Have a Nice Death Reviews
At first glance, Have a Nice Death looks like another excellent rogue-lite action platformer. But the problem is that it can't balance the difficulty properly and doesn't bring anything new to the table, so it feels pretty average.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Difficulty spikes, no matter how steep, are fine in games of this ilk, but it's harder to forgive Have A Nice Death's approach to rewarding players. There is, however, so much joy in Have A Nice Death's gloriously grim setting that it's absolutely easy to recommend, but for roguelike players that prefer their rinse-and-repeat gaming a little more forgiving and, most importantly, rewarding, there are plenty of better options out there.
Have a Nice Death has been steadily cranking out content for just over a year in Early Access, and there are some nice combat-related surprises in store for players, like the rare alternative bosses that sometimes pop up in departments you’d long since thought you had mastered. But there still seems to be barely enough variety here to compel players to find the secret ending, let alone to keep replaying on increasingly harder “breakdowns” (the game’s version of difficulties). Turns out, the game’s comic perversion of R.I.P. is truer than it knows. There’s no peace to be found in this endless depiction of Death’s toil, only (paper)work.
However, there's a good, steady sense of progression, and elevators that take you to the end of each department alleviate some of the repetition. When you get on a good run and build yourself up with beneficial buffs and powerful attacks, the game starts to sing. There's definitely plenty to like about Have a Nice Death, but its flaws prevent it from reaching the heights of its contemporaries.
Have a Nice Death has solid slashing combat, 2D roguelike levels, with a great story. Although the levels are very similar, the story, challenging gameplay, great complimentary music, and industrialist main character will keep players coming back for more.
Have a Nice Death is an average roguelike entry that can entertain for a two or so evenings. But that's all it can offer.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Despite having some of the best combat I have seen in a 2D game and loving the dark and dreary art style I just couldn’t vibe with Have a Nice Death the same way I have with other games in the genre like Hades. While there are a few weapons to try and some combos to create with curses, It just never reached the same heights as the latter did for me. I will say that the writing here is top notch, and the commentary on display whether on purpose or not was genuinely funny. While I may not have loved this game personally, I do think there is a lot here for others to love not the least of which is the jingle that plays when Death spawns back in his office after having to RIP (Rest In Paperwork).
There’s a lot to delve into this game, but I feel that it lacks something unique. Between its corny (but sometimes excessively cringe) dialogue, fast-paced gameplay, and amazing art direction, it ultimately falls into the “Great, but nothing special” category for me.
Without overlooking some unevenness in their methods of difficulty and progression, we are talking about a competent roguelike with a very funny and ironic criticism of large corporations. A fun and colorful alternative for those who love challenges.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Its unique style and theming definitely set it apart, although that really can't be said for the characters you meet along the way. On Switch, it is a fine experience, but do keep in mind that loading times will be a constant issue while traveling through Death Inc. I think it is good that there's a roguelike out there that forgoes the paperwork and just gets stuff done. What more can you ask for from a bureaucracy?.
Once again, we come to the important question: is this roguelike worth your time? That depends. Fans of the genre will appreciate the challenge level, the smooth combat, and the robust skill selection. Newcomers and outsiders will love the unique aesthetic and the high level of polish. On the other hand, this game is proper tough. If that’s what you’re looking for, great! You’re in luck. If you’ve been softened and spoiled by other, more considerate roguelikes, then consider yourself duly warned. Have A Nice Death is a slick, relentless roguelike with all the charm and challenge you could need.
For what it’s worth, Have a Nice Death is a competent roguelike that pushes hard on the challenge when it comes to big encounters. The afterlife need not be that dreary, and there is something inherently fun and delightful in the worlds and characters, but its progression systems definitely need a refresh to breathe new life into this punishing new kid on the block.
Have a Nice Death is a title with an extremely solid art compartment: the cartoon style will convince you from the first moment, while the jazz-tinged soundtrack will keep you company throughout the adventure. Although the combat mechanics are well thought out and allow the player to approach opponents in different ways, the roguelike element is lost a bit due to a wrong balance between skill and story progression at each run.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A 2D action roguelite that offers plenty of fun combat encounters and also boasts a truly beautiful and inspired art direction that makes every moment spent in a game a joy to watch (and play). It's not without flaws, though, especially when it comes to its pacing and progression, and while combat is generally quite fun, many of the special abilities and spells are not really well balanced, which can sometimes make you feel like you rely a bit too much on the RNG factor to have a good run.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Have a Nice Death may not quite reach the upper levels of the genre, but it's still a fun, well-designed game that will appeal to fans of challenging roguelites.
When I first saw Have A Nice Death I will be honest and say I did have high expectations, as it was something I thought I would enjoy a lot. The humour was the sarcastic type of humour that I love and often use myself, the movement was flawless as I enjoyed showing off all the different combos I had learnt with different weapons.
With some good DLC, Have A Nice Death will be the next big indie roguelike people talk about with the same love and respect that Dead Cells or Hades get.
Unlike what Death wants to do to handle the issues in its company, Have a Nice Death isn't a revolution for the roguelike genre. However, this doesn't hinder the game's qualities and polishment, which is able to provide a fun adventure with a lot of strategic variety and intensity. As such, it's enough to walk through Death Inc.'s corridors and mow down enemies to live a sinister but adorable adventure.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It turns out, death actually was rather nice.
Have a Nice Death is a carefully constructed roguelike with fast-paced action. The agile combat in a hack-and-slash fashion is its biggest highlight, especially for being easy to understand and offering many possibilities to combine various attacks and powers. Besides that, there's a ton of content to explore in an unusual universe that explores corporate world issues in a light and humorous way. Its concepts are solid and well developed but some issues are annoying, such as the stages being way too simple and the unbalanced elements. Luckily, the impeccable technical aspects and the fast rhythm of matches manage to offset the negative points. Have a Nice Death may not be innovative, however it is compelling in its excellent gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review