A Winter Haunting

About

Step into the shoes of Everlyn Sterling, a new grad undertaking a temp job in a small town in dead winter. Little does she know this seemingly ordinary task will soon unveil a mysterious tale of a disturbed spirit. Solve a series of brain teasers, booby traps, and ciphers set by the ghost. Can you unravel why a once beautiful mansion now harbors a dark, ugly secret? FEATURES Simple point-…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

story8 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

A Winter Haunting features charming artwork and a captivating atmosphere, making it a delightful point-and-click adventure.
The game offers a variety of clever puzzles that are challenging yet rewarding, with a good balance between puzzle-solving and story progression.
Player choices impact the narrative and endings, enhancing replayability and adding depth to the gameplay experience.

The game is relatively short, leaving some players wanting more content and a deeper exploration of its intriguing story.
While marketed as a haunting experience, many players found it to be more cozy than scary, which may not meet the expectations of those seeking horror elements.
Some puzzles, particularly those involving math, can be frustrating and may require external research to solve, which could detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The game's story is described as a charming and engaging narrative that unfolds through puzzle-solving in a cozy mansion setting, rather than a traditional horror experience. Players appreciate the balance between story progression and puzzle mechanics, with choices impacting the outcome and encouraging replayability. The art style, witty dialogue, and unexpected plot twists contribute to a captivating atmosphere, making it a recommended choice for those who enjoy light, story-driven games.
- “There's a nice balance between solving puzzles and learning more about the story, which evolves to an enigmatic conclusion that changes depending on whether you've been naughty or nice. In other words, your dialogue choices make a difference later on, and it's a good reason to replay the game and try a different approach. A lot of love and care obviously went into this, and I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for a game that's slightly haunting but totally charming.”
- “Meeting the characters, uncovering the haunting story, and combining items to solve puzzles had me smiling the whole time.”
- “The story was engaging and seemed well thought out, though I probably should have spent more time reading all the info bits and thinking things through to connect all those dots.”
- “But, the way the game's storytelling is made, I really found that I barely noticed.”
- “You uncover a tragic story, but nothing I'd personally categorize as 'horror' and it can even get a happy-ish ending.”
- “I know it’s an artistic choice and also actually relates to the story in a way I suppose, but to me it makes the game feel quite cheap.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
38%
19%
The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their stunning and stylistic design, featuring a unique art style that enhances the overall atmosphere. The visuals, combined with well-matched music, effectively create a sense of suspense and immersion, drawing players into the mysterious narrative. The decision to omit facial features adds to the game's distinctive aesthetic, making it a standout experience.
- “The graphics were beautifully designed and stylistic.”
- “The artwork is stunning, and the music matches the tone of each scene in the game.”
- “I saw this game during a next fest or something and was drawn to the art style, then scared off by the trailer which I assumed showed just the beginning of a darker turn.”
- “The graphics, the storyline, and music brought out the feeling of suspense that kept me at the edge of my seat.”
- “Really liked the art style and the decision of not adding any features (eyes, mouth, nose) to faces.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to complement the stunning artwork and enhance the overall atmosphere, effectively creating a sense of suspense without being overly dramatic. Reviewers note that the eerie soundscapes align well with the game's tone, contributing to an immersive experience that keeps players engaged.
- “The artwork is stunning, and the music matches the tone of each scene in the game.”
- “The graphics, the storyline, and music brought out the feeling of suspense that kept me at the edge of my seat.”
- “The art is pleasant, the music eerie but not too dramatic; there's no time pressure or anything, and apparently you can prevent a scarier course of events by [spoiler]just being kind[/spoiler].”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Reviewers praise the gameplay for its excellent mechanics and features, highlighting how they enhance the overall experience alongside the game's style and story.
- “The style, story, and even gameplay mechanics and features are so excellent.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it offers a wide variety of tasks that remain engaging and enjoyable. Even repetitive activities, like fetch quests, are infused with a sense of purpose and creativity, preventing them from feeling tedious or uninspired.
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is described as captivating and engaging, particularly in its winter haunting theme, which effectively complements the clever puzzles. However, it also features a wholesome, kid-friendly vibe, despite some puzzles being more challenging for younger players.
- “I was craving a good point-and-click adventure with clever puzzles and a captivating atmosphere, and a winter haunting delivered exactly that.”
- “However, this has a much more wholesome, kid-friendly atmosphere (but with kid-unfriendly puzzles).”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers good replayability due to its multiple endings and impactful choices, despite having a limited number of decision points. Players are encouraged to replay the game to explore different outcomes based on their choices.
- “With multiple endings, I believe this game has great replayability.”
- “The choices in the game are nice; although there are only a few of them, they do impact the ending, which is good for replayability.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a wholesome and kid-friendly atmosphere, contrasting with its challenging puzzles. While it incorporates elements of horror, the overall narrative is described as uplifting rather than haunting.
- “The story is much more wholesome than it is haunting.”
- “I tend to review wholesome, puzzle, horror, and narrative-driven games.”
- “However, this has a much more wholesome, kid-friendly atmosphere (but with kid-unfriendly puzzles).”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is effectively woven into the engaging characters and dialogue, providing a lighthearted contrast to the serious gameplay. This balance enhances the overall experience, making the narrative more enjoyable.
- “The characters and dialogue were engaging, with humor interspersed between the serious gameplay.”
- “The characters and dialogue were engaging, with humor interspersed between the serious gameplay.”