Dead Engine

It's not bad, per se, but I really don't feel like it brings anything in particular. If: A. If you haven't ever played a game like Vampire Survivors: You should probably start with the original, or one of the more expansive, bigger budget clones. B. If you've played a bunch of Vampire Survivor-likes, I don't think this one is going to bring you anything fresh or exciting. In two hours I managed just over two runs, winning both times on the highest difficulty available, and I'm not particularly good at these. The game boasts an "item fusion system" but it's just a very linear upgrade system that doesn't really add anything in practice. You walk up to a chest, see it has a Level 2 Boot, and add it to your inventory if you have room. If you already have a Level 2 Boot specifically, you may stack them into a Level 3 Boot. But in another game, you would simply find the level 3 boot, equip it, and trash the level 2 boot for space. Or find a +1 Bootfulness potion to go from 2 to 3. I can imagine scenarios where item fusion might create interesting gameplay spaces (if you had, for example, a party in a strategy game, deciding whether to try to give everyone a gun or consolidat…

I bought this a while back, when it was much rougher around the edges. It is an interesting blend of Bullet Heaven and Inventory Management. I like the concepts, and it can be very addictive, in that "just one more level" way. One really quick note, for reviews, note the versions because it has changed a good bit leading up to the current full release. There used to be more meaningful base-building aspects. The balance used to be different. Items have been added and removed. There used to be more progressing in terms of gradually introducing new characters. It is, I suppose, to be expected when buying a game in active development. As it currently stands, it's an entertaining, if perhaps a little short, game (the Full Release erased all of my progress, and it took a few hours to clear the map on all four difficulty levels). It could certainly use a manual or in-game help, as a lot of things are still unclear, such as how loss of progress works with death or heading back to camp. The characters are pastiches of various stereotypes, and essentially vary by their primary weapon. There really is no storyline currently outside of the introductory cutscene. But, it is mindless fun.

Doesn't feel finished. I won the first run i tried just picking whatever was higher rarity and walking around the maps looking for loot. Filled up the backpack expansion pickups a few levels before the end and the ones picked up after didn't do anything. After the run, i think i softlocked myself, by clearing an area and not having the wood to build a campfire.

Sadly cannot reccomend it the game freezes at second to last level every time I get there with multiple characters, and I did try to quit and then continue.

It has a really interesting foundation and you can feel there’s a lot of potential behind it. The idea of having your own area is great, even if it still needs more depth and detail to fully shine. The difficulty balance can feel a bit rough right now. Your character doesn’t seem to get noticeably stronger, which makes progression less satisfying. Combined with some uneven spikes in challenge, it can push players away a little too quickly. I personally found myself losing motivation after a few retries. The inventory system is a unique touch and clearly tries something different, but it may feel a bit slow for players who are looking for a stronger sense of momentum or power growth. Since it’s still in early access, these are all things that can improve over time. UI and UX especially could use some extra clarity, as certain systems like character selection and stats can be hard to fully understand at first. Overall, there’s a solid idea and different perspective as a VS clone here. With better balance, clearer systems, and a bit more polish, Dead Engine could turn into something really enjoyable. I’d like to give it another chance when the full version releases, but for now I wou…

Dead Engine delivers a smooth and focused gameplay experience. The mechanics are simple but effective, without unnecessary complexity. Progression feels satisfying, and the game maintains a consistent pace throughout. A clean and enjoyable experience for players who appreciate its genre.