Donut County

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 99 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 99
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 99
  3. Negative: 6 out of 99

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  1. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 6, 2020
    4
    Donut County is one of those cutesy indie game with a very limited scope. You control a hole, and you move the hole around to make objects fall into it. As objects fall into it, the hole gets bigger, allowing you to grab up even larger objects. For most of the game, the gameplay loop is nearly identical – you start out as a small hole in someone’s yard, go around hoovering up increasinglyDonut County is one of those cutesy indie game with a very limited scope. You control a hole, and you move the hole around to make objects fall into it. As objects fall into it, the hole gets bigger, allowing you to grab up even larger objects. For most of the game, the gameplay loop is nearly identical – you start out as a small hole in someone’s yard, go around hoovering up increasingly large objects, and then eventually suck down their house. Rinse repeat for 10+ levels.

    You wouldn’t think that a two hour long game would have issues with repetition, but somehow, Donut County does.

    And this is the main flaw of this game. I don’t have anything against very short games – The Stanley Parable is one of my favorite games, and it is very brief.

    The issue here is that the game doesn’t really have much substance to it.

    Almost all of the game consists of doing the exact same thing, over and over again. There’s a couple of mechanics which sort of vaguely mix things up a little:

    • You get a catapult that lets you shoot stuff back up out of the hole, which makes it a bit smaller but lets you knock stuff down or otherwise interact with the environment. This sounds neat, but only appears in a few levels, and is mostly used for the same purpose repeatedly, so doesn’t manage to mix up gameplay all that much until the very end.

    • You bring down a snake, whose tail can be used to whack stuff in the environment as it sticks out of the hole.

    • You suck down a fire, which can set stuff on fire in the environment to make them easier to suck down or launch off fireworks that you have sucked in.

    • You grab a carrot, that you use to attract other stuff with.

    This all sounds neat and all, but this is literally all of the gameplay variety there is, and there isn’t really a whole lot done with most of these mechanics. Two of them appear only once or twice, and none of them are ever used all that creatively.

    The game only really involves any degree of puzzle solving at the very end of the game, as the last few areas demand that the player solve some fairly simple tasks to progress. And then at the very end of the game, there’s an actual boss fight, using the mechanics you’ve got to do something fairly clever.

    And then the game ends.

    This is the real issue with the game – it doesn’t really aspire to be very much. Most of it is the same thing over and over again, and the few moments of cleverness make up less than 15% of the game’s length.

    I would have really liked to see this game actually try to do more than it did with the mechanic – a two hour long game is totally fine, but the point of making a super short game is to completely avoid repetition. This game somehow is short *and* repetitive.

    Outside of the core gameplay, there’s a rather silly story going on – a certain raccoon has sucked up everyone in Donut County, and most of the story is a frame story, where you have a discussion in a cave deep underground where everyone ended up, and the characters recount how they got sucked into a hole between the levels while complaining at each other.

    The game is chock full of internet speech – the two main characters literally say lol and JK, and some of the game is also told via text message conversations on smart phones. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it lends the whole thing an extremely informal air, and while that works for the game, it still ends up feeling a bit weird.

    That said, the trashpedia – an in-game encyclopedia which fills up with details on the items you collected in each level, from the point of view of the raccoon – is quite funny, with the various descriptions being pretty humorous and showing the limitations of the raccoon, as well as his mentality about the world.

    But this wasn’t enough to carry the game for me. Yes, the game has some funny bits to it, but the actual core gameplay is pretty mediocre and surprisingly uncreative given how interesting it sounds like it would be at first.    … Expand
  2. LordSandwich
    May 16, 2021
    8
    The hole mechanic is wonderfully executed and I loved destroying a small town. Funny characters progress the story in amazing ways. The puzzles are just right so that you want to look up a walkthrough, but, what if you swallow that blade of grass? Or shift to swallow a chair in a different way. i do wish there were more levels, because the game is so awesome, but so short, and that pullsThe hole mechanic is wonderfully executed and I loved destroying a small town. Funny characters progress the story in amazing ways. The puzzles are just right so that you want to look up a walkthrough, but, what if you swallow that blade of grass? Or shift to swallow a chair in a different way. i do wish there were more levels, because the game is so awesome, but so short, and that pulls the experience down a bit.… Expand
  3. MaxFriendly
    May 17, 2021
    8
    When I first saw this game I thought, "Well, that looks weird and I will not play that". I heard some good things later and gave it a go. Typically, I play larger, open-world games and shooters and "smaller" games like this one haven't really popped up on my radar.

    Having played this it has opened me up to indie games in general. I enjoyed this game. It is good fun to kick back and    When I first saw this game I thought, "Well, that looks weird and I will not play that". I heard some good things later and gave it a go. Typically, I play larger, open-world games and shooters and "smaller" games like this one haven't really popped up on my radar.

    Having played this it has opened me up to indie games in general. I enjoyed this game. It is good fun to kick back and relax to. Some parts made me chuckle. The gameplay was engaging, not too taxing but not dull.    … Expand
  4. mno
    Sep 25, 2018
    6
    It's fun to play the hole and to swallow stuff. Sadly the unique idea isn't utilized to its potential. The puzzles in the themed levels are very easy and the game is rather short. The music is nice. Characters and story are annoying. The game performs badly and in a rare cases the physics engine goes nuts, so, that you need to restart a level.
  5. Tomle1202
    Aug 30, 2018
    7
    Donut County's short two-hour length is full of delightful humor and cute and charming characters, as well as some unexpectedly clever puzzles spicing up its repetitive gameplay.
  6. Napieracz
    Sep 6, 2018
    9
    Donut county tells a cute and funny story. The puzzles are not hard and it took me about two hours to beat it. I don't think that's wrong. It's like going to a cinema, you pay for the single experience. There is a cut scene after every level which allows characters to be more fleshed out and I warmed up to them. Even tough it's a short story, I really felt something after these two hours.Donut county tells a cute and funny story. The puzzles are not hard and it took me about two hours to beat it. I don't think that's wrong. It's like going to a cinema, you pay for the single experience. There is a cut scene after every level which allows characters to be more fleshed out and I warmed up to them. Even tough it's a short story, I really felt something after these two hours. The music and the artstyle really add to the whole experience.… Expand
  7. UserScore
    Dec 29, 2018
    6
    A delightful yet somewhat safe game.

    The game relies very heavily on it's story to make it enjoyable and, luckily for itself, that IS fun and ocasionally, even very funny. I adored BK and Mira, and how they played off one another, and also how every character had a distinguishable personality. Unfortunately, the problem comes with the gameplay and pacing. The game itself feels    A delightful yet somewhat safe game.

    The game relies very heavily on it's story to make it enjoyable and, luckily for itself, that IS fun and ocasionally, even very funny. I adored BK and Mira, and how they played off one another, and also how every character had a distinguishable personality.

    Unfortunately, the problem comes with the gameplay and pacing.

    The game itself feels very repetitive. It sticks to a formula for a majority of the game and it doesn't really spice it up until the end. Its structured like this: he characters talk about how BK disturbed their life with the "donut"; we have flashback in which we relive that moment, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. The game doesn't innovate enough mechanically as these levels repeat themselves, and since there's no challenge, dialogue or character interaction during the levels, it really feels like filler. Outside of it getting a bit puzzly in the end, the game is very straightfoward.

    Overall, I think the characters really elevate the game. And if it wasn't for them, and for how undeniably creative the game is, I wouldn't recommend it. But the game is worth a try. It's cheap and even if the game didn't come out great, it is a very lovingly-crafted indie game, and I think everyone should give those a try.    … Expand
  8. CyberRobotnix
    Sep 25, 2018
    7
    Honestly, it was cool the time it lasted, but honestly it's just about as entertaining as your average mobile game in the long run. I suggest you buy this game when it's on sales and ONLY on sales.
  9. Mandulum
    Mar 7, 2021
    7
    I was expecting some mindless hole action but I was surprised by a humorous story about a raccoon.

    Date Completed: 2021-03-07
    Playtime: 2h
    Enjoyment: 7/10
    Recommendation: I enjoyed it. Worth the time.
  10. Underpants158
    Mar 22, 2020
    6
    About 2 hours to finish. The art design, tone, and characters are likable. The dialogue and texting at times feels very authentic and modern. However I would not say that those things alone make the game worth playing. On the gameplay side it is rather... dull. You have a hole, you swallow things to make the hole bigger to swallow yet bigger things. Sometimes there is a gameplay mechanicAbout 2 hours to finish. The art design, tone, and characters are likable. The dialogue and texting at times feels very authentic and modern. However I would not say that those things alone make the game worth playing. On the gameplay side it is rather... dull. You have a hole, you swallow things to make the hole bigger to swallow yet bigger things. Sometimes there is a gameplay mechanic which is more interesting in theory than in actual execution. For example, there is one time you need to swallow ingredients to make a fire so you can induce lift off of a hot air balloon. Again, conceptually that sounds like an interesting mechanic but it's rather simple and not engaging. There are numerous moments like that. It isn't until the very end that game starts getting a little more interesting to play. And I mean the very very end. Maybe last 20 minutes or so. Overall I wouldn't recommend the game unless you are completely enamored with the look, tone, and concept of the game (which I know some people are). For me it's about a 6/10… Expand
  11. p1menta
    Dec 25, 2022
    6
    good to kill some time, and funny enough, but the gameplay is kinda uninspired
  12. SebboBastian
    Dec 24, 2018
    8
    This is a more relaxing and zen kind of Katamari Damacy game. Low challenge in the gameplay but I do not believe it was the point either. Cute little "Sit back on the couch and relax" kind of game.
  13. YetAnotherJohn
    Jun 13, 2021
    8
    A cutesy, short and to the point game reminiscent of Katamari Damacy. Bright colors, silly, irreverent dialogue and text descriptions and nothing but the raw satisfaction of playing with object physics and slowly clearing an entire map.
  14. EROCKQ
    Jan 14, 2019
    9
    Although the game is short (about 3 hours long), and too easy, Donut County is a hilarious, beautiful, and creative game. The game play is clever, and the story is great. Definitely worth the price of entry.
  15. TheGameIsALie
    Oct 5, 2018
    8
    Donut County é uma experiência muito agradável e divertida, que foi indubitavelmente feita com todo o amor do seu criador. Algumas imperfeições, porém, impedem que o jogo seja excelente.
  16. edxtan
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Donut County's quirky cutscenes aren't enough to disguise how boring it is.
  17. CriticalHit20
    Oct 20, 2019
    7
    The hole is shallow as the initially fun premise became tedious and the slight variations could not redeem it. I tried to read everything at first but I found the dialogue unfunny and the plot barely interesting. I was given the game but I would not pay more than $5 for it.
  18. Shadran
    Feb 11, 2020
    7
    This game felt like a demo. Its sweet and relaxing but short with no difficulty. I can see this game being really good for young kids.
  19. Danschweig
    Jan 25, 2021
    8
    It's a little short but has a very good artstyle, music and very funny characters. With 2 hours it's really short but in a sale i would consider this as a must buy for everyone who loves short linear indie games with fun game mechanics
  20. LuanV
    Dec 21, 2021
    7
    Donut County é um jogo simples, de curta duração (em menos de duas horas você consegue terminá-lo), com um humor muito bem escrito, abordando como as grandes empresas ocupam o espaço dos pequenos estabelecimentos locais.

    Não espere algo transcendental ou extremamente divertido. Apesar da crítica estabelecida na história, o jogo foi feito com o intuito de ser uma experiência rápida e    Donut County é um jogo simples, de curta duração (em menos de duas horas você consegue terminá-lo), com um humor muito bem escrito, abordando como as grandes empresas ocupam o espaço dos pequenos estabelecimentos locais.

    Não espere algo transcendental ou extremamente divertido. Apesar da crítica estabelecida na história, o jogo foi feito com o intuito de ser uma experiência rápida e divertida. Caso você esteja na dúvida do que jogar, tente jogá-lo; em uma jogatina, você consegue finalizá-lo.    … Expand
  21. samu_g05tz
    Apr 12, 2021
    9
    This Game is very Nice! Very Funny Story and Nice Artstyle. One of the best Games!
  22. hileger
    Jan 20, 2023
    7
    Игра на один раз но я кекал...................................................................
  23. Nekellor_Met
    Jul 23, 2020
    7
    Простая, короткая игра на подобии Tasty planet, с интересными диалогами.
  24. Crisener
    Jan 25, 2021
    7
    A cute short game. In about 2 hours you can go through the whole story, and in 30 minutes after finishing you can get 100%. It feels like this game wasn't made to be reviewed, because it clearly aims to be just a short distraction from AAA titles. I loved the art-style, the game had enough mechanic twists to keep me interested (although I think it still has much more potential), andA cute short game. In about 2 hours you can go through the whole story, and in 30 minutes after finishing you can get 100%. It feels like this game wasn't made to be reviewed, because it clearly aims to be just a short distraction from AAA titles. I loved the art-style, the game had enough mechanic twists to keep me interested (although I think it still has much more potential), and despite the hit-or-miss dialogue, on the whole, it was fun. But there is just nothing to come back to, both literally and figuratively.… Expand
  25. YoppaChanDesu
    Feb 2, 2021
    8
    Gameplay is super simple, but the story is a lot of fun. The game itself gets pretty repetitive pretty quickly, but the story makes you want to play longer.
  26. Onthebeat
    Dec 27, 2020
    10
    Simply amazing game to play, although short for the price it's hard to beat. Worth every penny if on sale
  27. Burzyk
    Jul 13, 2021
    7
    I really liked this relaxing as F game! Easy and funny achievments as well!
  28. StarkAgentos
    May 23, 2022
    10
    Прошёл игру за час. Крутой симулятор дыры с сюжетом, юмором и даже игрой слов в диалогах.
  29. MrSnow32
    Feb 26, 2022
    7
    Cute and relaxing art, story, and music, but these things and the gameplay are very light to the point of feeling like filler toward the end. I wish the levels were actually longer and a bit trickier, with the hole maybe growing a bit slower. So, it ends up getting an average score overall from me.
  30. Dondondondon
    Jan 19, 2023
    7
    Not bad at all. I totally get vibes from Katamari Damacy. The music is similar from the bassy lowfi vibes. The sound effect when the items fall into the hole makes the similar plop sound. The art style is definetly very similar. I like the simple puzzles. Like using the hole you control to move it towards a rabbit because there's a carrot stuck on it and attract it through a maze. ThenNot bad at all. I totally get vibes from Katamari Damacy. The music is similar from the bassy lowfi vibes. The sound effect when the items fall into the hole makes the similar plop sound. The art style is definetly very similar. I like the simple puzzles. Like using the hole you control to move it towards a rabbit because there's a carrot stuck on it and attract it through a maze. Then when the rabbit is out of the maze, there's another rabbot near by and both rabbits make love and instantly multiply, making the hole bigger. Because more items in the hole make the hole bigger. I really like the music. I was sitting for a minute or two on the pause screen simply because the music was fun to vibe to. It was bassy lofi hip hop with hints of electronic music. The story is alright. Something about a raccoon using the app on his tablet to control the phone but destroys the hole city by dropping every single thing in the hole. The whole city is made of talking animals and a single human. The voices in the game are animal crossing style gibberish. The boss fight was super fun though. You have to dodge lazers and shoot bombs to it very quickly. That was a fun level. The game was a bit repetitive because there was too much sinking things into a hole with very light puzzle solving in between. What got me through the game was the story of each animal character's lives. I liked it. But 2 hours was enough time for this game to get through without wearing out its welcome.… Expand
  31. lucvsds
    Nov 22, 2022
    9
    Um jogo para passar a tarde (3-4 horas de gameplay). Gostei particularmente dos diálogos e da voz robótica quando tem as falas. O desenho é bem bonitinho também. É um jogo felizinho.
  32. redlore567
    Jan 7, 2023
    7
    bloated dialogue painful to get through overall mechanics were fun but got boring quick 7/10
  33. volfrhamZ
    Aug 6, 2022
    10
    Loved every second of it. The best game that happened to me that year. I mean, you sometimes just want to be a black hole sucking everything in and talk to cute animals. I don't blame you!
  34. TheDJMC
    Nov 21, 2022
    9
    It's a very short, very easy point and click game. I've 100%ed this, achievements and all, within 3.9 hours according to Steam's playtime indicator and that includes some distractions here and there including a quick look at an achievement guide. With that said it's delightfully fun and has a very funny, lighthearted and quirky sense of humour.

    There's not much to comment on if you've    It's a very short, very easy point and click game. I've 100%ed this, achievements and all, within 3.9 hours according to Steam's playtime indicator and that includes some distractions here and there including a quick look at an achievement guide. With that said it's delightfully fun and has a very funny, lighthearted and quirky sense of humour.

    There's not much to comment on if you've watched the trailers. You're getting exactly what it says on the tin and I had zero technical issues. There's no real replayability past achievement hunting so keep it in mind that this is very much a one and done experience, not that that's unappreciated.

    I got this for 70% off during the Steam 2021 winter sale (£3.08 as opposed to £10.29) and I'm very happy with my purchase. I think I would've been disappointed with the runtime if I paid full price, but I've paid that much for far less entertaining cinema trips in the past so, y'know. I definitely recommend it.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best PC Game of 2018
78
#78 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
44
#44 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. GameGrin
    Dec 8, 2023
    90
    Witness the catastrophic events that transpire over the course of Donut County as you wreak havoc by taking control of BK’s all-devouring hole in a surprisingly enjoyable title I didn’t expect to love this much.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Jan 9, 2019
    60
    Core gameplay becomes wearisome with time, but fortunately the game is short (3 hours tops) and the developer tried to vary the levels with additional mechanics. If you need something to make you smile and want to escape from your responsibilities by focusing on simple tasks, this little indie game can be fun. [11/2018, p.72]
  3. PC Games
    Dec 18, 2018
    82
    Sweet design perfectly combined with destructive mischief.
    Read full review
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