Abandoned: Chestnut Lodge Asylum
- September 24, 2015
- Lazy Turtle Games
Get on Steam"Abandoned: Chestnut Lodge Asylum" is a first-person psychological horror game. Players explore an abandoned mental asylum, facing supernatural occurrences, solving puzzles, and uncovering the dark past of the institution. The game aims to deliver a chilling and immersive experience, with a focus on story and atmosphere.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautifully detailed and eerie environments that enhance the spooky atmosphere, making it enjoyable for fans of horror themes.
- Puzzles are well-designed, providing a good balance of challenge without being overly frustrating, making the gameplay engaging.
- The story, while not groundbreaking, is interesting enough to keep players invested, and the game offers a nostalgic feel for fans of classic hidden object games.
- The lack of a map or fast-travel system leads to tedious backtracking, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay and cause frustration.
- Some object names in hidden object scenes are oddly chosen or misspelled, making it difficult to identify items and adding unnecessary confusion.
- The overall story development is weak, with many unanswered questions and a lack of character depth, which detracts from the immersive experience.
- story20 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and atmospheric, while others criticize it as poorly developed and lacking depth. The central plot revolves around nightmares and an asylum, which some reviewers found intriguing despite its predictability. Overall, while the story has its moments and contributes to the eerie ambiance, it may not satisfy those seeking a more substantial narrative experience.
“The atmosphere is eerie and dark - perfect for the storyline.”
“Despite its age, the title holds up very well with an interesting story, beautifully atmospheric artwork, and rewarding adventure-light gameplay.”
“Although the story isn’t the most original fare, the mystery is interesting and creepy enough to keep you searching for answers, even if you’re likely to figure things out early on.”
“Seriously, I've seen better story content come out of my handkerchief after blowing my nose.”
“In fact, a half-eaten chicken leg on one of the asylum dinner tables probably told me a better story than the six skeletons combined did.”
“Due to the tedious setup of hidden object games and the extremely poorly explained hodgepodge story, it's definitely not one to go crazy for.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful art style and atmospheric design, effectively capturing a spooky ambiance. While some users note the visuals have an old-school feel, they appreciate the option to adjust settings and the realism that contrasts with more modern, cartoony aesthetics. Overall, the visuals are considered well-executed, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some challenges in locating items due to muted colors.
“The graphics are beautiful.”
“I want to mention that the visuals for this are well done.”
“Despite its age, the title holds up very well with an interesting story, beautifully atmospheric artwork and rewarding adventure-light gameplay.”
“Even though the visuals are somewhat old school.”
“As was common in older HOGs, there are a lot of random items in each scene, and unfortunately, the muted colors in the artwork make some of them very hard to locate.”
“Art/graphics are decent in the still shots and quite nice in the cutscenes, taking into account the age of the game and general quality of HOG game animation.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its eerie and dark qualities, perfectly complementing the storyline and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the beautifully atmospheric artwork and the sense of realism in the environments, which create a captivating and immersive exploration of decrepit areas. Despite its age, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of spooky themes.
“The atmosphere is eerie and dark—perfect for the storyline.”
“The dash of realism painted into each scene adds much to the atmosphere and provides us with beautifully decrepit areas to explore.”
“Abandoned may not be as flashy as more recent hidden object games, but it’s a title that deserves to be experienced even if only for its gorgeously atmospheric art.”
“The game plays in 3D, causing the screen elements to move and the entire screen to shift side to side (unless the gamer adjusts it to widescreen). This adds to the creepy atmosphere and the internal fear gauge of the unknown.”
“What I enjoyed: art style, atmosphere (I'm a sucker for spooky asylum stuff), and some of the puzzles were challenging but not 'tear your hair out' challenging.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is engaging and well-balanced, featuring a mix of hidden object challenges and puzzles that maintain player interest without feeling tedious. Its atmospheric elements contribute to a slightly creepy and mysterious experience, enhancing the overall adventure.
“Despite its age, the title holds up very well with an interesting story, beautifully atmospheric artwork, and rewarding adventure-light gameplay.”
“Most of the gameplay is hidden object, but it wasn't overwhelming. There were puzzles mixed in with figuring out what to do next, so it didn't seem to drag.”
“Gameplay: creepy (just another dark and stormy night and that whispering voice), slightly scary (a mystery boy, a terrified policeman, and six skeletons in very odd places) and full of mystery (why, oh why is any of this happening, that age-old question).”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and poorly executed, leading to a lack of engagement despite some decent animations and effects towards the end. The overall experience does not justify the price, making it less appealing to players.
“However, gameplay is tedious.”
“In the end, there is some decent animation and cool background effects and sounds, but due to the tedious layout of the game and the extremely poorly explained hodgepodge story for the $7.00 price tag, it's definitely not one to get excited about.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, with users indicating that there is little incentive to play it multiple times.
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel tedious.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for effectively enhancing the ambiance, although some users feel that the tracks are a bit short. Overall, it complements the catchy story and appealing art style.
“The story is really catchy, the art style is great, and the music creates a captivating ambiance.”
