Graveyard Keeper

 PC
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Jeuxvideo.com
    Sep 12, 2018
    75
    Beside its evident qualities in terms of immersion, due to a funny, unique and charming context, Graveyard Keeperand lacks variety and is, sometimes, too much based on farming system.
  2. GamingTrend
    Aug 15, 2018
    75
    Graveyard Keeper makes a lot of bold choices, replacing the friendly, relaxing atmosphere of typical life sims with a more goal-directed structure in a more cynical setting. While I found its pace tedious at times and would have preferred more focus on the grave-tending mechanics, more patient players will find a lot to like in its wealth of well-developed diversions, fantastic art and music, and pitch-black comedic aesthetic.
  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 26, 2018
    73
    Early on, it’s not that burdensome to personally lug around materials and process them into useful things, but as the technology marches on, you’ll have to do more and more menial tasks to make that new sword or casket that you need. [Issue#232, p.70]
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  5. GameStar
    Sep 23, 2018
    72
    Despite a very atmospheric world and fun basic idea it requires a huge amount of grind and is suitable especially for players with a lot of patience.
  6. Eurogamer Italy
    Oct 23, 2018
    70
    Graveyard Keeper adds an interesting theme to the successful Stardew Valley genre. Unfortunately it also adds some inconvenient UI and UX issues and an atmosphere that fails to really involve the player.
  7. GRYOnline.pl
    Sep 25, 2018
    70
    The overall quality of Graveyard Keeper is satisfactory. Of the 50 hours of gameplay, 40 were really cool; all this morbid fun was really interesting, even if the game could use some polish and a better balance.
  8. GameGrin
    Sep 14, 2018
    70
    A solid and fun little farming type sim, but one that has a few issues. Although it’s a bit rough around the edges, it’s still worth a look.
  9. PlayGround.ru
    Aug 31, 2018
    70
    Graveyard Keeper is a heaven for those who love to grind, and a real hell for everyone else.
  10. DarkStation
    Aug 28, 2018
    70
    Gamers who love Stardew Valley primarily as the opportunity to live a vicarious alternative life might be disappointed by Graveyard Keeper, but those who are attracted to the slow and steady rhythm of building, crafting, and management will enjoy the many systems at play. The game is rarely punishing but maybe not always rewarding in the same measure some would prefer. Its humor is dry and witty without being too obvious and its presentation and polish are only marred by some infrequent bugs.
  11. COGconnected
    Aug 24, 2018
    70
    Graveyard Keeper is an engaging and rewarding farming sim weighed down by pacing and performance issues. The GBA-style visuals compliment its contained open world, and influences from old-school Zelda games that shine through just as much as that of Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. The PC and Xbox versions play almost exactly the same, which is unfortunate considering the game’s performance, but if you can look past all the spots and blotches, you’ll likely enjoy the challenging gathering-crafting grind, and the game’s macabre humor when it actually lands.
  12. GameSpew
    Aug 20, 2018
    70
    As long as you can stomach the slow opening stretch and that the game doesn’t quite live up to its title, you’ll enjoy this gruesome spin on the farming genre.
  13. The Overpowered Noobs
    Sep 13, 2018
    60
    For fans of sims that offer a good range of what you can do, this is worth taking a look at. Although it still needs more tweaking, it’s headed in a good direction.
  14. Twinfinite
    Aug 22, 2018
    60
    I can only recommend it if you’re looking for a new farming/harvesting simulator, specifically. And even then I want you to temper your expectations a bit, at that.
  15. PC Invasion
    Aug 17, 2018
    60
    Graveyard Keeper is an undeniably unique game. It just stretches itself too thin. Even the titular role — the actual keeping of a graveyard — often feels secondary to the constant pursuit of new upgrades. Its central, twisted conceit goes a long way to making the grindy experience tolerable, though. Even at its worst, Graveyard Keeper sure to find an audience, as its macabre atmosphere and off-color activities aren’t things you see in games too often.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Eurogamer
    Aug 22, 2018
    Arcane busywork leaves little room for genuine pleasure in this fascinating and frustrating genre oddity.
  2. Vice
    Sep 14, 2018
    The darkly humorous farming simulator is dead serious about questioning our relationship with labor and goals.

Awards & Rankings

64
#64 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 169 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 108 out of 169
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 169
  3. Negative: 28 out of 169
  1. KnightRighter
    Aug 25, 2018
    1
    An otherwise great game is marred by a staggeringly stupid mechanic: Energy.

    Energy is expended every time you take an action. Swing an    An otherwise great game is marred by a staggeringly stupid mechanic: Energy.

    Energy is expended every time you take an action. Swing an axe, pick, sword... Repair a tool... Craft an item. The biggest flaw: it only recharges if you sleep, or eat food—which in the early game is a pain in the ass to make.

    Battling baddies in the forest? Once you're out of energy in the early game, you'll have to walk all the way back to your house to sleep. It's surprising that nobody during testing said "Hey. Isn't it kind of dumb that you can't swing a sword anymore, but you're perfectly able to walk a quarter mile back to the house to sleep?" Or even better "Why on earth did anyone think making someone sleep would make for a fun game?"

    I fully understand the purpose of the energy mechanic. But the execution is miserable.

    I'm hoping the developer either makes it auto-regenerate—and not at a slow pace, either. Or renames the game "Chores: The Game."

    Hopefully it's the former. They'll make a lot more money.    … Full Review »
  2. ireviewbadgames
    Aug 22, 2018
    1
    They say "Graveyard Keeper" is the "No Man's Sky" version of "Stardew Valley" and unfortunately that seems to be an accurate statement. WhatThey say "Graveyard Keeper" is the "No Man's Sky" version of "Stardew Valley" and unfortunately that seems to be an accurate statement. What we have is an unfinished, buggy grind of a game that is so monotonous and boring you may as well become a real gravedigger. At least you'll be making money instead of tossing your hard-earned cash into a fire to pick up this underwhelming title.

    I'll first start with positives. . . well, "Graveyard Keeper" does indeed have a unique premise that commands great potential had the developers put effort and thought into it. The art is actually relatively well done, both pleasant to look at and easy on the eyes.

    Now, let's talk about this game's bread and butter: being a repetitive, tedious grind. The developers are the same as the one's who made Punch Club, so you already know their specialty in the gaming industry is helping the player waste as much time as possible while accomplishing almost nothing. Well folks, these industry titans have done it again! You'll spend hours of your hobbling from errand to errand, just to maintain your little estate. They've even included waiting for things to finish- That's right, you can sit back, put those weary hands behind your head and watch as your character stands there mindlessly like a zombie. Quite fitting.

    We have missing content, two unfinished locations that have been unavailable from the game's alpha. The grisly writing on the wall says these dirty devs plan on churning out paid DLC for you to have the honor of entering these areas that you know exist, but can't enter in the base game. This especially adds insult to injury when you consider the lack of content issue that already exists.

    The story is linear, poorly devised and relies on waiting in places and hoping for quest NPCs to show up. If you have high hopes for an exciting plot filled with moral quandaries, then look elsewhere. Had the ending of the game been worthwhile, perhaps "Graveyard Keeper" could be saved, but. . . I think you and I both know that's not what happened.

    Don't let the good reviews sway you, just take a look at them- even they admit the same flaws I've listed. . . they just surpassed the 2 hour refund mark and have to live with buyer's remorse. At the end of the day, if you like Stardew Valley. . . don't buy this game. Just go back to Stardew Valley. If you like grinding games, look elsewhere. There's better titles.

    This game has one foot in the grave and if the developers don't listen to feedback and make drastic changes and add a substantial amount of free content (no paid DLC for an unfinished game please) then we can close the casket and bury this dead horse.    … Full Review »
  3. Damian94
    Aug 26, 2018
    1
    Its tedious because there are no quality of life additions.
    You move very slowly on a big map. You can purchase early in the game    Its tedious because there are no quality of life additions.
    You move very slowly on a big map. You can purchase early in the game teleportation stones, so ok there are lots of fast travel points that you can teleport to anytime you want right? Nope, only 2, pretty close to each other, and this **** stone has a cooldown so slow, you are better off just slowly walking where you want. And theres no run button, you can only walk. Also there are 2 stones you can purchase, but dont worry, they share the cooldown, so even though you only used 1 of them, theyr both inactive for 3 minutes.
    You will need to talk to certain characters through the game, but they often spawn on a certain 1 day of 6 days week. there will be situations where they will tell you to bring them something, that you happen to have in a chest in your home, but theres no chance you will be able to make it in time, teleporting to your home and then coming back to them will be too late, so see you in 6 days biatch.
    You cant skip days, you can slowly sleep too regenerate energy, but with full energy your character refuses to fall asleep.
    You have very limited inventory space, you will want to have base items like sword, ax, pickax, shovel, teleportation stone, energy recoveries, and some others, at every time with you, so your little backpack gets even smaller. And there are many items taking items slots a few at graveyard, a few at your farm, a few close to your home, a few you might want to have going to new places. So in order to do anything you have to do everything in order 1 of the time. If you had inventory space you would have to do that anyway because of this stupid stamina system, but later in a game you can make items that restore your stamina better than sleeping.
    Everything in this game is designed to waste your time in a not fun way, the game is either unfinished or intentionally made to be the most tedious and boring game you can buy    … Full Review »
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