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. apokalipto
    Aug 11, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  2. Bigwillyhaver69
    Jul 21, 2023
    8
    A very good survival game.Played it for days non stop and did not get bored, in this game you have so much to do.
  3. LambdaLocator
    Jul 21, 2023
    9
    The game itself isn't very interesting or content rich, but the DLCs make this game a must play, they revamp the game and change a lot of the main mechanics!
  4. kleberson777
    May 27, 2023
    10
    This game is still the best survival builder for me. The diifculty may turn off for some people but that is one of the reason I love it. It make the survival aspect more intense
  5. Zebstan17
    Apr 1, 2023
    10
    Amazing survival game 1 of the best on steam.
    I recommend it for everyone!
  6. Gaming_Bear
    Dec 27, 2022
    8
    Fun survival game. Neat art style. Cool music. Cute dialog. Felt a little grindy and a little like it dragged on. Worth a play though if you like survival games.
  7. SauceBox6
    Nov 26, 2022
    8
    10 - Masterpiece
    9 - Amazing
    8 - Great
    7 - Good
    6 - Okay
    5 - Mediocre
    4 - Bad
    3 - Awful
    2 - Painful
    1 - Unbearable
  8. 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.
  9. Wrathzo
    Mar 22, 2022
    7
    Don't Starve is a survival video game developed by Klei Entertainment. The game follows a scientist named Wilson who finds himself in a dark, dreary parallel world known as the Constant and must survive as long as possible. To this end, the player must keep Wilson alive, fed, and mentally stable as he avoids a variety of surreal and supernatural enemies that will try to kill and devourDon't Starve is a survival video game developed by Klei Entertainment. The game follows a scientist named Wilson who finds himself in a dark, dreary parallel world known as the Constant and must survive as long as possible. To this end, the player must keep Wilson alive, fed, and mentally stable as he avoids a variety of surreal and supernatural enemies that will try to kill and devour him. The game's Adventure mode adds depth to the sparse plot and pits Wilson against the game's supposed antagonist, Maxwell.… Expand
  10. metesuzuk
    Jan 11, 2022
    9
    The art design is AWESOME. It's a lot of fun with its survival mechanics and variety of characters.
  11. TiredAlfred
    Dec 29, 2021
    7
    Assume the role of Wilson, an intrepid Gentleman Scientist who has been trapped by a demon and transported to a mysterious wilderness world. Wilson must learn to utilize his environment and its inhabi
  12. rezo_21
    Sep 18, 2021
    7
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME RANK : 65 IIIIIIIIII====================
  13. F3T1W
    Aug 27, 2021
    5
    Not a bad survivor for a couple of nights, the night in this game really makes you tense
  14. Tromble
    Jun 28, 2021
    7
    Don't Starve's greatest strengths are its greatest weaknesses.

    One of the most fun games I have ever played. One of the most frustrating games I have ever played. One of the most flawed games I have ever played.

    I would highly recommend Don't Starve.
  15. Michiviher
    Apr 17, 2021
    10
    Don Starve Это хардкорнешая игра!!!!! Которая заставит по нервничать собирая ресурсы выживая!!!!!
  16. ironmadruga
    Feb 22, 2021
    10
    Game viciante. Gameplay honesta, com elementos de survive e rougelike. História interessante intrínseca ao gameplay.
  17. Torgall
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    Very unique art style and overall game. I really like it although the perma-death was problem for me as a someone who likes to min-max everything and doesn't like one mistake result in all progress going to waste.
  18. AppleCalvados
    Oct 13, 2020
    8
    Замечательная игра, с мрачной атмосферой. И со своим особым визуальным стилем. Оригинальная игра очень хороша, но ее дополнения меня разочаровывают, так что ставлю 8/10.
  19. 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
  20. tommydlbass
    Aug 16, 2020
    8
    Original and fun game with ton of content. It's pretty hard and addictive, and one of the first indie games to stand out to be superior to the triple AAA.
  21. iDesync
    Jul 6, 2020
    10
    An original game of its kind. Sometimes boring, but still interesting and exciting. Definitely worth the money.
  22. Senden_Wh
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    Великолепный шедевр инди-игр. Сверх сочная графика, уникальные персонажи, сочный геймплей. Игра достойна своей популярности
  23. TheShadow50000
    Mar 5, 2020
    9
    Sin duda alguna, uno de los mejores juegos de supervivencia que existe en el mercado. Puede que la dificultad sea el unico punto negativo por el que no llego a poner el 10 a este juego, ya que a menos que personalices el mundo para facilitar las cosas, es muy probable que estes continuamente muriendo y teniendo que empezar de nuevo si juegas con las opciones por defecto (que es lo ideal).Sin duda alguna, uno de los mejores juegos de supervivencia que existe en el mercado. Puede que la dificultad sea el unico punto negativo por el que no llego a poner el 10 a este juego, ya que a menos que personalices el mundo para facilitar las cosas, es muy probable que estes continuamente muriendo y teniendo que empezar de nuevo si juegas con las opciones por defecto (que es lo ideal). Sin duda alguna recomiendo tenerlo en la biblioteca, ya que el hecho de ser de tipo rogue-like al ser siempre diferente, hace que aunque tengas que empezarlo infinitas veces, nunca te aburra ante la incertidumbre del "que me encontrare ahora".… Expand
  24. Dco326
    Jan 2, 2020
    8
    Igrica je top po meni, nije igrica kakve ja volim ali je stvarno top topova za ljude koje vole ovaj tip grajndi survivial igrica, ja gotivim survivial ali mi je ova igra ipak previse grindi ali da nije tako ova igrica bi mi bila top topova.
  25. ZetaJiffils
    Dec 21, 2019
    5
    Llega a aburrir con el tiempo.
    Escaso de contenido sin dlcs.
    Te matan muy rápido.
    No hay logros para estar en Steam.
  26. Miotke
    Dec 1, 2019
    5
    Meh                                                                                      
  27. LesPaul
    Jun 1, 2019
    5
    A little too simplistic for my taste. Didn't enjoy the art style either, which didn't help matters. But I can understand that others might enjoy this offering.
  28. 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
  29. Folmer
    Mar 9, 2019
    10
    Don’t starve is the best survival game with absolutely, unlimited freedom. All mechanics, including seasons, crafts, bosses and characters are perfect. You could choose everything from your shelter’s position to tactics, recipes and stocks. Visual design, sounds and soundtrack are excellent too. I like good indie games, but this game is one of my favorite games among all genres.
  30. RoamGod
    Feb 23, 2019
    8
    Наиграл в общей сумме около 100 часов в не голодайку.
    Игра реально хороша в своем жанре.
    Играешь ты в мультиплеере или сингл плеере не важно.
    Игра реально затягивает своей простотой и графикой.
  31. nintendo-sekta
    Jan 8, 2019
    10
    Игра отлична. Идеальнейший выживач, в красивой рисовки, много боссов, много персонажей.
  32. GolovA
    Jun 19, 2018
    8
    Very nice!
    So, how do you make fire? . . . . .
  33. The_Moon
    Mar 18, 2018
    7
    Soundtrack: 7/10
    Graphics: 10/10
    Story: 5/10 Gameplay: 7/10 The soundtrack gives a nice background to the game but was nothing too special. The graphics were very good, nice hand drawn art style. The story is okay, but it is really hard to get that far because this game has permadeath. It has some crafing and base building gameplay, nothing too unexpected but it is fun. Note, this    Soundtrack: 7/10
    Graphics: 10/10
    Story: 5/10
    Gameplay: 7/10

    The soundtrack gives a nice background to the game but was nothing too special. The graphics were very good, nice hand drawn art style. The story is okay, but it is really hard to get that far because this game has permadeath. It has some crafing and base building gameplay, nothing too unexpected but it is fun. Note, this game is very hard, and to get better you may need to use the wiki for it. This makes me feel that its not worth it to get better and use the wiki, because the game doesn't have much to offer that is very unique, in terms of story or gameplay. I feel like this is just another crafting game that is good, but not great.

    Overall: 7/10    … Expand
  34. Kaszmiro
    Nov 1, 2017
    9
    The best survival game with elements of Minecraft and Terraria
    Pros
    + Diversive characters
    + Addictive gameplay
    + Advanced crafting system
    + A lot of content to discover
    + RoG is an amazing DLC
    Cons
    - Combat system can be sometimes wanky
    - Shipwreck dlc could be much better
  35. tsampson25
    Aug 6, 2017
    8
    For sure takes some practice to get the hold of the game, but if you play long enough you are really able to fully enjoy the game in all its glory. There is a lot of things to do and many ways to die, but also many ways to NOT die. There's tons of exploration to do, monsters to fight, animals to eat, items to collect, and a large amount of fun!
  36. chris2017
    May 24, 2017
    9
    Pros: A game that is fun to revisit over and over again, even after you've mastered the basics. High learning curve but the wiki is pretty thorough.

    Cons: You've seen everything once you can make it past day 80 or so. After that the game is more about base aesthetics than survival.
  37. bdurmaz
    May 4, 2017
    7
    A really well-designed game. It really gets you in that survival mindset with every detail in it.

    It did, however, lose its effect on me fairly quickly. A few playthroughs and I wasn't eager to start again because of the repetitiveness of its nature.
  38. Marked_One
    Mar 29, 2017
    7
    A nice survival game. The character variety is nice, each one with it's perks and minuses, the gameplay is really good too and it has a good concept. However, the gameplay becomes quickly repetitive (gather food> gather basic resources> build some things> make a fire for the night). A decent game, plagued by repetitiveness.
  39. vzlaDavid
    Mar 4, 2017
    10
    I really consider this game to be a piece of art, and I don't know if it's just nostalgia talking, because I have been playing this game for many years and it has given me many times where I felt happy and where I felt mad. To start talking about Don't Starve, the game puts you in a procedurally generated world and the only real goal here is to survive. But oh boy, if surviving was asI really consider this game to be a piece of art, and I don't know if it's just nostalgia talking, because I have been playing this game for many years and it has given me many times where I felt happy and where I felt mad. To start talking about Don't Starve, the game puts you in a procedurally generated world and the only real goal here is to survive. But oh boy, if surviving was as simple as it sounds. The game puts you in a world that is always seeking to kill you and end your progress, and doesn't hesitate to heavily punish you for doing even the smallest mistake, because at the end of the day every single mistake that you make WILL have consequences on the future. With that being said, the game also never bothers to reward you in any way, nor give you clues on what to do next; you HAVE to live every possible action to see every possible outcome and learn from your deaths, and from your destroyed bases. Or even when you don't die you will learn something new. The game will always put you in a situation where you either fight, flee, or die and you will never feel overpowered, not that you will ever be, to begin with. It also has a very wonderful art-style reminiscent of Tim Burton, in a world that feels alive, and also has a very nice soundtrack that is enjoyable no matter what and fits the situation you're probably in. The game also has many characters whose personalities, and perks, differ greatly from each other, and as you will always have a favorite one for whatever reason, you will probably never go as far as hate any of them, since their personalities are well-written. And talking about their personalities, their perks also make for different game experiences when choosing different characters and you will have to adapt to their perks, or you won't last much longer with them. All in all, all I can say is that this game has everything a survival, and even some games that aren't survival, should have: a difficulty that, while at first may seem too hard, the difficulty curve actually feels natural, and you will get used to the world you will be forced to survive in. This is why I'm giving this game a 10/10, and if you have read this far, then I heavily recommend you play this game right this instant instead of wasting your time reading reviews! Good luck... and don't starve!… Expand
  40. Nolan141
    Jan 23, 2017
    10
    This game is fun! Try this out if you enjoy challenging games! The gameplay will have you always thinking about what challenges may be upcoming and what gear you may need to collect and make to help you survive. You will need to explore to find rare materials to help you craft the gear that may help you delve deep into the ruins or to survive for a longer period of time on the surface.This game is fun! Try this out if you enjoy challenging games! The gameplay will have you always thinking about what challenges may be upcoming and what gear you may need to collect and make to help you survive. You will need to explore to find rare materials to help you craft the gear that may help you delve deep into the ruins or to survive for a longer period of time on the surface. Often deaths are learning experiences that will make your next run go smoother, mastery of this game will take some time. Replayability is quite high due to the challenging ruins and mastery of the caves.

    Art is great, Chester, spiders, enemies, it all looks v good. The sound effects are good, the music mehhh - I must admit I find the music pretty annoying when you're chopping trees and it switches to that tune it does but you can always turn music volume low and keep SFX up while you play your own music.

    Also, the DLC for this game is great! Shipwrecked will leave you solving problems for quite some time before you master it, probably the most challenging Don't Starve content to date.    … Expand
  41. Rhazer
    Dec 27, 2016
    10
    Absolutely brilliant game for survival lovers. And all that think about survival based on logic are overthinking things.
    *The game isn't in real time. One day in Don't Starve is appx. 3 Days. There is NO way a normal being starves in a few days or grows a beard in a whole week. Just not possible. I couldn't get stubble until 3 days.*
    The GOOD: - Very expansive and large territory to    Absolutely brilliant game for survival lovers. And all that think about survival based on logic are overthinking things.
    *The game isn't in real time. One day in Don't Starve is appx. 3 Days. There is NO way a normal being starves in a few days or grows a beard in a whole week. Just not possible. I couldn't get stubble until 3 days.*

    The GOOD:
    - Very expansive and large territory to explore, craft and thrive.
    - Good learning curve and knowledge curve. Like to survive the longest you will need to die over and over again and learn the mechanics. Because even the fighting and combat has advanced strategies for each monster. Spiders can be trapped, you can kite most melee monsters, etc
    - Unique characters and abilities. Of course you got Wilson, and the best part about him, is that you can revive with him. In the end, you will survive the longest with Wilson. As his beard hair is essential for effigies which are used as revive points

    The BAD:
    - BRUTAL. UNFORGIVING. This is a world for the truly crazy. There is no room for error, and you need to know what you are doing. Once you hit winter, you will be owned hard unless you are experienced enough to know what to do at each point in the game and even then there are random storms and random chances to encounter boss monsters. And until you know what you are doing, you will die harshly.
    - Very very steep learning curve. It is going to take either hundreds of deaths to figure out what you are doing or several hours if not days worth of research on the Wiki to figure it out. But it is well worth it when you can call yourself the king of survival.    … Expand
  42. EvanKillme
    Dec 14, 2016
    9
    Don’t Starve is a harsh yet enjoyable game for anyone without a short temper. The game is on PC and has a hunger, health, and sanity measurer. You have to gather materials, food spoils, tools have a set durability, and there is a day/night cycle where if you don’t have light at night you die instantly. The many characters, each with their own perks and personalities, and changeable worldDon’t Starve is a harsh yet enjoyable game for anyone without a short temper. The game is on PC and has a hunger, health, and sanity measurer. You have to gather materials, food spoils, tools have a set durability, and there is a day/night cycle where if you don’t have light at night you die instantly. The many characters, each with their own perks and personalities, and changeable world type makes every game new and even more dangerous. With a multiplayer expansion and many buyable DLC added onto the base game, gameplay is always being renewed. The community has a large modding focus to add anything to make things easier or to add in characters from other different games. Compared to any other survival game it is a decent choice because of it’s great value from the replayability and nice change from realistic graphics to the a cartoon style. The game is for anyone who enjoys a cartoon art style and can stand the unrelentless harshness the game has as well as the irritation of keeping all of your characters stats full while still progressing the game. Don’t Starve is a great game overall but needs polishing and is a 8.5 out of 10.… Expand
  43. Bellring
    Jul 31, 2016
    9
    I was torn up between giving this game a rating of 9 or 10. In the end though, the game has enough minor issues for it to miss out on a perfect score. This game does everything right, the characters are varied and interesting, the art style is unique, and there is enough to do in the game to easily keep a new player entertained for weeks. The only thing I did not like about this game isI was torn up between giving this game a rating of 9 or 10. In the end though, the game has enough minor issues for it to miss out on a perfect score. This game does everything right, the characters are varied and interesting, the art style is unique, and there is enough to do in the game to easily keep a new player entertained for weeks. The only thing I did not like about this game is that the worlds are random, for better or for worse. Sometimes, the world generation can be extremely weird or bad, and finding certain places in the world can be more time consuming due to the randomness. There are also a few glitches, albeit minor, that occur from time to time. Overall, I highly reccomend this game if you are a fan of roguelike or survival games.… Expand
  44. Gustavodol
    Jul 24, 2016
    7
    O Jogo é Ótimo e vai te fazer gastar horas tentando desbloquear e descobrir tudo que há no jogo, porém, como nada é perfeito, o jogo possui seus males, como as caríssimas DLCs e o Multiplayer, como eu me senti esfaqueado quando descobri que o multiplayer do jogo é um jogo diferente, mas mesmo assim, 10 para a história, 9 para os gráficos, 4 para o preço e 8 para a jogabilidade, o que daO Jogo é Ótimo e vai te fazer gastar horas tentando desbloquear e descobrir tudo que há no jogo, porém, como nada é perfeito, o jogo possui seus males, como as caríssimas DLCs e o Multiplayer, como eu me senti esfaqueado quando descobri que o multiplayer do jogo é um jogo diferente, mas mesmo assim, 10 para a história, 9 para os gráficos, 4 para o preço e 8 para a jogabilidade, o que da uma média de 7/10… Expand
  45. Tagirix
    Jul 7, 2016
    8
    Don't Starve is an interesting sandbox game which features a great open-world which you're able to explore and survive there. It will be hard, but extremely exciting. Day by day, you become better, but your "enemies" (such as Trees, wolves, etc) don't sleep too. The gameplay consists of crafting items, creating your "Vault", collecting items, etc. In a nuthsell, this game is worth playing.
  46. RoboElle
    Jun 23, 2016
    8
    This is a hard game, but I ain't complainin'. RTS is not my strongest suit, either, I really didn't expect to get as into this as I did, albeit I did play this pretty casually. How could I resist? It's charmingly dark. All the creatures and characters were distinct and did their own little thing not to mention, and the unfolding story featuring Maxwell in Reign Of Giants was engrossing.This is a hard game, but I ain't complainin'. RTS is not my strongest suit, either, I really didn't expect to get as into this as I did, albeit I did play this pretty casually. How could I resist? It's charmingly dark. All the creatures and characters were distinct and did their own little thing not to mention, and the unfolding story featuring Maxwell in Reign Of Giants was engrossing. All the little mysteries are TOO COMPELLING. A game not to be missed!… Expand
  47. pokrishka
    Dec 7, 2015
    10
    My god this game is great! A bit too difficult for me and lacking in terms of reasons to play like story or final goal but the creativity that sparkles from every pixel and overall stellar aesthetics and really interesting gameplay make it one of my favorite games from one of my favorite developers.
  48. breakbacon
    Nov 16, 2015
    8
    I've been playing for the past 10 hours and have the expansion Reign of Giants. Don't starve is an extremely solid platforming adventure that delivers a consistently fun experience. The simplistic graphics belie the games incredibly solid game play and ultimately strategy. The other users scores are no exaggerations this game is solidly 'in the green'.
  49. Phaldyn
    Oct 1, 2015
    10
    For reference, games in my Best Ever list include Planescape: Torment, Zork, Portal, the original arcade Tron, Megamania, Super Mario Brothers 2, The Secret of Monkey Island and Final Fantasy VIII. That's really just a sample. I also loved World of Goo, Fez, Starcraft, the original X-Wing, Super Mario Galaxy, Bioshock, the DS Professor Layton series, and American McGee's Alice. OtherFor reference, games in my Best Ever list include Planescape: Torment, Zork, Portal, the original arcade Tron, Megamania, Super Mario Brothers 2, The Secret of Monkey Island and Final Fantasy VIII. That's really just a sample. I also loved World of Goo, Fez, Starcraft, the original X-Wing, Super Mario Galaxy, Bioshock, the DS Professor Layton series, and American McGee's Alice. Other classics, Doom, Baldur's Gate I & II, Q-bert. Things I am not into: realistic warfare shooters; turn based strategy,

    Recently have been updating my collection via Gog.com and Steam (am a parent now and cannot budget all I'd like to on games and systems so we're usually at least a generation behind times), and waited forever for Don't Starve to come on sale. I don't think I even ever watched a gameplay trailer or anything - just based on the profile at Gog and the icon featuring Wilson's wild hair, I knew this was a game I wanted to try.

    As you can see from the list above, color, story, and music are elements that make a game memorable and significant for me. My philosophy is that building skill in a game must feel meaningful, that the story should be somehow moving, and that the graphic presentation ought to leave you elated - even if there is violence. Realism is not required or even really desired: I want to go somewhere else when I'm playing, experience a different world. Games are one of the highest artforms humanity has attained.

    Now that you know where I'm coming from, I must say that Don't Starve has not disappointed me. It feels weird at first, not knowing what the hell you're doing or why you're there (a beautiful sensation) and the more you figure out what you can do, what you can make, you get a distinct feeling of the game controls and idiosyncrasies growing on you.

    1. It's absolutely beautiful.
    2. The music is there, if brief.
    3. Levels of ability are distinct, internally.
    4. There is a story, but you'd be better off finishing Adventure Mode before you know what it is (and you won't find it in-game).
    5. There ends up being a philosophical meaning to the thing, even if it's not so easy to see.
    6. Gameplay is highly satisfying.
    7. There is a giant wiki dedicated to teaching players how to survive (a thousand times better than any "manual" could be)
    8. On the PC, there are ways to get around the permanent death issue.

    This review is deliberately vague and roundabout so as not to ruin any of the impact of playing the game from scratch nor to give too much interpretation of the "meaning" of the game... but I hope it helps someone out there decide to take the plunge and try it out.    … Expand
  50. TechJet
    Aug 8, 2015
    6
    Its an ok Survival Rouge like. Its more of a waste of potential then a bad game. Starts off great, but just gets repetitive after a while. The terrain also doesn't look different enough, so it feels your doing the same thing over and over again. While I do enjoy the sanity meter (Which is the only reason I sometimes come back to this game) its been done so much better and feels sortaIts an ok Survival Rouge like. Its more of a waste of potential then a bad game. Starts off great, but just gets repetitive after a while. The terrain also doesn't look different enough, so it feels your doing the same thing over and over again. While I do enjoy the sanity meter (Which is the only reason I sometimes come back to this game) its been done so much better and feels sorta lackluster. If your playing this game for the Sanity bar, then just plug in your GameCube and play the forgotten gem Eternal Darkness.… Expand
  51. Conuqerlife
    Jun 12, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is wonderful, I like the way as your character has to survive in a world like in the mind of Tim Burton.
    In my personal opinion , this game is better than minecraft because is like if you were playing a cartoon.    … Expand
  52. Ridash
    Feb 10, 2015
    8
    It's a survival game done right. Devs were actively supporting the game with updates and the final result is fantastic. There's a variety of characters to choose from, each with it's own special abilities. The art style is incredible and really suits the game's nature.

    On the other side though, it can get repetitive, but that doesn't make that bad. Don't Starve shows us that Early    It's a survival game done right. Devs were actively supporting the game with updates and the final result is fantastic. There's a variety of characters to choose from, each with it's own special abilities. The art style is incredible and really suits the game's nature.

    On the other side though, it can get repetitive, but that doesn't make that bad.

    Don't Starve shows us that Early Access games don't have to suck.    … Expand
  53. FrogDataMiner
    Feb 2, 2015
    9
    Yay! This is cartoon survival game with a lot of content. In this game you need to... survive! But it's difficult, because most of creatures in Don't Starve want to kill or eat you. If you won't be killed by monsters, you will get killed by hunger. Or by cold. Or by hot. Or by anything. Looks enjoyable? Yes, but it get boring too fast, so don't play DS too long. Anyway, it is cool game. :3
  54. 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
  55. HansiHarris
    Jan 7, 2015
    9
    Don't Starve is not just a game of survival. It is an adventure in which you start devoid of the essentials for survival. Searching for food , make a fire , a weapon with which to defend yourself. From there the exploration begins, the make you strong in an inhospitable world. You can play in several ways , creating a base where you strong or being a nomad and have several small sheltersDon't Starve is not just a game of survival. It is an adventure in which you start devoid of the essentials for survival. Searching for food , make a fire , a weapon with which to defend yourself. From there the exploration begins, the make you strong in an inhospitable world. You can play in several ways , creating a base where you strong or being a nomad and have several small shelters as you traverse the globe in search of objects that allow you to get out of this .
    The world where you appear is not the only thing you can visit the caves are much more dangerous , but instead find more useful items . Or find the portal to the world of adventures, where you propose several challenges and in case of death return to the original world as if nothing had happened. Hundreds of objects, characters and combinations. All your imagination quest to find that wants to create object with which to craft what you want .
    A world where not get bored as long as you do not die again and again . Recommended    … Expand
  56. 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.
  57. hw75
    Dec 1, 2014
    10
    This game has an overwhelming fun to price ratio. For just a few bucks you get tons of hours of nice gameplay, if you like survival games, along with some crafting, exploring, setting up bases etc, and it comes with several characters to play and even modding support.
    Difficulty varies, sometimes pretty hard, but once you played a while and managed to survive long enough to build up a    This game has an overwhelming fun to price ratio. For just a few bucks you get tons of hours of nice gameplay, if you like survival games, along with some crafting, exploring, setting up bases etc, and it comes with several characters to play and even modding support.
    Difficulty varies, sometimes pretty hard, but once you played a while and managed to survive long enough to build up a decent base, food and item supplies, you basically "have won" that level, even there's no finishing.    … Expand
  58. Gustavrumle
    Nov 23, 2014
    9
    One of the best indie games I've played. Very nice style all around, great balance making the game as hard as it promises. A very different survival game, which also is a lot better than other survival games.
  59. n3Kro
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    Best survival game i played one of best games i played best Indie game I played what to say more this one is very very nice I can recommend it 100% buy it have fun with it if You like survival games (also it is hard game) get it
  60. Axeface
    Oct 29, 2014
    8
    This game, while relatively simplistic in it's approach manages to pull off something quite unique. It's styling gives it a really refreshing feel over other survival games that does it great credit, I feel like I'm in a Tim Burton movie, and there is even an Edward Scissorhands mod. I don't think that the games feature are groundbreaking compared to other survival games, not in theThis game, while relatively simplistic in it's approach manages to pull off something quite unique. It's styling gives it a really refreshing feel over other survival games that does it great credit, I feel like I'm in a Tim Burton movie, and there is even an Edward Scissorhands mod. I don't think that the games feature are groundbreaking compared to other survival games, not in the slightest, yet the art, sound and visuals make it really enjoyable.

    I just wish that things such as the building of a fortress were better developed. Currently it's really quite simplistic... walls. But I can't help but wish that I could build a house with a ceiling.
    The soon to be released multiplayer element will breath new life into this very endearing game, perhaps new features will come along with it to make it a truely fantastic survival game and worthy of a top score    … Expand
  61. anotherplayer
    Oct 27, 2014
    9
    Played about 40 hours so far. Concept similar to minecraft in a way but more focued on survival than crafting and building. Really interesting graphics although sometimes annoying when objects are hidden behind other object (although you can rotate the map). Can't wait for Don't starve together!
  62. IAMGEOFFREY
    Sep 6, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is amazing, Picking up carrots.. Building a Trap out of Twigs and Grass then catching rabbit with it! This is just some of the great realistic survival skills you need too survive in this game! You can build Machines too make better things! And endless days of Survival against monsters, winter and everything else in the world as you spawn, And that's just without mods!… Expand
  63. Zep
    Aug 12, 2014
    9
    I am finding it very difficult why someone would hate this lovable game. It is truly an incredible experience that anyone of all ages and gender can enjoy. You start off as a mad scientist named Wilson, who has to survive in a harsh world filled with monsters and other beings. the goal of the game is to survive as long as you can. However if you do die, you lose all of your items and areI am finding it very difficult why someone would hate this lovable game. It is truly an incredible experience that anyone of all ages and gender can enjoy. You start off as a mad scientist named Wilson, who has to survive in a harsh world filled with monsters and other beings. the goal of the game is to survive as long as you can. However if you do die, you lose all of your items and are forced to reset the map, start over or just quit. However Wilson is not the only character. There is a large variety of characters with creative personalties. And on another topic, the graphics are extremely lovable and so is the catchy soundtrack. Good Job Klei Entertainment!… Expand
  64. Vagoth
    Aug 2, 2014
    7
    Don't Starve is a game crammed with polish and creativity. The art and atmosphere are brilliant. Unfortunately, the game eventually lost me with its tedious foraging system. There are so many fun and original things you can do in this game, but it takes an absurd amount of grinding to get to those things. If the foraging was actually a challenge, the rewards might feel worth the grind,Don't Starve is a game crammed with polish and creativity. The art and atmosphere are brilliant. Unfortunately, the game eventually lost me with its tedious foraging system. There are so many fun and original things you can do in this game, but it takes an absurd amount of grinding to get to those things. If the foraging was actually a challenge, the rewards might feel worth the grind, but the foraging is not challenging, just busy work. I would have put a lot more time into this game if the recipes required fewer ingredients. However, I feel like I must not be exactly the target audience, so for what it is trying to be, Don't Starve succeeds.… Expand
  65. elaintahra
    Jul 30, 2014
    9
    This game is quite hard in the beginning until you get the grasp of it. I played many hours of it until it started to haunt my dreams. I was literally playing it through the night so I had to stop and unistall it. But really it is a great game. Damn the hounds!
  66. MythicRare
    Jul 15, 2014
    10
    This game is fantastic, and is the very definition of roguelike. Even though it's already been released, it's still continually being worked on by the developers, in the form of the DLC and Don't Starve Together. I only have high hopes for further DLC, and for Don't Starve Together. The game is already great, however. Many compare it to Minecraft, though there are plenty of keyThis game is fantastic, and is the very definition of roguelike. Even though it's already been released, it's still continually being worked on by the developers, in the form of the DLC and Don't Starve Together. I only have high hopes for further DLC, and for Don't Starve Together. The game is already great, however. Many compare it to Minecraft, though there are plenty of key differences. Unlike other games, the developers listen to many of the community's suggestions on Klei Entertainment Forums. There's not much else to say about this incredible game. 10/10.… Expand
  67. TheFlavorPurple
    Jul 14, 2014
    8
    Great survival game. Like playing the life of Jeremiah Johnson in the dream world of Tim Burton. The developers continue to support it and bring new content, Co-Op MULTIPLAYER IS COMING! Also easily mod-able, lots of mods on KLEI's forums, and now Steam Workshop!
  68. esxdri
    Jul 2, 2014
    7
    Don't Starve - If you see the game for the first time, it looks fun, graphics and simple and nice, idea is good. It's seriously true.

    Don't Starve will be very fun for everyone who likes survival games. You will have to check your hunger, sanity and health, and to balance everything, you will have to eat, as the title says: don't starve. Some food makes you be less hungry, some makes    Don't Starve - If you see the game for the first time, it looks fun, graphics and simple and nice, idea is good. It's seriously true.

    Don't Starve will be very fun for everyone who likes survival games. You will have to check your hunger, sanity and health, and to balance everything, you will have to eat, as the title says: don't starve. Some food makes you be less hungry, some makes you be less sane(you can also see ghosts if you are not sane enough), etc. etc... That's not everything. There is also day-night cycle, summer-winter cycle, the game gets really harder and harder as you keep surviving so be prepared! There is also many characters with unique aspects to unlock as you survive, so the content is huge.

    BUT... At the beginning, you will probably keep dying, then you go play again and find more content, then you die again, start again, find more content, die again, start again, die again... The game gets BORING more and more, because you make something wrong and you have to start again this whole process.
    LUCKILY... There is a Steam workshop, and if you get really bored, go find something that fixes your mood.

    7/10 Try not to starve...    … Expand
  69. Mgtr
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simply is very good, the game has a very characteristic art. His soundtracks are fun, and the gameplay is simply amazing, I advise everyone to buy this game will give hours and hours of entertainment!… Expand
  70. lorddragonstar
    Jun 22, 2014
    5
    This game isn't for me, too much time investment and grinding for very little reward. I've never been a fan of rogue-like games so if you're reading this review and you tend not to like rogue like games you might want to pass.

    If you do like rogue like games and wish they had crafting then hey, this is probably going to be a great game for you. I'll stick with    This game isn't for me, too much time investment and grinding for very little reward. I've never been a fan of rogue-like games so if you're reading this review and you tend not to like rogue like games you might want to pass.

    If you do like rogue like games and wish they had crafting then hey, this is probably going to be a great game for you. I'll stick with Terraria/Starbound/Minecraft/etc. to fill my sandbox needs which are in my opinion superior to this game in every way. There are way more 10's given to this game than it deserves.    … Expand
  71. 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
  72. Vadone
    Jun 12, 2014
    10
    Эта игра,насколько я помню,в разработке с 3 квартала 2011 года.Тогда мне эта игра показалась какой-то простой и короткой.Сейчас я вам могу с уверенностью сказать,что она более чем оправдала все мои ожидания.Это игра просто хардкор. Это то,чего не хватает большинству новых игр,но там по мимо выживания и махания дубинкой целая куча возможностей,а также ты можешь сам выбрать как будешьЭта игра,насколько я помню,в разработке с 3 квартала 2011 года.Тогда мне эта игра показалась какой-то простой и короткой.Сейчас я вам могу с уверенностью сказать,что она более чем оправдала все мои ожидания.Это игра просто хардкор. Это то,чего не хватает большинству новых игр,но там по мимо выживания и махания дубинкой целая куча возможностей,а также ты можешь сам выбрать как будешь выживать: Построишь лагерь и плантациями,или быть кочевником.Выбор за вами.Это игра самый лучший Survival как по мне,но это также и прекрасный Адвенчур. Бегать по миру и исследовать его чертовски интересно.Ещё мне очень понравилось,что в Don't Starve где-то около десяти персонажей и каждый со своей способностью,что помогает вам выбрать "стиль жизни".Так что 10/10… Expand
  73. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    8
    Muy interesante apuesta por la gestión de recursos y supervivencia, un ámbito que empieza a estar de moda. La sensación de mundo abierto y narrativa expansiva le da profundidad.
  74. mmmMatto
    Jun 5, 2014
    8
    This game is super addictive. I was really into it about a year ago, and now that the new DLC has come out I've been back into it again.

    It's tough to master; learning how to efficiently balance your time, juggling different tasks. Doing scientific research allows you to build better, more efficient things leaving you with more time to get things done and live more comfortably. If you    This game is super addictive. I was really into it about a year ago, and now that the new DLC has come out I've been back into it again.

    It's tough to master; learning how to efficiently balance your time, juggling different tasks. Doing scientific research allows you to build better, more efficient things leaving you with more time to get things done and live more comfortably. If you don't plan ahead you won't be prepared for the challenges presented by the upcoming seasons, and unscheduled attacks mean you need to be on your toes, ready to defend yourself at a moment's notice.

    This is a very harsh survival game, especially when you're just learning to play. Once you die you start all over again, which can be frustrating. You can be 100 days in, marveling at all you've accomplished, and in one fell swoop it's all gone. It takes a lot of practice (and unfortunately, at times, some grinding) to survive long enough to explore the more advanced features. There is a lot to see, and when you can get there it's rewarding.

    As unforgiving as the game is, it retains a good sense of humor and whimsy, and shows and appreciation for the absurd. Paper cut out style artwork like this has been done before, but the twisted and surreal style fits the tone of the game nicely.

    Highly addictive and very fun. I love this game.    … Expand
  75. Iluvatar21
    May 3, 2014
    7
    HOW I RATE: 10-9 score: perfect or near-perfect don't exist; 8 score: one of the best games ever. Top score; 7-6 score: great but not one of the best; 5-below score: serious flaws.
    ===========
    Do you like finding new things? Do you fancy the idea of no hand-holding? But do you hate starting all over again if you made a fatal mistake? Also do you hate grinding & repetition? But not the    HOW I RATE: 10-9 score: perfect or near-perfect don't exist; 8 score: one of the best games ever. Top score; 7-6 score: great but not one of the best; 5-below score: serious flaws.
    ===========
    Do you like finding new things? Do you fancy the idea of no hand-holding? But do you hate starting all over again if you made a fatal mistake? Also do you hate grinding & repetition? But not the kind of grinding where you are furious of having to go through the same things again but the kind where you feel you are going somewhere & want to continue deeper?

    If you answered 'Yes' to all of these questions then this game is for you.    … Expand
  76. mickaelm
    Apr 29, 2014
    8
    A great game to play on the go. It's fun and addicting, I recommended this game to anyone who wants to have great time for a couple of hours. It feels like Minecraft but it's not and thats a go thing.
    I give this game 8 out of 10.
  77. animatethedead
    Apr 17, 2014
    10
    Don't starve + Dlc Reign of Giants is one of the best survival funny games i have ever tried.
    Goods and Foods:
    + original ways of survival + original and somehow sinister characters + no hand holding to the bathroom, son (the game will biatch slap you for mistakes) + your main and only goal is to survive and have fun (well unlocking new characters may be a goal too) + technology and    Don't starve + Dlc Reign of Giants is one of the best survival funny games i have ever tried.
    Goods and Foods:
    + original ways of survival
    + original and somehow sinister characters
    + no hand holding to the bathroom, son (the game will biatch slap you for mistakes)
    + your main and only goal is to survive and have fun (well unlocking new characters may be a goal too)
    + technology and magic working as one (yes this is not a warhammer game, son)
    + good 2D art and graphics
    + mods makes gameplay better
    +enjoyable sounds and soundtracks (just listen to Weiber)
    + good single player mission story

    Bads and goofs:
    - really hard to master (way too much ways to die)
    - some level of grinding and repetitive tasks, that some people will not enjoy
    - don't read the wikipedia if you like nasty surprises
    - if you die (and don't have any means of ressurection) GAME TOTAL OVER ( you have to start from the begining of the main menu)
    - OOO THE IRONY... to wave of updates (7-14 days) gives new gameplay and fixes and you have to start a new game every time, if you want to enjoy them.    … Expand
  78. Slava_Sergeev
    Apr 15, 2014
    10
    Игра очень интересная, с приятным графическим оформлением, хардкорная. Но есть одна у неё проблемка, после того как вас убили в игре, начинают заново единицы, т.к. это очень расстраивает! Столько сил ты вложил в этот сеанс, а тут БАЦ, и всё... оценка 10/10 за хардкорность и графику
    ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЕ! МУЛЬТИПЛЕЕРА НЕТ И ДЕЛАТЬ ЕГО НЕ СОБИРАЮТСЯ! на заметку    Игра очень интересная, с приятным графическим оформлением, хардкорная. Но есть одна у неё проблемка, после того как вас убили в игре, начинают заново единицы, т.к. это очень расстраивает! Столько сил ты вложил в этот сеанс, а тут БАЦ, и всё... оценка 10/10 за хардкорность и графику
    ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЕ! МУЛЬТИПЛЕЕРА НЕТ И ДЕЛАТЬ ЕГО НЕ СОБИРАЮТСЯ! на заметку
  79. itsmynamebro
    Apr 8, 2014
    10
    To be honest, this has got to be one of my favorite games. It's like Terraria and Minecraft mixed into one whole Tim Burton-esque awesomeness. 10/10. Amazing.
  80. braeden
    Apr 3, 2014
    8
    Don't starve is nice little game with very unique look & feel. It's immersing, addicting and has tons of stuff to do and explore. The basic idea is to gather/produce resources and upgrade your camp in order to survive in wilderness.

    The main problem is that this game becomes very repetitive after a while. The way to success is basically just to gather and build as much stuff as possible    Don't starve is nice little game with very unique look & feel. It's immersing, addicting and has tons of stuff to do and explore. The basic idea is to gather/produce resources and upgrade your camp in order to survive in wilderness.

    The main problem is that this game becomes very repetitive after a while. The way to success is basically just to gather and build as much stuff as possible which isn't all that entertaining in the long run. Also when you die, you really die and have to start from the beginning (with few exceptions). And then you have to do same steps all over again...

    Still, you'll probably get more fun out of this than from many other titles. The game is also quite cheap so you're guaranteed to get at least your money's worth.    … Expand
  81. PLENTS
    Apr 3, 2014
    9
    It seems like most (but not all) reviewers who rate this gem badly, only rate it so low because they don't understand the game. So here is my experience.
    After playing almost 48 hours of the game (not in one go) i am still really enjoying Don't Starve. The art style is , yes fantastic for the genre and the gameplay mechanics are simple but yet satisfying. You start off in the middle of    It seems like most (but not all) reviewers who rate this gem badly, only rate it so low because they don't understand the game. So here is my experience.
    After playing almost 48 hours of the game (not in one go) i am still really enjoying Don't Starve. The art style is , yes fantastic for the genre and the gameplay mechanics are simple but yet satisfying. You start off in the middle of know where, on a large map of various biomes. The aim is to craft and survive the various threats in the game. Starvation, annual attacks from beasts, insanity, the darkness, flood, lightning, karma and other various things in the game can all kill you at any point, the game truly makes you feel vulnerable but does add in few ways to feel safe with friendly mobs and respawn points. Yes it is permadeath, but the game saves at points so you don't have to play until you die. You can craft respawn items to revive yourself and there are endless amounts of items you can craft which i haven't even touched half of them yet and i have played for hours and hours! After reaching day 100 i was still finding new parts of the game, survival and adventure mode exist with the main goal to escape the world. This game does have a story!
    Yes you could say it gets repetitive in cycles due to summer, winter and secret seasons but patience and and open mind is always a good thing in video games.
    Overall i think this game is fantastic and a great new fresh breath of air from other games in the new survival/crafting genre. Would definitely recommend and without a doubt is worth the price.
    P.S The new DLC is amazing! But i review that on the page    … Expand
  82. phantomriley
    Mar 5, 2014
    10
    Marvelous. Although somewhat repetitive the game is exciting in its challenging state. Its cartoon like graphics are appealing to its subject matter. The game has a high level of re playability and its content seems to be growing due to a great community of players.
  83. Beauchamp
    Feb 7, 2014
    10
    In this game you get yourself spawned in the distant world where your aim is to survive (at least how its seems to me).

    From my lives i died to wild bees trying to sack their hive, I ate wrong mushroom killing myself, I was killed by beefaloo when desperately trying to kill it to eat something or i'd die, i was eaten by wild dogs that came in the night to kill me, wild treant smacked me    In this game you get yourself spawned in the distant world where your aim is to survive (at least how its seems to me).

    From my lives i died to wild bees trying to sack their hive, I ate wrong mushroom killing myself, I was killed by beefaloo when desperately trying to kill it to eat something or i'd die, i was eaten by wild dogs that came in the night to kill me, wild treant smacked me down when i burned half of the forest, I got lost in the dark and was killed by some demon, later I went insane and was killed by the shadow etc. etc. etc...

    Its difficult, I keep dying but so far its still fun and I'm getting better. I heard rumors the winter is coming soon so now when I mastered staying alive in the summer I try to stockpile some food. Dunno if its going to be enough though. Because you never know what can happen next in this game :)

    Worth the money for sure, and btw the visuals and animations are awesome.    … Expand
  84. xZippy
    Dec 31, 2013
    8
    One of the most creative games I've ever played in my life. Imagine if Tim Burton, Minecraft and possibly Amnesia: The Dark Descent had a strange three-way kid. It's deeply interesting and too fun. The game can be very hard, but you're able to edit worlds to your liking and unlock new characters which adds more to the replay value.
  85. tiny3753
    Dec 29, 2013
    10
    This game is so fun! This game is survival hardcore game. Play like character willson, an intrepid Gentleman Scientist who has been trapped by a demon and transported to a mysterious wilderness world. Wilson must learn to exploit his environment and its inhabitants if he ever hopes to escape and find his way back home. Enter a strange and unexplored world full of strange creatures,This game is so fun! This game is survival hardcore game. Play like character willson, an intrepid Gentleman Scientist who has been trapped by a demon and transported to a mysterious wilderness world. Wilson must learn to exploit his environment and its inhabitants if he ever hopes to escape and find his way back home. Enter a strange and unexplored world full of strange creatures, dangers, and surprises. Gather resources to craft items and structures that match your survival style. Play it your own way as you unravel the mysteries of this strange land.… Expand
  86. Cyanidekoolaid
    Dec 22, 2013
    10
    This game blew my comfy house slippers right off my feet and into my fireplace, leaving me with my tootsies unacceptably exposed to the cold. Luckily the game is so absorbing I didn't notice.

    Seriously, this game is that good. The music and graphics work together seamlessly to draw you into the bleak and desolate world. It's like playing through someone's waking nightmare as they    This game blew my comfy house slippers right off my feet and into my fireplace, leaving me with my tootsies unacceptably exposed to the cold. Luckily the game is so absorbing I didn't notice.

    Seriously, this game is that good. The music and graphics work together seamlessly to draw you into the bleak and desolate world. It's like playing through someone's waking nightmare as they stumble from one terrifying incident to another, just when things begin to seem settled something is sure to rattle your bones and leave you scrambling.

    The gameplay may seem simple, but it's in that simplicity that it holds its charm. What might seem easy as first can quickly begin to seem like an enormous task as the burdens of living in the harsh land snowball onto your character and you can't keep up.

    The perma-death feature of the game can make death a traumatizing experience as the character you've so lovingly built up and kept alive for so long has now found it's way to a lonely grave, at the same time it leaves your mind whirring as the cog's and gizmos in your head try to learn from your last play through so that you can survive longer in your next.

    The re-playability is huge, there's always something to learn or do better the next time through. On top of that if you decide you'd prefer things a bit different from time to time there's always a huge selection of mods available for the game that offer a wide selection of features. Things as simple as adding in a new playable character based on the Heavy from Team Fortress 2 or changing the rules of how the game work can really spice up the gameplay.

    So, really give this game a go if you're into moody, strategic, action packed games that leave you twitching at every movement on the screen. It's my top pick of the year!    … Expand
  87. 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
  88. CILIZ
    Dec 20, 2013
    9
    It is true that after you find out how to change worlds, it may become monotone but still, I guarantee you that this game will give you at least 30 hours of fun, and that's really something in today's gaming industry.And it is very very important that you discover EVERYTHING by yourselves in this game I think discovering these thing, finding out how to survive by dying continuously isIt is true that after you find out how to change worlds, it may become monotone but still, I guarantee you that this game will give you at least 30 hours of fun, and that's really something in today's gaming industry.And it is very very important that you discover EVERYTHING by yourselves in this game I think discovering these thing, finding out how to survive by dying continuously is the most entertaining thing in this game.I say buy it!… Expand
  89. Hedgehog5
    Dec 19, 2013
    10
    Very amazing game!! I love all the islands and you should really purchase this awesome game!!!!!

    Lots of hard things to kill not to hard BESt GAME EVA
  90. Loodwig
    Dec 8, 2013
    8
    I feel Don't Starve plays itself in 4 experiences of play. So I don't spoil anything, I won't go into too much details. Then again, a game like this doesn't really have "spoilers," considering everything you can do in the game is basically spelled out in the game creation mode.

    When I first started, the struggle was making it through the night. "Oh great," I thought, "This is one of    I feel Don't Starve plays itself in 4 experiences of play. So I don't spoil anything, I won't go into too much details. Then again, a game like this doesn't really have "spoilers," considering everything you can do in the game is basically spelled out in the game creation mode.

    When I first started, the struggle was making it through the night. "Oh great," I thought, "This is one of those "man I survived a whole 3 days in the horror" games where I brag about how hard it is. No thank you. Once I discovered how to start a fire and if you'll forgive the cliche, "didn't starve," the game became about figuring out how to build a settlement and where.

    Once I found that out, it became a combination of Harvest Moon and aspects of Dwarf Fortress (admittedly, much simpler than each). So, I was out hunting for the essential materials to make my perfect hovel where I could survive basically any encounter. Again, I won't spoil it, but there were several times when I was definitely caught off guard by the game introducing a new challenge. The whole "Once you die, you're dead, restart" aspect became especially frustrating here, especially when you can survive 40-50 days without as much as a scratch, only for an unexpected monster to end you with relative ease.

    This entered the 3rd phase: efficiency! I didn't need to get 50 of each item to survive, I could survive with far less. Heck, I could make multiple homes if I need to... there's plenty of resources if I know where to look. And I've now found a way to survive even if I get killed. I found more efficient foods, I can kill any monster that comes my way, and what's this adventure mode and cave mode I keep hearing about? I better check this out!

    And now I'm exploring caves and what's beneath caves, trying to find the final guy, unlocking every character, working through the challenges of adventure mode, and realizing that I've logged over 100 hours in this game already. Wait a minute, isn't this a casual indie game? Isn't this one of those things where I can just sit down for 20 minutes and be satisfied?

    If you're expecting casual, this is not your game. If you're looking for something that has the crafting and exploration complexity of Minecraft, but much more scaled down, then this may satisfy. I found myself often wanting to do more, and the exploration aspect only satisfies for a while. But like I said, I've put over 100 hours into this game, so it's doing something right... even if I've put it down out of boredom several times as well.    … Expand
  91. 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
  92. NatachaJay
    Dec 1, 2013
    9
    An absolutely amazing experience. Don't Starve is by far, one of the most compelling games I have tried in a long time: addictive, beautifully done and mysterious. If you have tried the game, you'll surely have the same love for the cardboard-cutout art work, the same sensations of terror when the light goes out and the joy of surviving that I do. The only thing that could have made thisAn absolutely amazing experience. Don't Starve is by far, one of the most compelling games I have tried in a long time: addictive, beautifully done and mysterious. If you have tried the game, you'll surely have the same love for the cardboard-cutout art work, the same sensations of terror when the light goes out and the joy of surviving that I do. The only thing that could have made this game better, would be a multiplayer option.
    Love it!    … Expand
  93. blaxout1213
    Nov 30, 2013
    9
    This game is great combination of survival and fantasy. It puts you in a world in which everyone struggles to survive. I think that the depth of this game is impressive and one will not discover everything in any number of worlds. I do find the perma-death frustrating at the beginning, but after i learned what i was doing it was a pretty entertaining game. The gameplay and world areThis game is great combination of survival and fantasy. It puts you in a world in which everyone struggles to survive. I think that the depth of this game is impressive and one will not discover everything in any number of worlds. I do find the perma-death frustrating at the beginning, but after i learned what i was doing it was a pretty entertaining game. The gameplay and world are dynamic enough to keep me hooked to it for quite a few hours, and running low on food or other resources keeps adrenaline flowing, which i find impressive in a survival game.… Expand
  94. COD-Master
    Nov 29, 2013
    6
    This game is fun within a few days it gets really repetitive and gets boring it's the same old concept pick grass, mine that, pick that up, trap that, and survive, and all just to survive winter.
  95. DQT
    Nov 25, 2013
    8
    Pros:
    + Randomly generated worlds with varying resources and NPC's
    + The option to create custom worlds + Tons of items to harvest, craft, use and eat + Immense world to explore + Original and fitting art style + Great sound design and music + Immense replayability and depth + Supports mods + Frequent content updates + Gain experience after each death to unlock additional    Pros:
    + Randomly generated worlds with varying resources and NPC's
    + The option to create custom worlds
    + Tons of items to harvest, craft, use and eat
    + Immense world to explore
    + Original and fitting art style
    + Great sound design and music
    + Immense replayability and depth
    + Supports mods
    + Frequent content updates
    + Gain experience after each death to unlock additional characters to play as; each character has their own passive abilities that changes the way you play

    Cons:
    - Large learning curve with no in-game help or tutorials
    - Combat is frustrating and basic
    - The game is designed around grinding, and you'll never do anything but.

    Summary: Despite the low budget, Don't Starve is an original take on the survival genre that's every bit as unpredictable as it is satisfying.

    Who should by this game:
    * Gamers who like the survival genre; Minecraft, terraria etc.
    * Those who enjoy rogue-likes
    * Fans of Klei Entertainment
    * Gamers who enjoy a challenge
    * Fans of indie-games

    Who shouldn't buy this game:
    * People who hate indie-games
    * People who enjoy casual games with easy gameplay
    * Those who prefer their games to have multiplayer components
    * Those who like fast-paced, twitch-based games as opposed to slower, cerebral games

    Verdict: 8    … Expand
  96. Arkan01d
    Nov 20, 2013
    7
    Can a game be good and bad at the same time? To me, Don't Starve fills both roles and leaves me with mixed feelings. This game is fun the first few play through's. You're learning and adapting and dying and all the while it's fun and rewarding. Then you survive your first winter and realize there really isn't much more to the game beyond finding food everyday and picking saplings andCan a game be good and bad at the same time? To me, Don't Starve fills both roles and leaves me with mixed feelings. This game is fun the first few play through's. You're learning and adapting and dying and all the while it's fun and rewarding. Then you survive your first winter and realize there really isn't much more to the game beyond finding food everyday and picking saplings and grass. On my 2nd play through I survived 72 days and ended up committing suicide because the game had lost all meaning.

    The problem is not that the game is bad. The problem is that the game looses it's reward system once you grasp the basics of it. The mood of the game is great, the setting is nice, the art style is spot on, but once you've played for a few hours the wonder ceases. If we look at Minecraft's rewards, yes you spend hours grinding away, mining blocks, but then you turn them into works of art and mechanical systems only limited by your minds eye. If we look at Unreal World, you spend months hauling logs and barely catching enough fish to survive. When you finally get your log cabin built and you spend the first night sleeping, not in a lean to, but a house you built with your own hands and sweat you feel like you really accomplished something.

    Compare that with Don't Starve where you are not able to built a real house, only walls and a floor. No door or bed is included in the crafting recipes. No place to call home. You can make a bed roll that's only good for one night and leaves your overly starving. Or you could build a tent, at a fairly high cost to silk, that only lasts for 6 uses and leaves you begging for food. Yes, sleeping punishes you by making you nearly starve to death. Apparently sleep increases your metabolism five fold. Most nights you will find yourself, waiting till daylight, around a campfire just wasting IRL time.

    All that being said, there is a great game here. It's fun to play, even if it's just for a few hours at a time. There is great potential within it's construct. I really hope the developers continue to expand and provide more rewards to players. At this time I can't suggest buying the game full price. If you find it for under $10 then consider it, otherwise just put this on your wishlist and check back in a year's time to see how it's progressed.    … Expand
  97. Savagethorn
    Nov 19, 2013
    10
    After a pile of hours in this game, I can honestly say it's one for me. Those that complain about things "two-shotting" them haven't made it to the point where they can respawn yet. Yes, it's a bit of a grind at first when you're just learning. Though if you continue on and start figuring out the world around you it becomes far easier. So if you're looking for a game that doesn't hold yourAfter a pile of hours in this game, I can honestly say it's one for me. Those that complain about things "two-shotting" them haven't made it to the point where they can respawn yet. Yes, it's a bit of a grind at first when you're just learning. Though if you continue on and start figuring out the world around you it becomes far easier. So if you're looking for a game that doesn't hold your hand and tell you exactly what you need to do, this is it. As the world around is trying to eat you while you attempt not to starve or go insane. ^_^… Expand
  98. OfficialMA
    Nov 9, 2013
    8
    This game is a very fun, unique game and its defiantly worth getting! The art style is fantastic and every time you play is a different experience! This game does not get old quickly!
  99. spencerder
    Nov 8, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (Small Spoilers) I don't understand how such an amazing game could be so low on Metacritic. I would call it a unique, rouge like, top down, survival game. Every time you die, you come back more knowledgable of what can kill and hurt you. You collect things, craft things, and build things. I think the people who gave the game low ratings didn't explore the game enough. There are a bunch of different things you can do, such as befriending pig armies, digging up graves to find small things you can give to the pig king who will give you gold, hatching baby tallbirds, finding mandrakes, hunting the elephant-mouse thing, and surviving winter. I just named some things that take well over a few hours to do. Either the people who gave this game bad ratings didn't explore the game enough, or didn't play the game long enough. The winter takes a whole lot of (in-game) days to appear, giving you time to build up resources. The art-style makes the game even more magnificent, looking like a Tim Burton-ish design. This game deserves at least a 90, if not more.… Expand
  100. ThePatronGamer
    Nov 5, 2013
    8
    This is a tamed Minecraft within the mind of Tim Burton. Although it is a sort of pretty game during the game, at night it becomes a dark world where fire is your best friend. It makes you feel accomplished during a successful night, but once you die you feel like you're a failure.
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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

All reviews »
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.
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  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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