Don't Starve

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1134 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 869 out of 1134
  2. Mixed: 203 out of 1134
  3. Negative: 62 out of 1134

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  1. Avadon
    May 11, 2013
    3
    I don't get how people give this game such high scores. It's fun the first couple of playthroughs when you don't know what's going on and you're just exploring, but once you become a bit more familiar with it every playthrough is a 6 hour long grind to craft all the things you need, which can (and will) end abruptly by something just popping up and 2-shotting you. The grind turns fromI don't get how people give this game such high scores. It's fun the first couple of playthroughs when you don't know what's going on and you're just exploring, but once you become a bit more familiar with it every playthrough is a 6 hour long grind to craft all the things you need, which can (and will) end abruptly by something just popping up and 2-shotting you. The grind turns from "tedious" to "completely unbearable" when you are trying to keep several pigs around so you can actually attempt to kill something. Let me put it this way, if you think this is "OMG SO HAERDCORE AND CHALLANGING", you are retarded, plain and simple. If you want a challenging game, go play the old Xcom games, this is not challenging, just repetitive and cheap, both in concept and execution.… Expand
  2. Riva
    Jun 14, 2013
    3
    Apparently one of many overrated and hyped Indie games that keep popping up recently.
    A simple, random generated arcade-ish clicking game in a line of: run around try to stay alive die randomly restart from scratch go again. Without any story, sense or even tutorial.
    You run around very basic, random generated islands, grinding various resources by clicking on objects like trees and    Apparently one of many overrated and hyped Indie games that keep popping up recently.
    A simple, random generated arcade-ish clicking game in a line of: run around try to stay alive die randomly restart from scratch go again. Without any story, sense or even tutorial.
    You run around very basic, random generated islands, grinding various resources by clicking on objects like trees and rocks. Then you can create various tools out of resource so you can grind more. Rinse, repeat.
    With lack of any idea about what you should do and what to avoid, with no Save functionality, the game start to get very frustrating very soon, while also quite boring from repetition.
    People used to create this kind of simple games in Flash for free and there are still plenty of them available on the web if you so desire.
    The only new thing with this one is that somebody is not ashamed to charge $15 for it, and the only special thing about it is the hype that seem to surround it. Plus a self-proclaimed deep design philosophy explained by author(s?). I only found user un-friendlines though.
    The game is really not worth the price, no matter what the hype tells you.
    You can check 15minutes demo for free on Google Chrome web store and greatly advice it before buying.    … Expand
  3. Erazor
    Apr 25, 2013
    3
    I had good fun with this game for a few hours until I got really bored of it's repetitive nature, this game is solely base on the fundamentals of grinding, which is something that I detest and hate in games now.

    I have come back to try the game every major beta update, but no update makes me want to continue playing, pick grass, pick sticks, cut this, dig that, catch animal, eat    I had good fun with this game for a few hours until I got really bored of it's repetitive nature, this game is solely base on the fundamentals of grinding, which is something that I detest and hate in games now.

    I have come back to try the game every major beta update, but no update makes me want to continue playing, pick grass, pick sticks, cut this, dig that, catch animal, eat animal, all this for a little counter (days) to increase.

    People are showing their love for an independent small game, but a userscore of 9.2 suggests this game is up there and past other games such as Tomb Raider (2013), Bioshock Infinity, Starcraft 2 HotS, etc, no it's not anywhere close to those. In fact I had more fun with free flash games for longer periods, I'm sorry Don't starve, I didn't like you very much!    … Expand
  4. UncleEd
    May 13, 2019
    4
    Tedious game with a beautiful make-up. Don’t Starve is one of the more popular indie games of the recent years for reasons I simply do not understand. It does look charming indeed. In fact, it has beautiful Tim Burtonesque style graphics and the game easily grabs the attention of anyone who takes a look at the screenshots. You start as a character whose only goal is to survive as long asTedious game with a beautiful make-up. Don’t Starve is one of the more popular indie games of the recent years for reasons I simply do not understand. It does look charming indeed. In fact, it has beautiful Tim Burtonesque style graphics and the game easily grabs the attention of anyone who takes a look at the screenshots. You start as a character whose only goal is to survive as long as possible. Similar to other survival games, you farm, craft, build to stay alive. The first problem with Don’t Starve is that the grinding part is simply boring. Often, it feels like a flash game with a fairly bad user interface where you click, click, click with your left mouse button without having any kind of fun. If you are curious about how grinding can be fun, please check Terraria out.

    Second major problem with Don’t Starve is the permadeath. I am not suggesting that permadeath is bad per se, it can be quite enjoyable when it is done right. In Don’t Starve, however, it turns the tedious game design into something unbearable. You may find yourself grinding for hours, just to die by a random encounter (and it won’t be your fault). Oh yeah, some might suggest “that’s what the game is about” or “you will learn from your death”. Just give me a break… By now you should have played plenty of difficult video games to differentiate good game design from bad ones. Just look at the Souls series. When you die, you know you made a mistake. Maybe you made your move too early. Maybe you did not block the attack when you were supposed to. And if you die, you may lose your “souls” and thereby some of your progress, but not the entire game. In Don’t Starve, unless you are playing with a second monitor with wiki open, there is no way of knowing what will kill you. The only way to learn about what kills you is to be killed by it. And then you will start over, go through the tedious grind for hours and die again for another reason you could simply not prevent. In Don’t Starve, you are Sisyphus…

    Last but not the least, the combat is atrocious. Combat in Don’t Starve is literally the same combat in any of the other thousands of flash games. If you have a good armor, left click the enemy until it dies. Or alternatively, make the enemy chase you and do your attacks while you are on the run.

    If dull, repetitive games with poorly executed game mechanics are for you, play Don’t Starve. If you have a friend who happens to have the same tastes as you do, play Don’t Starve Together. But if it is the art style that pulls you in, your valuable time would be much better spent rewatching The Nightmare Before Christmas.

    3.5/10    … Expand
  5. Krayzgerman
    Jul 26, 2013
    3
    This game is a farming game, 95% of the time you grind stuff and hope you don't die during the night/ process. Don’t bother farming anything during the night. If you do, it’s “game over”—unless you've found a rare sacred stone or built yourself a meat sacrifice thing—which to even get to that level is a task in and of itself. If you love walking around and just clicking on different plantsThis game is a farming game, 95% of the time you grind stuff and hope you don't die during the night/ process. Don’t bother farming anything during the night. If you do, it’s “game over”—unless you've found a rare sacred stone or built yourself a meat sacrifice thing—which to even get to that level is a task in and of itself. If you love walking around and just clicking on different plants and running away from freaky long legged birds that kill you in 2 hits, then this is the game for you.

    I only continued in hopes that it would eventually get better but it remained boring. I played about 14 hours of the game, it never got better. It got ‘different,’ but still ‘boring different’. Even after collecting half a dozen pigs in my man-pig army. The game wasn’t bad or poorly designed as a whole, it was simply boring. Grinding stuff the majority of the time is incredibly boring. I’d seriously rather just watch my cat groom herself for an hour in the same spot, over and over and over again. Games like Terraria and Mine Craft are fun when grinding, you can literally shape the world around you while you grind for stuff and even use the world to interact with on some level in real-time to fight or block off enemies. All of these great aspects you can't do in this game. It takes far more investment to get to any of these aspects and the pacing doesn’t allow for this in real-time because you’d die while trying to build anything.

    I see the charm in their style and how this game paces itself with items and animations, I like that and it is interesting. But it doesn’t make up for a boring game which just becomes frustratingly difficult when they punish you every time you die. This is not an effective way to hook players in for more, difficulty does not equal fun. Mechanics equal fun, fun and engaging game mechanics. Yes games 15 even 20 years ago games were very difficult and unforgiving but because of their crude graphics and controls they needed fundamentally strong game mechanics. That they were difficult was an aspect of arcade gaming crossing over into consoles. Terraria is a great example of this because the game has little if any story at all, it is paced purely off the players choices and actions. The designers for Don’t Starve would benefit greatly from reading some books on game theory or taking a few courses for learning about game mechanics etc. Don’t bother wasting your time on this boring game, unless you’re into clicking stuff pointlessly for hours with no story at all and collecting imaginary digital shrubs, grass, rocks, etc. Or unless they come out with a seriously significant update that changes a major aspect of this game as a whole.

    I can’t even begin to really describe to you how boring this game is, and I’ve play over a thousand hours on various grinding games. This takes the cake.

    The Good:
    Charming Consistent Visual Style
    Animations and Sounds
    Simple UI and Menus
    Intuitive Controls

    The Bad:
    Extremely Boring
    Horribly Unforgiving
    Too linear for its Genre for an Adventure is lacks story for Simulation it lacks interactions.
    If if they mean simulation as in a farm simulator... then yeah, move along and get Farm Simulator 2013, at least that game knows what it is. I can easily imagine Farm Simulator 2013 being 1000x more fun than this game.
    The UI for building and researching stuff could be a lot better; any means of finding out about the game you’d have to refer to a wiki site--and the developers don't want you to do that.
    And for an indie game as boring as this is, and charging more than 5 dollars with a serious face should be a crime, unless all the money is going to the sound and art guys then I support that.    … Expand
  6. Mikimax
    May 24, 2013
    3
    I really don't understand the good reviews as this game is nothing special. It gets repetitive very quickly as you need to do the same stuff over and over again.
    Game art is ridiculous for survival type of the game, everything is gray and unrealistic. The music is ok but other sounds are annoying.
    I really wanted to understand this game, but it simply isn't for me.
  7. Type4101
    Sep 12, 2013
    1
    This "game" has a wonderful art style, and an interesting concept. Sadly, it is not a game. There is no real campaign, no structure, and you can't really win. All you do is grind away endlessly, often encountering frustrating monsters that will instantly ruin hours and hours of game play...which doesn't really matter since there was no way to win anyway. Games that insist you "set yourThis "game" has a wonderful art style, and an interesting concept. Sadly, it is not a game. There is no real campaign, no structure, and you can't really win. All you do is grind away endlessly, often encountering frustrating monsters that will instantly ruin hours and hours of game play...which doesn't really matter since there was no way to win anyway. Games that insist you "set your own goals" or, in this case, "survive as long as you can" doesn't really have a purpose. I survived ten days...I win? Oh I survived 15 days...I win more? Maybe Don't Starve 2 will be a real game.… Expand
  8. Zenfulmind
    Jul 14, 2013
    0
    I thought this game was great for the first few hours because I could see the potential for what it might be. However, this game is literally about grinding yourself to death. The only way to learn about what kills you is to be killed by it. Every time you die, you have to start a new game. So, literally you are grinding with the expectation of dieing in order to learn something new aboutI thought this game was great for the first few hours because I could see the potential for what it might be. However, this game is literally about grinding yourself to death. The only way to learn about what kills you is to be killed by it. Every time you die, you have to start a new game. So, literally you are grinding with the expectation of dieing in order to learn something new about the game and avoid dieing the next time around.

    I think the game designers were very lazy. The menu system is broken and inadequate. They intentionally hide relevant details from you to make the game more difficult and mysterious. They tell you not to go to the wiki because it reduces the "adventure" effect, but you absolutely need the wiki to tell you basic things that should be indicated within the game.

    I only spent a few bucks on the game, but I'm still disappointed enough to come here write a review about how absurd this supposedly innovative game truly is. I would highly advise that you buy the game, play it, and then go the game maker's website and give them an ear full about whatever you think so that they can further improve this game. I think you'll find these other reviewers who game the game a 3 or less are spot on with their assessment.    … Expand
  9. BlueRaja
    Jun 1, 2013
    3
    The only reason this game is so popular is because it's been on the steam homepage for months. Really, months. Even longer than Bioshock Infinite. Why? I have no idea maybe the developer knows someone in Valve. In any case, it's half-decent as far as indies go, but there are much, much better (including Mark of the Ninja and Shank 2, both by the same developer as this). I would waitThe only reason this game is so popular is because it's been on the steam homepage for months. Really, months. Even longer than Bioshock Infinite. Why? I have no idea maybe the developer knows someone in Valve. In any case, it's half-decent as far as indies go, but there are much, much better (including Mark of the Ninja and Shank 2, both by the same developer as this). I would wait for this to be in a bundle before getting it, it's a pretty slow clickfest. Fun for the first time you play it, but it takes a ridiculously long time to get to the mid-game, which severely limits its replay value.… Expand
  10. chungus
    Dec 5, 2013
    0
    A failed experiment at game making, this game is repetitive and boring soon after the initial exploration and trail and error novelty wear off. Permadeath makes this game pointless to ever waste your time even trying to enjoy it. Its supposed to be hardcore but is laughably easy once you realize how to exploit the gameworld.

    The forums of the game makers are full of rude people that    A failed experiment at game making, this game is repetitive and boring soon after the initial exploration and trail and error novelty wear off. Permadeath makes this game pointless to ever waste your time even trying to enjoy it. Its supposed to be hardcore but is laughably easy once you realize how to exploit the gameworld.

    The forums of the game makers are full of rude people that attack any member who doesnt believe the game is perfect, which is a good indication this game will never be changed for the better, as the developers coddle the dysfunctional few fans the game has.

    Save your money and get an actual fun game.    … Expand
  11. jmhoffer
    Jan 12, 2015
    0
    As is typical for survival games, completely retarded.

    It takes three weeks to starve to death, not a few days. Fresh water is much more important. The rapidly dropping mental strength is also ridiculous. Mental strength typically increases in a survival situation over time as a person comes to accept their fate and simply begins working on necessities. Contrary to popular belief,    As is typical for survival games, completely retarded.

    It takes three weeks to starve to death, not a few days. Fresh water is much more important. The rapidly dropping mental strength is also ridiculous. Mental strength typically increases in a survival situation over time as a person comes to accept their fate and simply begins working on necessities. Contrary to popular belief, humans are very good survivors.

    Science structure was also idiotic. What is so difficult about chopping down a tree, propping it up and then sleeping underneath it for shelter?

    Why is there no mental boost from fire?

    Total immersion loss at all times. Could not enjoy. Would not recommend.    … Expand
  12. naroom
    Dec 21, 2013
    2
    This is a game I want to like the art's good, the sound's good, but nothing can help the horrible core mechanic. You click on things on the ground, and pick them up. For hours. It's incredibly dull. Once in a while, you'll run into a horrible monster that instakills you. Then you start all over.

    Because the core mechanic is so bad, you can't help but notice the other flaws that pop up    This is a game I want to like the art's good, the sound's good, but nothing can help the horrible core mechanic. You click on things on the ground, and pick them up. For hours. It's incredibly dull. Once in a while, you'll run into a horrible monster that instakills you. Then you start all over.

    Because the core mechanic is so bad, you can't help but notice the other flaws that pop up all over the place. Why doesn't the game just pause while I read the crafting recipes? How come when I chop apart a gold vein, the gold sometimes gets hidden under a worthless flint? When I cut down a tree, why do the logs always land "behind" another tree, so I have to rotate the screen or cut down the other tree to get them? When I'm running away from a horrible monster, why does my character always try to stop and cut down trees instead? etc. etc.

    These minor frustrations bring down an already poor game to being a terrible game.

    Overhyped, overpriced.    … Expand
  13. Blacknsilver
    Jun 13, 2014
    3
    First the good.

    The cel-shaded cartoonish art style is timeless and very merciful on older PCs. The character and level progression feels natural and fulfilling. The updates are constant; smaller patches are free. Now the bad. Roughly 95% of this game is a grind. You need to eat? Go find berries. Or craft a trap and hunt a rabbit. How do you craft a trap? You'll need branches    First the good.

    The cel-shaded cartoonish art style is timeless and very merciful on older PCs.
    The character and level progression feels natural and fulfilling.
    The updates are constant; smaller patches are free.

    Now the bad.

    Roughly 95% of this game is a grind. You need to eat? Go find berries. Or craft a trap and hunt a rabbit. How do you craft a trap? You'll need branches and grass. Each of those actions has an obnoxious animation and that hunger meter is ticking all the while. Along with half a dozen other meters; failing to fulfill any one of which leads do death. Which is permanent, by the way.

    This is the type of game that will screw you over each chance it gets. Your options are to accept you're going to be dying all the time or play with the wiki open on your second monitor. You didn't know you needed an absurdly rare and difficult to obtain machine at the start of Summer? Too bad, your entire base just went up in smoke, along with the last 10 hours of your life. You're seeing the giant one-eyed monster for the first time? Better restart, the game might as well be over with no food and no fire mid-winter.

    There are options to resurrect upon death but they're few and generally have a hefty cost attached to them. A meat effigy will reduce your max health by a sizeable amount while life amulets are costly, reduce your efficiency while worn and break easily. Even worse, preparation takes time which turns an already very grindy game into one long, painful nightmare with nothing but a "Game Over" screen as a reward.    … Expand
  14. Broyax
    Aug 25, 2020
    0
    C'est l'été, c'est la saison des étrons indés ! cependant, il n'y a point de véritable saison en ce qui con-cerne les étrons indés, seulement des périodes éventuelles de recrudescence parce que la saison des étrons indés, c'est toute l'année !

    Ainsi, ce "Don't Starve" (ne crève pas de faim...) est un très indigne représentant de l'indignité des étrons indés dans son genre, lui et ses    C'est l'été, c'est la saison des étrons indés ! cependant, il n'y a point de véritable saison en ce qui con-cerne les étrons indés, seulement des périodes éventuelles de recrudescence parce que la saison des étrons indés, c'est toute l'année !

    Ainsi, ce "Don't Starve" (ne crève pas de faim...) est un très indigne représentant de l'indignité des étrons indés dans son genre, lui et ses graphismes innommables en 16 couleurs... ou 50 nuances de marron ! marron clair, marron foncé, marron moyen, marron médian, marron plus clair... c'est pour repeindre les chiottes, je suppose ?. Ou serait-ce parce que le petit personnage gogolo a la chiasse à force de bouffer de la merde ?

    D'ailleurs, à propos de bouffer, il faut vraiment crever la dalle pour jouer à un tel sous-produit, bête, très con et très répétitif dans ses mécaniques recyclées de survie à la mords-moi-le-noeud. Aussitôt commencé, on veut déjà le quitter parce qu'il nous fait déjà chier. Bref, don't play this pile of **** !    … Expand
  15. Inhanzt
    Jan 3, 2015
    4
    I really dislike games that purport to be challenging when they are really just overtuned and random. This game is not a skill based game, nor will it test your intelligence. It will test your patience or, should you choose to use a wiki, it will test your reading comprehension. It is basically farmville for people that wouldn't be caught playing farmville.
  16. Animus_V0x
    Jun 23, 2022
    4
    Well this game is for sure not for me, tried solo, hated it, had no fun. Better with friends but quickly runs out of it's entertainment after 10 games.

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PC Game of 2013
40
#40 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
22
#22 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Gamer.nl
    Jul 19, 2013
    80
    Don’t Starve is a game for those who persevere. The infinitely playable survival RPG with an artsy appearance tests your endurance, but rewards players with a surprisingly unique experience.
    Read full review
  2. games(TM)
    Jun 28, 2013
    80
    It's a game that just keeps giving, even as it tears your life from you. [Issue#136, p.110]
    Read full review
  3. Polygon
    Jun 26, 2013
    85
    A refreshingly upfront experience, right down to the title. A game that shoves players into a complex, harsh world with little explanation, it can be tough to parse at first. But little by little, Don't Starve reveals itself via deep mechanics and an ever-evolving world. It started strong and got better.
    Read full review
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