Deadlight

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 219 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 145 out of 219
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 219
  3. Negative: 29 out of 219

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  1. Lacuentadejoako
    Dec 26, 2012
    4
    The game has a good atmosphere and graphics but thats all. The controls are not responsive,you cant do what you want when you want.The story is boring and uninteresting,besides unoriginal. The game is unfair in many things,when you die you dont feel like you lost because the game is hard, but because its badly designed. The game is basically very easy to, the only hard parts are the onesThe game has a good atmosphere and graphics but thats all. The controls are not responsive,you cant do what you want when you want.The story is boring and uninteresting,besides unoriginal. The game is unfair in many things,when you die you dont feel like you lost because the game is hard, but because its badly designed. The game is basically very easy to, the only hard parts are the ones that are not well designed,basically the whole game is jumping from one place to the other with a bad story and voice acting in between with poor level designed, I got it just for 7,50. But is still a waste of money.… Expand
  2. Aheavypanda
    Apr 29, 2014
    3
    The story was OK, and the graphics are fine, but the mechanics are just garbage. The amount of times I have died from faulty controls is unbelievable, just because I either can't jump up a ladder because he can't grab it, or your character randomly decides to tackle a zombie to the ground, which defies most zombie film/game logic in the first place.

    The point where I said no more, is    The story was OK, and the graphics are fine, but the mechanics are just garbage. The amount of times I have died from faulty controls is unbelievable, just because I either can't jump up a ladder because he can't grab it, or your character randomly decides to tackle a zombie to the ground, which defies most zombie film/game logic in the first place.

    The point where I said no more, is when I was killed by a pair of legs which got up to kill me, after I blatantly shot the zombie in half with a shotgun.

    Horrible mechanics, horrible bugs, horrible game.    … Expand
  3. FoxiShandris
    Apr 18, 2014
    4
    4/10. The game opens with a somewhat mysterious storyline that is progressively explained throughout the game, which is the games only strong point. Controls are only somewhat explained during gameplay, leaving the player to resort to the controls menu in order to figure out how to progress, and "shadow" encounters always resort in a loss of health, no matter how fast you tap the B4/10. The game opens with a somewhat mysterious storyline that is progressively explained throughout the game, which is the games only strong point. Controls are only somewhat explained during gameplay, leaving the player to resort to the controls menu in order to figure out how to progress, and "shadow" encounters always resort in a loss of health, no matter how fast you tap the B button, leaving players at their last check point. Gameplay progression is difficult even at the highest brightness setting due to padlocks in certain places not looking like padlocks, or crawl spaces looking like a wall or debris.… Expand
  4. meo5541
    Aug 5, 2012
    6
    Deadlight is a promising venture, and definitely deserved our attention upon release. Indeed, when the game begins you are right to believe you are in for a real treat. Unfortunately, what starts out as promising quickly turns into "yet another bleak platformer", which is a real shame because Deadlight deserves a lot more credit. Deadlight shines in some areas of another zombie infestedDeadlight is a promising venture, and definitely deserved our attention upon release. Indeed, when the game begins you are right to believe you are in for a real treat. Unfortunately, what starts out as promising quickly turns into "yet another bleak platformer", which is a real shame because Deadlight deserves a lot more credit. Deadlight shines in some areas of another zombie infested world. The art direction is quite strong, near beautiful at times. It looks like you are traversing a chapter of The Walking Dead. The feeling of urgency is conveyed well, whether it be due to attack of the horde, or a "friendly" chopper who thinks you're the enemy. The shooting mechanics of weaponry are strong and comfortable if you played Shadow Complex (and if you didn't why the heck not?!?). The musical score is fabulous and worth an mp3 purchase. You can easily kick back and listen to the dark lullaby the game sings out to you. It's hypnotic.

    Sadly, the enjoyment begins to fade away from the time you encounter your first axe - the game's only melee weapon. It's a clunky mechanic that has you knowing what you want to achieve, but if the animation wasn't done right, you'll find yourself completely missing or even pixel-jumping through zombies, being caught on the wrong side, and while your character turns with all the speed and grace of the Queen Mary, a zombie is tearing a chunk out of your neck. You eventually work out that combat just needs to be avoided, which is sad, because sometimes you really just want to hack into some walking corpses before they become too numerous.

    Jumping, too, can provide a high level of frustration. Often you'll be trying to scale a fence only to jump completely off it and to your death, or you'll be attempting to jump over zombies in a break neck sprint to overcome something chasing you, only for you to inexplicably clip one of the shadows and then end up in the clutches of the mob or gunned down by a helicopter baying for your blood.

    It really boils down to a frustrating experience. You know what you want to achieve, only to have to try X times before the mechanics agree with you.

    There is a lengthy sewer section in which you forget all about navigating through hordes of the undead and instead become Prince of Persia. Ledges, spike traps, circular blades... it's all there. And it feels so un-necessary.

    The levels that shine are oh so brief. A "safe zone" stadium, a quest to the hospital to fetch medical supplies... objectives which seemed to have so much promise but ultimately have you feeling flat because they end too abruptly.

    As does the entire experience. My completed game clocked in at 2 hours 56 minutes TOTAL game time, and that was with about 30-40 deaths.

    For 1,200 points, that's not good enough and left me feeling ripped off.

    Deadlight could have been a glorious game. Unfortunately it feels rush, lacks that last month or two of polish, and could really have benefited from a story that is more about ongoing survival rather than a few decent missions among the old "faithful" sewer levels.    … Expand
  5. HercuIes
    Aug 7, 2012
    4
    I will keep this short.
    Amazing graphics.
    Amazing atmosphere. Shocking length of gameplay. Shocking length of story (It ends abruptly. I thought I still had hours up my sleeve.) Voice acting is terrible sucks the believability out of the situation. The dialogue is shocking beyond belief. The control scheme is clunky. (It just doesn't quite work the way you want it to...intuitively)    I will keep this short.
    Amazing graphics.
    Amazing atmosphere.
    Shocking length of gameplay.
    Shocking length of story (It ends abruptly. I thought I still had hours up my sleeve.)
    Voice acting is terrible sucks the believability out of the situation.
    The dialogue is shocking beyond belief.
    The control scheme is clunky. (It just doesn't quite work the way you want it to...intuitively)
    A large portion of the level design at one particular point is jarring by comparison to the rest of the game and, as a result, becomes a struggle to enjoy.
    Shocking story in general. This game probably boasts the worst closing moments of a video game. Badly written. Nonsensical. And whole bunch of other bad words are all that can describe it.
    The achievements are not achievements...they are gifts.
    No replayability, you will collect everything on the first try because the game is that linear. There might be a couple of items you miss, (if you aren't a curious gamer) but a quick scene select at the end of the game sees you find 'said item' in a matter of minutes.
    1200 MP is over-priced for something that is under-delivered - This game needed to be twice as long at least.
    Puzzles are lame and easily solved...I'm not actually sure if, by definition, they can be called puzzles.

    Overall, this game is disappointing. I had such a big smile on my face when I started the opening levels. I even boasted it to my friends and showed them some of what I had already done.
    Within 20 minutes of actually playing the game properly I realised my mistake and the fact that arcade games on xbox live a non-refundable. Don't make the same mistake I did. Wait for this game to drop in price, or, better yet, wait for shadow complex 2...if it ever comes out.    … Expand
  6. dajhorn
    Nov 28, 2012
    6
    Deadlight is fun if you don't take it too seriously. It is a jump platformer with some zombie shooting that you can play through in less than a day. The visuals are very well done, but the story and acting are so bad that I'm not sure whether they are intentionally bad.
  7. capthavic
    Aug 2, 2012
    5
    Honestly....wait for a price drop. Things start out good with a very L4D feeling to the world and characters. Voice acting is decent although the main character, Randall Wayne, reactions randomly alternates between realistic and just plain bored. Gameplay is mostly solid with some light platforming and puzzle solving despite the sometimes wonky controls.

    Sadly, and perhaps fittingly,    Honestly....wait for a price drop. Things start out good with a very L4D feeling to the world and characters. Voice acting is decent although the main character, Randall Wayne, reactions randomly alternates between realistic and just plain bored. Gameplay is mostly solid with some light platforming and puzzle solving despite the sometimes wonky controls.

    Sadly, and perhaps fittingly, everything goes downhill as soon as you enter the sewers. Now as any fan of Spoony knows, sewer levels always suck...but apparently nobody told the folks at Tequila Works that info. Whoever at that studio thought it would be fun to send players through a gauntlet of trial-and-error death traps deserves a swift kick to the junk. There is simply no way to get through them your first time because they give zero margin for error, and you will have no way of knowing whats coming before it happens. Even if you happen to have the clairvoyance to know that the dual wall blades will come together instead of going in the same direction (like the previous visually identical pair you encountered!) you will still die constantly because Wayne only does what you want half the time. You have to be be perfect with timing your jumps or he will fall just short of a ledge he needed to grab. Oh and did I mention that Wayne can't swim....at all...instantly drowning in any body of water deeper than chest high. Even after you manage to drag yourself back to the surface these problems will hound you the entire remainder of the game. And that is what kills any enjoyment to be had here. What was a simple but fun zombie platformer action game just becomes a slog. You will die so often because of something you had no way of knowing would happen and given no time to react. It's not the good kind of challenge that comes from skill and mastery, it's just cheap deaths over and over until eventually figure out the one vague solution to move on. It really just starts to feel like artificial difficulty to pad the game out.

    As for the story the fact that its set in the mid 80's is barely touched on and hardly noticeable. The hidden collectibles offer some vague hints as to what caused the outbreak but its never really explained nor matters. And finally the ending was as predictable and stupid as the final segment leading up to it was frustrating.

    The ideas and beginning are pretty dang good, but is it worth paying $15? No. Wait for it to drop to $10 or (preferably) less. Or just play the free demo and leave it at that...    … Expand
  8. blognorg
    Aug 5, 2012
    5
    I'll start off by saying that it's not a terrible game, and a 5 by my standards is only moderately below average. I often enjoy games that I would call a 7, or even a 6. There is some enjoyment to be had in this game, but not much in my opinion. First off, the I didn't find the story compelling in the slightest. This is for several reasons. The whole zombie apocalypse has been done toI'll start off by saying that it's not a terrible game, and a 5 by my standards is only moderately below average. I often enjoy games that I would call a 7, or even a 6. There is some enjoyment to be had in this game, but not much in my opinion. First off, the I didn't find the story compelling in the slightest. This is for several reasons. The whole zombie apocalypse has been done to death, and the "spin" they put on it just didn't do it for me (i.e. calling zombies "shadows" doesn't add much). While the art itself was solid, I didn't care for the cutscenes. The comic book-esque, still-frame visual style clashed with the straightforward dialogue and it came off as a little cheesy. Also, I just didn't care for the main character; it couldn't sympathize with his plight, and his constant whining about his family annoyed me more than it instilled sympathy. The secondary villains weren't explained; they just seemed to be there for no real reason other than to give some variety to the enemy types and set pieces. A lot of the story felt like filler; it didn't really feel like a logical string of a events (save a few). Much of the game just seemed like a series of placeholders that the developers filled in hopes to change up the gameplay. And the story element suffered for it. Finally, I thought that the twist ending was laughable, but I'll spare the spoilers. I could live with that, though. I've enjoyed plenty of games where I didn't care about the story; my biggest qualm is the gameplay and design. For starters, I didn't care for the controls. They weren't necessarily broken; they were just unintuitive. For instance dropping down from a ledge in pretty much every game that I've ever played has been down and jump... not this game. That, by itself, doesn't seem like a huge issue, I know, but many things like that began to compound. Another thing is that ledge-grabbing was treated more like a prompt, rather than actually jumping and grabbing a ledge. In some instances, I would end up jumping underneath a ledge because I pressing a direction instead of standing right below it and just pressing jump. When you are hanging on a wall, you press jump to climb up, unless you are just switching to the other side, then you press right (or left). Again, this may seem benign, however there are parts in the game where that distinction is not always clear, and your life literally depends on knowing that. There are countless instances where I didn't feel my deaths were my fault, but rather because of an unintuitive, and slightly sluggish control scheme. I would like to preface this next section by saying there are a few clever puzzles and design choices, but it seems like for every one thing they did right, they did two things wrong. Something that annoyed me until the end of the game was the prompts and indicators. Everything from ledges, to doors, to almost everything you could interact with was highlighted in some way, even in some areas where they didn… Expand
  9. ca6
    Aug 9, 2012
    6
    It's a clunky game, I'd only recommend it if you've played through Shadow Complex and loved it and want something similar (yet not nearly as complete) while waiting for the sequel.
  10. Greenmember
    Aug 8, 2012
    7
    Deadlight is one of those games to come out that has so many things to love, but it's bogged down by a few shortcomings to make it truly great. The cut-scenes are of that of a moving graphic novel, somewhat similar to the InFamous series on PlayStation. While I like that it gets a little boring while telling the story, which is very interesting. The game goes along pretty well. While IDeadlight is one of those games to come out that has so many things to love, but it's bogged down by a few shortcomings to make it truly great. The cut-scenes are of that of a moving graphic novel, somewhat similar to the InFamous series on PlayStation. While I like that it gets a little boring while telling the story, which is very interesting. The game goes along pretty well. While I didn't go all out and beat it in one sitting, I did clock in 2 hours and 7 minutes with most collectibles by the end of the day that I bought it. The game is gorgeous though, it borrows a shaded feeling from 2010s Limbo and the platforming elements and slight graphical flair of 2009s Shadow Complex, which both are also xbl arcade games. There is a portion or two of the game that got really tedious as well, namely the underground part and some long running sequences. The score of the game, which lingers in the background is a beauty to behold when it does catch the ear. Overall I liked the game, but a 15 dollar price tag and limited play ability drag it down. There are some great moments to be had but this one might be better saved for "Deal of the Week" sometime in the future on Xbox Live.… Expand
  11. Xborn74
    Aug 5, 2012
    8
    Deadlight is an XBLA game, exclusive to Xbox 360, which costs 1200MS Points, being a game of platform, action and puzzle-Side Scrolling, with a basic concept of the gameplay comes from the old classic games like Flashback PC 1985, mixed with new concepts, inspired by Dawn of the Dead and its various sub-products such as the games Left for Dead and Dead Rising and TV series / comics likeDeadlight is an XBLA game, exclusive to Xbox 360, which costs 1200MS Points, being a game of platform, action and puzzle-Side Scrolling, with a basic concept of the gameplay comes from the old classic games like Flashback PC 1985, mixed with new concepts, inspired by Dawn of the Dead and its various sub-products such as the games Left for Dead and Dead Rising and TV series / comics like The Walking Dead.

    The story of the game is set in an alternative Seattle in 1986, in the 150th day after a patient zero of an epidemic that turns everyone into zombies. It begins with Randall Wayne (the protagonist, the tough guy style) killing a girl from a group of survivors that he belonged, because she had been bitten, and the game really begins when he separate from them, to try to find his family, amid what remains of a devasted world.

    In this world the zombies are called Shadows, and to top it off, still left new paramilitary forces, such as The Law, who makes its own laws and that such kills those who steal things from places where people died.

    The graphic style of the game is heavily inspired by comics and in games like Shadow Complex / Limbo: a narrative of the story is told in a series of cartoons in stop-motions, such as comic with gross traits and contrasting colors. The graphics in the gameplay where backgrounds are detailed, in depth, and very colorful, rich in detail and in itself the elements of the action, such as platforms, stairs and characters in the foreground, are often as dark shadows.

    Not always the contours of the elements are pefects and sometimes features have noticeable jaggies or coarser outlines, but the action shows motion capture was used in the movements of the game. The scenarios change perspective and undergo changes in accordance with the actions and what happens, and it's nice to see something of the background interact with you. Some objects you find have a pixelated look, if to give a retro look or not, I do not know.

    The objects that are found are displayed in mini-windows on the screen, and everything that can interact in the scenarios have a more clear and distinct boundary (when approaching them), although slight, which stresses that exploration you do - the same applies to portions of the scenario that does not seem to have anything at first sight.

    Audio: the game features a own nice soundtrack in the Menu that suits the game, and generally good performances and well deployed lines, with the voices very clear. The background sounds in general are in an atmosphere almost always silent, and increase the atmosphere of suspense that the game has, with noises of things falling, dripping water and grunts that make up much with the gameplay.

    The gameplay is of a platform game, like the classic Flashback, using the environment to progress in the scenarios of the three chapters of the game, killing enemies and surviving, and the movement is typical consisting of walking, running , duck, jump and climb things, having a slippery action, so to speak, as I mentioned in the reference game. At the top of the screen, we see two indicators, one life (a red cross), divided into segments and an energy (or stamina, if you prefer), blue, which get shorter with some actions, like hanging, running or beating enemies (as in I Am Alive), but that regenerates at rest - letting this end up in the middle of the action, can be fatal

    The game features several extras, such as pages from the diary of Randy, and photos from your album, which are hidden in stages, and beyond these collectibles that I mentioned, we also found 3 different mini-games that simulate on-screen 80's games, Donkey Kong style. We also have several weapons, the most basic the axe and the gun (in which uses the analog to point) - of course in addition, we can use different things in some scenarios to kill the zombies.

    Despite having an axe things are not so easy: it takes several blows, and even with the gun - if the shot is not accurate in the head, you must fight them, and 3 of them together can more than easily kill you... therefore, considering the number of enemies, the action is not always the best solution and should try to think and act with cunning. The life ends with the depletion of the bar mentioned above, or come in contact with something lethal, and the screen glows white, back to a checkpoint, usually at the beginning of the sequence of the current platform sequence.

    Summary: in the genre of platform / Puzzle is a great choice, among the best - think a mix of The Walking Dead, Shadow Complex and Limbo you have this game. An experience that is not as difficult as other recent games of the genre (even the Limbo or the very difficult War of the Worlds), but having a nice difficulty and gameplay that attach you to the end, being a pleasant experience. If you like games like those mentioned and the topic of zombie apocalypse / survival this is a game for you.    … Expand
  12. MajorTom03
    Aug 1, 2012
    9
    If you've read either WWZ or the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks you will love this game. I read the reviews from Game Informer and IGN and was set up for a disapointment. Thankfully it's a great game, very comparable to limbo in terms of gameplay mechanics, story and graphics (Deadlight is the winner in the graphics dept.) The story is well developed, especially the diary and theIf you've read either WWZ or the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks you will love this game. I read the reviews from Game Informer and IGN and was set up for a disapointment. Thankfully it's a great game, very comparable to limbo in terms of gameplay mechanics, story and graphics (Deadlight is the winner in the graphics dept.) The story is well developed, especially the diary and the controls while not incredibly tight (eg. Mario Bros.) are really not even close to as bad what everyone is b#!^*ing on about. Deadlight controls really well, it feels like an adult platformer.. which is what it is. Deadlight is a well developed, story driven, easy to play zombie survival game and contrary to popular opinion IT IS what the Zombie video game genre needs right now. If you're a mature adult with an attention span over 30seconds and a fan of the Slouching Masses, pick it up. For reference, because I fear this game might pass unnoticed because of the average reviews it's getting, I also consider Half Life, Portal and Battlefield 3 (Skateordie03 on xbox, come have a match) to be great games.… Expand
  13. BL42E
    Aug 5, 2012
    9
    Great game! I was a bit sceptical because of the low metascore, but I decided to download the trial anyway and was positively surprised. I really don't understand the low scores this game is getting. It has great atmosphere, agreat story and superb visuals.
  14. ActRaiser
    Sep 8, 2012
    6
    Basically a modern 2.5D (as they like to call it) platform game, very very similar to Limbo, Shadow Complex, and the Prince of Persia Remake.
    It's got great graphics with very detailed and lovely backdrops, with the obligatory zombies causing mayhem everywhere, although they are called Shadows in this (LAME!).
    The music is good too but the voice acting is poor to downright awful.. the    Basically a modern 2.5D (as they like to call it) platform game, very very similar to Limbo, Shadow Complex, and the Prince of Persia Remake.
    It's got great graphics with very detailed and lovely backdrops, with the obligatory zombies causing mayhem everywhere, although they are called Shadows in this (LAME!).
    The music is good too but the voice acting is poor to downright awful.. the graphic novel style, barely animated, cutscenes don't really work that well either, they are ok but they are not that well drawn or animated. Coupled with the crappy acting the presentation lets it down a bit (they bring to mind the godawful cutscenes from Renegade Ops on XBLA).

    But it's a playable game, and you will want to see it through to the end.. There are a few irritating parts and sometimes you can die and feel cheated, but overall it's solid.
    My overall playtime was 1 hour 57 in total but that doesn't count all the time dying and restarting from checkpoints. Also I went through the game again to get all the collectibles in order to 100% the game so that added another couple of hours.

    It's expensive yes, but if you don't mind splashing out the points for a weekend's entertainment then I recommend it, otherwise save your points for Mark of The Ninja instead.    … Expand
  15. saphari
    Aug 4, 2012
    7
    Maybe the best about Deadlight is its sound atmosphere. The graphics are okay-ish, like Limbo in realistic and with colors. Gameplay is thrilling in the beginning, but gets repetetive and later in the game there are a lot of trial and error scenes. Maybe therefore it's a good thing that the game only lasts two hours. Although I have to say that I found the story line compelling aboutMaybe the best about Deadlight is its sound atmosphere. The graphics are okay-ish, like Limbo in realistic and with colors. Gameplay is thrilling in the beginning, but gets repetetive and later in the game there are a lot of trial and error scenes. Maybe therefore it's a good thing that the game only lasts two hours. Although I have to say that I found the story line compelling about Randalls family.… Expand
  16. dustfurfaro
    Apr 20, 2014
    0
    Got this free as part of the recent Xbox Games for gold series, as I was not impressed to buy it first time around, and I still feel ripped off.
    Any game that you spend more time watching the loading screens than actually playing the game does not deserve a review, never mind a score.
    It feels that the only way to get through the game is trial and error, and lots of dying by    Got this free as part of the recent Xbox Games for gold series, as I was not impressed to buy it first time around, and I still feel ripped off.
    Any game that you spend more time watching the loading screens than actually playing the game does not deserve a review, never mind a score.
    It feels that the only way to get through the game is trial and error, and lots of dying by insta-deaths. There are quite a few health packs, but I have NEVER had to use one, as never been able to make it through a scene without being killed by a ridiculous scene.
    The combat is hit and miss, again killed by enemies attacking from your sides, your melee attacks passing through enemies. The stamina bar is just a nuisance, if there are more than a couple of enemies then your're more than likely going to die, as a couple of swings (that miss) and you just collapse in a panting heap, the taunt doesn't work for enemies more than a couple of meters away from you.
    Easy achievements, if you can force your way through it, but like I mentioned before, you'll more than likely be watching the loading screen a heck of a lot....    … Expand
  17. liz102me
    Aug 3, 2012
    10
    While the game obviously has some flaws, most of the bad reviews didn't get the picture. "Deadlight" actually is a REAL old school cinematic platformer. It's funny to see critics saying "out of this world" is a masterpiece but "deadlight" sucks, while they share the same premises.

    - "it's too linear, just a follow-the-path game". C'mon. Ain't seen a game more linear than "out of this    While the game obviously has some flaws, most of the bad reviews didn't get the picture. "Deadlight" actually is a REAL old school cinematic platformer. It's funny to see critics saying "out of this world" is a masterpiece but "deadlight" sucks, while they share the same premises.

    - "it's too linear, just a follow-the-path game". C'mon. Ain't seen a game more linear than "out of this world".

    - "pixel perfect jumps"; c'mon... OOTW was exactly the same. maybe even harder. - "too expensive". Well, I paid 2400 pts (16 euros or so) for OOTW. And keep in mind this was 20 years ago, deadlight is much longer, and there's a big crew of people on tequila works.

    - "too short". OOTW could be finished in less than 20 minutes, for christ sake. Without help of any kind, DL can take you 2'5 to 4 hours on the first playtrough. YES IT CAN. Keep in mind that each time you die time goes back to the checkpoint too. Anyone who says he finished it on less than 2 hours the first time without any help, is lying. We know this is a game where you die A LOT the first time you play.

    So that's my opinion. Critics didn't know what they had to review. Times have obviously changed, but if you've read any interviews or you've seen the developer diaries, the guys totally warned us; "this is a real old-school cinematic platformer". The problem is that some people didn't believe them.    … Expand
  18. Kuraditosin
    Aug 6, 2012
    7
    In all honesty Tequila has created something truly unique. XBLA game, 1200MSP. It's 90% enjoyment and 10% frustration. Deadlight can be characterized by the fact that it's worth more than the sum of it's parts. Zombies are the theme of hundreds of games and 2D sidescrollers have been done since the NES. But Deadlight is created within a 3D world in a 2D setting - the attention to detail isIn all honesty Tequila has created something truly unique. XBLA game, 1200MSP. It's 90% enjoyment and 10% frustration. Deadlight can be characterized by the fact that it's worth more than the sum of it's parts. Zombies are the theme of hundreds of games and 2D sidescrollers have been done since the NES. But Deadlight is created within a 3D world in a 2D setting - the attention to detail is astonishing, sometimes you have to stand still and die just to admire the small bits. The biggest flaws show themselves when in the tightest situations - the game asks for precision not achievable with the currently implemented controls. I mean the close quarters combat is satisfying - the man's a park ranger, not a serial killer, so it's only logical that he cannot take on a horde alone. On the other hand the clunky controls can be a real pain when outrunning a machinegun-totting chopper and having to memorize jumps. Which brings us to the last flaw - the game throws you into situations where you have to quickly cope with mechanics you might have not yet come used to. However the graphics are awesome, the characters are believable, story is great. I myself thoroughly enjoyed Deadlight. 1200MSP isn't all that much for a few hours of great entertainment in my eyes. If you like zombies, a stark setting, a surprisingly good story and sidescrolling, then you owe it to yourself to give Deadlight a go!… Expand
  19. SUPERFLY
    Aug 2, 2012
    6
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME..... YET! Deadlight has been released as part of the xbox live summer line-up for 1200 microsoft points.... and that's the problem! 1200 yes 1200 points for a game that provides approximately 2 and a half hours of gameplay from beginning to end. The game itself is great. It's Limbo style platforming with a dash of zombie shooting added to the mix, but that price isDO NOT BUY THIS GAME..... YET! Deadlight has been released as part of the xbox live summer line-up for 1200 microsoft points.... and that's the problem! 1200 yes 1200 points for a game that provides approximately 2 and a half hours of gameplay from beginning to end. The game itself is great. It's Limbo style platforming with a dash of zombie shooting added to the mix, but that price is outrageous. The only reason you'll go back to this game after finishing it is for collectibles you might of missed, or if you're into the speed run thing. Otherwise 2 and a half hours and that's it. Do yourself a favour and wait until the price drops to 800 points (even then I think you're paying top dollar). Good game, terrible rip off price.… Expand
  20. zenstar
    Aug 7, 2012
    8
    This game has a great style to it and is easy to pick up and play.
    Platforming action with a bit of fighting in a similar vein to this sort of game since the original PoP. There are a couple of frustrating sequences that will have you dying a bunch before you pull it off, but the checkpoint system is fairly forgiving.
    There are 3 chapters to the story and the game will probably take you    This game has a great style to it and is easy to pick up and play.
    Platforming action with a bit of fighting in a similar vein to this sort of game since the original PoP. There are a couple of frustrating sequences that will have you dying a bunch before you pull it off, but the checkpoint system is fairly forgiving.
    There are 3 chapters to the story and the game will probably take you about 4 hours to complete (maybe a little less if you're skilled / rush through without looking for secrets, or a little more if you take your time) with a little more time added if you hunt 100%.
    The first chapter slowly introduces all the possible actions (jumping, running, rolling, etc) and then they start mixing in hordes of zombies and traps and collapsing buildings and helicopters chasing you down while shooting at you. Generally you're better off if you can sneak around the zombies or trick them into grouping up and then hopping over them and running, but sometimes you just have to break out your axe or pistol.. but fighting makes up a very small portion of the game.

    Knock this down to a 7 if you're not a fan of this kind of game, but fans of this genre will enjoy it as a fun, dependable game.    … Expand
  21. hallei
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    Went against the reviews, played the trial, bought the game. Great atmosphere, solid story, amazing visuals. Having a blast with the game. Worth checking out!
  22. wesker2012
    Aug 2, 2012
    6
    Cool, original game concept, great atmosphere, very immersive, but game is too short. Could have been fleshed out a lot more.
  23. Pericles83
    Aug 30, 2012
    8
    The graphics are good, the puzzles are fun to solve, the story is nice (nothing special), the controls are solid, i had no problems during the game. If you liked games like Limbo and Shadow Complex, there is a good chance you will love this one.
  24. TheDesertFox
    Sep 7, 2012
    8
    La summer of arcade continua con un titolo attesissimo da tutti gli appassionati di platform e zombie. Dopo averlo provato, nessuno di loro potrà dirsi insoddisfatto.
    Deadlight ci catapulta in una Seattle post-apocalittica datata 1986, dove un'epidemia ha trasformato tutta la popolazione in ombre assetate di carne umana. Noi interpreteremo Randall Wayne, uno dei pochi sopravvissuti    La summer of arcade continua con un titolo attesissimo da tutti gli appassionati di platform e zombie. Dopo averlo provato, nessuno di loro potrà dirsi insoddisfatto.
    Deadlight ci catapulta in una Seattle post-apocalittica datata 1986, dove un'epidemia ha trasformato tutta la popolazione in ombre assetate di carne umana. Noi interpreteremo Randall Wayne, uno dei pochi sopravvissuti all'epidemia, che durante la ricerca della propria famiglia è costretto suo malgrado a dividersi dal gruppo di cui faceva parte e a continuare da solo le proprie peregrinazioni, con tutte le difficoltà del caso. La storia viene raccontata tramite schermate statiche che potrebbero essere paragonate alle tavole di un fumetto, dipinte a pastello e dai toni scuri decisamente azzeccati, molto simili alle pagine di The Walking Dead, opera da cui il titolo trae largamente e palesemente ispirazione.
    Terminate le cut scene che fanno da cappello introduttivo alle nostre avventure, verremo catapultati in un mondo 2D a scorrimento laterale splendidamente caratterizzato in cui dovremo vedercela con un cospicuo numero di creature da affrontare con mezzi esigui: per lungo tempo non avremo nessun tipo di arma e solo più tardi riusciremo a mettere le mani su di un'accetta ed una pistola. Anche se avremo a disposizione qualche arma in più, il titolo non si trasformerà mai in uno sparatutto o in un action perché le munizioni della pistola saranno limitatissime e da usare con estrema parsimonia, mentre invece l'utilizzo dell'accetta consumerà la nostra forza fisica, costituita da una barra che potrebbe lasciarci in balia delle ombre se consumata del tutto nel momento meno opportuno. I nemici andranno sconfitti spesso con l'astuzia o, nei casi peggiori, scappando a gambe levate e come in The Walking Dead i non-morti, come al solito, non saranno gli unici da cui guardarsi. Le fasi platform si alternano in maniera fluidissima a fasi in cui dovremo superare dei puzzle ambientali, utilizzando le nostre scarsissime risorse, le nostre doti atletiche o ciò che l'ambiente circostante ci mette a disposizione. Spesso, anche il suono della nostra voce utilizzata per attirare le ombre potrebbe fare la differenza fra la vita e la morte.
    Le meccaniche di gioco di Deadlight non offrono quindi nulla di nuovo al giocatore, ma alcune sue peculiarità lo rendono uno dei migliori live arcade dell'anno: innanzitutto la direzione artistica è di primissimo livello: la grafica,curata fin nei minimi dettagli, rende perfettamente l'idea di un mondo ormai allo sbando ed in decadimento. Gli eventi scriptati che ci accompagnano lungo tutta la durata dell'avventura ed alcune chicche stilistiche come il controluce tramite il quale viene sempre mostrato il protagonista non fanno che rafforzare questa idea. Da questo punto di vista, Deadlight ricorda moltissimo Limbo, che non muoveva centinaia di migliaia di poligoni, ma riusciva a calare perfettamente il giocatore nell'atmosfera voluta dagli sviluppatori.
    Altro punto di forza è la caratterizzazione psicologica del protagonista Randall Wayne, resa con intelligenti stratagemmi quali la sua voce fuori campo, che ci rende partecipi dei suoi pensieri o alcuni suoi flashback e sogni che rafforzano il legame tra giocatore e protagonista spingendoci ad aiutarlo nella disperata ricerca della sua famiglia. Anche i comprimari, per quanto siano spesso semplicemente di passaggio hanno una caratterizzazione molto forte. Basti pensare al "ratto", che a un certo punto della narrazione ci mostrerà la sua "dimora".
    La nota dolente della produzione di Tequila Works, risiede nella longevità. Il titolo può essere infatti portato a termine in 3/4 ore e gli stimoli a rigiocarlo non solo moltissimi, dal momento che oltre ai 3 mini giochi che saranno resi disponibili col procedere dell'avventura, i collezionabili, come le pagine del diario di Randall o le carte d'identità di alcuni degli abitanti di Seattle si riescono a raccogliere abbastanza agevolmente già al primo giro, perciò i 1200 microsoft point richiesti per il download del titolo per alcuni potrebbero sembrare decisamente troppi.
    Per tutti gli amanti di platform 2D, zombie, ed in generale per tutti coloro che vogliono vivere un'avventura dal forte feeling cinematografico il titolo, però, è caldamente consigliato.
    Voto: 8/10 (www.videogiocare.org)    … Expand
  25. Ririco
    Aug 3, 2012
    9
    I am proud to have bought Deadlight at launch, to be part of making this great game a success! Totally worth the ride! Deadlight is captivating, poetically beautiful, suspenseful and creative. The game play is well balanced, zombies are sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying... A true adventure. The critical path of the story may seem short but truthfully, there is reason to go back in,I am proud to have bought Deadlight at launch, to be part of making this great game a success! Totally worth the ride! Deadlight is captivating, poetically beautiful, suspenseful and creative. The game play is well balanced, zombies are sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying... A true adventure. The critical path of the story may seem short but truthfully, there is reason to go back in, when you see all the relics not found in the first pass racing through, the journal and retro mini games, It is a rich and well designed game. I fully recommend it.… Expand
  26. TravisFinn
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    This is definitely the best arcade game of the summer! Amazing visuals, challenging puzzles and complex and strategic gameplay, Deadlight is a game that os worth your time!
  27. Pampalini
    Apr 24, 2014
    9
    I got this game from Games with Gold membership and it was very nice game. I liked the graphics, atmosphere and gameplay. It could be more longer. I did not enjoy all my weapons and skills at such short gameplay. Anyway still very good game...
  28. sdwillie
    May 3, 2014
    0
    No problem giving this a zero. Zeroes are earned, and this game definitely deserves it. Most people bump games for visuals, sound, story(if there is one) and other pointless crap, but I have two criteria: is it fun and would I recommend it. Nothing about deadlight is fun, and I can't think of any circumstances under which I'd recommend it to anyone. Hence, Zero. Top off no fun withNo problem giving this a zero. Zeroes are earned, and this game definitely deserves it. Most people bump games for visuals, sound, story(if there is one) and other pointless crap, but I have two criteria: is it fun and would I recommend it. Nothing about deadlight is fun, and I can't think of any circumstances under which I'd recommend it to anyone. Hence, Zero. Top off no fun with bad graphics/sound/gameplay/story/acting... I don't know how anyone could give this trash a high score. Except xbox magazine, since they have little choice (and no credibility).… Expand
  29. TheNutman69321
    May 17, 2013
    6
    Pretty good game for killing an afternoon. Unfortunately that's about all the fun you'll get out of it as it is criminally short. You'll have the entire game and achievements done in about 4 hours. I would have given it an 8 or 9 if it wasn't so short. Wait for a price drop if you're going to get it.
  30. Iky009
    Feb 3, 2014
    7
    Good game..............................................................................................................................................................
  31. Cinemachine
    Feb 16, 2013
    8
    This game is one of the best I've played on the xbla in a while. If you are looking for that old feel of RE or SH then pick this up. The gameplay and environment are very well done and you become immersed almost immediately. The story is standard and written well enough, the end is a little weak, but overall, I was able to look past that seeing how much fun I had playing. It's pretty shortThis game is one of the best I've played on the xbla in a while. If you are looking for that old feel of RE or SH then pick this up. The gameplay and environment are very well done and you become immersed almost immediately. The story is standard and written well enough, the end is a little weak, but overall, I was able to look past that seeing how much fun I had playing. It's pretty short (I beat in 3 and half hours) but I only did that because I didn't want to stop playing.

    It does have a harsh price of 1200 pts, but I recommend you check this game out.    … Expand
  32. drlowdon
    Apr 6, 2015
    5
    Deadlight is a 2d platformer set in post apocalyptic world in which zombies (or ‘shadows’ as the game calls them) and gangs of crazed humans roam the land. Right from the start the setting, and indeed the plot, aren't even remotely interesting or original but in terms of gameplay the game does seem to get things right. Traversing the environment at speed avoiding the enemies and obstaclesDeadlight is a 2d platformer set in post apocalyptic world in which zombies (or ‘shadows’ as the game calls them) and gangs of crazed humans roam the land. Right from the start the setting, and indeed the plot, aren't even remotely interesting or original but in terms of gameplay the game does seem to get things right. Traversing the environment at speed avoiding the enemies and obstacles using a neatly introduced moveset is initially good fun despite the finicky controls. Unfortunately things soon become bogged down with dull puzzles, trial and error sections that will kill you instantly (resulting in a 10 second loading screen) and sections for which the controls are simply not precise enough for.

    There is some enjoyment to be found here but overall there are too many frustrations for me to recommend it and, even with its short 4 hour running time, I’d had enough of Deadlight by the time the end credits rolled.    … Expand
  33. Harryhausen
    Dec 3, 2014
    3
    graficos muito bonitos, mas os controIes são PÉSSIMOS, vc vai se irritar MUITO com esse jogo!! os puzzIes são simpIes demais, ou então exigem que vc faça uma EXATA sequencia de movimentos que ficam super dificeis com os controIes do jogo nao respondendo direito, EVITE A TODO CUSTO!! NAO JOGUE ISSO NEM DE GRAÇA

    cooI graphics, but the controIs are terribIe, cIumsy, making the game    graficos muito bonitos, mas os controIes são PÉSSIMOS, vc vai se irritar MUITO com esse jogo!! os puzzIes são simpIes demais, ou então exigem que vc faça uma EXATA sequencia de movimentos que ficam super dificeis com os controIes do jogo nao respondendo direito, EVITE A TODO CUSTO!! NAO JOGUE ISSO NEM DE GRAÇA

    cooI graphics, but the controIs are terribIe, cIumsy, making the game unpIayabIe sometimes,,,, and the puzzIes are terribIe    … Expand
  34. poklane
    Mar 25, 2015
    6
    Deadlight is fun if you don't take it too seriously. It is a jump platformer with some zombie shooting that you can play through in less than a day. The visuals are very well done, but the story and acting are so bad that I'm not sure whether they are intentionally bad.
  35. Kriostyx
    May 10, 2014
    0
    At first I was really hopeful about this game. The graphics and the visual design seemed interesting and thought provoking. Most of the first act is even..... almost passable gameplay-wise. The game has a melee axe mechanic that very simply sucks monkeyfu*k as The Nerd would put it. And you are expected to fight quite a lot of enemies with that axe. The gameplay itself is pretty identicalAt first I was really hopeful about this game. The graphics and the visual design seemed interesting and thought provoking. Most of the first act is even..... almost passable gameplay-wise. The game has a melee axe mechanic that very simply sucks monkeyfu*k as The Nerd would put it. And you are expected to fight quite a lot of enemies with that axe. The gameplay itself is pretty identical to Flashback from the SNES, but worse. The clunkyness cripples the experience and you should be prepared for the charactet to simply jump in vain in place when you try to make him reach a ladder, or jump forward in the same situation. The level design starts as almost passable and very quickly becomes terrible, full of obstacles the control scheme just cannot hack. The checkpoint system is broken in many instances, especially in chase scenes that are not only half-impossible, but are also so buggy that the game simply makes the scene *actually* unbeatable (I'm looking at you helicopter chase inside a multi-storied building). The further you go, the more infuriating the levels and sequences get, you reach a point where you realize that you are slogging trough a terrible ass game that copies story points from The Walking Dead. A promising title that kills itself on terrible controls and a masochistic level design. It really feels that the levels were made for some other game. Absolute sh*t. Do not buy.… Expand
  36. HaloFever
    Apr 25, 2014
    6
    Deadlight is barely on the good side of games worth playing and games not worth playing. The look of the game is gorgeous. Though the gameplay is 2-D, the world has deep 3-D depth and a high level of detail. Many AAA titles lack this level of polish. The gameplay is traditional wall jumping platforming descended from the original "Ninja Gaiden" and the excellent NES Batman game. However,Deadlight is barely on the good side of games worth playing and games not worth playing. The look of the game is gorgeous. Though the gameplay is 2-D, the world has deep 3-D depth and a high level of detail. Many AAA titles lack this level of polish. The gameplay is traditional wall jumping platforming descended from the original "Ninja Gaiden" and the excellent NES Batman game. However, the animations are overdone, and the player character is slow to respond to commands. The player character is also rather tiny in the world where ledges and platforms can be difficult to see.

    The meat of the game is actually not so much the frustrating platforming controls so much as the melding of the story with the presentation of the gameworld. And this is where the game really stumbles. The voice work is overdone and except for the voice of the player character, the voice work is terrible. The old man in particular seems to be voiced by someone reading the script for the first time. The motion comic cutscenes add to the problem, because staring at still images lets you think about the moribund length of the dialogue. I am never a fan of motion comic cut scenes, however, as I would prefer all elements of a game be playable in the game's engine.

    The story and gameplay also take a turn for the worse in the middle of the game as the player character enters an extended sewer level. Why do games present a rich, living world only to sour it with a sewer level? Sewers just aren't fun. Stop putting them in games. The sewer highlights the game's worst flaw, loading screens. Everytime you stumble and die, whether carelessly or unintentionally because of the sluggish controls, you have to endure a minute long loading screen. A third of the game is spent in loading screens. The brutal loading screens slow the running and platforming sequences to a crawl and disincentivize replays. Seems to me that instead of reloading the level, the game should just move the player character from his position of death back to the last checkpoint. A game with no loading screens would be more fun, and fun is good.    … Expand
  37. MartinREYNA99
    May 6, 2014
    2
    Just a few games stink like this one, besides it´s extremely confusing it needs a good story, just another crappy zombies games but this one´s in 2D, and that makes it more crappy. Hate it since the beginning.
  38. youlouz
    Mar 15, 2015
    7
    This game is very fun, however it gets a little boring toward the end, and is surprisingly realistic for a cartoon game. Definitely worth playing! worth the money, but I wouldn't put this game at the top of your shopping list.
  39. Bajo19
    May 17, 2015
    8
    Another game that I didn't know what to expect. Arcade so you know that this game will not be anything special. Surprise, surprise after a while story got better and when I finished it ending was so good.
  40. dragosbuzz
    Jun 19, 2015
    8
    Deadlight is, mechanically speaking, most similar to the classics Prince of Persia and Flashback, with some elements of the original Oddworld titles.This is a retro zombie horror-show game and I love it. In my opinion the graphics and the styling look and feel very good even if it's played on old school 2D platforming.
  41. Broyax
    Apr 6, 2017
    0
    C'est du gâchis d'utiliser le moteur Unreal pour sortir un jeu jouable uniquement en 2D... et vilain de surcroît. Un pseudo-jeu aussi limité que répétitif, sa jouabilité bancale est d'une rare imprécision, résultat du pseudo-travail fourni par une bande d'incapables : les nombreux bugs peuvent en témoigner. Bref, ça ne vaut pas un pet.
  42. CloudStrife05
    Aug 19, 2021
    8
    A zombie, side scrolling game that took me by surprised on how well it was done.

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 79 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 79
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 79
  3. Negative: 5 out of 79
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 29, 2012
    70
    Strong atmosphere in an extremely stylish platformer is spoiled by some frustrating parts and overall shortness but yet Deadlight is definitely worth trying. [Oct 2012]
  2. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    60
    Deadlight is an amazingly beautiful game. The combination of a simplistic foreground and incredibly detailed backgrounds is breathtaking. However, the gameplay isn't as elaborate. It relies heavily on trial and error, especially in the second half of the game. This made the game both frustrating and boring.
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  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 14, 2012
    73
    Delivers good story with oppressive atmosphere combined with stunning 3D visuals on 2D action spiced with great music, but trips over stiff gameplay and repetitive puzzles. [Sept 2012]
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