The WhatsNext verdict
If you enjoy eccentric sci-fi, striking robot art, and games that constantly change genre, The Desolate Hope offers a genuinely unusual journey. Expect repetition, opaque systems, and rough combat around the edges.
What it does best
A striking retro-futurist visual identity
Three game genres woven into one strange adventure
Music that deepens the lonely sci-fi mood
What might put you off
Repetition and grinding can wear down the unusual premise
The systems are under-explained and sometimes awkward
The setup
What you are walking into
The Desolate Hope mixes several gameplay styles. On the station and in the simulations, the game is a platformer. You will shoot enemies, collect powerups and bits (money) and upgrade yourself and your virtual battlers. When you enter a mini-simulation (the old arcade style screens) then the game becomes an 8-bit overhead dungeon crawler. There you can farm money and gain options to customize your battle experiences. When you encounter a virus boss, the game shifts to a JRPG style battle where you must use the mouse to select from your various options to defeat your opponent. Almost everything outside of these battles is aimed at upgrading your abilities and increasing your stats for these fights, they are the real challenge of the game.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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