Sights & Sounds
- Outside of the character portraits, the game's visuals are done entirely in voxels. I wasn't a fan at first, but they grew on me over time
- The voice acting was way above expectations. Pretty much every character is voiced well and feels unique
- The soundtrack was also a nice surprise. I kinda liked seeing if I could getting the rhythmic sound of the HOVA (your hovercar) to sync up when it kicked in
Story & Vibes
- The story of the main game is pretty good, but it really feels like your actions have no actual consequences unless you also have the City of Ghosts DLC, which is a bummer
- Beyond the decision points barely mattering, I did enjoy the plot, mostly because of the interesting and well-written characters. In addition to driving the plot along, they're all well-rounded, complex, and not without depth
- Camus is a very good boy
- Though the plot does get pretty dramatic at points, I found flying around all the neon lights to be pretty cozy
- If you're a staunch capitalist, you're gonna hate this game. Just a warning. Those who aren't will find the social commentary insightful and often very funny
Playability & Replayability
- Be advised that this is a heavily story-focused game. You just drive around and talk to people while sometimes making decisions that don't affect the story. If you're looking for exciting gameplay, this isn't it. There aren't even any puzzles
- That said, the HOVA controls are pretty good once you get the hang of them. If the driving were unbearable, this game would be pretty rough
- There's some collectathon elements (it is an open-world game after all), but they're just for extra lore
- I don't know if I'll do a replay (especially because I've already played the DLC), but I'm not totally opposed to revisiting it for achievements
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Choices mattering requiring the DLC is really a letdown for people who only have the base game. It's still an enjoyable game, but those who don't pony up the extra cash will be missing out on a lot story-wise
- I was blown away with how well this game ran on the Steam Deck. Compared to other, similar games (looking at you, Sable), Cloudpunk is incredibly well-optimized for a portable experience
Final Verdict
- 7/10. There's a lot to like about Cloudpunk, but the lack of consequences is certainly disappointing. I know the DLC fixes that, but that's an additional expense that some may be unwilling to pay. Still, though, the excellent writing, great voice acting, and interesting characters make it a worthwhile experience. I'd suggest waiting for the bundle to go on sale
- Outside of the character portraits, the game's visuals are done entirely in voxels. I wasn't a fan at first, but they grew on me over time
- The voice acting was way above expectations. Pretty much every character is voiced well and feels unique
- The soundtrack was also a nice surprise. I kinda liked seeing if I could getting the rhythmic sound of the HOVA (your hovercar) to sync up when it kicked in
Story & Vibes
- The story of the main game is pretty good, but it really feels like your actions have no actual consequences unless you also have the City of Ghosts DLC, which is a bummer
- Beyond the decision points barely mattering, I did enjoy the plot, mostly because of the interesting and well-written characters. In addition to driving the plot along, they're all well-rounded, complex, and not without depth
- Camus is a very good boy
- Though the plot does get pretty dramatic at points, I found flying around all the neon lights to be pretty cozy
- If you're a staunch capitalist, you're gonna hate this game. Just a warning. Those who aren't will find the social commentary insightful and often very funny
Playability & Replayability
- Be advised that this is a heavily story-focused game. You just drive around and talk to people while sometimes making decisions that don't affect the story. If you're looking for exciting gameplay, this isn't it. There aren't even any puzzles
- That said, the HOVA controls are pretty good once you get the hang of them. If the driving were unbearable, this game would be pretty rough
- There's some collectathon elements (it is an open-world game after all), but they're just for extra lore
- I don't know if I'll do a replay (especially because I've already played the DLC), but I'm not totally opposed to revisiting it for achievements
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Choices mattering requiring the DLC is really a letdown for people who only have the base game. It's still an enjoyable game, but those who don't pony up the extra cash will be missing out on a lot story-wise
- I was blown away with how well this game ran on the Steam Deck. Compared to other, similar games (looking at you, Sable), Cloudpunk is incredibly well-optimized for a portable experience
Final Verdict
- 7/10. There's a lot to like about Cloudpunk, but the lack of consequences is certainly disappointing. I know the DLC fixes that, but that's an additional expense that some may be unwilling to pay. Still, though, the excellent writing, great voice acting, and interesting characters make it a worthwhile experience. I'd suggest waiting for the bundle to go on sale