Have A Nice Death Review: A thrilling and fast-paced near-death experience

Have A Nice Death combines elements from popular games such as Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, and Hades, creating a mash-up game. It can best be described as an action platformer, but the inspirations from Metroidvanias and roguelikes are clear. This is an ambitious idea and many mechanics to make work, but Magic Design Studios delivers and had me dying for more.

Combat

As an action platformer, Have A Nice Death's combat and movement are front and center to the game—and the charming title combines the two and makes them fun. Many of Death's attacks can propel him in different directions, allowing you to move about the stage fluidly. There are numerous options to choose from and various builds you can make. This makes dying enjoyable, as you can see what works for you and then change up your arsenal for the next run. My only complaint is that you can get locked into certain combos, leading you to be easily punished for a poorly placed attack.

Have A Nice Death's worlds are divided into different departments and are procedurally generated with a boss at the end. These contain various enemy types that reflect the environment and world they are in. You see professional-looking enemies close to Death's headquarters, but the enemy variety changes as you explore new worlds. This keeps the game fresh, forces you to learn new attack patterns, and changes your attack strategy. This is true of the bosses and mini-bosses as well. Each enemy you encounter telegraphs their moves, allowing you to learn them and counterattack.

Score: 4.5/5

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Progression

Progression is an important area for Metroidvanias and roguelikes, and this department feels somewhat lacking in Have A Nice Death. While you gather an arsenal of weapons, cloak abilities, curses, upgrades, and more, it all feels overwhelming. Combine this with the various types of currency and terms, and it is hard to keep track of everything in the game. This becomes increasingly more apparent as you get further in the game.

While leveling up and unlocking new gear feels good, it adds to the staggering number of systems you need to know. Health is broken into three separate bars, determining total health, remaining health, the health you can regain, and health you need a special item to regain. This same principle is applied to many of Have A Nice Death's systems. Reducing the number of systems could lead to fleshing out the ones that work, like gaining new combat abilities and creating a stronger gameplay experience.

Score: 3/5

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Art Style

The art in Have A Nice Death stands out, resembling something out of a Pixar movie or a popular cartoon. The drab colors work well with the theme and make the splashes of color stand out more. Backgrounds are visually appealing but not distracting, allowing the characters to shine. Death is adorable, and many characters mention his change from a sinister appearance to his new shortened look. I would like to see a bit more color just to add variety to the stages, but overall the muted color scheme is perfectly suited for the game.

The enemy design stands out as well. Bosses are delightful to fight, visually and strategically, and show their influence in Death Inc.'s various departments. Enemies are varied in appearance, reflecting the environments they are found in. But despite the varying departments and designs, it all flows together, and nothing feels out of place. Charm pours out of Have A Nice Death's aesthetics and stays throughout the experience.

Score: 4.5/5

Story

Have A Nice Death creates an interesting narrative, constructing death and dying as a corporate business with Death as CEO. He is tired of his job from being overworked and growing weary of the responsibility, leading to Death allowing his employees to take over. This drives the plot as Death must put his overzealous employees back in line and restore order. Turning this common idea on its head by playing as the CEO is a bold risk, but it pays off in Have A Nice Death.

Each interaction with Death's employees gives more information about the world and puts a humorous, if not cynical, twist on the world and its issues. This can be hit or miss, as some jokes come across as crass and insensitive, but ultimately the story doesn't take itself too seriously and provides an enjoyable ride. There is also an underlying mystery that becomes apparent the deeper you get into the game and the possibilities of multiple endings.

Score: 4/5

Verdict - Have A Nice Death hits many of the marks when blending genres

Have A Nice Death has an ambitious premise when it comes to gameplay. Besides a few easily overlooked missteps, it successfully combines roguelike features, tight platforming, and fast-paced and fluid combat. It is sometimes overwhelming due to the number of features and systems to keep track of, but once you get sucked in, the experience is a delight. Magic Design Studios wraps all this up in a cheerfully somber art style and humorous story that makes each run thrilling and worth playing.

For more information on Have A Nice Death, check out Is Have a Nice Death a roguelike? and Does Have a Nice Death have controller support? on Pro Game Guides.