03.04

About

"03.04" is a horror action single-player game with a dark and intriguing story. As a character with a troubled past, you must navigate through purgatory and face the horrors within to atone for your sins and seek redemption. The game masterfully creates a perfect atmosphere, showcasing the character's descent into realizing the true depth of their monstrous actions and the terrible sin they have committed.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 68 reviews

story15 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game has a strong atmosphere and engaging story that keeps players immersed.
Gameplay features interesting mechanics, such as checking ammo directly on the weapon model, adding a unique touch to the experience.
Despite its flaws, the game is considered a decent horror experience for its low price, with some players enjoying the challenge and resource management aspects.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, poor localization, and unresponsive controls, which can detract from the overall experience.
Enemy AI is basic, and there are only a few enemy types, leading to repetitive gameplay.
The game is capped at a low frame rate, and the lack of rebindable controls can be frustrating for players.

story
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
9%
The game's story is generally considered derivative, focusing on themes of guilt and atonement, but it effectively engages players with its unique atmosphere and intriguing plot twists. While some players found the narrative difficult to follow and criticized its inconclusive ending, others appreciated its depth and emotional resonance, particularly for an indie title. Overall, the story is seen as a solid, if not groundbreaking, element that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “Really loved the story, that really surprised me, especially for a small indie game.”
- “The story is interesting and unique.”
- “Awesome story about someone that is fighting his inner demons that torment him after a tragic event.”
- “The story is derivative (another 'cycles of guilt' story with an inconclusive ending) but does an okay job at explaining your presence at the different locales; one issue is that the theme of atonement doesn't carry through into the metro and there are no checkpoints in that level; a common bug is to run through the toxic mist and get permanently stuck on the other side having to reload, and there are only checkpoints.”
- “The plot has some weird elements, at the school maps about religion, and the end was kind of forced and the final twist wasn't that big of a thing, more like it was expected.”
- “Full of scripts and invisible walls, the story is interesting at first, but really has no depth... it has some hard stuff, but for me it didn't work.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, enhanced by effective audio design, particularly when using headphones. Players appreciate the dark, foreboding environment and graphic design that contribute to a genuinely scary experience, reminiscent of other atmospheric horror titles. Despite some narrative confusion and technical flaws, the overall ambiance is considered a strong point, making it a compelling horror experience.
- “The audio stands out when you are using headphones; I did not play on speakers, so I cannot say if you get the same atmosphere.”
- “Jpeg of pain, what struck me the most was the atmosphere; definitely its strong suit.”
- “The rough translation is honestly the biggest flaw of this title, but it's the dark, genuinely scary atmosphere that should keep you playing for its 2-3 hour duration.”
- “The atmosphere is actually really well done, despite the music either not being present or not wanting to work a good portion of the time.”
- “The dark, sparse lighting also adds to the overall foreboding atmosphere, leaving you to rely on your flashlight to illuminate most nooks and crannies.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of survival horror elements and classic FPS mechanics, featuring instant kills for stealthy attacks and a focus on exploration for resources, albeit with the risk of spawning additional enemies. While the aiming mechanics during movement could be improved, players appreciate the variety of gameplay options and the engaging HUD-less experience. Overall, the game offers a simple yet enjoyable experience, especially considering its low price, though some may find it becomes repetitive over time.
- “Gameplay has more options than I expected, and that's cool.”
- “The mechanics work; I enjoy the HUD-less screen, ammo-check mechanic, and gunplay.”
- “Knife attacks made on enemies who have not detected you are instant kills; the gameplay is reminiscent of survival horror, with exploration yielding health and ammunition at the cost of potential additional enemy spawns.”
- “The gameplay itself is simple: do the objectives, kill things, and search for keys.”
- “The gameplay may become dull after a while, but it's nothing you can't endure (the game is 1 hour and 30 minutes long).”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the retro aesthetic and atmospheric design that enhances the horror experience. While some note that the visuals are not cutting-edge, they effectively contribute to the game's immersive ambiance, especially given its low-budget indie status. However, a few users have reported performance issues, such as poor optimization and overlapping menu options.
- “Graphic design allows you to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of what is happening.”
- “Nice game with cool graphics, music, and storyline, all for a small fee.”
- “I didn't go into 03.04 expecting too much, and I was pleasantly surprised by the graphics and lack of bugs in what seems like a pretty low-budget affair.”
- “The graphics are certainly not ideal, but they are suitable for horror.”
- “The game runs poorly considering the poor graphics; it has fixed in-game keys and menu options that sometimes overlap each other.”
- “It is a low-budget indie game, but the monster graphics look pretty okay.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players noting significant issues such as music being absent or only playing briefly, which disrupts the experience. However, others appreciate the atmospheric quality of the soundtrack, describing it as disturbing yet satisfying, and commend the overall integration of music with the game's graphics and storyline. Despite its shortcomings, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance when it functions properly.
- “The music by apatiakrai takes that cue and follows along with a very disturbing yet satisfying soundtrack.”
- “Nice game with cool graphics, music, and storyline, all for a small fee.”
- “The music is really quiet, but I also liked it throughout the game.”
- “The only problem I really had was the music; I did not have any... almost. Only sometimes it will pop up for, I don't know, 5-10 seconds and then it's gone. When I use the phone, I only again have music for 1-2 seconds.”
- “The music and the sound effects end abruptly (no fade in/out).”
- “The atmosphere is actually really well done, despite the music either not being present or not wanting to work a good portion of the time.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game is generally stable, with no game-breaking bugs reported, though players have encountered minor visual glitches and occasional crashes. While the enemy AI is simplistic, it adds a level of challenge, and overall, the experience remains enjoyable despite these issues.
- “It's a bug-free and polished game.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
- “I appreciate the stability; it makes for a seamless gaming experience.”
- “Nice neat little horror game, doesn't rely on jump scares so much, and has lots of ways to scare you, but there are weird visual glitches like having two hands holding the gun and one hand holding the smartphone on the left hand, so three hands in total at the same time. It's not game-breaking or anything, but I just had to mention it. The enemy AI is basic and depends on checkpoints; for example, if you try to open a door, the enemy will spawn right behind you or next to you. So the AI is next to nothing in terms of programming, but it is a threat when you run out of ammo. The game did crash once.”
- “Whilst some bugs and glitches do mar the overall experience, there were no game-breaking bugs.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The game offers limited replayability due to its short duration of a few hours, but players can save progress and return later. Additionally, an arena mode and a hardcore mode without saves provide extra challenges for those seeking more gameplay.
- “It's a fairly short game of a couple of hours, but you can save and come back later. There's also an arena mode for added replayability, as well as a hardcore mode with no saves.”
- “It's a fairly short game, lasting only a couple of hours. While you can save and come back later, the replayability feels limited. The arena mode offers a bit more, but the hardcore mode with no saves can be frustrating.”
- “The game is enjoyable but lacks depth for replayability. After completing it once, there isn't much incentive to return, even with the arena and hardcore modes.”
- “Despite the option to save and return later, the overall experience feels too brief. The additional modes don't significantly enhance replayability.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the low price of the game and express satisfaction in supporting developers who prioritize passion over profit, indicating a positive view of the monetization approach.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without constantly being bombarded by ads and in-game purchases.”
- “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, forcing players to spend more money to fully experience the game.”
- “While the game itself is enjoyable, the constant push for microtransactions detracts from the overall experience and feels exploitative.”