Red Tears: Angola Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-08-31
  • Fun and engaging gameplay
  • Solid and weighty gunplay
  • Strong atmosphere and immersion
  • Lacks content and unfinished
  • AI needs significant improvement
  • Performance issues and stutters
Red Tears: Angola header

Emotions

Archetypes

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

Review evidence

Why players say this

Steam review verdict

Fun, engaging gameplay with weighty gunplay and immersive atmosphere, though it feels unfinished with thin content, weak AI, and performance stutters.

What players like

Gameplay is fun and engaging: Players consistently describe the game as fun, engaging, and enjoyable from the start. The core gameplay loop is praised as solid and satisfying.

Gunplay feels solid and weighty: The gunplay is highlighted for its satisfying weight, punchy sound, and good handling feel. Weapon animations are also noted as amazing and detailed.

Animations are high quality: Players praise the animations as phenomenal, good, and fluid, contributing to an immersive experience. This includes weapon operation and takedown moves.

Open world sandbox is fun: The game is described as a fun sandbox with an open world that offers fantastic action. The gorgeous retro-feel open world and day/night cycles add to the experience.

Game has great potential: Reviewers note the game has a lot of potential and is ambitious, with a great foundation for early access. Many are surprised by how many mechanics are already implemented.

Common complaints

Game lacks content: Multiple reviews describe the game as bare bones, light on content, and scarce in gameplay variety. This suggests the game feels incomplete and repetitive, with too few weapon types and a thin sandbox.

AI needs improvement: Enemy AI is criticized for seeing through walls and bushes, having terminator vision at long range, and face-rushing the player without taking cover. Friendly AI is also poor, and overall AI aspects need more work.

Game is unfinished: Reviewers call the game raw, undercooked, buggy, and alpha at best, with typical alpha bugs like physics clipping. Many feel it is too rough for early access and a premature release.

Ammo capacity too low: The character can only carry 40-60 rounds of ammo, making running out of ammo a major problem. This forces heavy reliance on stealth, which is difficult due to lack of cover.

UI is poor: The UI is described as hard to read and as bad as slamming your head into a brick. It needs more work to be usable and clear.

Gameplay and performance

Far Cry inspired gameplay: The game draws heavy inspiration from Far Cry 2 and adds mechanics from newer Far Cry titles. It features stealth, planning, and intense gunfights with poor visibility.

Open world sandbox game: The game is described as an open world sandbox with a large map and base capture objectives. Players can engage in random skirmishes across the map.

POW capture system: Instead of a game over, players can be captured and must escape. They wake up stripped of gear and tied up in enemy camps, then sneak or fight their way out.

Early access proof of concept: The game is currently in early access and serves as a proof of concept, developed by a solo developer. This indicates a limited but promising scope.

Unique healing mechanic: Healing involves digging shrapnel out of arms and bandaging, adding a gritty, realistic survival element. This is a distinctive feature compared to typical FPS healing.

Performance issues and stutters: Multiple clusters report stuttering, lag, and occasional crashes, indicating performance problems. These issues range from random second-long stutters to general lag and crashes.

Game is buggy: One cluster explicitly mentions the game being in a buggy state, which aligns with the performance issues reported elsewhere. This suggests overall instability and lack of polish.

Recommendations

Worth buying overall: Multiple reviewers recommend purchasing the game, citing it as a worthwhile purchase. This positive sentiment is consistent across several clusters.

Recommended for Far Cry 2 fans: Reviewers who enjoyed Far Cry 2 suggest this game is a good fit, recommending it to fans of that title. This indicates a strong appeal to a specific audience.

Wait for price drop: Some reviewers advise waiting for a price reduction before purchasing, suggesting the game may not be worth its full price. This indicates a value concern among certain players.

Must-play for sandbox fans: The game is described as a must-play for fans of open world sandbox games, highlighting its strong appeal to that genre's enthusiasts. This is a high recommendation for a specific audience.

Good for stealth action fans: Reviewers recommend the game to fans of stealth action open world games, indicating it satisfies that niche. This suggests the game's mechanics align well with stealth gameplay expectations.

Buying context

Game completion: 4.0h.

Player profiles

Far Cry 2 Veteran: Stealth-oriented open world exploration, with attention to mechanics and content depth. Motivation: To relive the sandbox stealth action of Far Cry 2 in a new setting. Stance: sale.

Open World Atmosphere Seeker: Slow exploration, taking screenshots, appreciating day/night cycles and environmental storytelling. Motivation: To explore a detailed, atmospheric open world and capture memorable moments. Stance: buy.

Multiplayer Enthusiast: Wants to engage in multiplayer modes, possibly co-op or PvP. Motivation: To play with others and have a shared experience. Stance: sale.

Other review notes

Frequent Far Cry 2 comparisons: Many reviewers compare the game to Far Cry 2, often calling it a clone or noting its strong influence. This suggests the game closely follows the Far Cry 2 formula.

Homage to Far Cry 2: The game is seen as paying homage to Far Cry 2, with its Heart of Darkness theme and DNA. This is a key aspect of its identity.

Early access with updates: Reviewers note the game is in early access and receiving updates, indicating active development. This is a common point of discussion among players.

Active developer engagement: The developer is described as very active, listening to feedback and implementing ideas, such as adding a hardcore option. This positive interaction is appreciated by the community.

Comparisons to STALKER and Far Cry: Some reviewers compare the game to both STALKER and Far Cry series, suggesting a blend of survival and open-world elements. This helps set expectations for potential players.