#triple-walrus

Don't Starve is a neat little Roguelike game published by Klei Entertainment  and currently availability on Steam. The game's premise is to control Wilson (or others) a gentlemen scientist who has been transported to a spooky, dark realm, and basically survive as long as you can.

Visually the game has a very "Flash game directed by Tim Burton" look to it, which works well with both the theme and the gameplay. The overall feel of the game very dark, but the characters feel unique and colorful enough. If I'm being honest, the animation could definitely be better, but this is an Indie game so I guess it can get a pass for that.

Gameplay is fun if you're the sorta person the Roguelike genera appeals to. The game isn't very merciful toward new players, with not so much as a control tutorial let alone gameplay ones. luckily anyone who has ever played a point and click adventure game will have a basic idea what to do. Combat is very clunky and hard to master, but it's hard to tell if it's a flaw or intentional.

Don't Starve is very much trial and error. This can be very frustrating to players not used to playing Roguelikes, particularity the perma-death aspect. You die, you lose your save, all of it, better luck next time kid. Finding what food fills you the most, what wildlife won't kill you on sight, this is one game where I wouldn't necessarily bash anyone one for running to a wiki. The difficultly is a core aspect of the game though, so if you can't handle repeated failure, it might not be for you.

tl;dnr?

Don't starve is a fun and addictive, if somewhat mercilessly difficult survival game. For a mere 15 US, you could do a lot worse.