Don't Starve: Console Edition

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Eurogamer Portugal
    Jan 17, 2014
    70
    When that little curiosity stays and gets you back for creating more items to survive another day, you get addicted to the game, transforming irritation into determination.
  2. GameSpot
    Jan 16, 2014
    70
    On the PS4, it remains a frustrating, fascinating, and beautifully grim experience that controls nicely and packs the same absorbing punch as the original.
  3. Eurogamer Germany
    Jan 16, 2014
    70
    Don't Starve can be a real pain. But if you know what you're getting yourself into, you'll not regret answering the call of this cute, but somehow distressingly terrifying wild.
  5. Push Square
    Jan 15, 2014
    70
    Don’t Starve may make your stomach rumble in frustration if you’re not willing to invest the required time to master its complex systems, but triumph over its crushing difficulty, and you may find a satisfactory dish here.
  6. EGM
    Jan 15, 2014
    70
    Uncovering the secrets of Don’t Starve’s oppressive world is gratifying, but the basics of gameplay get too mindlessly repetitive once you’ve figured out what you’re doing.
  7. Eurogamer Italy
    Jan 14, 2014
    70
    Don't Starve flies too low to take advantage of all that's good in its gameplay, but is a good game anyway, recommended to all those looking for a challenge despite a depressed world and the lack of a true goal.
  8. The Escapist
    Jan 13, 2014
    70
    Don't Starve is a gorgeous, terrifying, often funny game, albeit one that can chew away at the player's morale with its constant demands and willingness to undo hard work. Provided you go in willing to work hard and take punches on the nose, there's plenty of reward to be had.
  9. AusGamers
    Jan 13, 2014
    70
    Don’t Starve’s singular focus, wrapped up in a deadly dance between threat and empowerment, is also its biggest flaw. There is no horizon to strive for. The attrition-based gameplay is initially interesting and temporarily engaging, but lacks any lasting impact on the world.
  10. GameOver.gr
    Feb 7, 2014
    60
    The tedious "trial and error" design will make you want to bang your head on to the nearest wall. But if you have patience there are a lot of interesting things you'll find in Don't Starve.
  11. Metro GameCentral
    Jan 8, 2014
    60
    An interesting stew of ideas and great presentation can’t make up for a game that goes out of its way to frustrate and discourage its players.

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Best PS4 Game of 2014
45
#45 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
56
#56 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 392 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 216 out of 392
  2. Mixed: 116 out of 392
  3. Negative: 60 out of 392
  1. UnkieDunkie
    Jan 7, 2014
    10
    Smooth, just as fun as PC, beautiful and plays incredibly well on the Dual Shock 4! The control scheme surprising works perfectly! 10/10! ThisSmooth, just as fun as PC, beautiful and plays incredibly well on the Dual Shock 4! The control scheme surprising works perfectly! 10/10! This game is the start of a line-up of indie games that had me choosing the PS4 over the XBone. You guy's over at Klei did a fantastic job when you made this game a reality! Sony you have helped make it an amazing console version that runs unbelievable well. So much fun in such a gorgeously wrapped FREE gift from Sony!… Full Review »
  2. tingle
    Jan 12, 2014
    4
    How do you turn Tim Burton's 2d answer to Minecraft into infuriating garbage? Permadeath.

    At first it will be boring and hard scavenging    How do you turn Tim Burton's 2d answer to Minecraft into infuriating garbage? Permadeath.

    At first it will be boring and hard scavenging supplies.

    Than you will be driven and make a farm, full of food making contraptions vast groves of berries creating new weapons clothes and devices to protect against the elements. Walls for safety and a spectacular base to provide safety after long days out scavenging and exploring ruins in this weird wild world. You will shave beefalo and ambush spiders hunt wild turkey and trap rabbits which you will use to make a magic hat.

    All to assemble scattered pieces of your machine that got you here, than teleport to the next world which will be harder and harder.

    Sounds like a 10 right?

    wrong, permadeath, no finding your corpse and looting it or going back to your house. When you die which is VERY easy due to clunky controls, you start over from level 1 with nothing. Like losing your last life on an NES game. After 10 hours of work over 3 days you will be right back where you started.

    This game has a LOT of potential, ruined by one fatal flaw. Although these purely random Toejam and earl style worlds are neat they are wildly disjointed, but that's the fun of taming them.

    Don't get to attached to your pet beefalo, you die, you can't go back to your last save you are DEAD and it auto saves it and you have nothing.

    I love the idea, would love a sequel, hell just an update to bring this game the feature we have all enjoyed since 1987's legend of Zelda.    … Full Review »
  3. Jase
    Jan 11, 2014
    2
    This game is basically a dead end (no pun intended).

    Let me first start with what I like about the game 1) The art is good, very Tim    This game is basically a dead end (no pun intended).

    Let me first start with what I like about the game 1) The art is good, very Tim Burton-esque. 2) The concept is good but needs to be tweaked to allow you to play on after death.

    What I did not like: 1) Inventory system is horrific, and not adequate for the amount of items you essentially have to carry. 2) If you die, there is no resurrecting (other than if you happened to build something that allows so in-game). You have to start all over and do not maintain any of the recipes, exploration or anything else that you may have discovered. 3) The controls are clunky in general.

    Suggestions I have would be to allow some sort of save at some point (make it 7 days, 14 days, even a month, but something). Now I am sure many of you will say that this is what makes the game so great, that you have to be critical and precise with everything you do, but this aspect really kills it for me with replay value. I have no interest in spending the first hour or two over and over again finding and crafting the basics to return to where I was.

    If the graphics were not interesting and as they are the game would have received a 1. I really wanted to like this game, and did for the first few tries, but it quickly became boring a repetitious. I'll stick to something else for now.    … Full Review »
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