Earlier this week, we discussed the release of We’re Five Games’s silly physics-based cooperative delivery game, Totally Reliable Delivery Service. Taking a gameplay style similar to Gang Beasts but twisting it into a co-op romp, the game held a great deal of promise for absurd fun.
Unfortunately, it seems that the audiences aren’t thinking the same. It’s worth saying that it hasn’t exactly received a huge number of reviews yet (which is its own problem, to speak of popularity), but those that it’s received are less than impressed.
In fact, of the eight reviews on Metacritic, only one is favorable for the PC version. While the game is also available on PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One, and mobile smartphones, no one seems to be saying much different.
One of the main concerns is that the game is incredibly buggy, which is very true. Part of this may be because the game is meant to be silly and ridiculous, so bugs are forgiven by the developers if they think it may lend a bit of fun to the gameplay – though many feel this is an excuse for laziness.
It’s sort of the same philosophy as a game like Goat Simulator. The title is inherently so ridiculous and silly that bugs are often overlooked because they fit the gameplay. It’s the old adage of “it’s a bug, not a feature.”
Unfortunately, some of the bugs are pretty game-breaking. After only a few hours of play, I can say from personal experience that I lost track of how many times I had to force a respawn because I had gotten stuck in the hillside or in the stairs.
The game also has a bit of confusion on what you can do with however many players you have. For example, it supports up to four players, but most vehicles can only sensibly be used with two people. Most only have seats for one, actually, with players having to hang off the side of other vehicles, making it incredibly difficult to drive (especially for helicopters and planes).
Another issue is the directionless style of the game, where players simply run to little vending machines and start a delivery. There’s no progression or structure to lead players, so it’s incredibly easy to get irrevocably off track. That’s a complaint for some players, but a perk for others who prefer their adventure more sandboxy.
Totally Reliable Delivery Service is free-to-keep on the Epic Store until April 6th. It might be a good idea to go ahead and get it, as the many flaws of the title are much easier to forgive when you don’t feel like you wasted your money on it.
