DeathSpank Reviews

Now that DeathSpank is available on PSN (and possibly on Xbox Live, too, ahead of schedule), it comes as no surprise that several day-one reviews are up on the web.

GamesRadar gives it an 8/10:
If you've played any Diablo-style RPG and any Monkey Island-style adventure and enjoyed them, you know you'll like DeathSpank. It's a hilarious and seamless combination of the two genres more than worthy of your 15 bucks and a couple weekends of your time.

GamePro gives it a 4/5:
Even with its occasional missteps, DeathSpank is a wholly enjoyable action-RPG experience that packs a charming, and surprisingly lengthy adventure worthy of its fifteen dollar price-tag. While there are still threads of its abandoned episodic nature in the woodworks, they'll (hopefully) only serve as an excuse for Gilbert and/or Hothead to someday re-visit the outrageous armor-clad avenger. DeathSpank is simply too fun a character not to.

IGN gives it an 8.5/10:
If you like sweet loot, hacking things to death, looking at beautiful landscapes and laughing at good writing, you might want to pick up DeathSpank. However, although the game shines in many areas, it does have its flaws. Questing can turn into a noticeable chore, and I would have gladly substituted some of the (go fetch) missions in favor of some more brainteasers. Still, DeathSpank is a fun adventure worth exploring.

Kotaku doesn't provide a score:
DeathSpank is a nerdier gamer's delight. If you can't stand fantasy or jokes about quest logs, go away. If you can't get over how un-nutritious it is to keep playing a game out of loot lust, find something more innovative. If you want to look at lots of gray and brown graphics, ignore this hero and his purple thong. If you want to have fun and laugh and just keep bashing through Orques and stoopid chickens, download and play DeathSpank. And cheer with me that the game ends with an interesting tease for a very different sequel.

Eurogamer gives it a 6/10:
When the curtain falls DeathSpank feels like something of a disappointment, but there's undoubtedly a market for the end product. If you like your loot-'em-ups, and you're looking for something humorous and a bit different, this is clearly the game for you. Just don't expect it to sparkle in the way which many, myself included, hoped that it would.

1UP gives it a "B":
Despite my litany of annoyances earlier, I really like playing it simply because it's so refreshing. Purely as an action-RPG, it's a competent game with a few significant flaws in the name of simplicity/accessibility, but as an experience, it shines with humor and wit all over, and makes me hopeful for an improved sequel.

And VideoGamer gives it a 7/10:
DeathSpank's mishmash of genres is definitely entertaining at first, but it never manages to live up to its appealing concept. It's trying to combine the best parts of two beloved genres, but in doing so it creates a product that's not as good as either. Each of its component parts has been produced with a keen eye and a loving touch, but the overall product is lacking. The bumbling hero might have plenty of things to see and do, but you'll probably have had your fill long before the game comes to any sort of conclusion.