Dead Weight Review: Tentacles and Goblins, but No 18+ Content

Dead Weight is a roguelike game with charming pixel graphics. In each run, you must maneuver between islands floating above the Abyss, gaining experience and fighting for every drop of fuel. The main thing is not to feed too many enemies to the Abyss in battles, otherwise the world will plunge into madness.

In the Name of New Masters

During a cataclysm, the world of Dead Weight was torn apart. Only small islands, floating above the Abyss, remained of the planet. The surviving humans, goblins, and various creatures began to live on the islands and worship the benevolent gods of the Abyss. But evil cultists also appeared, summoning chaos and monsters into the world.

The cultists sacrificed Arn and Klyukva – brave travelers between the islands. The heroes were brought back to life by the gods, but the price for salvation was great: now they are cultists of the benevolent gods. They will be resurrected and sent into battle until the villains and madness are dealt with.

Service has its perks. For the sacrifices made, the heroes become stronger, life becomes easier, and the world becomes worse and more dangerous. And although the gifts of the gods are useful, one involuntarily wonders: "Are the gods of the Abyss truly benevolent? Or are they no better than the evil their enemies worship?"

Cycle of Madness

Initially, you can control a strongman named Arn. Playing as him is simple: hit enemies with a sword, push them against obstacles and into the abyss. Over time, his rage meter accumulates, with which he hits even harder. In fact, he is a tutorial character, convenient for learning the basics of the game.

After defeating the first boss, a character named Klyukva is unlocked: a nimble and frail girl who deals massive damage from a distance. With Klyukva's unlock, the game begins to unfold.

Inevitable death returns the hero to the Abyss, where you can exchange the gifts of the gods for passive upgrades. The bonuses received will help you advance and unlock new heroes.

The madness mechanic appears. If you throw enemies into the Abyss or make sacrifices, the world becomes more dangerous: enemies will be angrier and tougher, and aggressive tentacles and buds will appear on the battlefield. You can accumulate madness to upgrade items in the forge, but I preferred to play with a reasonable environment.

After each boss kill, the world refreshes – you'll have to re-explore the world and destroy new enemies. After defeating the final boss, a curse is placed on the hero, making subsequent runs more difficult.

The Unshakeable City Amidst an Ocean of Chaos

Everything in the game is changeable, except for the single city. As you progress, new establishments open in the city:

At the market and in the tech tower, you can sell your loot and stock up on artifacts and consumables;

In the forge, items are reforged for madness crystals;

In the temple, you can buy the favor of the gods, get rid of madness, and reallocate talents;

In the dock, the ship is repaired and refueled;

In the lighthouse, you can improve your viewing radius and explore the surroundings.

You will have to travel over the Abyss on a small ship, which has a supply of resources that simplifies life before battles and events. It's easiest to replenish supplies at the dock, but you can also rely on luck when exploring the world.

Movement consumes fuel. If you run out of fuel, you'll have to sacrifice resources for kindling or drift to the city. Or you can trust the winds, which will carry the ship to a random island. But then the level of madness will increase.

Islands are divided into two types: with enemies and with events. Destroying enemies rewards you with items, money, and fuel. Events reward you with resources or the favor of the gods. Sometimes three identical events can appear in one place – it's worth using the lighthouse to avoid wasting time on them. With each visit to an island, the hero gets tired. If fatigue accumulates, the hero will die of exhaustion.

Enemy ships or emergency guarded gas stations patrol between the islands. These fools even approach themselves, making them easy prey.

War for Every Inch of Land

In turn-based battles, enemies move first and charge attacks. The hero is free to dodge attacks, expose enemies to them, attack, activate abilities, throw enemies into the abyss, or push them against allies or objects. There are enough interesting mechanics to get out of even the most hopeless situation.

Enemies are divided into melee, ranged, and support. Different minions are associated with each boss: goblins, pirates, robots. Pirates are the most unpleasant: each pirate can counterattack, which takes two health points – standard for initial mercenaries. And they do it at every opportunity. Using an artifact that turns enemies around led to the death of an expensive mercenary, and under certain conditions, even applying a curse activates this skill.

Mercenaries have a similar role division to enemies. Artifacts can be equipped on heroes and mercenaries, which increase stats, grant additional attacks, or open inventory slots.

As they level up, heroes learn unique skills for their class. Initially, two development branches are available, and a third opens in the Abyss. To level up well, you'll have to visit every island, but then the hero will turn into a machine for destroying all living things.

Diagnosis

Dead Weight is simply a solid game that doesn't claim greatness. It attracts with beautiful, pleasant, and slightly creepy pixel graphics, conveying the atmosphere of a world plunging into madness. The gameplay is simple, but calculating moves and throwing enemies into the Abyss is simply fun.

There are problems with the economy, balance, and randomness. The developers' decision to have mass counterattacking pirates is generally difficult to understand. But against the backdrop of successful mechanics, these inconveniences can be overlooked.