Desert Child

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 2 out of 7
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  1. Jacobnorman
    Jan 12, 2019
    7
    This is not a racing game. The main way to progress is to play a racing/shooting mini-game with a variety of maps of different aesthetics and goals for each race, but thats not how you will spend most of your time. One will spend most of their time exploring the world, and that is where this game shines. The world is designed as if it were in the cowboy bebop universe with music and toneThis is not a racing game. The main way to progress is to play a racing/shooting mini-game with a variety of maps of different aesthetics and goals for each race, but thats not how you will spend most of your time. One will spend most of their time exploring the world, and that is where this game shines. The world is designed as if it were in the cowboy bebop universe with music and tone to match. The overall art of this game is beautiful and the characters you interact with all have a unique quality. This game constantly references hip-hop and jazz, making one smile and laugh from time to time. I payed $11 for this game and have really enjoyed it, but I would wait for the price to drop. If the desert punk bebop vibe of this game interests you at all, I highly recommend it. I have played nothing like it, and would like to see more titles like this released in the future!… Expand
  2. Ashsams
    Aug 18, 2021
    5
    Only buy it on sale and only if you:
    A) like artsy, aesthetic games
    B) don't mind grinding The game isn't bad, but it's not what I would call fun. The races can be switched up slightly with bike upgrades but the core gameplay is largely static. You do one thing and you do it often. The world itself is cool until you realize that's all there is to explore and what can be explored is rather    Only buy it on sale and only if you:
    A) like artsy, aesthetic games
    B) don't mind grinding

    The game isn't bad, but it's not what I would call fun. The races can be switched up slightly with bike upgrades but the core gameplay is largely static. You do one thing and you do it often. The world itself is cool until you realize that's all there is to explore and what can be explored is rather shallow. No conversations, just 1-2 lines when you visit the merchant, the mechanic, etc.

    The game is a good effort from a small indie team but with so many good games—indie or otherwise—just waiting to be played, sinking hours into getting a little bit of cash on the way to the $10,000 goal just doesn't seem worth it. I finally quit when the cops took all my cash after 1-2 hours of grinding.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. Multiplayer.it
    Dec 25, 2018
    60
    Desert Child delivers some nice retro-style graphics and a great soundtrack, but the game becomes repetitive and grindy very soon.
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  2. Shacknews
    Dec 20, 2018
    70
    It's an odd thing for a video game to bank so heavily on its aesthetics, but in the case of Desert Child, the plan works. This isn't a dense game, nor is it necessarily a complex game; instead, it's a simple title that suits retro gaming enthusiasts with good visuals, good music, amusing interactions, and a series of high-speed races.
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  3. DualShockers
    Dec 18, 2018
    35
    With a stronger central theme that went deeper than base critiques of the US and its cultures, Desert Child could have been much better. While its got style, it’s disappointing how little it does with it. Races are fine, the world it presents quickly becomes finding the quickest route to reach the end, and once reached it all ends so abruptly you can’t help but begin it again with the curiosity of there having to be something more. In the end, there isn’t that much more to it, and even an easy Platinum trophy on PlayStation 4 doesn’t make this a game I would recommend to anyone.
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