Wasteland 3

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Wasteland 3 are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics praised the game for its engaging and memorable story, with meaningful choices that have far-reaching consequences. COGconnected commends the game for successfully balancing wackiness with serious moments, while Game Informer highlights the constant and meaningful choices that ripple through the game's dystopian, post-apocalyptic world. The story is described as compelling, well-written, and gritty, with a good balance between comedy and serious storytelling, according to GameGrin. The narrative is also praised for its depth and compelling characters, as mentioned by GameSpace. The story's complexity and branching system, which adjusts based on player actions and conversations, are lauded by Screen Rant. The Indie Game Website appreciates the unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre, with a focus on deities, iconography, and factions vying for power. Despite the overwhelmingly positive sentiment, there are a few critics who do not delve into specific negatives. However, some critics do mention that the story primarily revolves around building the Ranger Base, as noted by TheSixthAxis. While this aspect rewards engagement and weaves gameplay and narrative together, it may not appeal to all players seeking a more traditional narrative structure. In conclusion, the majority of critics found the story of Wasteland 3 to be very good. The game's narrative is praised for its depth, compelling characters, and meaningful choices. Critics appreciate the balance between serious storytelling and wackiness, as well as the game's ability to fill in the lore for newcomers. The unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre, with its focus on deities, iconography, and factions, is also highlighted. The story's complexity and branching system, which adjusts based on player actions and conversations, contribute to the overall positive reception. While there are some mentions of the story primarily revolving around building the Ranger Base, this aspect is generally seen as a positive integration of gameplay and narrative. Overall, the story of Wasteland 3 is highly regarded by critics, making it a standout aspect of the game.

The majority of the critics praised the gameplay of Wasteland 3, considering it to be very good. They highlighted several positive aspects of the gameplay, including the turn-based tactical combat that rewards strategic thinking and smart decision-making. Critics such as COGconnected and GameSpace specifically mentioned the deep focus on positioning and the variety of choices and moral dilemmas that can affect the game's world. The combat was described as engaging, intense, and diverse, with well-balanced difficulty and a variety of viable combat options. The game also offers a high level of freedom and player choice, allowing for unique skill choices, character customization, and multiple ways to approach quests and assignments. The Indie Game Website praised the absorbing skill-based and combat-based squad customization, while TheGamer appreciated the seamless transitions between combat and non-combat situations. Overall, the positive feedback from the critics indicates that the gameplay of Wasteland 3 is a major strength of the game. However, there were some criticisms and negative aspects mentioned by a few critics. CGMagazine and PC Gamer both mentioned that the game's interwoven systems can sometimes feel clunky, which may impact the overall experience. Impulsegamer also mentioned encountering bugs during their playthrough, which affected their enjoyment of the gameplay. LaPS4 highlighted AI issues that impacted the overall experience. Additionally, PC Gamer mentioned the lack of control over animal sidekicks and NPCs, which could be frustrating for some players. While these criticisms do exist, they were mentioned by a minority of the critics and did not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the gameplay. In conclusion, the overall consensus of the critics is that the gameplay of Wasteland 3 is very good. The majority of the critics praised the turn-based tactical combat, strategic depth, and engaging battles. The game's focus on player choice, freedom, and customization was also highly appreciated. While there were some criticisms regarding clunky systems, bugs, AI issues, and lack of control over certain aspects, these were mentioned by a minority of the critics and did not overshadow the positive feedback. Overall, the gameplay of Wasteland 3 is considered a major strength of the game, offering an enjoyable and rewarding experience for players.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Wasteland 3 are quite diverse. Several critics, such as Cubed3 and GameSpace, praise the visuals and visual design of the game. They highlight the crisp and cold snowy areas, cool designs on clothing and robots, and the attention to detail in the backdrop. The ability to customize the appearance of characters is also appreciated. IGN mentions that Wasteland 3 looks significantly better than its predecessor, with special up-close animations and a visually appealing overworld map. The Indie Game Website also emphasizes the unique aesthetic and ecosystem of each location, as well as the animated conversation scenes. However, there are some negative opinions regarding the graphics and visual design of Wasteland 3. CGMagazine and COGconnected express disappointment in the visuals, with CGMagazine stating that they are not particularly impressive and COGconnected mentioning that they feel dated. COGconnected also criticizes the janky animations in the game. Impulsegamer notes that while the game is visually appealing, some characters look rough around the edges. Xbox Achievements mentions that while the art style is visually appealing from a distance, flaws become more apparent up close. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics, such as GameGrin and Screen Rant, consider Wasteland 3 to have seen significant improvements in performance and visuals, others, like CGMagazine and COGconnected, find them underwhelming or dated. However, the majority of critics appreciate the attention to detail, unique aesthetics, and customization options in the game's visual design. The critics' opinions also highlight the improvements made in comparison to previous titles in the series, as well as the game's ability to represent the post-apocalyptic world and environments effectively.

The opinions of the critics regarding the sound design and music of Wasteland 3 are generally positive. CGMagazine, Cubed3, GameGrin, The Indie Game Website, TheSixthAxis, LaPS4, PlayStation Country, and Xbox Achievements all highlight the strong voice acting in the game. They mention that the voice performances bring the characters to life, add believability, and enhance the immersive experience. IGN and Screen Rant specifically praise the folksy songs in the game, with IGN calling them excellent and entertaining. Xbox Achievements also mentions that the music, both licensed and original, is a standout feature that sets the tone and timing perfectly. However, there are some critics who have negative opinions about certain aspects of the sound design and music in Wasteland 3. IGN points out that the framerates tend to tank during key battles when the folksy songs play, which can be a technical issue that affects the overall experience. Player 2 mentions that some sound effects and background music feel out of place, which can potentially disrupt the immersion of the players. PlayStation Country criticizes the humor in the game, stating that it is over-reliant on being crude, which may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music in Wasteland 3 are strong and enhance the overall experience of the game. The voice acting is consistently praised for its quality and its ability to bring the characters to life. The variety of the soundtrack, including folksy songs and atmospheric music, is also well-received by the critics. However, there are some minor issues mentioned, such as technical problems during key battles and certain sound effects feeling out of place. Despite these criticisms, the positive aspects of the sound design and music outweigh the negatives, making it a notable aspect of Wasteland 3 according to the majority of the critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Wasteland 3 are overwhelmingly positive. CGMagazine, COGconnected, GameGrin, GameSpace, IGN, PC Gamer, Player 2, Screen Rant, The Indie Game Website, TheSixthAxis, LaPS4, PlayStation Country, Xbox Achievements, and Xbox Tavern all praise the voice acting in the game. They highlight various aspects of the voice acting that contribute to its strength. Critics such as IGN and TheSixthAxis mention memorable moments and solid voice performances that enhance the overall experience. PC Gamer specifically praises the mocapped performances and expressive interactions of major characters. The Indie Game Website and LaPS4 emphasize how the voice acting brings the characters to life and makes the story more accessible. These positive opinions indicate that the voice acting in Wasteland 3 is a standout feature that adds depth and believability to the game. While the overwhelming majority of critics have positive opinions about the voice acting in Wasteland 3, there are no specific negative opinions mentioned by any of the critics. This suggests that there are no major flaws or issues with the voice acting that stood out to the reviewers. The absence of negative comments indicates that the voice acting in Wasteland 3 is consistently strong and well-executed throughout the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Wasteland 3 is exceptional. The positive opinions from various critics highlight the strength of the voice performances, the improvement in audio quality compared to previous entries, and how the voice acting complements the writing and enhances the overall experience. The unanimous praise for the voice acting indicates that it is a standout aspect of the game and contributes significantly to the immersion and enjoyment of the players. The positive consensus from the critics solidifies the notion that Wasteland 3 has achieved excellence in its voice acting.

In terms of the technical performance on PC, there were mixed opinions among the critics. Some reviewers, such as Cubed3 and GameGrin, praised the game for its smooth performance and significant upgrades in visuals and audio. These positive remarks indicate that the game runs well on most PCs and provides an enhanced gaming experience. Additionally, IGN mentioned that Wasteland 3 has fewer bugs compared to its predecessor, which suggests that the developers have made improvements in this area. However, there were also critics who pointed out technical issues on PC. COGconnected mentioned long load times and stuttering, but believed that these issues would be addressed in future patches. Game Informer acknowledged the presence of bugs and technical issues, but considered them forgivable and not detrimental to the overall experience. On the other hand, Game Rant highlighted severe game-breaking bugs in co-op mode and smaller bugs in the main campaign, along with long loading screens and menu diving. Strategy Gamer also mentioned technical issues, including bugs that cause HUD elements to vanish and long load times, which could be discouraging for players. Moving on to the PlayStation 4 platform, the critics were mostly critical of the technical performance. Digital Chumps and Digitally Downloaded both mentioned severe bugs, crashes, and long load times on the PS4 version of the game. Gamers Heroes specifically criticized the co-op mode, describing it as a buggy mess with frequent crashes. LaPS4 noted occasional longer loading times, although the overall performance was generally good. PlayStation Country highlighted various bugs, crashes, animation loops, sound bugs, and prompts not disappearing, recommending players to save often. Push Square acknowledged a janky experience with bugs and crashes, but mentioned that post-launch patches have improved stability. These negative reviews indicate that the PS4 version of Wasteland 3 suffered from technical issues that significantly impacted the gameplay experience. Regarding the Xbox One platform, the critics had a mixed opinion on the technical performance. Gaming Age mentioned some issues with bugs, particularly unresponsive NPCs, but overall, the experience was fairly smooth on an Xbox One X. Xbox Tavern criticized longer loading screens and the inconvenience of fast traveling due to loading times. Xbox Achievements, however, heavily criticized Wasteland 3 for frequent crashes, bugs, long load times, and other technical issues that significantly impacted the gameplay experience. These mixed reviews suggest that the performance on Xbox One varied among different players and consoles. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wasteland 3 had a mixed technical performance across different gaming platforms. While some reviewers praised the game for its smooth performance, significant upgrades, and fewer bugs compared to its predecessor, others criticized the presence of severe game-breaking bugs, crashes, long load times, and other technical issues. It is worth noting that some critics acknowledged that patches and future updates could potentially address and improve these technical issues. However, the overall sentiment leans towards a more negative perception of the technical performance, particularly on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms.

The opinions of multiple videogame reviewers regarding the replay value of Wasteland 3 are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics, such as COGconnected, Game Informer, Game Rant, and Noisy Pixel, highlight the game's deep character progression, multiple story branches, and accessible leveling features, which contribute to its high replayability. They emphasize the ability to make different choices and experience various endings, making each playthrough unique. The game's vast multitude of endings, estimated 80-100 hours of gameplay, and likable characters also add to its replay value, as mentioned by GameSpace, IGN, and The Indie Game Website. On the negative side, TheSixthAxis points out limitations in co-op conversations that make it difficult to follow the story and missions, which could potentially hinder the replay value for players who prefer co-op gameplay. Additionally, PlayStation Country mentions that the game's incredible depth and wide range of skills may overwhelm some players, although this could also be seen as a positive aspect for RPG enthusiasts looking for different playthrough experiences. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wasteland 3 offers a significant amount of replay value. The game's multiple ways to approach story beats, encounters, and endings influenced by player choices, as highlighted by Game Rant and IGN, contribute to its high replayability. The ability to create unique characters, make interesting choices, and the inclusion of a 2-player co-op mode, as mentioned by PC Gamer and Screen Rant, further enhance the game's replay value. The majority of the critics agree that Wasteland 3 is a game worth revisiting, with its deep character customization, variety of choices, and consequences leading to different playthroughs, as stated by PlayStation Country and Xbox Achievements. Overall, the positive sentiment regarding the replay value of Wasteland 3 is evident from the opinions of the critics.