9 Childs Street

  • February 16, 2023
94%
Game Brain Score Based on 213 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • graphics
9 Childs Street Game Cover
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"9 Childs Street" is a first-person horror indie game with a walking simulation genre. Players take on the role of a curious 9-year-old boy named Armin, investigating a creepy house where his elderly neighbor lived. The game features a scary atmosphere, paranormal phenomena, and a chilling mystery to uncover. With a playtime of around 50 minutes, players should be aware of flashes of light throughout the game.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews
story19 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The game features an incredibly immersive atmosphere that effectively builds tension and fear throughout the experience.
  • Jump scares are well-placed and impactful, providing genuine moments of fright without feeling overused.
  • The story is dark and engaging, with a unique perspective of playing as a child that adds to the horror elements.
  • The game is quite short, averaging around 45 minutes to an hour, leaving players wanting more content and depth.
  • Some voice acting and audio elements detract from immersion, particularly a distorted conversation that feels out of place.
  • There are minimal gameplay mechanics and puzzles, making it feel more like a walking simulator than a fully interactive horror experience.
  • story64 mentions

    The game's story is characterized as dark and emotionally distressing, with a unique narrative that effectively supports the atmosphere and gameplay. While the storytelling is engaging and well-crafted, many players feel it is too short and lacks depth, leaving them wanting more exploration of the characters and plot. Overall, the combination of effective scares and a coherent storyline contributes to a compelling horror experience, though some players wish for a more elaborate narrative.

    • “The story is very dark, but I appreciate that it has an actual story that you kind of piece together throughout the gameplay, instead of some of the other horror games that are just jump scares over and over with no thought put into anything at all.”
    • “The story itself is incredibly dark, and was the driving force behind the unsettling nature of the game, for me.”
    • “I really enjoyed this game; the atmosphere is great, the scares are wonderful, and the story was good. I am looking forward to seeing more from these developers.”
    • “The story and narrative are credible and coherent but have little dramatic meaningfulness.”
    • “In other words, the story and narrative do little to draw the player into caring about their situation or that of the other characters they meet.”
    • “I really feel like it has potential, but it feels like as soon as you get any bits of story elements to help make sense of why you're there to begin with...the game is already ending.”
  • atmosphere45 mentions

    The atmosphere in "9 Childs St" is widely praised for its terrifying and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the horror experience through dark visuals, unsettling sound design, and a compelling narrative. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a thick, claustrophobic tension, complemented by well-timed jump scares that maintain player engagement. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a masterclass in atmospheric horror, making it a standout title for fans of the genre.

    • “The style of artwork complements the atmosphere appropriately, most notably the children that you encounter in the home, which come off looking like they have plastic skin and honestly fits the narrative. The audio, such as sound effects and voice overs, are level and consistent.”
    • “This game serves as a masterclass for atmospheric horror; with plenty of slow-burn horror finished off with expertly executed jumpscares.”
    • “The atmosphere that is created within this game is so thick it can be cut with a knife.”
    • “- the atmosphere is terrifying and the puppet makers' house is unsettling, it feels like someone is looking at me in every corner, whom will run towards me at any moment.”
    • “The overall atmosphere of the game was very heavy and delivered the perfect amount of psychological oppression giving it the perfect edge of your seat experience.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, particularly in creating a creepy and immersive environment. Many reviewers noted the impressive realism and artistic style, which effectively complements the narrative and contributes to the game's horror elements. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and well-executed, with high ratings reflecting their quality.

    • “The graphics are phenomenal, the atmosphere is creepy consistently throughout the game, the jumps aren't repetitive which is what you want in a horror, and the plot and twists are insane!”
    • “The visuals are absolutely superb, along with the atmosphere and sound design, all providing an insane immersion that I rarely feel in indie horror.”
    • “The graphics look amazing for a $6 game.”
    • “The style of artwork complements the atmosphere appropriately, most notably the children that you encounter in the home, which come off looking like they have plastic skin and honestly fits the narrative.”
    • “Most of the indie games I've played had at least some graphical settings.”
    • “Spooky atmosphere, great game concept, and I really like the graphics.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay is solid and free of technical issues, providing a smooth experience, though it lacks innovative mechanics and depth due to its short duration of about 45 minutes. Players engage in typical actions like walking through environments and solving light puzzles, which can feel more like a haunted house experience than a fully-fledged game. While the narrative adds some intrigue, it ultimately diminishes tension towards the end, leaving some players wanting more variety and depth in gameplay.

    • “The overall core mechanics of the game work as expected with no bugs encountered.”
    • “There was no culling, clipping, z-fighting, or screen tearing in the environment, further ensuring immersion during gameplay.”
    • “Story is very dark, but I appreciate that it has an actual story that you kind of piece together throughout the gameplay, instead of some of the other horror games that are just jump scares over and over with no thought put into anything at all.”
    • “Due to the fact that the video game is short, averaging 45 minutes of gameplay, the developers did not build in-depth character backgrounds and stories for the children.”
    • “However, the gameplay tension was not as strong as it could have been, and about three quarters of the way through, all tension is broken by the narrative during the voice-over with the one child you speak to directly.”
    • “Lack of real gameplay makes it feel more like a haunted house ride than an actual game.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and emotional impact, effectively complementing the visuals and themes. However, some players noted inconsistencies, such as a disconnect between the soundtrack and certain cut scenes, as well as mixed feelings about the voice acting. Overall, while the music is considered amazing, its integration into the gameplay can be hit or miss.

    • “Ending kinda became a screamo music video; it was wild.”
    • “Audio: the sounds in this game are great; music and laughter match up perfectly with the game tune.”
    • “Music, amazing.”
    • “What little music and sound effects it had were pretty good, but the voice acting (what little there is) is not.”
    • “The ending kind of became a screamo music video; it was wild.”
    • “A cutscene takes over, and the soundtrack that plays does not relate to the game in any way.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its unintentional comedic moments, particularly when players experience fear in a lighthearted way, such as watching friends react to scary situations. Additionally, the kid's voice adds a humorous element that some feel detracts from the horror experience.

    • “Funny ending.”
    • “I let my friend play it and it was funny watching him being scared.”
    • “The kid's voice is very funny, not scary; it ruins the horror.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is noted for its emotionally distressing narrative, often surpassing typical horror titles, and includes moments that are genuinely heartbreaking.

    • “The story in this game was more emotionally distressing than most other horror games out there.”
    • “Even heartbreaking at times.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is seen as a mixed bag, with some players appreciating certain aspects while others find them lacking.

    • “Character development is a mix of good and bad.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the story.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any surprising ways.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game features no in-game purchases, indicating a monetization model that does not rely on additional spending beyond the initial purchase.

    • “In-game purchases: none”
    • “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that there are no paywalls, allowing everyone to enjoy the game equally.”
    • “The game is riddled with in-game purchases that feel necessary to progress.”
    • “Monetization is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “I feel like I'm being pushed to spend real money just to keep up with other players.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The consensus among users indicates that the game's replayability is low, suggesting limited incentive to revisit the experience after the initial playthrough.

    • “Replayability is low.”
    • “The game lacks incentives to play through again.”
    • “Once you've completed it, there's little reason to return.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is praised for delivering fantastic overall quality and performance, particularly on high-end systems like the i7-7800K with a 3080 Ti and 32GB DDR4 RAM.

    • “The overall quality and performance of this game were fantastic on my system (i7-7800K - 3080 Ti - 32GB DDR4).”
    • “The optimization is top-notch, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
    • “I was impressed by how well the game runs; the developers clearly put a lot of effort into optimizing it for various systems.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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