Stupid Never Dies is an action RPG with roguelite elements where you play as a bumbling zombie trying to save the girl of his dreams. Learn more about the game’s plot and gameplay, along with our first impressions ahead of the full review.
Surprisingly Shallow Gameplay for a Roguelite That Has So Much Style
How do you keep a zombie game interesting when most games of its genre treat the undead as little more than a swarm of targets for practice? Apparently, former Capcom producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and his own studio, GPTRACK50, found an answer to that little conundrum. Rather than drawing on his Resident Evil expertise where players relentlessly slaughter hordes of zombies as a regular human being, he’s taking a different approach. In this twisted take on the roguelite genre, you play as the zombie itself.
Yep, Stupid Never Dies is a roguelite that borrows familiar mechanics from titles like Hades II, where you rise again after every death, stronger than ever. Instead of playing as a demigod, however, you take control of a bumbling undead creature trying to save a mysterious frozen human girl after finding her inside a mall freezer.
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has seemingly gone extinct after a wave of monsters staged a rebellion against their human enemies, leaving only zombies, gargoyles, werewolves, and plenty more as its inhabitants.
You might think it’s all grimdark, a la Warhammer, but it really isn’t. Stupid Never Dies is unapologetically “unserious,” with a main character who isn’t the typical anime hero we’re familiar with, especially when the dialogue relies so heavily on toilet humor that it feels like a bad South Park episode.
If you call it an interesting premise, it certainly is. In my first few hours with the game, I went on a couple of dungeon runs and lost my fair share of hard-earned gear. But for all its artistic pizzazz, Stupid Never Dies never quite resonates with me the way other roguelites do, particularly because of its shallow combat. It feels like its various elements are at odds with one another, resulting in a game that looks interesting but plays a little too... brain-dead.
Being Undead in a Roguelite
How do you kill that which has no life in a roguelite game? Well, turn him into a zombie. The moment your character, Davy, ingests Phoenix Poop (yes, it’s real), he gains the ability to keep coming back, amplifying his undead abilities further and adding a novel reason for its roguelite structure to work.
The goal here is simple: help Davy reach the center of an underworld realm ruled by a mysterious “KOM,” or King of the Monsters. Doing so will let him save the mysterious frozen girl he found, with the hope of bringing her back to life so they can share a happy ending like the one in the 2013 movie Warm Bodies, which, surprisingly, follows the same premise of a zombie falling in love with a human.
In a way, Stupid Never Dies’ bizarre storytelling works for the most part because it mainly serves to keep its roguelite formula moving, introducing you to new mechanics and deeper systems as you go. In my first few boss encounters, I’ve faced opponents ranging from full-on anime spectacles to downright nonsense, like a man who transforms into a phoenix and sings and raps like Will Smith. Yes, you read that sentence correctly, and there’s no need to explain it any further. That’s simply the kind of direction Stupid Never Dies takes, making you feel as though you’re simply going in for a ride in the creator’s bizarre world.
Its plot is as silly as it gets, with barely any layers or themes to dig into, but that’s the point. It aims to capture the same campy feeling as its inspirations, like Lollipop Chainsaw or anything from a SUDA51 game where gameplay is at its front and center and story takes a backseat. However, the problem is that Stupid Never Dies’ gameplay isn’t all too satisfying.
Roguelite Progression From Zero to Hero
To save the girl of his dreams, Davy needs to power up and take down fearsome foes from hell.
Stupid Never Dies’ progression follows the familiar roguelite structure, where you unlock upgrades and items as you repeatedly clear dungeons. What sets the game apart from its peers, however, is Davy’s “bite” ability, which lets him steal powers from certain monsters, much like how Mario can take control of enemies in Super Mario Odyssey by tossing his sentient cap at them. In Stupid Never Dies, however, Davy can transform into the monsters he has consumed and use their abilities in battle.
It’s a nice twist on the usual “pick weapon A or B” or “Boon A or B” systems you’d find in typical roguelites. You have to target specific monsters to steal their powers, making the process feel a little more involved rather than simply waiting for a slot machine to finish its roll. The only RNG comes from the type of “core,” or soul, you obtain, as each monster transformation has its own moveset and rarity tier.
The transformation mechanic offers some interesting buildcrafting possibilities, as you’re always looking for abilities that complement your playstyle. Each of the game’s many transformations accommodates different playstyles, though it takes multiple runs to finally master them. For example, the Werewolf transformation has several special attacks, including one where Davy jumps into the air and slams into the ground, making it perfect for dealing with groups of enemies. The other is a more focused attack where Davy performs a barrel roll, inflicting massive damage on an enemy boss.
In my playthrough, I have yet to see more monster transformations and I’m looking forward to seeing more powerful versions of it.
But that’s not even the end of Davy’s skills. As a zombie, he can also be equipped with technology, whether it’s a shield generator that protects him from different types of attacks or a massive greatsword that deals considerable damage to enemies. These additional weapons and modifications help enhance his survivability as he ventures into the underworld, and each comes with its own rarity tiers and variations that I have yet to discover.
These are all promising features that add depth to the game’s roguelite appeal, but that’s not the problem. The issue is that something feels missing from Stupid Never Dies’ combat.
Gameplay That Has No Bite
My biggest gripe with Stupid Never Dies is its shallow combat, which makes it feel like you’re not really doing much despite all the upgrades you’ve received. This is largely due to the lack of a lock-on and most especially a dodge button with i-frames, something I don’t usually see missing from an action RPG, let alone a roguelite.
The lack of a dodge button is clearly a deliberate design choice, but it doesn’t help that enemy encounters are so chaotic that you have very few options for avoiding attacks, especially when you’re locked into an animation. Unlike other roguelites such as Cult of the Lamb and Hades, where you can avoid incoming attacks with a simple button press, Stupid Never Dies lacks that same sense of control and precision. Instead, you’re better off jumping out of the way or simply running away from attacks as quickly as possible.
That doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world for Davy just yet. The game makes up for the lack of a dodge button with a parry system, but funnily enough, it’s another problematic feature because it feels so finicky most of the time. Even when you successfully parry an attack, there’s little room for a counterattack, as Davy simply veers off in a random direction and sometimes even falls off the map. And even when a parry does work, the mechanic still isn’t as satisfying as the parry systems in other games.
All of these issues result in a combat system that feels unnecessarily slow and tedious. If Stupid Never Dies had come out in the early 2010s, this kind of gameplay might have worked wonders, but with better and more responsive action RPGs making their mark over the years, there’s no excuse for a game like this to have combat that doesn’t reward skill and instead feels like something straight out of an old-school PlayStation 2 brawler.
Art Direction Carries the Experience
Not everything about Stupid Never Dies is shallow. In fact, its art style is definitely something that keeps me glued to the screen, even when its gameplay feels too barebones for me. It has a textbook pop-punk art direction, like something you’d see in the The World Ends With You or Netflix’s Arcane, where colors and random magazine cutouts are pasted onto specific moments to emphasize its playful intent.
Even the simple menu designs evoke that early 2000s aesthetic, with stamps, receipt racks, and other details that add to its diegetic inventory system, making it feel like you’re browsing an actual mall that doubles as your hub area.
Its characters are also interesting and well-crafted, each bringing their own gonzo personalities to the mix and adding to the overall sense of nonsense throughout your journey. The best part is that they’re fully voiced, with strong voice acting that keeps everything engaging. These are the moments when I feel like I’m actually living in its world, exploring the hub area and simply soaking in all its silliness, only to be pulled away and sent back into its dungeons where I don’t really feel rewarding.
Maybe all my complaints about the gameplay stem from the fact that I’ve barely scratched the surface of Stupid Never Dies, and there’s obviously more waiting for me down the line, especially with the monster transformations, which I deeply enjoy. For now, though, its dated brawler gameplay has me looking at Stupid Never Dies as a 7 out of 10, with much of its appeal carried by its gorgeous presentation.
Game8 Reviews
You may also like...
Stupid Never Dies Product Information
 |
|
| Title | STUPID NEVER DIES |
|---|---|
| Release Date | October 22, 2026 |
| Developer | GPTRACK 50 Inc. |
| Publisher | GPTRACK 50 Inc. |
| Supported Platforms | PS5, PC |
| Genre | Action RPG, Roguelite |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | 16 |
| Official Website | Stupid Never Dies Official Website |
Thanks for finally writing about > Stupid Never Dies Review [First Impressions] | Surprisingly Shallow Gameplay for a Roguelite That Has So Much Style｜Game8 < Liked it! Also visit my web-site <a href="<a href='https://pokiesledger.com/best/no-deposit-bonus-casinos/">casino' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://pokiesledger.com/best/no-deposit-bonus-casinos/">casino</a> bonus with no deposit</a>
Highly energetic post, I liked that bit. Will there be a part 2? my webpage; <a href="<a href='https://pdihealth.com/locations/mobile-x-ray-richmond-va/">in' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://pdihealth.com/locations/mobile-x-ray-richmond-va/">in</a> home xray</a>
I love looking through an article that can make people think. Also, many thanks for allowing me to comment! Also visit my blog <a href="<a href='https://tnw.in.th' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://tnw.in.th</a>">nudity</a>
For a night of fun and luxury, choose from the top call girls in <a href="<a href='https://escortsislamabad.org/">Islamabad' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://escortsislamabad.org/">Islamabad</a> Escorts</a>, who provide discreet services designed to meet your desires. Their charm and professionalism ensure that your time together is filled with relaxation and excitement.
For the ｒeason that the admin of this web site іs working, no ᥙncｅrtainty very rapidⅼy it will be well-known, due to itѕ quality contеnts. My blߋց post - wеed vape (<a href="<a href='https://Wolfofallstreetofficial.com/">https://Wolfofallstreetofficial.com/</a>)' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://Wolfofallstreetofficial.com/">https://Wolfofallstreetofficial.com/</a>)</a>
SEO SHOP We invite you to take advantage of our offer of positioning links, which stands out from the competition in particular in the quality of services performed in relation to costs incurred. We assure you that our positioning links will contribute to the increase in visibilities of your website in search results and help you achieve higher positions. Take advantage of our offer today and increase your presence on the network! Popular products in the SEOShop.XMC.PL <a title="
Spot on with this write-up, I really feel this web site needs a lot more attention. I'll probably be back again to see more, thanks for the information! my blog - <a href="<a href='https://amrsaber.com/">' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://amrsaber.com/"></a>تفاصيل السيارات وخيارات السداد</a>
Tenha acesso a <a href="<a href='https://letrasdiferentesja.com.mx/">Letras' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://letrasdiferentesja.com.mx/">Letras</a> Personalizadas</a> para transformar nomes comuns em textos com estilos diferentes. No Letras Diferentes Ja, você pode selecionar letras decorativas, experimentar símbolos e combinar molduras para criar composições adequadas a bios, nicks e nomes de usuário. A ferramenta facilita a criação de textos prontos para copiar e colar, sem precisar editar manualmente cada caractere. Use as opções disponíveis para
It's nearly impossible to find knowledgeable people about this subject, however, you seem like you know what you're talking about! Thanks Feel free to surf to my website :: <a href='https://nativesusa.com/' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://nativesusa.com/</a> [<a href="<a href='https://nativesusa.com/' target='_black' rel='nofollow'>https://nativesusa.com/</a>">https://nativesusa.com</a>]