Image credit: 10tons Ltd
There is something therapeutic about destroying stuff, and Dysplaced understands that. Smashing through buildings, chopping trees, and collecting chicken eggs is a lot of fun, especially when you can make new stuff out of it. Dysplaced is an exploration-driven isometric adventure that lets you smash almost everything.
If you’ve already played developer 10tons’ previous game, Dysmantle, you’ll be right at home. The progression is faster and more streamlined in the new game, and there is a huge world for you to explore. The game is out in early access, and it already has a ton (almost 10tons) of content – check out Kyusai’s Alpha Dysplaced preview below.
A dysjointed world
Unlike Dysmantle’s open world, Dysplaced launches with three islands for you to explore. The islands vary in size, and it took me almost 30 hours to explore them all. The world design is more or less the same as in the previous game. A lot of backtracking is required; you get new tools which open new paths and so on.
The graphics look good for a game that’s less than a GB in size. I played Dysplaced on my Steam Deck, and it ran flawlessly right out of the gate. The isometric view is fully rotatable horizontally and slightly adjustable vertically, which enhances the overall experience.
As Dysmantle was released on phones, the developers may have plans to do the same with Dysplaced. Porting it would seemingly be easy, as it’s not a graphically demanding title.
There is a day-and-night cycle, but it’s purely visual; the enemies aren’t more aggressive at night. Overall, I liked the soft and slightly old-school visuals. The story is a generic Isikai or portal fantasy; you are thrust into an unknown world. While it’s enough to advance the game, I didn’t find it gripping or original. Side quests are similarly simple, with most boiling down to fetch missions.
Human smash!
So the graphics aren’t amazing, the story is OK – so why did I play the game? Because it lets the player go on a destructive rampage.
If you like smashing things in survival and crafting games, then you’ll love what Dysplaced has to offer. Chop trees to get wood and leaves, smash boulders to get stone, mine ores to get metal, and you get the drill. I followed the upgrades like a mouse chases treats.
Fair warning, Dysplaced isn’t as densely packed as Dysmantle. Where Dysmantle lets you take down whole neighborhoods in its urban-zombie environment, Dysplaced’s maps have a lot of empty spaces. Combine that with a medieval fantasy world, and you have a few buildings to destroy. The game is in Alpha, though, I’m hoping things will improve in the full release.
The game trickles down upgrades constantly, and that keeps you going. Can’t cut down a giant tree? The axe upgrade is just around the corner. Want to carry more stuff? Upgrade the backpack. It’s the standard survival gameplay loop, without hunger or sleep management. The sandbox is big, but exploration is the main motivation here, not the story or the visuals.
Is this another Soulslike?
Well, there is a campfire that you can use to upgrade your character. It also acts as a checkpoint in case you die. There are also dodgerolls, swords, and hard-hitting enemies. Apart from that? Nope, Dysplaced is not a hard game, and doesn’t fit the Soulslike genre.
The bosses are also pushovers – I killed one and didn’t even know it was a big baddie in the game.
While there are swords, two-handed swords, bows, and spears in the game, I used my hammer to bonk enemies to death. The only enemy that gave me trouble is the wild hog, which apparently always spawns in a pack of 4. It felt a little unfair until my Elden Ring cheesing senses activated, and I stun-locked them with the Stonesling.
The game is in Alpha right now and will improve with more islands coming down the line. It’s a smooth Alpha, though; it runs fine with most core mechanics working as intended. I played around 5 hours of co-op, and it ran fine. I can only recommend it to Dysmantle fans for now, or folks who love to clear maps by destroying everything.
FAQs
Dysplaced Alpha released on 5 March, 2026. The developers estimate it will take 6 to 12 months for the full release.
No, Dysplaced is not on Android or iOS. Currently, Dysplaced platforms include only PC/Steam.
Yes, it runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck. I used a mix of low- to medium-level settings, averaging 90 FPS over 30 hours of playtime. Lock it to 60, and with even higher settings, you’ll have a better experience.
No, not in the Alpha phase, but the developers intend to include couch co-op in an update.
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