Where They Cremate The Roadkill
- September 29, 2017
- The Gunseed Collab
Get on Steam"Where They Cremate the Roadkill" is a surreal, immersive game with a cast of 700 unique characters and 700 hand-drawn landscapes. Players navigate through four distinct, visually striking chapters, each following an "incarnation of an outsider" confronting their own personal and existential struggles. The game features a rich musical score and a fully animated, interactive world where everything from vendors to worms can be targeted for battle.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features unique and surreal art styles, creating a visually captivating experience that stands out in the indie game scene.
- The soundtrack complements the atmosphere well, enhancing the overall immersion and emotional impact of the game.
- The narrative explores deep themes of absurdism, existentialism, and nihilism, providing players with thought-provoking content despite its abstract nature.
- Gameplay is plagued by numerous technical issues, including crashes, poor controls, and a frustrating combat system that often feels unresponsive and clunky.
- The story is convoluted and lacks clear direction, making it difficult for players to understand the plot or objectives, leading to a sense of aimlessness.
- Many players have reported significant spelling and grammar errors, as well as basic scripting issues that can break the game experience.
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is described as clunky and underdeveloped, often feeling like a chore, yet it rewards patience and exploration with unique mechanics and artistic environments. While the abstract design compromises level navigation and can lead to confusion, it also enhances the immersive experience, appealing to players who appreciate experimental and narrative-driven gameplay. Overall, the game offers a blend of frustrating and rewarding moments, making it suitable for those open to unconventional gaming experiences.
“If you are familiar with the two aforementioned, it's a bit of a step in an experimental direction as far as gameplay goes, as it is a beat 'em up.”
“Bottom line - the gameplay and how it progresses is fairly unique and takes some getting used to (it is imperative that you are always thinking outside the box and scanning the screen), but once you get the feel of things you'll be progressing through the game like a breeze - don't let the review intimidate you, this is an exploration game with a driving narrative, beautiful art, and enjoyable gameplay. If that sounds like something you'd be into, then definitely consider picking up a copy.”
“Gameplay blooms late as the game establishes its footing in a series of stylistically unique vignettes.”
“The clunky gameplay is an absolute chore to wade through, but it's a chore with rewards, that is of course, if you like the bitter-nutty taste of surreal art and philosophical quips.”
“Unfortunately, this game is held back by one of its biggest components, the gameplay.”
“The reasons why the gameplay may come up short at first is because this is less of a game and more of an immersive interactive painting - the term 'animated painting' comes to mind.”
- story17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story is characterized by its grandiose themes of absurdism, existentialism, and nihilism, yet many find it hollow and incoherent, often feeling pretentious. While the world-building and environmental storytelling are praised, the plot lacks clarity and development, leaving players with a vague understanding of the overarching narrative. Despite these criticisms, some players feel invested in the characters and appreciate the intriguing, albeit confusing, exploration of personal struggles against a chaotic world.
“The world it takes place in is very interesting and was built up well with environmental storytelling.”
“I think the characters and story were interesting, and I felt invested in them.”
“The story is relatively vague, but still hints at a bigger picture.”
“The plot and world are grandiose-seeming, but hollow.”
“It feels like you're being force-fed garbage half the time that has almost no relation to the plot being put forward.”
“The plot itself is hardly comprehensible and is never developed.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and experimental art styles, featuring hand-drawn environments and a diverse range of visual aesthetics that evoke a surreal and otherworldly experience. While the artwork and animation are often described as sublime and engaging, some users note that the user interface can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are a standout aspect, showcasing creativity and artistic depth, despite some gameplay issues.
“Watching the art style of the games shift over time has been a big treat.”
“A great game with good story and amazing artwork.”
“As the description states, each environment is hand-drawn with almost no reused assets, and the art styles range from a child's coloring book to bold collagist styles, populated by unique creatures all with some manner of interesting dialogue with roots in occult and philosophical themes.”
“You are given aesthetic devices (a Tamagotchi and smartphone used to explain objectives and act as a manual) with an awful UI that sequence breaks your game.”
“While I feel the sound design, graphics, dialogue, and overall aesthetic of the game are on point, there are a number of gameplay issues that get too much in the way of the experience to be ignored.”
“Even if you want an unconventional game with abstract visuals, do not buy WTC.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's music has received mixed reviews, with many praising its enchanting and immersive soundtrack that complements the surreal atmosphere and unique art style. However, some users have criticized the inclusion of allegedly stolen music and sound effects, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature that enhances the game's distinctiveness.
“While the art and music are impressive, and the only thing bringing me back to this game every once in a while, this is more of a surreal RPG than anything with wordless 'visual' menus that take some getting used to.”
“I adore the mind-shattering dialogue, the distinct visual styles of each area, and the enchanting atmosphere the soundtrack creates.”
“To accent this, the soundtrack is downright perfect for it - every room is harmonized in its beautiful weirdness, the sound design so well executed to a point of immersion that still haunts me as I write this review.”
“The main reason for the negative review is because this game contains stolen music and sound effects, one of the most noticeable being a jingle from Capcom's 'Okami.'”
“The sketches and animations gave me the impression of a déjà-vu, if you will, from music video clips straight out of the 90s such as the song 'We Have Explosive' by Future Sound of London.”
“The soundtrack definitely fits and supports the atmosphere of the surreal worlds.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a surreal blend of visual styles, evocative soundtracks, and distinct artistic elements that create an enchanting experience. While some players appreciate the mind-bending dialogue and unique environments, others feel that the game's departure from its origins leads to a less coherent atmosphere. Overall, the combination of artwork, animation, and music contributes to a sublime and immersive atmosphere.
“I adore the mind-shattering dialogue, the distinct visual styles of each area, and the enchanting atmosphere the soundtrack creates.”
“It seems the further Clowder games stray from the origin of middens, the more nonsensical and less functional his games become in terms of gameplay, writing, and atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack definitely fits and supports the atmosphere of the surreal worlds.”
“The artwork, animation, music, and atmosphere are sublime, and the NPC character sprites are excellent.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game has a few minor glitches, they are not severe enough to significantly impact gameplay. Stability is generally acceptable, with no major issues noted.
“Aside from that, the next biggest fundamental flaw is a prevalence of minor glitches.”
“So far, I have never noticed anything too extreme as far as glitches go.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players have reported significant performance issues that lead to slow input response times, resulting in frustrating gameplay and frequent character deaths.
“Because of the performance issues, inputs felt slow to respond and caused many deaths.”
“The game frequently stutters and lags, making it nearly unplayable during intense moments.”
“I experienced constant frame drops, which ruined the immersion and made it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
