Akupara Games, the publisher behind other indie titles like Little Bug and Whispering Willows, released Desert Child on December 11, 2018 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, marking the Australian developer Oscar Brittain’s first standout game. Desert Child, a self-proclaimed RPG racer, takes place in a futuristic world with cyberpunk influences. Players assume the role of a hoverbike rider and ramen enthusiast. The main objective is to reach Mars and compete in the Grand Prix on the red planet, aiming to become the best motorcyclist in the universe. The game’s primary—and almost sole—mechanic involves race sections with a mix of shooting and obstacle dodging.
The story doesn’t go beyond what I’ve already explained. There are basic interactions with NPCs, but nothing truly compelling to motivate players beyond the desire to reach Mars. These NPCs can be found on the city streets and in accessible shops. However, like much of this game, the conversations seem to prioritize being cool, modern, and hip, resulting in cringe-worthy lines rather than meaningful content. In addition to hoverbike races, players can explore the environments, buy and sell items, upgrade their vehicle, and repair it. However, everything feels rather superficial, lacking an engaging element as it should. It all depends on how much the player enjoys racing because that’s all they’ll be doing throughout the game.
Desert Child is disappointingly easy, adding to the monotony of the races. It took me about three hours to reach the underwhelming ending of the game. The replay value, at least for me, is very low, as you are already repeating the same thing countless times during gameplay. My only desire after completing the campaign was to never have to play another race in this universe again.
Both the soundtrack and the graphics reveal the game’s major issue. The creator dedicated so much time to these two aspects that it seems they forgot the main point of a game: what should be played. Desert Child resembles more of a portfolio piece for a pixel artist or musician than a complete game. The soundtrack is incredible. All the songs fit well—for instance, during a pizza delivery section, the music reflects the task and becomes comically enjoyable—and create an atmospheric experience, while the sounds are well-mixed to fill the environment. The graphics are beautiful, with vibrant and striking colors, quirky animations, and detailed sprites. Desert Child boasts a truly unique style that aligns with the game’s creative philosophy.
Desert Child appears to be the result of a fundamental misunderstanding of the medium of video games. Oscar Brittain dedicated all their resources to creating something aesthetically appealing but failed to realize they were lacking the most basic aspect needed to make a good game: gameplay. After all, an ugly game can be saved by good gameplay, but a game with poor gameplay will never be redeemed by its beauty.
4/10 — Bad
A download code was kindly provided by Akupara Games for this review. How do our review scores work?
Originally reviewed on December 24, 2018.
Games in Orbit 
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