When the Light Dies

About

"When the Light Dies" is a survival game with roguelite elements, where players must fend off monstrous hordes in a desolate, frozen wilderness with a limited oil lantern light source. As light levels drop, so does sanity, resulting in faster and deadlier enemies. Utilize an array of weapons to hold back the approaching darkness and maintain survival.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 86 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of survival mechanics, including light, sanity, and temperature management, which adds depth to the gameplay.
The shooting mechanics are satisfying, and the game runs well with nice graphics, making for an enjoyable experience.
There is potential for growth and improvement, with many players expressing excitement for future updates and additional content.

The game currently lacks variety in gameplay, with repetitive enemies, limited skills, and a steep difficulty curve that can lead to frustration.
Many players have noted issues with the user interface and resource management, particularly regarding stamina and the effectiveness of upgrades.
There is a significant need for more content, including additional characters, skins, stages, and modes to keep players engaged.

gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of survival mechanics and twin-stick shooting, offering a satisfying challenge with engaging mechanics like light, heat, and sanity management. While the moment-to-moment action is enjoyable, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive and express frustration with certain mechanics, such as stamina management and the limited variety of items and enemies. Overall, the game presents a compelling loop with room for improvement in its mechanics and variety.
- “The game combines brutal survival mechanics with a relentless twin-stick shooter with some shades of vampire survivors.”
- “When the light dies, gameplay is solid, and the shooting feels great, with just the right challenge.”
- “The temperature, sanity, and light mechanics are so nice and refreshing if you play lots of games similar to this one!”
- “The aim mechanics are bad.”
- “Stamina cost for firing is a dumb mechanic; it forces me to hold down the right mouse button for ten minutes during combat just to regain stamina, which takes forever to start regenerating.”
- “Make sanity drain and recover slower; right now it's basically a pointless mechanic that just acts as a gate on using the painfully slow and largely useless occult abilities.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's atmosphere is described as dark and oppressive, creating an eerie and immersive experience that enhances gameplay through a varied toolset. Reviewers appreciate the cohesive feel and impactful mechanics, although some note that the difficulty curve can be quite steep. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Great atmosphere, fun premise, well-paced early game unlocks.”
- “Okay so this is a weird game… kind of like a mashup between 20 Minutes Till Dawn and Don't Starve, but with a much darker, more oppressive atmosphere.”
- “Use the eerie atmosphere to allow for a more varied tool set, like dark arts and abilities.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are consistently praised for their high quality, with users highlighting the top-notch theme and visuals, as well as an appealing art style. Additionally, the game runs smoothly, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- “The theme and visuals are top-notch!”
- “I also love the art style.”
- “The graphics are nice and the game runs well.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is generally perceived as tedious and lacking creativity, with players noting that the incremental upgrades feel uninspired. However, some users still find the game enjoyable and challenging enough to engage in farming activities for extended periods. Overall, while grinding is a common element in such games, opinions vary on its impact on the overall fun factor.
- “Having 5 stats and just having 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% upgrades feels just tedious, no imagination and not fun at all.”
- “Kind of grindy, but I suppose all games like this tend to feel that way.”
- “Having 5 stats and just having 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% upgrades feels just tedious, no imagination and not fun at all.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally solid but tends to become repetitive, lacking the variety needed to enhance the overall experience. While it serves its purpose, it doesn't stand out significantly, especially given the game's early access status.
- “As it's early access, there are of course some rough spots; the music and audio get a bit repetitive, and the environments for each stage could use a bit more variety.”
- “The music is solid, but nothing to write home about.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find humor in the game's character design, particularly noting the amusing similarity among unlocked characters, which only differ by their moustaches. This quirky detail adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
- “I think it's funny that the various characters I unlocked all look the same, just with different mustaches.”