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2Dark

An interesting storyline, clever game and level design are all defining features of 2Dark, but it falls short when it comes to offering a challenge worthy of a survival-horror game that was anticipated with Frédérick Raynal's return to the genre.
61%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
62% User Score Based on 231 reviews
Critic Score 60%Based on 15 reviews

Platforms

PCPCP4Playstation 4P5Playstation 5WinWindowsXOXbox OneXSXXbox Series X|SPlaPlayStationXboxXbox

About

"2Dark is a single-player horror shooter game with an intriguing story, created by Frédérick Raynal, the pioneer of survival-horror. As former detective Mr. Smith, you'll navigate through the grim, deranged city of Gloomywood to rescue abducted children and bring their captors to justice. With good game mechanics, pretty visuals, and a very atmospheric setting, this stealth-horror adventure will keep you on your toes as you uncover the secrets of the corrupt and dangerous city."

2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
2Dark screenshot
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62%
Audience ScoreBased on 246 reviews
story45 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions

  • The game features a unique and compelling dark story that tackles sensitive themes, making it stand out in the horror genre.
  • The atmosphere is effectively creepy, with a retro art style that enhances the unsettling experience.
  • The gameplay encourages strategic thinking and stealth, rewarding players for clever approaches to rescuing children.
  • The controls can be clunky and frustrating, leading to moments of trial and error that detract from the overall experience.
  • The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes leading to cheap deaths or confusing encounters.
  • The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including crashes and problems with saving progress.
  • story
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "2dark" is widely praised for its dark and unsettling themes, focusing on a former detective's quest to rescue abducted children from a group of criminals. Reviewers note the narrative's ability to blend horror with quirky elements, creating a captivating atmosphere that keeps players engaged, despite some criticism of the gameplay mechanics. While the story's mature content may not be suitable for all players, it is considered the game's strongest aspect, with many finding it thought-provoking and haunting.

    • “The story is truly captivating and tackles such dark material in a way that makes the player nervous, scared, and wonder what is going to happen next.”
    • “The story is the strongest part of the game; it is very dark, unconventional, unique, taboo, and engaging, dealing with child abuse and cruelty.”
    • “Set in a grim and unsettling world, 2dark follows the story of a former detective seeking to rescue abducted children from a deranged group of criminals.”
    • “The story is simple but extremely heavy in tone (even for a horror game) and it cleverly manages to ride the line between horrible and quirky with the use of its curious art style to portray the most vile things that may have gotten it in hot water had they aimed for a less stylized look.”
    • “The subject matter, kidnapping, cannibalism, pedophilia, child murder, will put some people off but progressing through the story is fine.”
    • “Story is alright, atmosphere and tension are there but I really dislike the gameplay mechanics, the pointless traps, enemy placements which are sometimes almost impossible to sneak past without killing them.”
  • gameplay
    117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "2dark" is characterized by a mix of stealth, puzzle-solving, and exploration, but it suffers from frustrating mechanics, clunky controls, and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the unique atmosphere and narrative, many find the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay, along with poorly designed stealth mechanics and a cluttered inventory system, to be significant drawbacks. Overall, the game offers an intriguing concept but struggles with execution, leading to a disjointed and often irritating gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay is a combination of stealth, puzzle-solving, and exploration, as players navigate the environments to rescue children while avoiding detection.”
    • “If you're into stealth and horror, especially top-down, retro-themed ones, there could definitely be something here for you as some of 2dark's mechanics are sound.”
    • “The gameplay combined with the presentation just clicks with me, and it made this one a chore to play.”
    • “The stealth mechanics can be frustrating and imprecise, leading to moments of unnecessary trial and error.”
    • “The slow and plodding nature of the gameplay, combined with the lack of variety in environments and enemies, can lead to monotony.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game's mechanics kept me annoyed most of those two and a half hours or so.”
  • graphics
    77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of 2dark have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique retro-inspired pixel art style and atmospheric design, which effectively conveys the game's dark themes. However, criticisms highlight a lack of polish and detail, leading to confusion in gameplay and a trivialization of the serious subject matter. Overall, while the art style is seen as charming and fitting for the horror genre, it can also detract from the game's intended impact due to its basic execution and occasional visual inconsistencies.

    • “The art style and mood are freakin' fantastic.”
    • “The presentation here is top-notch with detailed SNES-hewn graphics that showcase a cartoonish style mixed with a tragic layer of almost VHS grime and shadows covering nearly every inch of your journey.”
    • “2dark has a really unique art style, which reminded me a lot of the PS1 era of games.”
    • “However, the execution feels underwhelming, and the visuals lack the polish and detail needed to effectively convey the game's gruesome themes.”
    • “In contrast to its subject matter, the graphical style often trivializes the gravity of the situations.”
    • “The graphics look kind of weird and I appreciate the developer trying something new, but it doesn't work.”
  • atmosphere
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "2dark" is widely praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, effectively creating a tense environment that enhances the game's unsettling themes. While the artwork, sound design, and storytelling contribute significantly to this atmosphere, some players find the gameplay mechanics frustrating, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite mixed feelings about certain elements, the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of dread and tension is consistently highlighted.

    • “Excellent and atmospheric dive into some legitimately messed up and taboo topics that you probably won't see in another game and definitely not in a widely released film.”
    • “The art style and level designs are top notch for a small indie horror release, and the atmosphere that's cultivated because of it all is dreadfully tense and may even cause you to hold your breath more than what is natural and healthy.”
    • “Artistically however, the game holds water: its graphics help bring to life its nasty environments and the music builds a strong atmosphere while also knowing when to take a step back and letting you listen to your surroundings, which you'll need to do as 2dark is more than happy to plunge you in complete darkness on more than one occasion.”
    • “Lacks the atmosphere some of the scary props deserve.”
    • “Atmosphere: it is so disappointing that a game made by the 'father' of the survival horror genre is not able to scare...”
    • “It also feels like the developers ran out of budget so skipped on getting voice actors; the enemies just have text above their head that you have to read, and it really ruins the atmosphere.”
  • music
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and storytelling, while others find it unremarkable or overly loud. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's contribution to the game's ambiance, particularly in survival-horror contexts, though some feel it lacks balance and variety. Overall, while the music is generally considered decent and fitting, it does not stand out as a highlight for all players.

    • “The game has great artwork, atmosphere, and music.”
    • “Artistically however, the game holds water: its graphics help bring to life its nasty environments and the music builds a strong atmosphere while also knowing when to take a step back and letting you listen to your surroundings.”
    • “Great sound effects and music add to the atmospheric storyline and locations.”
    • “Music is really not interesting or clumsy; I can't believe half of the credits were dedicated to the musicians. We French people need to learn balance.”
    • “The music is mostly appropriate but not particularly noteworthy. If anything, it might be a tad too loud, which can be a problem because there are no specific audio options within the game; you only have the option to lower the volume.”
    • “The AI isn't exactly all that smooth, and at the end, when I reloaded, I could still hear the credit music.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from notable stability issues, with players reporting buggy controls and mechanics that can feel inconsistent. While some features, like the item toggle, are appreciated, the overall gameplay experience is marred by frequent bugs and a lack of clarity in objectives. Despite these flaws, some users still find enjoyment in the game.

    • “The gameplay is janky and buggy as hell.”
    • “I also found the game a bit buggy.”
    • “It has a fairly down on the luck, gum on its shoe reputation, but 2Dark was a fun, messed up experience despite the fact that it could use a fair amount of troubleshooting in the 'bugs' department.”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and clunky, often requiring trial and error to navigate difficult routes. The mechanics are described as awkward, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The mechanics of the game for this exceedingly more difficult route are rather clunky and tedious, and you have to use them perfectly to finish this specific route.”
    • “My time is spent card farming and not enjoying the game.”
    • “Dark and strong main theme, but not that scary; most of the game is more tedious than anything else.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while it features charming characters and heartwarming moments, the narrative's reliance on shock value undermines its emotional depth. Technical issues also detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration that can overshadow the game's more wholesome elements.

    • “This game is a joy to play, full of vibrant quirky charming characters and has a wonderfully wholesome story.”
    • “It may have heartwarming moments, despite the age advisory for the store page and the disclaimer displayed by the game itself describing depictions of gruesome and inhumane acts.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been criticized, with users noting that it struggles to run smoothly even on capable hardware, suggesting it is poorly optimized. While it is not deemed a complete failure, many feel it does not justify its $25 price tag without significant improvements.

    • “Optimized.”
    • “The game isn't a total mess, but it probably wouldn't be worth the $25 price tag even if it was ironed out, optimized, and lived up to its potential.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as dark and absurd, reminiscent of a surreal and violent Muppet show, which elicits laughter through its unexpected and outrageous scenarios. This blend of comedy and shock value has resonated with players, making it a standout aspect of the experience.

    • “Kind of like seeing the Muppets pull out knives and attack the audience and roll around in the blood while still smiling and laughing like it was a normal show.”
    • “O_o made me laugh more than anything.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players note that while the game is short, the presence of multiple endings enhances its replayability, encouraging them to revisit the experience to explore different outcomes.

    • “Short but it seems there are different endings, so there is replay value.”
    • “This definitely leads to replay value, at least.”
    • “Short, but it seems there are different endings, so there is some replay value.”
    • “This does lead to some replay value, at least.”

Buy 2Dark

12h Median play time
11h Average play time
10-12h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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