Dread Nautical

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Finger Guns
    Aug 10, 2020
    70
    Dread Nautical is a solid and intriguing turned based, tactical roguelike RPG, just don’t expect your tense horror itch to be scratched, because you’ll be very much looking in the wrong place. The gameplay isn’t too overbearing for newcomers and the games primary characters certainly are fun to explore this doomed ship with, the story is twisty and keeps you engaged, and the hard mode will test your metal beyond much else around at the moment, but there’s very little here you haven’t seen before elsewhere and executed with more panache.
  2. Softpedia
    May 8, 2020
    60
    We were hoping to find in Dread Nautical an uncut gem. In the end, we received a game that does not live up its potential and becomes monotonous pretty quickly. The lack of variety and depth turn this interesting concept into a mediocre game. The mix of RPG and tactics although well thought out, shortly turn into a routine without any joy. There is no thrill or scare, but plenty of annoying moments generated by the chores of item management. Dread Nautical wanted to be a place of madness, but it turned into another dimension of boredom.
  3. Screen Rant
    Apr 29, 2020
    60
    Dread Nautical is an engaging and difficult tactical experience whose intriguing nautical horror setting is ruined by hideous graphics.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 4 out of 9
  1. quetzalcube
    Oct 5, 2020
    6
    Dread Nautical is low-budget XCOM type game. XCOM type game means it is a turn base strategy game, fighting against some monstruous creatures,Dread Nautical is low-budget XCOM type game. XCOM type game means it is a turn base strategy game, fighting against some monstruous creatures, featuring character and weapon development as well as strong irreversable choinces all rounded with fun goofy style graphics. Low-budget means that sound and graphics will be repetitive, some features are not polyshed (translation is awful, surely done with an automated free translator) and some mechanics are either totally overpowered (like armor and ranged & root weapons) or completelye underpowered. Also, you will find glitches and bugs, some minor like few app crashes not particularly disturbing because the automated save, others somehow annoying like the fact that they forgot to port a diary recording all miniquest so you don't forget them.

    However, the bright side is that Dread Nautical is actually a true game, not just some time-consuming app. There are certainly some novelties and nice mechanics and the developers really putted some great ideas in the game (like the character recruiting). The set up is alse really nice and the weapons, descriptions and character comments are very hylarious (it is great to nock out an enemy with a cd machine while your characters comment "knock out, punk!"). However, the game certainly lacks more time and money invested on it and one would have like it to see it fully developed.

    All in all, Dread Nautical is a fair option for XCOM lovers. However, if you missed the original certainly choose XCOM before Dread Nautica    … Full Review »
  2. CesarV
    May 14, 2020
    0
    First of all the game as an interesting idea, survivors on a cruise ship in some kind of occult universe with a cthulhu like creature.First of all the game as an interesting idea, survivors on a cruise ship in some kind of occult universe with a cthulhu like creature.

    Combat feels decent and kinda fun.

    But all this is completely thrown overboard because the devs decided items need to have extremely low durability and characters very small inventory spaces. There is an upgrade system, but even that is cut off by having an overall level cap, which makes improving characters feel very underwelming.

    The game has only 2 areas, the deck of the ship that constantly shifts doors and rooms around and a cabin where you have your survivors and build crafting stations.

    It has several levels that you can access through an elevator and you can use up to 3 survivors at the same time. Game becomes a real chore after level 5 and you're going to be spending most of your time trying to backstab enemies with your weapons and use the remaining AP to punch them or else your weapons will all wear out and you can't face any more enemies at all. Also punching somehow doesn't even trigger flank and back attacks, which makes weapons even more critical to use.

    I'm tired of lazy mechanics in games like this. It's beyond ridiculous a crowbar, an item that will last you a lifetime now matter how much work you do with it, will break after bashing a zombie 10 times. O a pistol that instead of having bullets operates in the exact same way as a melee weapon.

    The game also crashes often which is just icing on the cake

    I would not recommend this game to anyone at this point. If they get rid of the durability mechanics and make levels more diverse and interesting this might become a good game.    … Full Review »
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