Somewhere, somehow, the game Dysmantle and I crossed paths at the end of 2023. I want to say that it it popped up as a suggested “casual” survival game on various lists, one that folks called underrated, but also…cozy? I swear that term showed up more than in descriptions I saw, “cozy.” Really? A survival game? Cozy?? It didn’t make any sense. And now that I think of it, honestly, I must have gotten mixed up, because Dysmantle, while a decently enjoyable survival game with puzzle and role-playing elements, is not one I’d call at all “cozy.”

In Dysmantle, you take on the role of a resident of an underground bunker who, after some 25 years, needs to leave his confines to hunt for supplies. He emerges to find a post-apocalyptic world that’s populated by zombie-like creatures. He appears the only human survivor, but a radio broadcast he hears suggests that might not be the case. With know-how and a crowbar his only weapons, he sets off to figure out what happened. As he explores, he uses his crowbar to not only clear out enemies but also dismantle objects. From this work, he gathers up metal, wood, plastic, and other raw materials to craft useful items, from weapons to gear to food. Eventually, he may put his talents into making himself a new home, but…

…I’m not far enough I to the game to know. But my sense is that is I can get my guy to a certain point, making a base will become a thing to do. As it’s going however, most of his, of my effort is going into just staying alive. That’s to say, if this game has any cozy parts, I’ll still a ways off from experiencing them.

Not that I’m complaining. Aside from the general challenges of a survival game, which Dysmantle has, like infinitely respawning enemies (for now*) and losing gear when you kick the bucket, Dysmantle is a solid game. I’m playing it on the Switch, and I haven’t had any problems. The mechanics of dismantling everything from cups to phones to trash bags to wood piles works quite well. Your character’s personal inventory is limited, and while you can upgrade the backpack to carry more, it’s not like he can carry absolutely every last scrap. A full backpack needs emptying, which I’ve so far only found possible by throwing everything into storage containers at discovered camp fires. Having to stop what I’m doing to make trips to them is fine, but it definitely breaks the immersion.

And, let’s talk about the camp fires for a second, along with the asterisk in the previous paragraph, because, for the moment, this is the only big issue I have the the game presently. Very early in the game, it’s revealed that you can make a device that will stop enemies from respawning. Great! Only it’s not, because the device is locked in the skill tree, and you only access by both reaching a certain level (seven) and making the item before it (a flashlight). Until then, you have to deal with enemy respawns, which happen every single time you stop at a camp fire to level up, upgrade your gear (there are work benches out in the world), or sleep (which grants a nice, temporary XP bonus, at least). That mechanic is the most unpleasant part of the game so far.

I’m not far enough into Dyamantle to judge its overall experience, but I’m not in the throes of quitting the game, so that’s a plus. Do I wish that it generally managing my character was a little easier? Yes. Do I think that things might improve once I’m able to craft the thing I need to stop enemy respawns? I hope so. Does the game feel well-built, accessible, and like it has a small future? Well, there’s DLC for it, so, yes, yes, and yes. We’ll see if my positive vibes last as my adventures in Dysmantle slowly continue.

All images, including lede, were capture by author during Nintendo Switch gameplay of Dysmantle (© 10tons Ltd.)