10 Dead Doves

About

10 Dead Doves is a single player survival survival game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Duonix Studios and was released on December 13, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

"10 Dead Doves" is a single-player horror adventure set in the Appalachian wilderness, where you play as Marcus Stetson, a seasoned backpacker on a quest to find the elusive Ant Farm with his friend Sean. The journey takes a dark turn as Marcus starts receiving cryptic messages from a haunting, bird-like figure in his dreams, causing him to confront his will and wits. Experience a cinematic adventure filled with mystery, heart, and terror.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 175 reviews

story44 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

10 Dead Doves offers a unique and surreal experience, blending horror with humor and emotional storytelling, making it a standout title in the indie horror genre.
The voice acting and character dynamics are exceptional, creating a genuine sense of friendship and relatability between the protagonists, which enhances the overall narrative.
The game's artistic direction, with its PS1-inspired graphics and creative visuals, contributes to a captivating atmosphere that keeps players engaged throughout the experience.

The tank controls can be cumbersome and frustrating, especially during chase sequences, which may detract from the overall gameplay experience.
Some players may find the story incoherent or disjointed, with certain sections feeling like they drag on without clear direction, leading to confusion.
Audio mixing issues, particularly with dialogue volume, can make it difficult to fully appreciate the narrative, as some lines may be hard to hear or inconsistent in volume.

story
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The game's story is a unique blend of surrealism, psychological horror, and emotional depth, drawing inspiration from Lynchian themes and urban legends. While many players appreciate its intricate narrative and character dynamics, some find it confusing and disjointed, with a lack of cohesive direction that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy abstract storytelling and atmospheric horror, though it may not satisfy players seeking a straightforward plot.
- “A wonderfully unique experience and a must play for anyone who appreciates a well-told story.”
- “The story itself is tinged with some supernatural elements, but the underlying story is very human and relatable.”
- “10 Dead Doves tells a captivating and downright gut-wrenching story of best friends and hiking buddies Mark and Sean on their final trek across the Appalachian Trail in an obsessive search for the truth in a local urban legend, the ant farm.”
- “Overall, this is a game that's rough around the edges, and at times I felt like the story's reach exceeded its grasp.”
- “Honestly, this ends up mostly incoherent and fails to really tell much of a story; very often it felt like things just kinda happened.”
- “The story, however, is a mess.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique blend of PS1-era aesthetics and low-poly designs, creating a nostalgic yet surreal atmosphere that enhances its abstract psychological horror narrative. Players appreciate the creative visuals, which combine cute and uncanny elements, and the effective use of limited resources to deliver a distinctive art style that contributes to the game's overall charm and humor. Despite some technical issues, the visuals are often described as engaging and well-executed, making them a significant draw for fans of retro-inspired games.
- “I absolutely love the aesthetics of this game.”
- “The art style is engaging and hits that sweet spot between being really fun and really uncanny, in a very deliberate sense.”
- “In its best moments, the strange photographs plastered onto low polygon models and surfaces create truly beautiful and surreal images.”
- “Ps1 graphics with Angela Anaconda-esque creatures, not to mention the sad, but sweet, story.”
- “Clunky controls, off dialogue, the story seems incoherent from the get-go, and the art style of the game doesn't seem to know what it wants to be.”
- “The PS1-style horror graphics are the first thing to hit you, followed by the dialogue which is voiced by the developers.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
61%
9%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique atmosphere and artistic style, while others found it lacking in depth and mechanics. It primarily involves exploration and puzzle-solving, often described as a walking simulator with fixed camera angles that can create blind spots. Despite its simplicity, the engaging narrative and varied gameplay segments keep players invested, making it a memorable experience for fans of dark storytelling.
- “I did enjoy it overall; the gameplay—mostly walking around solving puzzles—and the feel of the game.”
- “The atmosphere and level design are something else, and the gameplay keeps going.”
- “Well-paced exploration, collectathon, and puzzle-solving gameplay with occasional scary chase-like scenes.”
- “I loved the demo and really wanted to like this, but the writing and gameplay in the full release left me completely cold.”
- “However, certain aspects of the game felt like they were held back by the minimal budget, such as the gameplay and limited opportunities to fully flesh out the world, as the studio clearly wished to do.”
- “The gameplay is a mixed bag and mostly involves walking around and discovering items to progress with minimal puzzles involved.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively blending surreal visuals, strong storytelling, and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the unnerving tension and captivating environments that enhance the horror elements, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric and narrative-driven games. The unique artistic direction and natural dialogue further contribute to a gripping atmosphere that keeps players engaged and theorizing throughout their journey.
- “The atmosphere and level design are something else, and the gameplay keeps going.”
- “The artistic direction from the character models, scenery, and atmosphere keeps you captivated the entire time, the dialogue between characters is extremely natural and the mystery of the ant farm makes you want to replay the game and do a deep dive to find out what could be the true history and meaning within.”
- “Beautiful and gripping story, great atmosphere, stunning visuals, surreal and bizarre yet fascinating.”
- “There are a few visually interesting surrealistic sequences woven into all that retro glory, and for everything 10 Dead Doves has proven to be - it works well for its designed purpose, as the atmosphere stays unnerving throughout the entire journey.”
- “Their back-and-forths are the car AC set to max cool in an otherwise suffocating, tense atmosphere.”
- “Even though the atmosphere isn't incredibly tense, there are a number of good scares that keep you on your toes.”
emotional
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from humor to sadness, often enhanced by effective camerawork and pacing. Players report being deeply invested in the narrative, experiencing moments of laughter, tears, and suspense, though some feel that the emotional depth may not fully align with the creators' ambitious vision. Overall, the game is praised for its complex characters and engaging story, making it a memorable emotional journey.
- “I've never given much thought to how camerawork could enhance a video game before, but so many emotional and plot beats are heightened by little choices like having the fixed camera be a little shaky here, at a dramatic angle there, that all really adds to the experience.”
- “I'm stunned, this is genuinely one of the very few games I've ever played that's made me emotional.”
- “By the end I was completely invested emotionally, and felt completely satisfied by the game's conclusion.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending absurdity and emotional depth to create a unique experience that balances comedy with horror. Players appreciate the clever writing and character interactions, which evoke laughter even amidst terrifying moments, making the narrative both engaging and multifaceted. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with psychological themes, resulting in a captivating and memorable journey.
- “It's funny, terrifying, and will make you feel things.”
- “A horror game with a good sense of humor, really feels like two guys that have known each other forever and have their own internal language hanging out.”
- “The story manages to be silly, creepy, touching, funny, sad, and smart at the same time, which is something pretty rare in narrative games nowadays.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players enjoying it so much that they linger in the main menu just to listen. The soundtrack effectively complements the narrative and character interactions, contributing to an immersive experience, although some users noted occasional issues with voice and music mixing. Overall, the musical elements are considered a standout feature, adding depth to the game's psychological horror and humor.
- “The plot, the characters, the style, even the music is all really good.”
- “Sometimes I like just chilling in the main menu for a bit to enjoy the music.”
- “A pretty good experience all around, the environments and music ooze atmosphere and made it really easy to get into the mood of the game.”
- “Often I would make a joke about what was about to happen and I kept being right (e.g., collect my 8 pages mark, then it actually was a slender section where you need to collect 10. Or the time I said 'and now for the musical number' and then a character like a minute later starts singing).”
- “I ended up keeping the voice volume at 100% and turned sound effects and music to 50% while raising my computer volume just to get a better mix of the voices with the music and sound.”
- “The look of it, the controls, the totally natural voice acting, the music.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
While the game features unique character designs and a captivating visual style, reviewers note a significant lack of depth in character development and narrative progression, which detracts from the overall experience. The atmosphere and voice acting are praised, but the absence of compelling story beats leaves players wanting more in terms of character growth.
- “The character designs for some characters are simple but still very interesting.”
- “A unique graphical style, tense atmosphere, interesting character designs, surprising twists and turns, not to mention voice acting that feels genuine.”
- “The game is full of brave visual choices and some interesting monster design, with an interesting, specific setting, but for a narrative-led title, there is a drastic lack of interesting story beats or character development.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it often involves extensive searching for specific item components and necessitates frequent backtracking.
- “There is a tedious amount of searching areas for specific components of items that frequently requires backtracking.”
- “The grinding feels endless, with repetitive tasks that offer little reward.”
- “I find myself doing the same missions over and over just to level up, which becomes incredibly monotonous.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the exceptional quality of voice performances, animations, and art direction, all contributing to an immersive atmosphere. Overall, the game's presentation is considered top-notch and enhances the overall experience.
- “The presentation, writing, and especially the vocal performances from the main duo are really fantastic.”
- “The voice performances are raw and believable, the animations and art direction are top-notch, and the atmosphere is unmatched.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game offers significant replayability due to its surprisingly long length and overall value for the price, making it a worthwhile experience to revisit.
- “The game length was surprisingly long, with good replay value.”
- “For the price, this game is unbeatable and has reasonable replay value.”