ABEL

About

ABEL is a single player simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Zoeezz and was released on July 13, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

An uncanny liminal space themed walking-simulator.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 91 reviews

story13 positive mentions

Beautiful graphics and sound design that create an immersive atmosphere.
Concise storytelling that effectively conveys themes of grief and loss.
A solid experience for a free student project, showcasing potential for future development.

The game lacks optimization options, leading to performance issues on some systems.
Objectives can be unclear, making navigation and progression frustrating at times.
The story may feel disjointed or hard to follow, with some elements not fully explained.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The game's story is characterized by its emotional depth and strong environmental storytelling, effectively conveying themes of grief and loss within a short, atmospheric experience. While many players appreciated the haunting visuals and sound design, some found the narrative to be somewhat linear or lacking in depth, with abrupt transitions and a desire for a longer, more cohesive storyline. Overall, it offers a poignant, albeit brief, exploration of its themes, leaving some players wanting more substance to complement its aesthetic appeal.
- “I'm an absolute sucker for environmental storytelling and you guys nailed it.”
- “The lighting, sound and design make the liminal spaces a great experience to walk through and take in on top of the storytelling of the struggle with grief and confrontation of traumatic events.”
- “This was a beautifully heart-wrenching story and gorgeous game.”
- “I just wish it were longer; the ending felt abrupt and like there was no real payoff to the story.”
- “In my opinion, the story is rather weak.”
- “My only problem is that the serviceable yet predictable story gets told via loads of reading with a subpar translation and never connected to the rest of the gameplay or 'Abel's' strengths in any meaningful way.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
31%
16%
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many users praising the clean, polished visuals and the effective use of lighting to create a captivating atmosphere. However, there are calls for more graphics options and settings to enhance customization, as some players found the lack of configurability limiting. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.
- “Interesting story, graphics are very good.”
- “The graphics and sound blend wonderfully, and the story unfolds at just the right pace.”
- “Highly cinematic, incredibly looking, short, French student game bathed in vivid, colorful lighting and really polished environments, that massively undersells itself by describing it as 'backrooms-inspired' because while this may be true, these wonderful 18 minutes are so much more, aesthetically speaking.”
- “Needs graphics options.”
- “I'm very used to indie games and personal projects, both in games and in movies, so don't assume I was expecting much. Take a look at another free game called Naissancee, for example, that's a perfectly good indie game, and it's not using fancy UE4 graphics (that you can't configure in the menu, as I mentioned earlier) like this game does, and it's still at least an actual game.”
- “The game looks really good, but I wish there was an option to change the graphics settings (throughout the game, VSync is turned off).”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
12%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its haunting, eerie, and surreal qualities, creating an emotional and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the game's appealing graphics and effective use of liminal space, contributing to a captivating yet unsettling ambiance. Overall, it is described as a visually pleasing and atmospheric short experience, particularly for a free or student-developed title.
- “Creepy atmosphere and nice graphics for a free game.”
- “Great little student game with a very good atmosphere and mystery.”
- “The story is very emotional and the atmosphere has an eerie, liminal-like feel to it.”
- “It's always eye candy, atmosphere, and walking sim gameplay or new information and storytelling, never both.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is described as simple yet effective, with some users appreciating the visual elements and object highlighting feature. However, it has been criticized for being predictable and disconnected from the narrative, often feeling like a walking simulator rather than an engaging interactive experience. Overall, while the atmosphere is praised, the gameplay itself is not the main focus and has received mixed reviews.
- “Gameplay, while super simple, worked well.”
- “Hope to see more, really enjoyed the gameplay and visuals.”
- “One thing I liked a lot during gameplay: with the press of tab, we can see objects highlighted.”
- “If you don't know, a 'luminal space' game is a game that derives most of the theme and gameplay through the interplay of light, space, and shadows... which has nothing to do with this mildly backrooms-themed tech demo.”
- “Gameplay: 4/10 (not the focus of the game)”
- “My only problem is that the serviceable yet predictable story gets told via loads of reading with a subpar translation and never connected to the rest of the gameplay or 'abel's' strengths in any meaningful way.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a mixed bag; while some users report a high performance rating with no bugs, others experience significant issues such as stuttering movement and screen tearing, suggesting that more time could have been dedicated to refining the game's performance.
- “Performance: 10/10 (0 bugs encountered)”
- “Optimization: 8/10”
- “I'm sure there wasn't much time for optimization, and with this being so short, it doesn't matter anyway.”
- “Movement is stuttering, and there is so much screen tearing that I get a headache trying to play this.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its deeply emotional narrative and haunting atmosphere, creating a beautifully heart-wrenching experience that resonates with players.
- “The story is very emotional, and the atmosphere has an eerie, liminal-like feel to it.”
- “This was a beautifully heart-wrenching story and a gorgeous game.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game receives a mixed response, with a score of 6/10 indicating it is decent but not particularly standout. However, it is noted that the overall audio, along with the story and visuals, contributes to a well-crafted and memorable experience.
- “Story, music, lighting, and visual composition... all are well crafted and make for an unforgettable experience.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, performing well even on modest PC configurations.
- “Runs great on a modest PC.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for such a large game.”