Graveyard Keeper

I bought this game last weekend and have since spent 44 hours on it, while still working (and keeping) a full time job. Addictive and fun game. I've run into a few bugs (such as not being able to pick up an object) but nothing game ending. I can't say the game feels unfinished to me at this point. There are a few awkward phrasings here and there, but in my opionion they add to the charm. I'm loving this game so far :)

This is very grindy game, which is both a good and a bad trait, depending on personal preference. It looks good, sound is ok. Story and writing are fantastic, but translation may be a bit underwhelming. There are a good chunk of references to many different things, which is always welcome. Characters are absolutely great, for the most part. There are a lot of downsides, though. Crafting is inconsistent, and by that I mean strange design decisions. Some crafting stations come with recipes, some are not, despite not having any benefits from such a choice. Ingame database is something that should be in game nowadays. Darker humour is definitely not for everyone. DLCs are pricey, but absolutely necessary for understanding the plot, and ending heavy implies that both at least 1 DLC and sequel will be released. Gameplay may become a chore in the late game, especially with slow refugees camp buildup. But overall, I enjoyed it more than not.

Quite a fun game that gives you plenty to do. It's kinda like a darker themed stardew valley in terms of doing odd jobs for villagers to gain reputation with them, upgrade your property and explore the map and mines. I think the only thing I don't like is how much time you have to spend walking from crafting areas and between properties, as well as some NPCs only being available on specific days which means you have to wait a while to get some things done. I'm not all the way through the game and I've got a few zombies helping me out but sometimes I wish I had a lil' skateboard or something to zoom around on.

It could be called Chore Keeper because you're mostly just constantly collecting basic resources to craft increasingly more complex parts in an upgrade progression loop system. It's one of those games that feels like you're just playing a spreadsheet because there's little to no wiggle room or freedom to go outside the box (spreadsheet) of resource collecting and upgrades. Go here, collect wood, break down wood into parts, rest for stamina, use parts to make other parts, rest for stamina, need more wood for new upgrades and unlocks, collect wood, break down into parts, rest for stamina, make new parts, collect stone, collect iron, and on, and rest, and on, and rest, and on....

Graveyard Keeper is a good game, with an unnecessary amount of grind that never gets easier. Even as you progress the upgrades you get do not speed things up too much, there is no way to travel fast around the map other than little shortcuts or TP stone which has a cooldown. The biggest problem with the game for me is lack of transport for items that you need a lot of. Not to mention items on the ground never despawn which cause problems later on if you accidentally cut a tree in town and now have to drag it all the way to your house. This game has the potential to be better than stardew valley since there is far more in this game to do, however, it needs a good bit of quality of life updates.