NetherWorld: A Psychedelic, Absurd Odyssey Through the Depths of Despair
Since the very beginning, NetherWorld doesn’t look much like a hero’s journey. You play as Medoo, a depressed jellyfish whose partner has just left him, drowning his misery in alcohol and cigarettes. From this bleak starting point unfolds an adventure that feels more like drifting through a fever dream than playing a traditional 2D side-scrolling game.
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Sarcasm Meets Despair Inside NetherWorld’s Absurd World
You stumble across bars buzzing with grotesque characters, neon-lit streets dripping in sarcasm, and conversations that mix dark humor with absurdity. Sex, alcohol, drugs, depression, violence, everything is thrown on the table with brutal honesty and vulgar commentary. And while Medoo happily spends his days drowning his failures in alcohol, things escalate quickly when a flamboyant wizard on the verge of death asks for his help, setting off a chain of ridiculous events. From that point on, NetherWorld fully embraces its identity as a grotesque and psychedelic odyssey (something like South Park mixed with Psychonauts in pixel form).
A Deep Dive into NetherWorld’s Unique Gameplay
Gameplay is deliberately kept simple. NetherWorld is a 2D side-scrolling action adventure where Medoo can move, crouch, collect objects, and throw them at enemies. Don’t expect fast-paced combat or puzzle-heavy mechanics; instead, you explore, talk, and immerse yourself in the bizarre routine of Medoo’s life.
The game’s strongest aspect is its humor and narrative tone, which often overshadows the mechanics themselves. Occasionally, you will face intense boss fights or dive into mini-games that reward you with money for drinks and bizarre items, from purely cosmetic gear to more alcohol.
In some dungeon sections, you even control a cyborg, and these segments feel like classic metroidvania gameplay, offering a great balance between the story’s absurdity and more traditional roguelike action.
Visuals, Sound, and Style: How NetherWorld’s Aesthetic Creates an Unsettling Experience
What also makes NetherWorld stand out is its visual presentation. The pixel art looks minimal, yet dirty and raw. Some areas are richly detailed, while others are bare, but the sheer variety of characters and settings keeps it fresh and hypnotic.
Hand-drawn 2D character art adds personality, often leaning into the macabre and disgusting, which, ironically, makes the world feel more alive and distinctive. While the soundtrack isn’t particularly memorable, it’s effectively used to enhance the psychedelic effect, introducing moody and alien tunes that make the whole world feel hypnotic and slightly more dangerous.
Dark Humor, Awkward Controls, and Indie Charm
On PC, the game runs smoothly without noticeable bugs, but controlling Medoo can feel awkward at times, with imprecise movements that may test your patience during tense moments. That said, NetherWorld is perfect for streamers looking to showcase indie games experimenting with unconventional storytelling, though it’s best suited for audiences of young adults. Whether you enjoy it or not largely depends on your taste for its dark humor; if that style doesn’t appeal to you, this probably isn’t the game for you, and its jokes may even feel a bit jarring.
STREAMER SCORE
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Performance
-
Streamability
-
Audience Engagement
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Replayability
3.3
Summary
In the end, NetherWorld won’t be for everyone. It’s slow, it’s strange and at times deeply uncomfortable. But for those willing to dive in, it offers a unique journey through depression, dark humor and absurdity, and that’s exactly what makes it special.
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