.redruM
- October 17, 2024
- Paul Alex M Samaniego
Get on Steam!!!WARNING TO USERS!!! .redruM was born as a work of art before being a walking sim game, which aims to communicate a message. The game is deliberately slow, this is precisely to stimulate the user to look for this message within themselves and do it with calm and patience. The .redruM Experience: A Psychological and Cinematic Horror .redruM is a psychological and cinematic horror experience…
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and a beautiful aesthetic that captures the feeling of liminal spaces effectively.
- The sound design enhances the horror experience, creating a realistic and immersive atmosphere that can evoke genuine fear.
- The unique gameplay mechanics, such as exploring environments and taking photos, provide a fresh take on the horror genre.
- The gameplay can feel slow and tedious, with long stretches of walking that detract from the overall experience.
- The narrative is often unclear and lacks coherence, making it difficult for players to connect with the story being told.
- Some players found the reliance on jump scares and loud sounds to be less effective than building a more atmospheric horror experience.
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is perceived as fragmented and difficult to grasp, with players noting a lack of coherent narrative despite attempts to convey themes through environmental storytelling. While some appreciate the artistic choice to avoid dialogue and text, many feel that the disjointed locations and sluggish movement detract from the overall experience, leaving the story feeling underdeveloped and hard to interpret. Overall, the storytelling approach has potential, but its execution leaves players wanting a more engaging and connected narrative.
“I liked the use of environments instead of dialogue/text to tell a story.”
“The dev reached out to me via email to explain the ending of the game and to also explain their intention with telling a story through this form of art.”
“I did appreciate the stylized choice of not including any text or voice overs to tell a story, and to rely solely on environments and gameplay to tell it instead, but when this happens it forces the player to interpret for themselves whatever it is they are experiencing.”
“There is an impression of a story, which I'd venture to guess revolves around the invisible trauma endured by forensic photographers, but the environments are as close to the backrooms without technically being part of that universe as they can be, while not making it fun or interesting to explore them.”
“The locations change but... there's nothing connecting a coherent story here.”
“Unfortunately, I felt your game's story was a difficult one to process and understand for myself in the way it was told.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around the liminal space concept, featuring stylized environments that guide players through exploration with minimal text or voiceovers. While the camera mechanics may not be perfect, they encourage thoughtful engagement with the game, though some players desire more storytelling and the ability to pause gameplay. Overall, the experience is described as immersive and enjoyable, with a strong emphasis on exploration and discovery in beautifully crafted landscapes.
“The whole gameplay is based on the liminal space concept, so in most of the levels you are somehow guided by brighter lights.”
“The camera gameplay isn’t perfect, but it effectively encourages players to reflect on the few actions available in the game.”
“Searching for answers in these desolate landscapes and wondering which mechanics to expect only makes you sink further into the world the developers wished to create, making you learn how to become part of it, and your discoveries unravel later on.”
“What little substance I did get to experience in between these long moments of walking simply wasn't enough for me to justify the gameplay choice of endless walking.”
“Personally, I think that the possibility to stop the gameplay and resume it later would be nice to have, and maybe a little more storytelling at the beginning of each 'level' would also be great.”
“I did appreciate the stylized choice of not including any text or voiceovers to tell a story, and to rely solely on environments and gameplay to tell it instead, but when this happens it forces the player to interpret for themselves whatever it is they are experiencing.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of Redrum are praised for their stunning aesthetics, featuring unique adaptations of liminal spaces that create an immersive experience. Players appreciate the impeccable color combinations and realistic visuals, although some find the abrupt transitions to backroom-style environments can detract from the narrative. Overall, the game is recognized for its intriguing graphics and engaging exploration elements.
“Redrum lies in its aesthetics of liminal spaces and unsettling environments.”
“While the themes of backrooms and liminal spaces are present, they are not taken literally; instead, the developer has skillfully adapted this aesthetic to create something unique and original.”
“Stunning graphics, truly impeccable color combination that makes the gaming experience even more immersive.”
“The graphics are lackluster and fail to create the intended atmosphere.”
“The visual design feels outdated and does not meet modern gaming standards.”
“The environments lack detail, making the game feel empty and uninspired.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its dreamlike quality, effectively transforming the familiar into the unsettling. However, some critics feel that it relies too heavily on loud sounds for scares rather than developing a more immersive and genuinely frightening ambiance.
“The meticulously crafted atmospheres transform the journey into an almost dreamlike experience, where the familiar becomes strange and the mundane turns disturbing.”
“The game also uses loud sounds to scare instead of building up atmosphere to something actually scary, which is not a great way to do horror.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that using a good headset enhances the emotional experience of the game, particularly by evoking feelings of fear and tension.
