Doomsday Vault

It’s very nice to look at, and, visually at least, the game feels just at home on a console as I imagine it did on a phone. Add in the whole environmentalist robot angle, and the game manages to borrow some charm from Wall-E. But it’s not enough to make Doomsday Vault a must-play game. I’m sure it’s great on a phone, where your play sessions may be a little shorter, but it doesn’t feel substantive enough to be worth any major investment of time or money now that it’s on the Switch.

Doomsday Vault is a lovely puzzler that wonderfully combines the laidback fun of its campaign with exciting leaderboard-based challenges. However, it can also be a bit awkward to control at times and re-playing levels to master them is rather tedious.

If you're a fan of environmental puzzles, Doomsday Vault makes traversing the post-apocalypse surprisingly relaxing and, well, downright pleasant. [Issue #55 – October 2021, p. 25]

In its current state, it feels a bit lacking for its asking price on Nintendo Switch considering you don’t really get more than what the Apple Arcade version offers. If you don’t have Apple Arcade and want a puzzler you can keep coming back to (with hopefully future content updates), Doomsday Vault will serve you well.

Doomsday Vault from Flightless is a pleasant puzzle game that will keep your attention in short stints. Its simplicity will keep your interest, while its flexibility to come and go will keep the experience casual.

Doomsday Vault is a charming title with a great message. I just wish there was a bit more of a narrative to help drive the player along, as I didn’t feel particularly inspired to move forward even though I knew I needed to. As a game for casual gamers or for the younger players getting into puzzlers, I would definitely recommend it. If you’re looking for a game with a deep narrative, more challenging puzzles, and question spending approximately $17.99 on a game that can be completed in a little over 2-3 hours, then you may not be as happy with this title.

It’s a puzzle game for people who don’t have the time or energy to challenge themselves with a puzzle game. It’s an enjoyable experience, just not a memorable one.

While there is room for growth in Doomsday Vault, currently it offers a variety of good challenges with engaging gameplay. The puzzles are great for players of any age, and those who enjoy relaxing, exploration experiences like Abzu or Monument Valley will likely find the atmosphere of Doomsday Vault a great way to escape at the end of the day. With a few updates to improve replayability, Doomsday Vault could become a great choice for those who enjoy puzzle-style gameplay, and remains solid for those interested in the genre as it currently stands.

Doomsday Vault isn’t going to overwhelm you with narrative or challenging puzzles. Instead, you’re in for a casual adventure of collecting seeds and customizing a suit. Those who enjoy the gameplay elements can spend time in the additional one-off stages for a spot on the leader board. Unfortunately, though, that ends up being the entirety of the experience. It’s cute and works as a Switch game, but don’t expect to leave with any knowledge outside of properly navigating an isometric experience.