Dysmantle
Table of Contents
Dysmantle took me by surprise. I picked up the game after my tonsillectomy surgery because I wanted a game I could get lost in and distract myself from the pain while recovering. The game says you’re in for a long adventure and I didn’t think much of it. Since then, I have put in a ton of hours to complete this game. I love this survival, action-adventure video game.
ABOUT DYSMANTLE
Dysmantle is a post-apocalyptic open-world action RPG where you can break down almost every object you encounter.
After emerging from your shelter after many years, you find yourself in a world inhabited by nasty and vile creatures. There are no other humans to be seen, and nature has reclaimed its place.
Your goal is to find a way to escape the wretched island, but in the meantime, you can enjoy the bittersweet apocalypse.
Dysmantle is a game for players who enjoy exploring, crafting, and fighting. It is a unique and challenging post-apocalyptic experience that will keep you entertained for hours.
THE GAMEPLAY
I like the isometric perspective in Dysmantle. It gives the game a dungeon-crawl vibe with combat to match. It feels like you are playing a Diablo game with basic combat controls and it works fairly well most of the time. Sometimes I appreciate simplicity and that is what you get here.
I did have a couple of issues. The first issue is visibility. In most isometric games, the wall, ceiling, or whatever else that gets in the way of your character’s view will disappear or become transparent. This does not happen in Dysmantle which can make combat and navigation troublesome.
The second issue is the lock-on mechanic. I could not figure out the logic behind lock-on. The lock-on occurs automatically sometimes and may or may not target what you are going after. Once locked on, it can be hard to disengage. Sometimes lock-ons work better than other times. I just couldn’t figure it out.
THE STORY
Something bad has happened and you appear to be the sole survivor. However, you are accompanied by several different types of monsters that want to eat your bones. This is post-apocalyptic so you need to find supplies and craft items.
“This is an automated recording sent from K23, the Crown Station.“
You’ll hear this quote quite often. There are tape recordings spread throughout the map and this call sign plays at the end of every recording. The Crown Station appears to have quite a bit of insight into what happened. It’s up to you to make sense of it all.
The story plays out through these tape recordings along with environmental clues. The story kept me engaged and intrigued throughout the entire playthrough.
SURVIVAL-LITE
Dysmantle is a survival video game. Gathering supplies, crafting, and building are all staples found in survival video games. However, the video game does a great job of finding a balance between the time spent on surviving and surviving.
You don’t have to worry about food or water. However, there are recipes for dishes that you can cook to improve your character. These are helpful when enemies become more difficult as you progress.
You’ll need to spend some time collecting supplies but it’s quite fun. You can destroy just about anything for supplies and destroying stuff doesn’t take long. You’ll get some handy tools later in the game to speed up the process.
AS IT SEE IT
Dysmantle got me through a tonsillectomy. I needed a game to get lost in and keep myself distracted. I tried Dysmantle on a whim and fell in love with it rather quickly.
The problem that I have with most survival games is that they are too open and too long. Dysmantle is the perfect blend of open, survival, crafting, storytelling, and gameplay. I’d call the video game a survival-lite and for good reason.
The combat is not the best and there are some minor issues. However, they are not big enough to negatively impact my experience with my playthrough.
I love Dysmantle. I hope the developers consider making a second video game in the series.
