Summary
Dauntlessis currently being review-bombed on Steam, with some negative fan sentiments also being observable on other storefronts. The ongoing influx of negative reviews appears to be directly related to the latestDauntlessupdate.
Phoenix Labs' monster-hunting game originally debuted as an early access title in May 2018 before receiving a full-fledged release for PC and consoles in September 2019. Its PC version has long been exclusive to the Epic Games Store, withDauntlessfinally reaching Steam in early December 2024. Its arrival on Valve’s storefront coincided with the release of amajor new update calledDauntless: Awakening.
But the game is off to a rough start on Steam, where it has amassed hundreds of negative user ratings within two days of going live. As of December 7,Dauntlesshas “Overwhelmingly Negative” reviews on Valve’s platform, with the vast majority of them panning the game over itsAwakeningupdate. Among other things, some vocal fans appear to have taken issue with the fact that the new patch resets a lot of progress, removing allDauntlessweaponsother than Exotics.
Dauntless: Awakening Criticized for Loot Boxes, Balancing Changes, and More
Fans have also criticized the recent changes to Cells, items placed in armor slots to provide added perks. Following theAwakeningupdate, Cells can no longer be fused to increase their effectiveness, meaning all are now providing +1 bonuses. Some self-proclaimed long-time players are claiming this change has completely guttedDauntless’s build variety, doubly so since the new patch also prevents most perks from stacking. The issue is further exacerbated by the removal of certain abilities, making it impossible to convert many old builds—let alone have them perform effectively.
A number of fans have also criticized the return of the old battle pass system, which is filled with limited-time cosmetics that consequently serve asFOMO-inducing playing incentives. Furthermore,Dauntless: Awakeningis being panned for introducing loot boxes, which are now being offered as an alternative to grinding weapons. Between this addition and the fact that most weapon progress has been reset, some vocal fans are labeling the new update as blatantly pay-to-win and extremely predatory.
Similar sentiments can also be read by browsing the game’s latest reviews on the Xbox and PlayStation Stores. But neither console version ofDauntlesshas yet had its user rating meaningfully affected by the new update. Phoenix Labs is yet to publicly acknowledge this ongoing barrage of complaints, making it unclear whether the Canadian studio has any plans to revert some of the seemingly unpopular changes that it introduced.
Dauntless
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Live for the Hunt: Slay boss-size Behemoths in gripping encounters with a variety of weapons.Forge Your Legacy, Your Way: Craft unique weapons, armour, and gear and customize your Slayer to suit your playstyle. Slay Together: Team up with millions of players worldwide to topple monumental challenges. Wild Lands Above a Ruined World: Explore vibrant lands teeming with life, mystery, and danger above a long lost civilization.Evolving Gameplay: Join an exciting adventure with regular updates, diverse activities, seasonal events, and new Behemoths in a rich, ever-evolving universe.Dynamic Events: Celebrate each passing season with in-game festivities, cosmetics, and activities in a living world.
