MISERY
" Atmospheric co-op survival with dynamic maps and base building but plagued by performance issues "
MISERY Review
MISERY is a survival co-op game blending elements from STALKER, DayZ, and Lethal Company, offering a unique experience of exploring a procedurally generated, post-apocalyptic world with base-building mechanics. Players start expeditions with limited time to loot before returning to their bunker to avoid deadly emissions. The map size is moderate, with randomized points of interest that evolve over time, enhancing replayability. The atmosphere and setting receive consistent praise for capturing a bleak Soviet vibe, complemented by creative enemy designs and anomalies.
However, the game is still rough around the edges, with notable bugs, performance issues, and janky gunplay affecting immersion. Inventory management and UI clunkiness also detract from the experience. Multiplayer suffers from server instability and limited social features like banning or reporting trolls. Despite these flaws, many players find the gameplay loop addictive, especially with friends, and appreciate the developer's active updates and roadmap. Overall, MISERY stands as a promising title with strong foundations but requires polish and additional content to fully realize its potential.
Highlights
Players praise MISERY's atmospheric world, which faithfully recreates the STALKER vibe with eerie anomalies and hostile environments. The randomized map layouts and evolving points of interest keep exploration fresh and engaging. Base building is satisfying and adds depth to the survival loop. The game's soundtrack and sound design enhance immersion, while the multiplayer co-op mode is highlighted as a fun, social experience. Additionally, the developer's active involvement and planned updates inspire confidence in the game's future growth.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include frequent bugs, such as weapon glitches, save file issues, and lag spikes due to memory leaks. The gunplay is described as janky, with awkward animations and suppression effects that hinder combat fluidity. Inventory management is cumbersome, and UI elements can feel clunky. Multiplayer connectivity problems and lack of moderation tools lead to disruptive player behavior. Some players find the game loop repetitive and lacking in endgame content, with limited enemy variety and static loot locations reducing long-term engagement.
Pros
- • Atmospheric world captures the bleak Soviet post-apocalypse vibe perfectly.
- • Procedurally generated maps with evolving points of interest keep gameplay fresh.
- • Satisfying base building mechanics add meaningful progression.
- • Creative and varied enemy and anomaly designs enhance challenge and immersion.
- • Addictive gameplay loop that encourages exploration and survival tactics.
- • Multiplayer co-op mode provides a fun social experience with friends.
- • Developer actively updates the game and listens to community feedback.
Cons
- • Performance issues including memory leaks cause FPS drops over time.
- • Gunplay is clunky with awkward animations and frustrating suppression effects.
- • Inventory management and UI are cumbersome and need improvement.
- • Multiplayer suffers from server instability and lack of moderation tools.
- • Save system has bugs leading to lost progress and corrupted files.
- • Limited endgame content and repetitive map chunks reduce long-term appeal.
- • Enemy AI is basic and some anomalies behave unpredictably or unfairly.
Rating Criteria
MISERY is a 1–5 player co-op survival game set in a nuclear disaster zone. Here, every day is a struggle: search radioactive ruins for resources, build your bunker, craft weapons, and explore a weird, procedurally-generated world with your friends. Beware of anomalies, monsters, and armed bandits.