Whisker Squadron: Survivor

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 618 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Whisker Squadron: Survivor Game Cover
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Whisker Squadron: Survivor is a rogue-like action game where you play as a cat fighter pilot facing off against an alien invasion. You'll upgrade your plane and captain, battle through randomly generated stages, and take on giant bosses in intense bullet hell combat. With procedurally generated content weaved into a campaign, no two runs are the same in this feline-themed shoot 'em up.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 618 reviews
gameplay60 positive mentions
replayability10 negative mentions
  • Captures the essence of Star Fox with a fresh roguelite twist, providing engaging gameplay and a nostalgic feel.
  • Visually stunning with a vibrant aesthetic and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Offers a satisfying progression system with various upgrades and unlockable ships, keeping players coming back for more.
  • Currently lacks content, with only a few ships, weapons, and levels, leading to repetitive gameplay after a short time.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as the energy system for shooting and boosting, can feel limiting and frustrating.
  • Enemy design can be unbalanced, with some enemies feeling overly tanky and boss fights lacking intensity.
  • gameplay156 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, smooth controls, and engaging roguelite elements, reminiscent of classic titles like Star Fox. However, many reviewers note a lack of content and repetitive stages, which can lead to a feeling of shallow gameplay over time. While the core experience is enjoyable and visually appealing, the game struggles with balancing depth and variety, leaving players wanting more after a few hours of play.

    • “The gameplay is really strong, and has that classic Star Fox dynamic of balancing between aiming at enemies and steering to avoid them and other obstacles.”
    • “So much fun - charming characters, satisfying gameplay, and rewarding meta progression! I never feel sad that I die, just happy I can go back to the shop and get stronger for next time!”
    • “The core gameplay is great.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn’t quite match the visual allure.”
    • “The stages are repetitive to the point of being tiresome, the power-ups you get are functionally pointless, the story on hand isn't even worth experiencing, the music is flat out godawful, and the gameplay comes off like the dev team genuinely loves Starfox and Hades, yet for some reason, they can't figure out what makes either of those games fun to play.”
    • “The game is limited to the gameplay you see in trailers; you move forward, shoot, get score combos, and you either die or beat 10 waves and that's pretty much it.”
  • music106 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay, creating a fun and immersive experience. However, some players criticize the music as repetitive or even "godawful," suggesting it detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as a highlight, there are calls for more variety and depth in the musical composition.

    • “The music and artistic choices made for this game are all outstanding.”
    • “The vaporwave aesthetic combined with the pseudo-orchestral, electronic soundtrack made for something that was pleasant simply to look at and listen to.”
    • “It's got a wonderful sense of progression through the runs, the weapons are fun, the upgrades feel powerful, the sound design is informative, the music is good, there's a song with a saxophone that is an absolute vibe while you're zooming around.”
    • “The soundtrack is truly awful; try muting it and using the soundtrack from an F-Zero, Mega Man, or Street Fighter game instead.”
    • “This is what hell itself sounds like; this game's soundtrack, ad infinitum.”
    • “The sound track is repetitive.”
  • graphics92 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, synthwave and vaporwave aesthetics, which create an engaging visual experience. While the character designs and overall art style are considered charming and effective, some players note that the levels can become repetitive and blend together, impacting readability during gameplay. Overall, the visuals are described as stylish and fun, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, though there is a desire for more variety and polish in future updates.

    • “The graphics are vibrant and the design of the game world is eye-catching.”
    • “The vaporwave aesthetic combined with the pseudo-orchestral, electronic soundtrack made for something that was pleasant simply to look at and listen to.”
    • “The graphics are really fun and very Tron-like, the controls are very intuitive, and the soundtrack is a banger.”
    • “The art style unfortunately doesn't help either, as all the neon lights of the samey, repeating levels blend in with the enemy shots, which are the same but blue.”
    • “It needs more polish: more variance in the level visuals, better/more diverse music, more satisfying weapon effects and sound design, etc.”
    • “The neon/tron aesthetic is overplayed with rail-shooters, and I would like to see one with a more detailed and unique art direction, but these kinds of games aren't meant to be eye-candy.”
  • story64 mentions

    The game's story is delivered in fragmented pieces during missions, with some players appreciating its anti-capitalist themes while others criticize its lack of depth and coherence. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of the missions and the minimal narrative, leading to a sense of boredom and disconnection from the gameplay. Overall, while there are hints of an interesting premise involving robot bugs invading the galaxy, the execution leaves much to be desired, especially for those seeking a more engaging and structured storyline.

    • “I haven't unlocked all the story bits yet, but I like what I've seen so far and I'm always happy to see a nice anti-capitalist message in these trying times.”
    • “The story is simple - robot bugs are invading the galaxy.”
    • “It's interesting and the story is a bit weird too!”
    • “This damn story mode update ruined the game for me.”
    • “Game also has a bare bones story mode, so don't expect anything along the levels of the old Star Fox games.”
    • “There's not really a story per se.”
  • replayability30 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly addictive with customizable options and unlockable content, others criticize it for lacking sufficient depth and variety, leading to a limited experience after initial playthroughs. The implementation of rogue-like mechanics and power-ups offers potential for replayability, but many feel that the current content and mechanics do not fully capitalize on this promise. Overall, the game shows potential for future improvements, but as it stands, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.

    • “Great classic Starfox feel, while adding in the replayability of modern roguelikes, with each run earning you power-ups to use in the next runs.”
    • “The roguelike mechanics and unlockable power-ups give this game a lot of depth and replayability. The controls feel modern and responsive, but what really makes this game stand out is the whole experience; the aesthetics of the game plus the music make this game a pleasure to play.”
    • “Meaningful and different level-up choices that add a ton of replayability.”
    • “I think this game has a solid framework, it just lacks content to provide replayability.”
    • “The curse cards recently added do nothing to make the game more playable, and with only 10 levels to a zone when you finally start to get a build that's interesting, the game ends.”
    • “It's fun for the first couple of hours but there's basically no replay value.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, primarily due to prohibitively expensive upgrades and uninspired boss fights that feel like attrition checks. While some appreciate the extended gameplay that grinding provides, many feel that the core loop becomes monotonous, especially with the need to restart levels upon death. Overall, the grind can detract from the fun, making the experience feel slow and laborious despite the chaotic action.

    • “The cost of upgrades is prohibitively expensive, forcing players into a tedious grind.”
    • “The gameplay would be fun, but the game is built around farming, so the core loop is repeated hundreds of times with small gains.”
    • “Towards the ends of the levels it's just total chaos with a bajillion enemies on screen and particle effects everywhere, and the only reason I'm still alive is because I've picked the right upgrades that allow me to heal and recharge faster than I take damage, at which point I'm feeling less like a pilot and more like I'm playing WoW or something and I'm grinding to get that one item that gives me that extra 0.5% DPS.”
  • monetization14 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling misled by its title and the presence of ads that disrupt gameplay. Many reviewers express concern over the game's early access status, particularly with the main menu promoting an upcoming title, suggesting that the developers are prioritizing future projects over improving the current game. Overall, there is a sense of skepticism regarding the game's development and its alignment with the advertised genre.

    • “This is a cash grab to buy time for the game this studio really wants to make.”
    • “This is early access but it's kind of messed up to be advertising your next game from the main menu when this one isn't finished.”
    • “I am also pessimistic that it will be improved, given that the title screen is already advertising another upcoming game.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its nostalgic feel combined with modern graphics, showcasing impressive character design. Players appreciate the variety of enemies and the well-balanced difficulty curve, which enhances the overall experience.

    • “It's so good, a bit of that old school feel but the graphics are great, and I really like the character design.”
    • “Wide variety of enemies, love the character design, and the difficulty curve is spot on.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly and looking great across various platforms, including the Steam Deck.

    • “On a technical level, the game looks and runs great.”
    • “Looks and runs great on deck.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Users have noted significant performance drops, particularly in relation to the length of game stages, which are compared to the duration of a Super Bowl ad. Despite this, players express anticipation for upgrades that promise to enhance performance, indicating that improvements are noticeable upon replaying levels.

    • “This precipitous drop in performance may also be due to the fact that the stages are now roughly the same length as a Super Bowl ad on a budget.”
    • “In fact, each time I replayed the same level, I was looking forward to seeing what the upgrades would actually offer in terms of performance, and it is noticeable.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised as amazing, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment and fun of the experience.

    • “Very fun game with an amazing atmosphere.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be a highlight, particularly enjoying the amusing bugs and glitches that add an unexpected layer of fun, even if they struggle with gameplay.

    • “This game is plenty of fun; I may not be great at it, but the funny bugs are a blast!”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of frustration and tension, as players experience a heightened sense of vulnerability due to the instant death mechanic associated with touching walls. This design choice evokes strong feelings of anxiety and urgency, contributing to an intense gameplay experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

1hMedian play time
1hAverage play time
1-1hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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