Deponia Doomsday

Hum... It's OK. This is a point-and-click game with humor as the backbone. The graphics are good. The music is decent. The story? Well, not so easy to follow—it helps a lot if you’ve played the previous games to fully get what’s going on.
No bugs, but I did run into some crashes during the last part of the game.
Overall, it’s entertaining. The humor is kind of juvenile, so expect a few chuckles here and there, but don’t go in hoping for belly laughs. The puzzles? A mix of too easy and "what-on-earth-is-this-moon-logic." Honestly, it’s kind of a thing with this franchise—crazy, repetitive, and sometimes ridiculously long puzzles. You’ll end up clicking everything, trying random combos, and eventually giving in to a guide. Let’s be real: if it weren’t for the comedic vibe, this would probably get a lot more criticism.
The story is funny but really easy to lose track of, especially if you haven’t played the original trilogy. There are cards and achievements, but man, the achievements are the worst kind—they’re super obscure and force you into multiple playthroughs.
It’s a semi-casual pastime. The characters are fun, and they’ll grow on you. Plus, they’re working on another Deponia game, so the franchise isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I’d recommend this, but you need patience—a lot of patience. Rage-quitting? Possible. Still, you’ll probably walk away with a mostly positive experience.

So this one I still liked but it was a bit... unnecessary. Without spoilers this game feels like the dev just really didn't like how people disliked the ending of the trilogy and just said "Fine I'll give you a new ending; but be careful what you wish for!"
It still felt good like the other games and was pretty cool with the whole premise of going back and forth in dimensions and time. However the whole game you get subtle and not-so-subtle metaphors and hints to the dev angry with the community. I still felt it was rather tongue and cheek and this was an excuse to make another Deponia game after it was done. Still I think the story overall doesn't change a whole lot unfortunately if you thought the ending of the third game was either bad or sad. This doesn't end any better; though maybe you'd just be happy to play more games.

It often happens that sequels of already completed stories are no more than pitiful attempts of "riding" the shadow of success of the main story. Here, this is definitely not the case. This game has managed to twist around the plot of its previous main story by intriguing and interesting way, which also filled some holes and misses in the original story.
P.S. Disregard the playtime, I played this whole franchise early out of Steam and here bought it just for sake of my game collection.

The weakest link of the series. Crazy to say but I miss the old mischievous jerk Rufus. He's lost all his personality now. This game is not funny at all, least to say with a very complex storyline involving a lot of time travel. I had to cheat quite a few times at the beginning bc the puzzles made no sense ( star, DNA machine and psychic ball puzzles ) afterwards it was a breeze. I wouldn't recommend paying full price for it and if you never play it is OK too. What bothered me the most is that they completely ignored a lot of very interesting plot twists from the 3rd game. Who was the original Rufus ? How did baby Rufus end up on Deponia ? ( although the clones appear to be all grown up when created ). What about Goal's memory slot ? ( I thought she wasn't human at the beginning ). Why does she have one ? What happened to Rufus' mother ? Why does his stepfather blame him for her death ? What happened to the rebellion and the Organons ? There were TONS of interesting unanswered questions left behind ! And then we get pretty dull game heavily focused on time travel with uninteresting characters ( McCronicum being the worst ). It gets a very generous 6/10 from me.

First: I recommend all the Deponia series. It is a great fun starting with some crude ideas evolving to an amazing story.
There are a lot of jokes in there (not everyone understandable by kids) and a lot of puzzles to be solved in different manors.
After having played the entire Deponia series I can say something about its evolution.
Each game was getting richer in content, in ideas, in complexity and in size.
This last title sure made a jump forward in all aspects. The artwork evolved too ... I liked it from the beginning but it also changed a bit and added sort of comic style elements.
I was very happy to find the voices which I knew from the older titles.
The only thing I sometimes disliked was when the puzzles are suddenly depend on the order of things to be done or rely on a to tight timing. You have got all things you need, you tested every possible combination ... you got stuck and the only reason is that two things have to be done in a different order (same scene!).
I had only two bugs appearing in the entire series!! But also these could luckily be solved through other users guides.
The ending of the series has went philosophical. For me this was a bit sad, but this depends on you.
In total ... a lot of game, fun and artwork for your money!

By far the best Deponia Game out there! The humor and art direction are as always just a delight and the game is even fun to complete (as long as you ignore the 1001 Jackalopes Achievement)! Among Point and Clicks its definitely a must play!

Deponia Doomsday is a fascinating and polarizing installment in the Deponia series, a point-and-click adventure franchise developed by Daedalic Entertainment. Released in 2016, this fourth entry takes a dramatic shift in tone and narrative structure compared to its predecessors, blending science fiction, absurdist humor, and time travel into an ambitious—if at times convoluted—tapestry. Fans of the earlier games will recognize familiar characters, recurring motifs, and the distinctive cartoonish art style, but they may also find themselves surprised by the thematic weight and emotional stakes introduced in Doomsday. The game attempts to serve both as a sequel and a retcon, trying to mend the controversial ending of Goodbye Deponia while also expanding the universe’s scope and complexity.
The story follows Rufus, the series' egocentric yet oddly endearing protagonist, who once again finds himself at the center of an apocalyptic scenario involving Deponia’s destruction. However, unlike previous games, Doomsday employs a time-travel mechanic that turns the narrative into a cyclical, almost dream-like journey through alternate timelines, déjà vu moments, and paradoxes. The plot kicks off with a prologue showing a ruined future and then jumps into a frenetic sequence of events that challenge the player's understanding of cause and effect. Rufus, through the use of time-traveling espresso machines and absurd contraptions, attempts to rewrite history, fix past mistakes, and ultimately prevent the end of Deponia. The script plays heavily with themes of fate, free will, and the burdens of change—all wrapped in the series' signature comedic tone, which alternates between slapstick and bleak satire.
Visually, the game is a treat. The hand-drawn environments are richly detailed and bursting with color, staying true to the aesthetic foundation laid by previous entries. The animation quality is consistent, with expressive character designs and clever background gags that reward observant players. However, where Doomsday truly excels is in its sound design and voice acting. The English and German dubs are both strong, but the German version, being the original, offers slightly more nuance. The soundtrack, composed by Finn Seliger and others, ranges from whimsical to melancholic, punctuating key moments with emotional depth. The musical interludes—complete with the series' traditional recap songs—are charming and add levity even during the story's darker turns.
Gameplay-wise, Deponia Doomsday sticks to the classic point-and-click formula. Inventory puzzles dominate the gameplay loop, and while many are cleverly designed, some solutions are esoteric enough to frustrate even seasoned adventure game fans. The game leans heavily into logic-defying scenarios, and given the time-travel premise, the puzzles often require players to think non-linearly. This can be both a strength and a weakness; while it allows for some inspired puzzle sequences that tie cleverly into the story, it also leads to moments where progress feels arbitrarily gated. Still, for those who enjoy intricate problem-solving, the challenges can be deeply satisfying when the logic finally clicks into place.
Where Deponia Doomsday becomes truly divisive is in its narrative choices. Without spoiling too much, the game plays with the very fabric of the trilogy's established canon. Characters are reintroduced under different circumstances, past events are rewritten, and the line between what is “real” and what is dream or simulation becomes increasingly blurred. This metatextual approach is bold, and Daedalic deserves credit for attempting to grapple with the backlash surrounding the original trilogy’s ending. However, this also leads to a sense of emotional whiplash. The stakes are higher than ever, yet the frequent tonal shifts—from slapstick comedy to tragic introspection—can be jarring. Rufus himself remains a complex antihero, and while his arc is more mature and reflective in this installment, it may not be enough to redeem him in the eyes of those who found him intolerable in earlier games.
Ultimately, Deponia Doomsday is an ambitious and creative game that tries to do something rare: rewrite its own legacy while staying true to the soul of the original series. It’s a chaotic, surreal, and emotionally rich experience that will resonate with longtime fans but may alienate newcomers or those hoping for a more traditional sequel. Its philosophical undertones and narrative ambition elevate it beyond the average point-and-click adventure, even if it sometimes stumbles under the weight of its own complexity. While not a perfect game, it is a memorable one—flawed, fascinating, and utterly unique in its approach to storytelling in the medium.
Rating: 8/10