Dread Nautical Reviews
Dread Nautical does a lot of things well but it feels a bit unpolished on Nintendo Switch.
Dread Nautical offers minimalistic graphics and gameplay. The core gameplay loop is too repetitive to be interesting beyond a few hours. Survivors, combat, and looting all needed to be fleshed out more to create more engaging systems. Dread Nautical is a cruise I won't regret skipping.
Dread Nautical has a fantastic minimalistic art style with a classic polygon feature that adds to that retro feeling.
With tons of character customization options and non-irritating procedurally-generated level design, Dread Nautical has enough meat on it to justify several playthroughs. Tactics fans shouldn't hesitate to pick this one up.
Dread Nautical is an example of how a great concept can turn into an equally brilliant disappointment. The game boils down to collecting items, searching for survivors, destroying a boss or a cluster of opponents, and repeating the same thing. Add to this a crooked camera, average graphics, poor balance of characters and ammunition, completely non-scary world where there is a collection of Necronomicon pages, but there is no place for the sticky horror of Lovecraft, and you get a mediocre product that you dont need to play.
Review in Russian | Read full review
This game has been so much fun to play. Even when I am cursing at the screen during a boss fight, Dread Nautical has me coming back for more.
Performance issues could be (at least, partially) ironed over with likeable, interesting characters and a compelling mystery, but Dread Nautical just doesn't deliver one.
Dread Nautical provides a very good turn-based adventure underneath an unfortunately cartoonish presentation. It can't quite figure out if it wants to be scary or goofy, but the gameplay and level designs are deep enough to keep players engaged throughout.
Dread Nautical has the unenviable position of following two genre giants that moved into its launch window, but it holds its own as a worthy opening act.
In a sea of mediocre, mobile-born, turn-based tactical RPGs, it's easy to find something even more lifeless than Dread Nautical, but that doesn't say much. Zen Studios' creation lacks the depth usually expected from the genre, is way too repetitive, and even seems uncertain of what kind of atmosphere it wants to have. The only dread players will feel here is from the lengthy loading times.
We were hoping to find in Dread Nautical an uncut gem. In the end, we received a game that does not live up its potential and becomes monotonous pretty quickly. The lack of variety and depth turn this interesting concept into a mediocre game. The mix of RPG and tactics although well thought out, shortly turn into a routine without any joy. There is no thrill or scare, but plenty of annoying moments generated by the chores of item management. Dread Nautical wanted to be a place of madness, but it turned into another dimension of boredom.
The many elements of Dread Nautical culminate in a formula that makes it enjoyable to chip away at the challenging campaign.
Dread Nautical is a solid and intriguing turned based, tactical roguelike RPG, just don’t expect your tense horror itch to be scratched, because you’ll be very much looking in the wrong place. The gameplay isn’t too overbearing for newcomers and the games primary characters certainly are fun to explore this doomed ship with, the story is twisty and keeps you engaged, and the hard mode will test your metal beyond much else around at the moment, but there’s very little here you haven’t seen before elsewhere and executed with more panache.
A good start for new genres within Zen Studios. His Lovecraft background style and resource management will put you at the controls of a game that you enjoy or hate equally.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Dread Nautical is an exploration and survival adventure that, combining elements of strategy games, turn-based RPGs, and roguelites, create an interesting experience. It has its drawbacks, such as micro-management of survivors, or a certain repetitiveness, but they are still interesting, and the Lovecraftian story is a plus.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Dread Nautical could be a good game if it had ... more. Basically, more of everything. The tasks are exciting, like rescuing people or collect resources, but somehow, I still don't find much delight in it. That's mainly because I'm doing the same over and over again. It's missing variety and deepness, which is sad, because I see greatness in there which just doesn't find its bloom.
Review in German | Read full review
At the end of the day, Dread Nautical suffers from repetition, a big spike in difficulty, and a clunky interface. It’s really a tough one to recommend.
Dread Nautical was simply amazing to sit down to. The turned based elements mesh perfectly with the Roguelike setting that has been presented through a cruise ship stuck somewhere out there in the high seas. With plenty of possible party members, tons of replayability, and simply just being fun to play, I can only hope to see more of this down the line and maybe a Dread Nautical inspired Pinball Machine.
Dread Nautical lacks what most roguelikes offer: challenge. When it’s not wasting your time with long encounters, it is by forcing into you a false sense of progress with its base building mechanics. A big letdown after Operencia.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Dread Nautical is chock-full of charm and finds the perfect balance of difficulty to be accessible to someone who’s more interested in story than advanced tactics while still having appeal for genre veterans at harder settings.