Pretty average physics puzzle game with poor controls, trys too get the flavour of Populous A New Beginning but misses the mark, worth a punt for under a £5

From Dust does a lot of things right. Manipulating the environment is easy and fun and the game can at times be extremely relaxing. There are some cool "power-ups" in the game and there is quite a lot of maps. The game is also really pleasant to look at. The game do however have some problems. The developers have somehow managed to screw up the mouse control and as result controlling the game feels really weird. There is also a fps-cap on 30 fps which is a bit annoying. Gameplay-wise the biggest problem are your loyal minions. The AI is terrible and the pathfinding doesnt really work as well as it should. Which gets really annoying when time and manpower is crucial. Combine this with ridiculous fast-spreading fire, timed tides and annoying unforgivable maps and you are in for a nasty treat if rage. None of these faults are really gamebreaking but they do take the game from an above-average game to a below-average game. I would still recommend the game if you are into the genre and can get it for a cheap price since the game is by no means terrible. Just know that it is a little bit rough around the edges.… Expand

A short but cheap game for the puzzle fans and megalomaniacs. I haven't had this much fun since Populous II although most puzzles are somewhat easy and the villager pathing AI can be annoying at times.

I really love the gameplay within this game. yeah the Graphics could be better for the PC but they are still pretty enough. I was enjoying it immensely. The problem what that just as I started to feel like I was getting into it, the game was already finished. To be fair, the PC purchase price of the game reflected this so it is fair. I would certainly recommend it but I just dont understand why it is so short. All the effort to build a develop and great game and then create no content. It just doesnt make sense. I have been expecting a series of DLC to pop up since bringing up to a more full game experience in terms of duration, but nothing. I am left scratching my head just wondering why. I really do not understand why so many people dislike the game itself. It is in the same classic thread as the populous series and black and white although with less depth caused by the lack of content. A great game killed by a lack of content and the fact no one likes Ubisoft. However, one should give credit where credit is due. This is a great game experience.… Expand

From Dust had so much potential. Early development videos showed promised something truly unique, and while there is a great concept behind the game, it was executed terribly. Ubisoft spit in PC gamers' faces with their ludicrous DRM, and absolutely horrible console porting. A little extra effort on the developers part would have resulted in an excellent game.

If you must play this game, play it on the console. The PC version is a terrible quick & dirty port, and has Ubi's failtastic DRM on top of it. Oh, Ubi also LIED about the inclusion of the DRM to try and sell the game. Avoid like the plague on PC.

Clocking in at one to two hours, TRAUMA might be slightly more expensive than you might want to pay, though the game itself is certainly fresh. Far and away the most provocative aspect is the ability of the game to transmute what seems like a far-too-normal world into someplace magical. It's a rare treat, accomplished by understated art design, appropriately subdued sound, and a focus on exploration over traditional "puzzle solving." TRAUMA won't knock you over the head - it's far too mature for that. Rather, it seeps into your consciousness as you play, and is quite wonderful given it's simple presentation. If you're looking for strong puzzle mechanics, action, or traditional gameplay, look elsewhere. However, if you're an art-house gamer, interested in seeing what the game-medium can deliver in terms of emotional impact and experimentation, clearly you need to pick this up.… Expand

From Dust is a... Fun game.
It's a very solid 'god' game where you control 'the breath' - you control the landscape by taking sand, water and lava to form bridges, walls, pools, rivers and etc.
The game offers gorgeous graphics.
However, the game's controls are really bad, poorly ported and the camera angles are annoying.
The levels are easily forgettable and the game is extremely hard (I had a large amount of challenge in this game, even though I play games all the time) and I don't recommend it for PC players
If you want to have more fun in this game, play it on the PS3 or XBOX360 for a better control scheme yet little poorer graphics.
If this weren't for the poor controls and ungodly (pun intended) difficulty, this game would have succeeded.… Expand

This game is beautiful, the physics are the best I've ever seen and the environments are pretty, but that only gets it so far, the AI is stupid, and the men seem to be incapable of moving out of the way of water and lava coming right for them, and are confused my tiny differences in height, where I have to dump earth all over just to convince them to climb it, the game doesn't let you build a village where there is 'too much water', which is fine until you find yourself not being able to find where the water is in this tiny area, because you're not allowed to have a single drop in the place you want a village. The Ubisoft launcher really annoyed me, making me have to create an account for some thing I've never heard of nor will ever use again. Getting to the next level seemed more frustrating and tiresome than fun. I pre-ordered this on Steam and was really looking forward to it, but was ultimately disappointed. It's an okay game.… Expand

I'm going to forget the DRM/always online stuff because there is a game-breaking bug. I could not even finish the game because at a certain mission, I had a bug where villagers won't die, then I can't do anything. The game still runs, but a villager doesn't die, you cannot complete that mission, you have to start all over again. They'll get washed out to sea, still be swimming, forever. If they get out of water, they'll just stand there, forever, they'll be completely submerged in water, just standing there, looking around. It's bad enough I felt that the game itself was mediocre due to the controls being stuttery and delayed, an irritating AI, no pathing control, low frame-rates for the mediocre graphics. I found myself getting frustrated trying to get fire trees to work properly and honestly things such as this ruined the experience when really the trees and stuff shoulda made the game great. This is an unoptimized port of a game which should of been pulled.… Expand

I found myself exasperated after a day or so of playing this game, but it is a great concept, fun while it lasts, and is rather beautiful. I find myself most intrigued by the physics, they are really good for such a small game. Since this is made by Ubisoft, I almost feel this is an R&D title that went retail. "Anno 2070" looks to have the exact same engine, but is like Sim City.

I sensed a lot of novelty from this game. I haven't played many games from this genre, so it seemed quite unique at first. But before long, it started to feel much less 'game' and much more 'sandbox.' I started rolling my eyes when it felt like I was seeing the same cinematic between each level. Then I reached a point where the game said 'build a wall,' so I built a wall....but the game just said 'c'mon, build a wall.' I thought 'I just did.' Long story short, that's as far as I went with From Dust. I wouldn't recommend it, and I kinda wish I hadn't spend money on it.… Expand

Do not buy, I purchased this game during the steam sale for 3.70 and even at that it was a huge let down. The best way I can explain would be something along the lines of world of goo but instead of having a new level the next level is the same map you just have a different goo ball to solve the same map with. There is no depth to this game, like others have said there is no replay value. I wouldn't even call this an RTS or even strategy related there is very very little game play to work with and well since there isn't a story that and the graphics are pretty much it. Oh I guess there is a story but some idiot decided to do it in gibberish and translate to English subtitles to save time which is really pathetic.
The graphics that people say are so good much never have played hl2-crysis or any other major game title in the last 5 years. The physics engine isn't that spectacular and there is absolutely nothing new in my opinion. ALSO, you have to worry about Ubisoft's anti pirating software which is a paint in the butt in it self, I really wish companies would stop trying to copy valve by hindering every user in any action they take.… Expand

What a great disappointment. You can see that this game has some solid ideas behind it. We could have had an awesome God game, and we got a shallow puzzle game with clumsy controls, low replay value, no sandbox mode, and a poor console port to top it all. And this would have been a 5/10 or 4/10. However, not only ubisoft lied about the DRM, but after its initial removal right now the DRM is back, with their not-so-stable servers. DO NOT SUPPORT DISHONEST BUSINESS, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.… Expand

Port Alert! -- If I were reviewing this for XBOX I would be scoring it higher, but if you're going to port a console game to PC make sure to OPTIMIZE IT FOR A PC. That aside if you do happen to own a XInput controller then From Dust is actually a pretty fun sandbox game. You play as the omnipresent "Breath" and use your godlike landscaping powers to sculpt the the world to your will. Each level's objectives are much the same, guide your tribe to points of the map where they can build a new settlement while protecting them from natural calamities, once you do this enough you can move on to the new map.… Expand

This game was a surprise for me. Is a little diamond with very nice gameplay and some excellent ideas. I have read to the internet about a crappy buggy game but i didn't see anything like that. The only negative is that you need only 6-7 hours to complete this game

The game has a lot of potential but is ultimately ruined by horrible awful DRM from lying Ubisoft, poor porting and awful graphics options(30fps cap on a PC game, what?). It does not have a massive amount of replay value once you finish the story missions(out of which maybe five are really interesting) and challenges, since playing around with fluids gets old fairly fast due to the lack of mechanics other than the terrain stuff to keep you entertained. Additionally the controls are awful, especially the TINY scrolling box(meaning the camera moves with the cursor almost all the time) and the poor pathfinding AI that gets stuck on the tiniest edge will drive you up the wall.

Overall the game was moderately entertaining but ultimately very shallow and the DRM absolutely ruined my overall experience of it. I have to go through TWO launchers to play it, geez.… Expand

From Dust (Steam PC version) Rating 10 / 10

Released 2011.08 (Ubisoft Montpellier) Played 2011.12 Simulation / Adventure (4-12 hrs)

[Playthrough] Play as a Deity protecting a small tribe from cyclical tides, tsunamis, and volcanoes; move earth, water, lava, and use magical powers to shape the world they live in. Help them found new colonies, discover knowledge, and adapt to changing conditions of their environment. This game was a breath of fresh air, really fun and hard to put down. I play very few simulation games. For me this was a diversion from my usual fare - see below. This game can be picked up and learned very quickly and plays out with tremendous satisfaction. A must buy for avid gamers.

[Challenges] Play just over a dozen scenarios. Each scenario has multiple goals - some linear, others not, and some optional. Timed challenges within each scenario are fun and abundant. There are few actual skills to be developed however observation, timing and innovation are required to use each one optimally. I was pleased with my progression throughout the game keeping the enjoyment high. Anytime I found myself not easily accomplishing a task I was able to sit back and experiment with success. Great physics make for believable gravity, water, lava, earth simulation. [Audience and Skill level] This game will appeal to a wide audience with any skill level. There is only one difficulty setting, and the game is not difficult. [Children] There is no offensive language, nudity, sex, smoking, drug use, or abusive personalities. There is mild violence in that villagers can be washed away by the ocean or may be smoked by the lava. Proficient use of a mouse to zoom around a 3D world is required.

[PC] E6600 3.0GHz / ASUS P5W Deluxe / 2Gig RAM / Radeon 6770 / 1920x1200 / XP SP3
[Graphics] I played this on the highest quality settings and experienced no problems. The environment was beautiful. [Sound] I really enjoyed the sounds of drums and and chanting as I zoomed in on the villages, the sound of running water when near rivers and the ocean. Add to that wind, volcanoes, and tsunamis; it is a feast for the ears. [Controls] I played with a keyboard and trackball. The controls were easy to remap but the game did not retain my preferences; fortunately there were less than a dozen controls to remap each time. [Bugs] The game never crashed and never hiccuped. Sweet ! It was possible to build very high volcanoes that created shallow camera angles.

[Replay and alternative modes] You will replay this at least once. My first replay was most enjoyable when I hit the more challenging maps. The game permits you to replay each map individually. The hard maps I replayed many times. Every replay is different because it depends on how you build the world. The game also features a challenge mode. These are fun and short. [Lost points] I could not deduct any points for this game. [Wish list] The game is short at 4-12 hrs, but this is probably a blessing. I would have liked more maps - or even better - a level editor to create and trade maps with other players. At times during the game I imagined myself as the main character in Myst that created worlds by writing in books, each world with all of the success and failings consequential to my actions. Wouldnâ… Expand

From Dust for PC is a beautiful sign of the gaming industry apocalypse. Only on the verge of a market collapse could a concept so promising be mangled so horribly. Now, I'm not here reviewing the Xbox version, I wish I were, but this is all about the PC port. The camera is very sensitive, as is the mouse. The mouse controls your movement as well as the camera's movement. Seeing a problem yet? The refresh rate is fixed, making you wonder why it's in the options menu at all. When a disaster such as a volcanic eruption occurs, the screen cuts awkwardly back and forth between the game and a terribly angled shot of the disaster, or in some cases a flat field of color (that's when the camera view is smashed up into the disaster, I assume.) Even movement of the mouse is choppy, which is a massive disadvantage in a game calling for precise placement of elements and abilities. As I see, some reviewers are calling these "isolated incidents." Consider the positive-negative review ratio, both from users and reputable gaming sites, and I'm sure you'll disagree. All in all, this clever, original game would be a keeper if they finished porting it and began work on DLC, but for the time being it's just another crushing mountain of defied expectations.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An interesting game, unfortunately it is designed for a console not a pc, the mouse feels drunk and once you get to the tide is high level, your game comes to an end because its not possible to finish that level on the PC. I watched some youtube videos of xbox users doing it and it looks like a far easier level than what we get on the PC. I wonder if Ubisoft has tested this on the PC at all, it certainly does not look like it. Take tip, stay clear, it is a nice small game but its just not worth when you can only get half way through this short game anyway.… Expand

1) Game requires constant internet connection due to retarded DRM Ubisoft lately puts in every product they make ( like they really trying to tell me don't buy this its filled with garbage)

2) Besides you buy it from steam it will also require you to install and register for this garbage called UPlay, why would I wanna do that ???

3) Controls are simple port from xbox 360 aka you get that cursor that sticks to the one point on screen 0_o seriously they were so **** lazy they ported analog pad controls ?...

4)Zero graphical settings, no AA, game is locked @ 30fps, V-sync not available

Conclusion :

This is one hell of a messy port that everybody who paid for and did not like should get refund which is now available from Steam due to some kinda breach of terms, simply saying game was suppose to be constant DRM free and it is not !… Expand

Rate game, not DRM !!!. Realy great game, inovative and fun sandbox. For me its strategy game of the year. Especialy for 15 usd game. Finished it in one "breath". :)

Wow. What a shame. From Dust had such potential. In fact, I had given it a review score of 7, with the promise I would change it to a 9 if the issues I had with it were ironed out (as I assume it just had a rough start, like many PC games do, and that the issues would be fixed soon). I was very angry to not only see that they weren't, but that we had also been lied to. Apparently, the game was supposed to be DRM free. Hah. Although the DRM was recently removed, it still took a few months to do so. The game is still mostly broken, too. Again, it truly is a shame. I wish I could give this a 9, but I can't bring myself to do it, not with all these wobbly controls and various other errors.… Expand

This game gets a 2 points score for video and animation only. The game is pretty much unplayable and crippled by terrible mouse keyboard control. Camera movement is clunky and annoying, click responses are not fast and not precise. The game itself is ok, maybe 70-80 points. But it is not playable on PC. To add to the fun you cannot play this game when you are not online because you have to prove to the ubi-servers that you have legally bought this shoddy console port.

Overall: Bad and cheap console port with bad controls, substandard performance and annoying DRM. 2/10.… Expand

From Dust is an enjoyable little romp through the lands of, well... through various lands. It's short but cheap and scratches a sandbox god game itch that I've had ever since Master of Magic.

I bought and began playing it long after the DRM debacle had been resolved (although I still have a small gripe that I have to launch it through Uplay). I'm not going to penalise it for that.

It's pretty enough and the campaign will have you scratching your head until you've mastered the breath abilities. Second time around there's little challenge but sculpting the stages into utopias for the tribe is fun.

And that brings me to the games biggest problem. The tribe. Their path-finding and AI is awful. Particularly in the challenge maps. I'll see men stuck on the one spike in a flat landscape; stop just before they reach a goal and be flummoxed by a tiny puddle. Most annoyingly they will always try and take the shortest straight line which leads to lots of running back and forth as a passable path presents itself around an obstacle and then subsides causing them men to take the shortest path again and run slap into the obstacle. Fix the path and repeat.

Adding way-points or the ability tell tribesmen to move to a spot would have fixed this but as it stands it seems unnecessarily broken. Not game breaking but irritating (and a lot more irritating than mediocre and un-skippable cinematics) … Expand

This game was saved by its landscaping physics engine which is so amazing you will literally **** your brains out of your eyes. Short review, I know.

This game has a lot of potential but is to repetitive and annoying to be an enjoyable game, the cameras are also bad and unchangeable and gameplay is just annoying.

From Dust plays like a low-fat version of Populous, which leaves you wanting something more. This game also has a terminal case of console-itus and a bad DRM infection. An Xbox 360 controller should be listed as a requirement for playing.

No es lo que pensaba, se trata solo de llevar del punto A al punto B a los primitivos, ya sea arrastrando agua, colocando tierra, solidificando magma,etc.

Visualmente bello y agradable, entretiene Sí, pero pensaba que tenpia más relación con un juego en el que eres Dios y haber tenido más control y variables que manejar.

I bought this game during the steam sale for 75% off at $3.75... After playing the game, I realize I paid too much. The game has stunning graphics, but as another reviewer mentioned, this 'From Dust' is simply a showcase for the landscape engine. No replay value, Frustrating Pathfinder AI, No real point to the game... Save your money. Ubisoft has been dissapointing as of late.

Not a bad game, just not executed too well. everything (except the physics), is mediocre or bad. Let's talk about the good aspects: -it can be fun since it has many of different abilities that you have to use through the game -the physics are really well done, especially water, which is really good and... The negative aspects: -it gets repetitive and frustrating really soon -the controls are 5HIT! and that makes dealing with terrain and water a real pain in the ass
-it's a goddamn console port, and not even a good one (30 fps, no video settings, nothing!)
-ubisoft drm, once again, makes me want to download a crack instead of buying ubisoft games
-really bad AI (this is minecraft-level ai!)
-it would be nice to have a map in a corner of the screen to know if a part of the map is burning, or if the people are drowning in a river outside the screen… Expand

What starts off as something that appears limited and simply quickly turns into something rather challenging and enjoyable. Sure I could never sit and just play it for a full day thinking I'd just leave it yet something pulled me back into it and by the time I'd gotten to the last level I was hooked (btw I hate the last level - only got it on around my 7th attempt).

DRM issues aside (and being forced to watch their cut scenes at the start of every level) I enjoyed this little game and I'm keen to start on some of the challenge maps that I've unlocked while playing through the game the first time. I always ask myself after completing a game (if I even get to completing them these days): Did I enjoy this game and would I want a sequel with more depth or challenges? The answer is yes and yes!… Expand

I've been looking forward to this game for a while now, I was expecting it to be a return to the old God games like Black and White. Instead when I loaded up the game it demanded I log into disruptive DRM, I thought 'fine ubisoft are **** so this is to be expected' and got on with the game. This is where I was the most disappointed, I played only for thirty minutes but in that time the game managed to completely fall apart. The graphics, gameplay, even music are all horribly ported. Then my internet cut out for a moment and the game stopped working because of the DRM. Ubisoft have insulted me as a gamer, as customer, and as an honest man.… Expand

Very disappointed by the game. Seemed a great idea but between the awful Uplay imposed on us by Ubisoft, combined with a very bad interface and hazardous controls, it's hardly worth a try as long as the price has not been divided by 4. A good idea and a bad realization.

Do not buy this game, boycott everything from Ubisoft until they get their head straight that consumers are NOT going to put up with this DRM crap. I don't mind putting in a CD code. I don't even mind a one time activation online but I REFUSE to be TOLD I MUST BE ONLINE TO PLAY A DAMN SILLY GAME when I want to play it. This comes down to FORCED INTERNET CONNECTION and MONTHLY SERVICE FEES FROM ISP's as well as buying the damn game. The game is a pile of crap anyways. It's nothing more than lemmings and Populus with fancy smancy graphics.… Expand

Great idea for a game, but my god, the PC porting and DRM was absurd. Ruined the entire experience and reinforced the trend that Ubisoft is not to be trusted.

Terribly disappointing. The puzzles are not nearly as clever as Ubisoft seems to think they are. The controls are nothing short of miserable. Pathetic and it looks low-effort even if it wasn't. Completing a level won't even guarantee you a new cut scene, the same sequences keep repeating. Even if they hadn't alienated me with the bait-and-switch they initially tried to pull with their DRM (the game still requires you create an Uplay account, and even after getting rid of the game I can't get rid of the Uplay account) I still would have been disappointed by this game. It looked so beautiful and had so much potential that I pre-ordered it despite not trusting Ubisoft. With the lying they did before and after their DRM scheme was revealed, I will never again grant Ubisoft the benefit of the doubt on ANYTHING. Last. Ubisoft. Purchase. Ever.… Expand

Controls for this game are AWFUL!!!! The Breath is inaccurate and sluggish and hard to get where you want, meaning that for disasters you are SCREWED because it is so difficult to act fast enough!! Graphics are poor and cannot be customised apart from the resolution! Story is rubbish. I had a strange bug where it kept minimizing my game to desktop every few clicks.

HOWEVER, it is a fantastic idea and does have a very distinct style, it is just not utilized fully, instead being a very average puzzle game. Very disappointed.… Expand

Art, sound and physics 10 Publisher -3 Overall 7 Majority of extremely low scores mention DRM. Its understandable but not to the point to give this game 0 ,1,2 or 3. People, please rate the game (including your DRM frustration) but dont bash it so hard. This game is another example reflecting the world we are living in. Great idea gets drained, suffocated and simplified for the sake of "pleasing the market" by a bunch of Stasi, ignorant, greedy, filthy, idiotic, criminal marketeers (pleonasm?). They too, as many others, do not allow ideas to come on top of their short term profit. Result is this twilight market of anemic and failing titles.
As some other reviewers, I had none of mentioned problems (beside annoying and intelligence insulting DRM). I had to "fix" DRM problem. Game run flawlessly, physics were simply jaw dropping and control, although novel, was not giving me headache. Sounds and music were great.… Expand

The concept of this puzzle game is very interesting. The visuals are good enough for me although it is nice to have some options to set the visual quality. The main problem is 1) camera views and 2) AI of the characters. It is hard to grasp the whole situation in the game because the camera movement is very awkward. The native people are stuck once in a while although there are no obstacles around them. This is probably because AI doesn't work smoothly under some particular situations. With these problems I still managed to play the game for several hours so far. It certainly gave me some enjoyment because this game is not bad at all as a puzzle. DRM is problematic as always although I didn't have problems to install the game. I give 8 or 9 for the puzzle. But the problems as I pointed out above knock down the score to 5.… Expand

I was really excited for this game but now I feel utterly disappointed, the game frustrated me with inducing: Bad controls, stupid AI and god like powers that were hardly god like.
I don't recommend this game to anyone except those with extreme patience.

Poor port, and the Steam version of the game requires third party DRM in the form of Ubisoft game launcher. Isn't Steam DRM enough!? Sick and tired of having to register for online activation, give my contact details and sign my privacy away by agreeing to allow a 3rd party to track information about the games I play and when I play them, just to play a game I legally bought. Wasted my money on this, I am never buying another Ubisoft game for PC...… Expand

A shameful porting from the Xbox 360.
- No AA.
- Low res textures.
- Limited screen res in windowed mode.
- Frequent crashes (in my experience).
- Horrible online connectivity DRM.
- Shoddy mouse controls.
- FPS capped at 30.
- No graphics options at all.
- Unskippable cut-scenes.

I really really really wanted to like this. But they destroyed it. Screw ubisoft. Camera movement is horrible and the game is so simple I feel like it's not even worth $10

If you want to play a game of torture yourself, buy this!. From the installing and activating the DRM to then finally playing the game. Ported so badly to pc with difficult keyboard layouts to slow reaction time of cursor to very bad camera angles, this game could have been so good if the basics were right.

From Dust is a prime example of a great game ruined by a terrible publisher. Ubisoft has continued on their quest to show the world how little they care about PC gamers and From Dust is one of their worst showings yet. From Dust lacks any sort of graphics customization, only giving you the option of changing your resolution. Another huge flaw is the lack of mouse sensitivity option, causing you to have to manually go into your mouse settings and change your sensitivity just to be able to play the game (and of course you also have to change it back when you finish). The worst part about being a direct console port is that From Dust is locked at a maximum of 30 FPS for seemingly no reason at all. Once you get past how bad of a port it is, the game introduces you to a wide range of various bugs/crashing issues which should've been fixed while Ubisoft was delaying the PC version of the game. Not satisfied with a buggy console port, Ubisoft has also tacked on their lovely DRM/social network features, requiring a constant internet connection in order to play your single-player game. The only plus I can think of is that the game is reasonably priced ($15) though I highly suggest to not buy it, the developers have already been paid and giving Ubisoft your money only influences them to continue abusing PC gamers.… Expand

The game is certainly worth it's price. Great terraform puzzle with strong physics and graphics. The only minor flaws i've found so far is not very smart AI, unskippable CGs and awkward controls.

I can't believe that the bad reviews! This is a GREAT game, not only a great tech demo for what's possible today, but also fun. Some people say it's too hard. Well, I had to restart one level, the rest i got at the first try. So it's not too hard! And I'm no pro gamer. It's also wonderfully designed and the Tsunamis are just epic. I wish it was longer but for the price it's perfect. I normally don't give 10s, but here I will, just beacause some people write "reviews" without even playing...… Expand

Really, that bad is this game? NO. It's such a beautiful game, you guys maikng horrible comments are coz you didn't understand how beautiful it is and how different it is and most of you just voted NEGATIVE just coz some guy did and that some guy did it coz some other guy who just did manage to get playing the game did so. Trust me Ubi did foul-up on that DRM thingy but it's fixed. So now can u say this game is bad, NO. It wasn't bad and it isn't bad, nice game, 10/10.
Gameplay is so amazing.… Expand

Its a fun and beautiful game, for $10 its worth it. Its kind short, like 20 hours but for $10 I wasn't expecting more. I think its worth playing.

people said that the controls in this game were terrible, but i disagree. they're different but it's not like you cant find the cursor or it's unplayable, the game's controls are just a bit harder to use. and not harder as in buggy, i mean like it's part of the design if that makes sense. and the drm isnt bad, ubisoft just made a bad decision with adding a launcher when they could have just used steam to manage that stuff. otherwise, lots of bugs have been fixed from a patch ubisoft gave out and the graphics & physics look almost flawless.

overall, this game is fun and once you get past the launcher (which isnt too bad, so stop your whining you trolls) the games deserves a 9/10… Expand

Preordered the game on steam, not knowing it was associated with Ubisoft. Saw the article about Ubisoft's lies of the DRM scheme, and had no time to get a refund from steam. I'm now pursuing a refund from Ubisoft. I don't plan on ever installing the game, especially since it is a terrible console port.

I did not care much about the ugly DRM and the poor quality of the port, but even then this game has failed to meet my expectations. It is, quite literally, a sandbox game, and there is not much to do other than moving some sand around. The water physics looks pretty impressive at first, but building sand bridges with clumsy controls gets old really fast. The campaign is poorly designed in that it is not challenging but rather very annoying. Overall, a big disappointment.… Expand

A really fun game, A 9 if the camera wasn't so annoying. If they came out with an update that separated the movement of the camera and the movement of the breath I think people would be more inclined to buy it, but we can only hope that they do something about it, until then i will only be playing 30mins at a time because that's about all I can handle of the ridiculously annoying camera movements.

I have tried for hours to get this game to work on my PC via Steam, (I have no problems with any of my other Steam games) But i have now given up, this is utterly **** up. Not to mention that Ubisoft care so little about their customers that they out right lie about the DRM.

**** you Ubisoft, **** you.

This game is basically a terrain & fluid simulator which it does very well indeed in real time. It does however have no story, and if you took out the mind searingly boring and unskippable cutscenes the game is only an hour or 2 long. Top that with ubisoft's customary crippling DRM and this game is just a big stinking pile.

Looked interesting, but was hoping it'd be more like Populous, and less like that wooden labyrinth board game with the metal ball. Didn't get very far, just seemed like a pretty boring concept to me. I'm not really a fan of puzzle games, though.

From Dust is a short, pretty and simple game which I have come across by chance in the bargin bin. I suggest you pick up a copy and kill a few hours. Its a pleasant surprise.

This game is **** console port, with Ubisoft hated DRM that forces you to be permanently online. But what would expect from ubi. Controls are really awful, camera is annoying, the game has little to no fun at all.

An great example where the publisher **** up a game. A decent game that could have easily been a 7 or 8 out of 10, now becomes a 4 out of 10 thanks to Ubisoft's brilliant DRM (and lying).

Great idea but terrible execution. This port reeks of consolitis with the horrible controls, limited options and locked (LOCKED!!!) at 30 fps.
Also, there is no offline mode (offline mode was promised pre-release) as ubisoft requires you to launch the game via their own launcher, even if bought on Steam.

Well, this game had the right idea but in the end failed to give me anything more then a time killer. I really tried to get into it, boosted my stereo up and turned off the lights. Within 2 hours I found myself playing flash games on the internet. Its concept of world building with limited powers made for a cool puzzle at first. After awhile you find your powers lacking and feel like you are just wasting your time accomplishing nothing more then making a giant bulky mass of sand to save your dudes from some lava.… Expand

I am shocked the Metacritic user score is so low on this amazing game. So much so that i had to sign up to Metacritic to have my say too.
I read the dev's are calling this the heir to populous and I would say that they are spot on with this. I loved Populous when it came out, couldn't stop playing it - same with From Dust. I love the fact that you control nature and not your men live every other god sim, that gives this a really fresh twist - which is exactly what the god sim genre needed. Sure there is a massive puzzle solving element to From Dust, but there always is to god sims and anyone who says otherwise would be lying or so well practiced at the same old god sim games they don't need to think about it (people who played every Age of Empires, Civ, Sim City etc. game would probably have to think a lot less than people like me who play god sims occasionally and don't want to have to watch several hours of tutorials just to be able to start playing like Civ 4).

I found From Dust fun, pretty and addictive. Having completed the main story I am working through the challenge mode which is really cool too. The only thing I would change with From Dust is that I would make it longer in the main story - but the cheaper price reflects the shorted game so it's fair enough.

I can't wait for From Dust 2, but I will probably replay From Dust a few times before it hopefully comes out.… Expand

Yeah, unfortunately I have to agree with bobreviews and most of the other reviewers: This is one of those games where it looked promising and completely failed to deliver. Moving terrain around for the sake of moving terrain around shouldn't be the entire game if it doesn't add some feasibly entertaining game-play.

I was very surprised about this game. The lack of trailers and information made the intrigue force me to purchase it. And what a delight it was. Initially, the game was strange and bewildering; like nothing I had played before and since. The physics throughout the game are genius and are well programmed. However, the game does get repetitive if the same tactic is used repeatedly. All-in-all, a very good game that cries out for creative ideas of how to finish each level. I fully recommend this game.… Expand

"A game with huge potential, absolutely spoiled by a sloppy port and tyrannical DRM. Ubisoft lying about the DRM being present is unacceptable, ESPECIALLY for a single-player game. Highly recommend against purchasing".- CheatIsNotDead But other than that the Game is extremely short and the controls are sloppy as hell. so opportunity wasted there.

Simply put, this is a terrible port. Lackluster visuals (basically no display options or antialiasing), sluggish performance (frames per second capped at 30 for no conceivable reason), poorly optimized code, audio popping, wonky controls, DRM (need an internet connection everytime you play), etc. The game itself is pretty good but the presentation is so poor that it doesn't matter. Patches could help, but as it is I'm giving it a six out of ten, and 2 of those points are because I like god games. I think the reviewers that gave this a 90% should be ashamed of themselves.… Expand

If you buy this game you're giving credit to publishers that lie about what type of DRM their game contains. They announded (right before release), that it would only require an online activation once (which was false).

Once again a promising idea is destroyed by what I assume is publisher meddling. Ubisoft have pulled a 'Spore' with From Dust. Trailers and Interviews hinted at a powerfully beautiful return to the God game. Instead what we have is a tepid puzzle game that suffers from horrible camera, controls and lack of any reason to continue whatsoever. Altering the landscape turns out to be a haphazard affair, with the game ignoring some attempts, shifting the camera and getting in your way at every turn. The concept was solid, but what happened? Only a publisher like Ubisoft could mess something up so horribly. Jump cuts to pre-rendered cutscenes and forced camera pans jar you about, while the music cuts suddenly during transition.

Frustration sets in when the controls fail, Villagers are willfully stupid, and an invisible puddle of water somewhere impedes the construction of another village. Could we not move the village to a safer spot? No. This is where the game has railroaded you. The only winning option is not to play.… Expand

From Dust is an excellent god/puzzle game, and one of the few games that I've been excited about this year. It has a few flaws, like the DRM requiring you to be online, and the controls are not perfect but certainly usable. People need to chill out and think about gameplay, not politics! We play video games for escapism :)

I was hoping for Black and White 2 reviewed and perhaps that was the problem. If you are thinking about buying this game for that same reason, forget it Aside the play-ability problems well described in others' reviews the main problem is that the game is just boring. As far as I can tell there is no plot, is just a bunch of task, and the lack of a storyline make the game meaningless.
Another downside for me, is that once you finish all the given tasks, there is nothing to do, so there is no use keep playing the same map, even if you really like it, and you have to star another one all the same stuff all over again.
The positives: the graphics are really beautiful.… Expand

This game was a total disappointment. Populos? Black & White? God game? No way. The game consists in bringing some npcs from point A to point B. And repeat over and over again. For doing that, you raise or lower terrain, remove water and a few things like those.

That is all...

This game has a lot of potential but a lack of content and draconian DRM hold it back. I can not comment on all the bugs reported by other people as I experience none during my play through. The game is actually really enjoyable for the first play through. However, expect that to last 3-6 maxs. Afterwards there really isn't a whole lot left to do. The game lacks content and is far to easy. It seems as though it got simplified to death. Also having to log in on-line every time you want to play is rather ridiculous.… Expand

Broken AI, lazy porting to pc, incredibly hard, frustrating, and not at all rewarding gameplay... From Dust was a major disappointment. The graphics are amazing, and the style it was made in was also. But this ended up just like Spore: Hype was built up, developers got lazy, and the game crashed and burned. This is a kind of game with extreme potential, but I don't think even the sandbox mode they're promising it enough to make it better.… Expand

I got my monies worth out of this game, with so many bad reviews I can only imagine that people's expectations were too high, this game was hyped up too much, but for $14 or so what do you really expect. The problem is that there is not too much depth to the game, it's a very pretty physics puzzle, the interface is a little annoying but gets the job done. I'm happy with my purchase.

If sandbox is your thing, this is your game. Colorful and immersive, though at times frustrating, From Dust offers around 30hrs of play inclueding replay value. There was much potential for a greater title but failed to hit that lasting high one should feel from the god perspective. Worth a shot, but it will eventually leave you with an empty feeling.

Rather unimpressive. A concept that could have been SO much more, but unfortunately they made the whole game feel like one long tutorial. It wasn't really challenging, just about doing it right. And theres SO damn little to do. Seriously. My interest reached it's peak about 10 minutes into the game, then it declined, when I realized that what I saw right now, was pretty much what I'd be seeing 10 hours into the game.. Not worth your monies, shortlived "entertainment"… Expand

Good idea, poorly executed. I was hoping for a lot more from this game. causes more frustration than enjoyment most of the time. Pros: the amusing sounds the "locals" make and the water animation.

I had heard a bunch of good things about this game from various sources, and that made me buy the game.
However I was extremely disappointed when I saw what it actually was.
there are many problems with this game,
The AI of the tribesmen is extremely frustrating, and really hard to work around.
The controls for the game were clearly made for a controller and not a mouse, and form the looks of it, nothing has changed there when they ported it over.
The graphics are OK, to put it generously.
The Ubi soft launcher is a curse, And is really freaking annoying to deal with. this is by far the worst part of the game as you can not bypass it. The DRM ruins the game completely.

While no single part of the game with the possible exception of the DRM/launcher shenanigans is worth a bottom score, when you take a look on the game as a whole, everything about it is way below what you would expect, it doesn't have a redeeming feature, Which is the reason for my low score.
The game is not very expensive, but for what it is, it is too expensive by a large margin.… Expand

A wonderful atmosphere, art and physics and although there seems to be a lot of fuss about this and that I don't see any issues. I like the game. If only you could ESC the cut scenes before a level. This, by itself, ruined the game for me. I can't watch those cut scenes over and over and over because I failed a level. Such a simple problem that would have a simple fix.

Fix that one thing for me and I will give it an 8.… Expand

Apart from all the porting and DRM issues it suffers horribly from Spore Syndrome. Great idea, Eh game. It's pretty much the Simcity terrain editor, with some awesome physics thrown in, and dumbed down Lemmings gameplay added at the last minute. There's just not enough depth, and thus gets boring pretty quickly.

Well, the game is obviously not on par with the average PC gamers standards, but it is a truly beautiful and well-made game in most aspects. Sure, the camera sucks (hint: use the arrow keys to adjust tilt) and the graphics aren't crazy customizable. But i've had fun with it, it is a challenging puzzler, a realistic nature simulator, and despite the standard graphics, really does stand out as one of those games that makes you say "Wow, I couldn't imagine this 10 years ago." For the $15 price tag, it is definitely worth the experience, with or without flaws.… Expand

The only way to play this game properly is to get yerself a crack from torrents. Then all crashes are suddenly gone! I played straight through the campaign w/o a single crash. It was last game from Ubi i bought.

The game never worked on my PC. Good support system, though. Currently Ubisoft support is dodging the question how I get back the money I paid for my pre-order by suggesting I should play the game on a friend's computer, if I can find one where it runs.

First off, the DRM is obnoxious, but some people will care more about that than others, and it says more about Ubisoft as a company than about the game itself, so I won't let it have any effect on my rating.

As for the game mechanics, the physics system is amazing. Water not only flows realistically, but it seems to accurately fill up depressions, erode earth, deposit silt, and everything else it does in real life. Personally, I could play with this simulation in sandbox mode for hours.

Which is a good thing, because the biggest negative with this game is that there's very little to it OTHER than playing with the physics. The last few levels ramp up the difficulty to the point where I had to really try to save those idiot villagers, but overall, if you're just playing with the goal of completing the game, it can be done in a few sittings.

As I played through the campaign, I was mollified by many "challenge map unlocked" messages, which made me less anxious about the alarmingly fast rate at which I seemed to be completing the campaign. However, I was severely disappointed when, after finishing the campaign and trying out some of the challenge maps, I discovered that these maps are tiny, with limited terraforming abilities, and can generally be finished in under a minute or two.

The real shame here is that they must have put an enormous amount of work into the technical foundations for this game, and it shows, but they really dropped the ball on things like interface (there's very little zoom range for the camera, for instance) and total amount of content (Just as the game seems like it's getting out of the "tutorial" stages, it's over). Given the superb game engine and beautiful visuals, it's too bad they didn't put in the relatively minor effort to polish the much easier (but just as important) aspects of the game.… Expand

Too short and too small in scope. In the end it's an interesting game and a fun way to spend an afternoon, but there's little replay value. Also the controls were obviously designed for a console and translate fairly poorly to the PC.

This game would be a lot more fun if it was functional. I am able to run much more resource intensive games on my computer yet this one seems to be the only one that causes crashes, even after I fully updated my drivers and such.

There is an important life lesson that I recieved from this game: that I will never buy from ubisoft again, no matter how promising the game looks. Their pc ports are utterly worthless (that includes prince of persia). This game had so much potential and ubisoft had to ruin it. What a shame. Here's some reasons why this game failed: it requires you to make an account just to play this game. There are no changeable graphics settings except the resolution (and it seems there is a 30fps cap, and the graphics look absolutely terrible even though my computer is capable). Worst controls I have experienced in a video game and you cannot fix it no matter how much you fiddle with the sensitivity and etc. Camera control is sudden, jerky, awkward, and requires much effort. Ubisoft is borderline criminal. I gave this a 4 because I loved the concept of this game, nothing more.… Expand

Although short, this game left a lasting impression on me. From the breathtaking real-world physics to the simple yet intuitive idea that nature guides the world you shift, this game is a great casual title for almost any person looking for something beyond the simple games like Peggle. You star in the game as nature, err a god who shapes the natural world around a group of natives, and your overall goal is to help the natives spread across the land; it is a simple yet charming story. You can move, create and destroy land, water, and more, and can harness other abilities as well. You can also use some of the plants in the environment to aid you, like water-expelling flowers or fire trees; however, these can also work against you. The mechanics of this game require often a beautiful mastery of balance. Contrary to what some others seem to think, the controls are simple enough - usually just click and drag, but occasionally one can use special powers granted by totems to perform special powers; many of the challenges are easy enough with this set-up. The camera does have a few issues, some of which are programmed a certain way and require getting use to; for example, the reticle that one uses is always to be centered on the screen, so even the slightest movement will cause the player's map view to shift; however, there are a few, though sparse, issues where the camera is just finicky. The most impressive part of this game is the visuals, notably the liquid physics; water, lava, and even sand flow and interact with the environment so well and seamlessly. The plants blow in the wind and burn within a fire, and the villagers have their own unique look (although their models are limited). Really my only major qualm with this game is that the story mode itself is short; it took me about 5-6 hours to complete. After that, there are many challenge maps to complete, but many of these are quick to beat. Overall, I really loved the game, I just wish there were more maps and a longer story mode to it. Also, a full- fledged sandbox mode that can be shared with other players would be nice too.

To address the DRM, I agree with many of the people, but for me dealing with it and uPlay (Ubisoft's PC game platform) is not a big deal; I just don't like or understand why I have to launch another platform aside from Steam to play From Dust. All that is really required is to set up a uPlay account and you're good.… Expand

I bought the game as I have a new PC and want to see what it can do - IGN basically said this game could only have come out now due to the excellent graphics and reliance on physics. Honestly... its on par with black and white. Dated, obviously a port, no graphics options, simple puzzles.

Boring game, ill probably finish it but its not epic. 6/10

The Steam version is non-functional at worst and horrifically buggy at best, while Ubisoft's support team still haven't responded after several games. This release has been utterly disappointing, a total waste of $15.

This game is absolute garbage. I bought it because I thought it would not have drm. And guess what, it does.
ubisoft has turned into a terrible company that lies to their customers. I will not be buying anymore games from them.

Stay away from this port. The game itself, is pretty cool. Its more of a environmental puzzle game than a "god" game, but what it does is very entertaining and the graphics are absolutely amazing for XBOX live (not so much for PC, more later). If you have XBOX live, consider that the only version of this game and get it on that.

As for this PC port, this most definitely ranks among the worst console to PC ports ever made. Lets get the elephant out of the way first. Ubisoft lied about the games DRM. Originally stating you would only need to activate the game online once, you actually need to activate it online EVERY single time you play. There is no offline option, rendering the game useless on laptops. Other than the DRM, the game has no graphic settings to speak of, a fixed 30 FPS cap, and some of the most god awful mouse controls you will ever experience. To sum it up, this is an absolute garbage PC game. Dont buy it on PC, period.… Expand

This is an awesome game. Graphics are gorgeous, gameplay is totally unique, and the underlying tech is state of the art. There is nothing else like this out there. Its difficult in a good way and part of the fun is learning how to use the spells. I wish there was more content, but as a whole, its a steal at $15. I really think the bad reviews are related to the always on DRM. That doesn't bother me since I play on steam on my desktop. I am already 'always on'. Some claims in the other reviews are downright false. No mouse sensitivity? C'mon dude its 2 clicks from the main menu under common controls. I had no technical issues on my mid range, 2 year old PC.

If you are tired of the same old games and looking for some new emergent game play, I strongly recommend 'from dust'.… Expand

Those villagers are stupid as ****

A good idea and attempt at the God game genre, but thanks to the work of Ubisoft, this game is not one I'd recommend to anybody. The game, thanks to the DRM, requires you to have the Ubisoft launcher. In order to launch the game, you need to make an account and tie your serial key to your account. For those buying the game through Steam or some other digital distributor, you'll need to make a new account on Ubisoft's end to even play the game. For many, this Ubisoft launcher is unstable and causes more problems than it should, which if encountered, won't let you run the game at all.

Once you load the game, you'll be greeted by a game with limited graphics options, with the only choice being to change resolutions. And once you start a new game and get into gameplay, the obvious lack of Anti Aliasing and the frame limited forcing the game to run at 30fps is noticeable, and hinders on the game graphically. Actual gameplay gets to be more disappointing, with mouse scrolling causing the cursor to spaz out, moving the camera all over the place and with mediocre camera controls overall. Luckily, the former of those two is able to be fixed, with the developers including an option to turn off mouse scrolling.

Overall, this is a great idea spawned from the great mind of Eric Chahi, but hindered by Ubisoft's troublesome DRM and the obvious lack of care put into this PC port.… Expand

From the console reviews and with the name Eric Chahi I expected this game to be fantastic and purchased it as soon as it launched.

Big mistake.

Instead of a fun God-game with great art direction and graphics I got this unplayable mess with terrible controls that runs and looks like ass on my rig (which runs Crysis 2 and every modern game maxed out by the way). The mouse controls are just broken and frustrating, the game runs between 15 and 30fps for seemingly no reason and there are no graphic options to speak of except for the option to change the resolution. Awful controls and performance plus a complete lack of polish show the lack of effort Ubi Soft put into this port, something they are getting a reputation for, I would have derived more enjoyment and less disappointment from just lighting the $15 this pile cost me on fire.

Do not buy unless Ubi fixes it, which they won't, as usual.… Expand

If you want a awesome God game, this is it. For 15$ your practically ripping off the producers for it and it is the best God game on the market, if there is even another one out there. There is endless re-playability and generally a solid game with good graphics and sound gameplay. The physics in itself is fantastic . The controls are absolutely fine, and can be changed in the options. Never had a single issue with the mouse or any problems with the DRM (although that does not mean I support it). Looks like too many people are raging about Ubisoft rather than the game and need to stop being so butthurt that it came out of Xbox first and not PC.… Expand