI!”
- “At least for a soundtrack”
- “”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Replayability is supported by multiple endings, three playable characters, and a New Game Plus mode with added challenges, though the simplistic skill tree limits depth. Overall, the game offers some replay value but remains relatively modest in this aspect.
- “Oh, there is a New Game+ mode and on hard mode, you can't save, adding additional challenge and replay value.”
- “The skill tree is simplistic, but some skills are almost mandatory for later stages and add enough variety to provide actual replay value.”
- “There are multiple endings, and also three different characters to choose from, so replayability is there.”
- “Oh, there is a New Game+ mode and on hard mode, you can't save, so there is some additional challenge and replay value.”
- “The skill tree is super simplistic; however, some skills are almost mandatory for later stages and only offer just enough variety to provide some replay value.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by absurd and exaggerated elements, such as comically delayed attacks, over-the-top physics causing character models to behave ridiculously, and unexpected, funny combat moments like kicking off an enemy's head. These quirks contribute to an amusing, if unintentional, comedic experience.
- “And the "stealth" takedowns are hilarious because you don't break their necks.”
- “You can kick too, I kicked somebody's head off instead of shooting him, it was funny!”
- “There's an insane delay between clicking and attacking (this goes for melee attacks as well, which are hilariously telegraphed, while the enemy just stands there waiting to get kicked).”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game tends to feel tedious and undercomplex, especially for certain builds, leading to repetitive combat focused on ammo conservation and straightforward tactics. However, other skills or builds may offer more engaging, action-oriented gameplay with moderate complexity, suggesting some potential variety beyond the monotonous grinding experience.
- “At least as a recon (haven't tested other classes), the combats are quite tedious.”
- “My build resulted in a tedious "try to save ammo by stomping everything, but if you shoot, you win" gameplay; other skills might have led to more fun results.”
- “For my build, it was undercomplex and tedious, though in theory it could deliver nice, action-oriented gameplay with some – but not overwhelming – complexity.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable and bug-free for many users, with fast load times and good design, though experiences may vary. Some criticisms exist but the overall stability is well-regarded.
- “Bug-free for me, looks pretty decent with good design aesthetic, and loads very fast.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the monetization is tied to the game's emphasis on its "unique real-time combat system," suggesting that marketing focuses more on gameplay features than on aggressive or intrusive payment models.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight that character development is a key element in role-playing games, emphasizing the growth and progression of the main character within a richly detailed narrative world, contributing significantly to the game's complexity and immersive experience.