A refreshing zombie survival crafting game for mobile | Full Review - Dysmantle

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Dysmantle is a top down zombie survival crafting game developed by 10tons Ltd that is available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game takes place on a deserted island after a global disaster has wiped out most of humanity.

🟩Pros

+Unique 'Dysmantling' crafting system

+Open-world map and mechanics

+No pay to win mechanics

+Controller Support

🟥Cons

-Can get repetitive and grindy

📝Notable points:

New DLC ‘Doomsday’ coming out soon on mobile, and just released on PC.

Dysmantle takes place on a shelter island after a zombie apocalypse has wiped out most of humanity. You play as a survivor who wants to escape the island, as such, he must scavenge for resources, craft tools and weapons, and fight off dangerous creatures to stay alive and escape in this open-world island.

While the game was originally released back in 2021, a new DLC titled “Doomsday” has just come out on PC featuring an all-new questline, open world map, and tools to use. It’s not yet available for the mobile platform — the version that I am playing — but is currently set to release later this year.

One of the most notable features of Dysmantle is its crafting system, or rather, the “Dismantling” system; Almost every object in the game world; furniture, appliances, barricades, doors, etc. can be dismantled by the crowbar into its component parts like wood and metal, which can then be used to invent and craft new items. Every object you dismantle in the game will give resources and experience.

For example, you can dismantle a car to get metal and rubber, which can be used to craft weapons and tools. This system is both innovative and incredibly satisfying. It encourages players to explore every nook and cranny of the island in search of new resources. It starts a little slow, with only a few items breakable because of the low-level crowbar and low-level character but once you power through that phase, it gets more interesting.

As for its level design, Dysmantle features an open-world design with Ubisoft-esque feel to it. You can roam around, unlocking link towers to reveal the map, discovering campfires as save and upgrade points, and leveling up your character and crowbar to unlock new tools and gadgets that give you access to previously inaccessible areas.

The island is huge and there are countless areas to explore. As you progress through the game, you'll encounter new areas, enemies, and obstacles that will require you to level up and explore even further to be properly equipped to survive. This makes the game incredibly engaging and gives players a sense of discovery and exploration.

The combat in Dysmantle is just a simple top-down system. Move your character around, and swing or fire your weapon on the target locked enemy. You can also dodge to quickly avoid enemies. You can craft a variety of weapons, such as knives, bats, and guns, to help you fight off enemies. Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses. Dying is very forgiving — you just drop your current loot and respawn to the last campfire you visited — with the option to recover your loot if you visit your corpse where you died.

The enemies themselves are challenging but ultimately can be cheesed with a repeatable strategy to defeat. Overall, the combat is passable, but the touchscreen controls have made it slightly harder than using physical controllers.

As for the physical controllers, I’ve tested the game with a Razer Kishi controller and it properly supports physical controllers with the correct button prompts and the hiding of certain touchscreen controls.

Visuals wise, the game has a vibrant color palette and a charming cartoonish art style that felt fitting for the top down view. The sounds are also decent, with proper sound bites for every hit to the furniture, metal objects, and other world elements that you want to dismantle. There is also a sound detection system for zombies as well, with zombies getting attracted the more noise you make.

The story of Dysmantle is interesting, if a bit vague. The game doesn't give you a lot of information about what happened to the world or why you're on the island from the get go. As you explore the island and explore various areas, you'll start to discover lore that explains the disaster. The story is not the main focus of the game, but it adds an extra layer of intrigue to the overall experience.

Dysmantle can be a bit repetitive and grindy. Once you've played for a few hours, you'll start to notice that you're doing the same things over and over again. You’ll explore areas, dismantle objects, defeat enemies, and then level up to be able to explore more areas, dismantle bigger objects, and defeat more powerful enemies. While this is all enjoyable, it can start to feel a bit stale after a while and repetitive.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Dysmantle is a decent survival crafting game that offers a unique 'Dysmantling' system and a top-down open world to explore. Its simple approach to camera and combat is a refreshing change from the first-person and third-person zombie games that dominate the genre. However, the crafting-focused gameplay can become repetitive over time. Still, at just $10 and without any pay-to-win or live service mechanics that are common in mobile games, Dysmantle is highly recommended for any fans of the survival genre.