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About Dearend
Dearend is a strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by AI. Developed by KUROSAWA CREATE and released on PC in February 2026, it blends base-building mechanics with tactical combat. Players control a former soldier and a humanoid girl as they navigate a fractured landscape filled with hostile machines and scarce resources. The story focuses on their bond and survival against a backdrop of moral choices and environmental hazards. While not an action game in the traditional sense, it emphasizes resource management, strategic positioning, and dialogue decisions that shape the narrative. Its indie pedigree shows in its minimalist visuals and experimental design, appealing to fans of thoughtful survival strategies.
Gameplay
Dearend revolves around managing a mobile base while engaging in turn-based combat against AI enemies. Players scavenge materials to upgrade defenses, allocate energy between systems, and assign roles to their two main characters. Combat feels methodical: the soldier uses ranged attacks and traps, while the humanoid girl hacks machines or heals allies. Each encounter requires balancing offense and resource conservation, as overextending leads to rapid defeat. Between battles, the world shifts dynamically, forcing players to adapt routes and strategies. The game’s pacing mixes tense decision-making with slow exploration, often stretching sessions into 45-minute+ blocks. Controls are clunky at times, but the system’s depth rewards careful planning.
What Players Think
Community ratings sit at 6.8/10, with 38% of players completing the main story. Average playtime is 19 hours, though 25% of reviews mention repeated deaths extending sessions. Positive feedback highlights the "creepy AI design" and "meaningful dialogue choices," while critics call it "slow and punishing." The mood is split: 45% describe it as "hauntingly atmospheric," while 30% find it "frustratingly opaque." Achievement data shows 12 trophies, with 67% of players earning the "Base Master" title for full upgrades. Critic scores average 71, praising narrative ambition but noting gameplay inconsistencies.
PlayPile's Take
Dearend is a niche pick for strategy fans who enjoy slow-burn survival mechanics and ambiguous storytelling. At $39.99, it offers decent value for its 20-hour runtime, though completion isn’t guaranteed. The 12 achievements add replayability, but the steep learning curve may alienate casual players. If you appreciate games that prioritize atmosphere and tactical depth over action, give it a shot. Just be prepared to retry missions multiple times, its difficulty is as much a feature as a flaw.
Game Modes
Single player
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