Cruelty Squad Critic Reviews

A furious shout at the hypercapitalism currently infesting our society has created one of the year’s most compelling video games. Cruelty Squad completely reinvents the FPS playbook, introducing plenty of new ideas under a neon-flecked haze of dystopian aesthetics.

Make no mistake, this game is the definition of niche appeal. Its visuals are ugly in a way that is not just visually repellent but deeply unsettling. Its world and lore are in turn, confusing, disturbing, and sickening. Playing its soundtrack above a certain decibel level probably constitutes a war crime. Yet the game demands attention all the same. It's brilliant, disturbing, and endlessly fascinating. I'm painfully aware that not everyone will love Cruelty Squad as much as I do, but those that love it will love it with abandon. For me, it's a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Cruelty Squad celebrates feeling bad in surprising ways, all of them fun.

I’m not even sure if I enjoyed it, I just couldn’t look away. It’s like being trapped in a burning circus; it’s a little terrifying, but you can’t help enjoying yourself. There’s something awe-inspiring about having all these terrible little facets come together into a cohesive package. So, I guess I recommend playing it?

Deliberate efforts creatie that same feeling require a certain vision and vitality to not feel hollow by comparison. Cruelty Squad kept me clicking, and I might click on it some more. I just don’t feel the need, as others have, to rush to the Steam reviews and write a piece of abstract microfiction about it.

Will you enjoy Cruelty Squad? I don’t know. It’s a hard game to recommend. It feels like it rips mechanics wholesale out of slick, satisfying shooters like the old Rainbows Six, Deus Ex, or Hitman. Except it’s also intentionally opaque, refusing to lend players a hand in deciphering its visuals or navigating its oppressive atmosphere. And yet, I’m still here gnawing on this coconut, because the pain is worth the taste of that delicious joy.