Absent

About

Absent is a single player action game. It was developed by FNGames and was released on August 31, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

Absent is the first freeware release from FNGames. Originally released in 2013, the game makes its' Steam debut this year.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 244 reviews

story73 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features a charming story with interesting twists and engaging characters, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
The voice acting is well done, adding to the overall atmosphere and humor of the game.
As a free game, it offers a decent amount of content and entertainment value, making it a worthwhile experience.

The graphics and animations are often criticized for being low quality and unpolished, which may detract from the overall experience.
The story can become confusing and leave some plot points unexplained, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction for players seeking clarity.
Gameplay mechanics can be clunky, with issues such as small hitboxes for interactions and a lack of clear instructions, which may frustrate players.

story
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
38%
8%
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging and humorous elements, as well as its intriguing plot twists. However, some reviewers noted that the narrative can become confusing or leave certain aspects unexplained, particularly towards the end. Overall, while the story is a highlight for many, it is accompanied by mixed feelings regarding pacing and clarity.
- “The story of Absent was quite a fun ride, full of jolly little quirks, humorous situations, and outcomes with a plot that became progressively more engaging.”
- “Absent is a supernatural comedy thriller with a complex story set in and around a British university campus.”
- “The story is engaging, the puzzles are fun, and it's all around a great game.”
- “Literally a waste of time; the story is boring and stupid.”
- “The plot was odd, but not interesting, to me at least.”
- “The voice acting is awful, the plot holes are gaping, and the art style looks like something MS Paint threw up.”
graphics
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charming, retro art style reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, while others criticize the low-resolution, simplistic visuals and clunky animations. Many acknowledge the limitations of a one-man project, noting that while the graphics may not be polished, they contribute to the game's unique flair and atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate for a free game, though they may not appeal to those seeking high-quality graphics.
- “The graphics are incredible given this is a one-man project.”
- “Absent deserves recognition for its graphics, design, and scope - it is certainly very impressive for a free adventure game.”
- “The art style is different but pleasing to the eye.”
- “The graphics are quite bare-boned and rough to say the least... but the biggest problem is the unpolished and clunky and slowly functioning interface.”
- “This game is very unpleasant to look at, and not in the limitation of the system way like Secret of Monkey Island, but just because of a sub-par art style.”
- “Yes, the engine is prehistoric (I couldn't even run the game in fullscreen), the story is a mess, graphics are simple and animations are sometimes laughable - the main protagonist looks like he came from the Ministry of Silly Walks.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the classic point-and-click mechanics and engaging story, but expressing frustration over unclear controls and lack of guidance on saving features. While some found the gameplay fluid and enjoyable, others noted cumbersome controls and occasional illogical puzzles that could lead to frustration. Overall, it offers decent entertainment, especially for fans of the genre, but may not be the best introduction to point-and-click adventures.
- “The gameplay consisted of the usual point & click style, with inventory items used to solve some of the scenes.”
- “The quips and dialogue are really amusing and the gameplay is pretty on point.”
- “Gameplay and story wise it was all pretty decent, nothing to write home about but if you are a fan of point and click adventures I'd say it's worth at least checking out.”
- “Speaking of saving and controls in general, the game originally says that you can save using F5 and loading/restoring using F7, but it doesn't work. Closing the game even after pressing F5 does nothing, and you just lost hours of gameplay.”
- “Luckily I figured out the mechanics of the game, but there were still a lot of things that I would have never guessed on my own and probably would have quit out of frustration without the help from the walkthrough.”
- “The voice acting, animations, art, gameplay, story... just everything was so bad... I couldn't stop laughing.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and clever use of awkward situations for comedic effect. Many found the voice acting and delivery to enhance the humor, making the experience entertaining despite some criticisms of the game's pacing and graphics. Overall, the blend of British humor and engaging storytelling contributes to a fun and laugh-inducing atmosphere.
- “The story of Absent was quite a fun ride, full of jolly little quirks, humorous situations and outcomes with a plot that became progressively more engaging.”
- “I absolutely love this game, it makes perfect use of awkward silence as a humor technique as well as other factors that make the game funny and good for a laugh.”
- “The voice acting, animations, art, gameplay, story... just everything was so bad... I couldn't stop laughing.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its engaging quality and suitability for various scenes, particularly in enhancing the atmosphere. However, some users noted issues with audio balance, where the music sometimes overpowers dialogue, and mentioned that the soundtrack can be generic and lacks variety. Overall, while the music serves its purpose effectively, it may not stand out as memorable.
- “The music is good and the voice acting is great.”
- “There's also voice acting which, for the most part, is decent, and definitely adds to the atmosphere as well as the great music, fit for each occasion.”
- “- Catchy music that entirely matched the scene (near the end especially).”
- “The music is for background purposes only and does the job well but has a rather annoying tendency to be louder than certain characters’ dialogue (there are no options to fix this).”
- “There's barely any music and when the music is playing, it's generic and doesn't have any atmosphere.”
- “There's barely any music and when the music is playing, it's generic and doesn't have any atmosphere.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its cohesive design, enhanced by decent voice acting and fitting music that contributes to the overall experience. However, some users noted that the music can be generic and lacks depth at times. The art style also complements the mysterious atmosphere, making it a notable aspect of the game.
- “I like how it all seemed to meld together and create the atmosphere.”
- “There's also voice acting which, for the most part, is decent and definitely adds to the atmosphere, as well as the great music, fit for each occasion.”
- “Nice game, I like the art style and the atmosphere of it.”
- “There's barely any music, and when the music is playing, it's generic and doesn't create any atmosphere.”
- “Mystery atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, suggesting that it may require significant time investment, akin to needing a second life to fully engage with it. However, many still consider it enjoyable enough for casual play, especially given that the game is free.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Strange little game, a little tedious at times but certainly good enough if you have a few hours to kill, especially considering it's free.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches throughout their playthroughs.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers an enjoyable experience as a free-to-play title, but it lacks significant replayability, making it less appealing for multiple playthroughs.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express strong emotional reactions to the game, with some feeling a deep sense of regret and sadness about their time spent on it.
- “I just want to cry because I spent any time at all on this game.”