Dinoblade Review Summary

Dinosaurs with swords make for fun Souls-like combat, but janky unpolished gameplay and bugs make it not worth the price.

Dinosaurs with swords appeal: The core concept of dinosaurs wielding giant swords and engaging in combat is considered cool, metal, and peak cinema. This unique hook is a major draw.

Souls-like with dinosaurs: The game is frequently called a Souls-like with dinosaurs, a combination that players find excellent and a great mix of genres.

Fun and enjoyable gameplay: Many reviews state the game is simply a lot of fun, bringing joy and being one of the most fun experiences in a while.

Satisfying parry mechanic: The parrying system is frequently highlighted as crisp, smooth, and very satisfying. It creates engaging battles and is a key part of the fun combat.

Great combat system: The combat is described as good, smooth, and cool, with good customization and a satisfying Souls-like feel.

Janky and unpolished gameplay: Many reviews describe the overall gameplay as clunky, choppy, and rough. The movement, animations, and camera lack fluidity, making the game feel unrefined and buggy.

Not worth the price: Players widely feel the game is overpriced for the amount of content delivered. They specifically mention it is not worth $20 due to its short length and incomplete state.

Bugs and glitches: Players encounter various bugs and glitches that affect gameplay. The jankiness and choppiness are frequently attributed to these technical issues.

Poor combat mechanics: Combat is heavily criticized for feeling stiff, inconsistent, and unresponsive. Specific issues include terrible combat feel, wonky mechanics, and a lack of satisfying feedback.

Uneven boss difficulty: Boss difficulty is inconsistent, with early bosses being too easy while the final bosses are artificially difficult. Some boss phases feel unfair and out of place.

Dinosaur sword fighting concept: Players are excited about the core concept of dinosaurs, particularly a Spinosaurus, wielding giant swords in combat. This unique visual and gameplay hook is the most frequently mentioned positive aspect.

Soulslike combat with dinosaurs: The combination of Soulslike or Sekiro-like gameplay mechanics, such as parrying, dodging, and stamina management, with a dinosaur protagonist is a highly praised and distinctive feature. Players specifically enjoy the blend of challenging combat and the dinosaur theme.

Unique boss designs: Players appreciate that boss fights are distinct, with unique designs and attack patterns. The bosses are described as intimidating and offer different combat approaches, which adds variety and challenge to the game.

Boss rush mode desired: Players express a strong desire for a boss rush mode, either as a core feature or as an unlockable after completing the game. This suggests they find the boss fights highly replayable.

Summon system for bosses: The ability to summon previously defeated bosses for a single attack and a buff is a well-received mechanic. It adds strategic depth and a sense of progression.

Mixed performance across hardware: Performance varies widely, with some players reporting smooth 90-120 FPS on low settings while others get only 30 FPS on minimal settings. High-end PCs can achieve 70-75 FPS, indicating uneven optimization.

Frequent frame drops and stutters: Many players experience frame drops, stuttering, or choppiness in various scenarios, including boss fights, open world exploration, and certain areas. Adjusting settings helps but does not fully resolve the issue.

Crashes and freezes during play: Players report freezes during loading screens, charge attacks, parries, and mid-battle shader reloads. Mini crashes occur in open areas, and some save-related crashes have been observed.

High GPU usage and resource consumption: GPU usage is high, exceeding 80% even at lowest settings and remaining elevated when minimized. Players worry about component strain, especially on ultra settings.

Ability-related performance drops: Certain abilities, such as a roar in snow areas or particle effects during combat, cause significant FPS drops for a second or two. The final boss also triggers lag when many effects appear.

Recommended for soulslike and dinosaur fans: Many reviews recommend the game specifically to fans of soulslike games and dinosaurs, highlighting the niche appeal of combining these genres.

Strong general recommendation: A number of players give the game a strong recommendation without specific conditions, often using phrases like 'highly recommend' or '100% recommend'.

Not recommended in current state: Several reviewers advise against playing the game now due to bugs or incomplete features, suggesting to wait for updates before purchasing.

Buy on deep sale only: Some players suggest the game is not worth full price and should only be bought at a deep discount, around $5-$10.

Recommended for dinosaur enthusiasts: Some reviews humorously recommend the game to players who love dinosaurs or even want to become one, emphasizing its dinosaur-themed appeal.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00.

Game completion: 4.0h.

Story completion: 4.0h.

The game provides initial fun through its unique concept, but after that novelty fades and progression becomes repetitive and basic, causing enjoyment to drop.

Friction: clunky combat; repetitive regular enemies; basic progression system; lack of exploration; bugs (restart after boss).

Genre Newcomer: Cautious exploration, grinding for upgrades, learning basic parry and dodge mechanics. Motivation: Experience the souls-like genre through an approachable, dinosaur-themed adventure. Stance: buy.

Souls Veteran: Mastering parry/dodge, seeking challenging bosses, exploring efficiently, optimizing builds. Motivation: Enjoy a competent souls-like with a unique dinosaur twist that respects genre conventions. Stance: buy.

Solo Dev Supporter: Tolerant of jank, focused on the novelty and passion behind the game. Motivation: Support a solo developer's creative vision and encourage indie game development. Stance: buy.

The game runs well on high-end hardware (16GB+ VRAM) and mostly acceptably on mid-range (12-15GB VRAM), but lower-VRAM systems (<8GB) and some mid-range (8-11GB) experience significant performance issues, with mixed results on the latter.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. Most players recommend the game, reporting decent performance with occasional stutters, freezes, and FPS drops in specific areas, but overall playable.

Windows <8GB VRAM: negative. Performance is poor, with reports of horrible optimization, frame drops, and crashing, even though players still recommend the game for its gameplay.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: mixed. Reports are split; some experience smooth performance with minor issues, while others suffer from constant freezes, FPS drops, and settings not affecting performance.

Steam Deck: The game receives mixed Steam Deck feedback. While some users appreciate the built-in controller support and decent performance, others report performance issues (crashes, low FPS) on Linux/Steam Deck and criticize the UI and control responsiveness. Overall, the experience is playable but requires patience with interface optimization and potential performance tweaks.

Linux and Proton: Reports indicate mixed performance on Linux/Steam Deck. One user experiences crashes and poor performance blamed on Linux, while another reports smooth performance on Steam Deck. A suggestion for improved FPS on Steam Deck implies room for optimization, but the game is generally playable for some users.

Long term player following: A player reports having followed the game since its first post, indicating long-term interest and investment in the project.