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Ad Infinitum

Ad Infinitum tells an engaging and unique story in a great way. To really enjoy it, though, you’d have to be willing to play with the voice setting set to German.
Ad Infinitum Game Cover
70%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, stability
78% User Score Based on 627 reviews
Critic Score 62%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
Ad Infinitum Game Cover

About

Ad Infinitum is a single player survival action adventure game with horror, warfare, thriller and historical themes. It was developed by Hekate and was released on March 3, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

In Ad Infinitum, play as a German soldier torn between the trenches of WWI and his childhood home, haunted by war horrors and supernatural creatures. Traverse through a dreamlike world, uncovering memories and seeking inner peace. With a blend of narrative management and psychological thriller, this game explores the enduring impact of war on the human psyche, challenging you to break the cycle and confront your past.

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78%
Audience ScoreBased on 627 reviews
story186 positive mentions
gameplay30 negative mentions

  • Engaging and emotional story that explores the psychological effects of World War I on individuals and families.
  • Stunning graphics and sound design that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Unique monster designs that symbolize the protagonist's trauma and mental struggles.
  • Gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, with a lot of walking and puzzle-solving that may not engage all players.
  • Some technical issues and bugs that can disrupt the experience, such as getting stuck or encountering glitches.
  • The pacing can be slow, especially during the mansion segments, which may lead to moments of boredom.
  • story
    460 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Ad Infinitum" is a deeply emotional exploration of the psychological and familial impacts of World War I, focusing on themes of trauma, guilt, and the horrors of war. While many players appreciate the rich narrative and atmospheric storytelling, some criticize its reliance on extensive reading and notes to fully grasp the plot, leading to a disjointed experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who value narrative depth over traditional gameplay mechanics, though opinions vary on its execution and coherence.

    • “The story is gripping without overexplaining, letting your imagination do the real work, while the sound design and visuals combine to deliver genuinely terrifying moments.”
    • “Getting the good ending felt rewarding and the entire story pulls on your heartstrings and keeps you thinking about it even after you're done playing.”
    • “The story, its core component, is a major letdown.”
    • “Despite a compelling premise of WWI-era psychological horror, the game delivers a weak, pretentious, and ultimately empty story.”
    • “The plot is so bogged down by its own ambition that it forgets to be engaging or coherent.”
    • “The story had potential and could’ve worked well as a psychological horror, but the confusing presentation and lack of meaningful gameplay progression really held it back.”
  • gameplay
    193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Ad Infinitum" has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players finding it tedious and lacking depth. Common criticisms include repetitive mechanics, clunky controls, and a reliance on walking simulator elements, which detract from the overall experience. While the atmospheric setting and story have their merits, the gameplay often feels uninspired and fails to engage players meaningfully.

    • “The puzzles are simple, the mechanics are easy to grasp, and the creature designs are genuinely well-made.”
    • “The gameplay itself is immersive and smooth, balancing exploration with psychological horror in a way that never feels forced.”
    • “Ad infinitum balances engaging gameplay with a deep, dark, and fascinating story that tells a tale of a family torn apart by war.”
    • “The narrative is a convoluted mess, padded with repetitive gameplay and cheap horror clichés that lead to a profoundly unsatisfying conclusion.”
    • “The gameplay feels outdated by 2023 standards; it’s mostly a walking simulator with very basic, uninspired puzzles.”
    • “Unfortunately, general clunkiness and lackluster gameplay bring down the experience as a whole.”
  • graphics
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, detailed environments, and atmospheric design that effectively enhance the horror experience. However, some users noted inconsistencies, graphical bugs, and performance issues that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are often highlighted as a strong point, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay and optimization concerns.

    • “The graphics are stunning, with meticulously detailed environments that pull you into its dark, oppressive world.”
    • “The visuals are impressive, creating a dark and grimy world that perfectly captures the horrors of the trenches.”
    • “Stunning graphics, atmospheric and immersive.”
    • “There are too many interface issues and graphical bugs; I have gotten stuck in the graphics numerous times and have had to restart areas as a consequence.”
    • “Graphically, the game is inconsistent.”
    • “34 euros is definitely too much for a game you finish in 6-7 hours and that lacks so much detail (graphics are often raw, voice acting is not really convincing, monsters and environment tend to lack details).”
  • atmosphere
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively capturing the tension and emotional weight of its World War I setting. Reviewers highlight the exceptional sound design, art style, and the ability to evoke feelings of dread and unease, making it a standout experience for fans of atmospheric horror. While some mention gameplay issues and a lack of depth in puzzles, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere is its strongest asset, creating a deeply engaging and unsettling environment.

    • “The atmosphere, the pacing, the way it blends trauma and memory with horror, it’s hauntingly beautiful.”
    • “With a fantastic atmosphere supported by great use of light and shadow and a soundtrack fit for a feature-length film, the environments the player moves through are haunting and anxiety-inducing.”
    • “You won’t find cheap jump scares (well, maybe a couple), but instead, the game relies on atmosphere and unsettling environments to get under your skin.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick with dread, enhanced by the disturbing creature designs and the oppressive sound design.”
    • “The general atmosphere is grim, stressful, and eerie; there never really is a moment of peace or solace, even within the confines of the family estate.”
  • music
    99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize its occasional mismatch with the game's tone and moments of overpowering volume. Some players found the soundtrack to be exceptional and integral to the experience, contributing to tension and immersion, while others noted instances of audio glitches and inappropriate music choices that detracted from the overall impact. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, though its implementation could be improved.

    • “The soundtrack is absolutely incredible, and the sound design is wonderful.”
    • “The music, the whispers, the decaying world, everything works together to create an experience that feels alive and personal.”
    • “Enjoyable music: the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack perfectly complements the eerie atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack at times was blaring loudly over certain moments, overpowering a scene to the point it's no longer a compliment to the moment but more distracting.”
    • “The music at certain parts is inappropriate and ruins all tension if there ever was any.”
    • “But unfortunately the implementation was not very good; there were many moments that I felt the music and sound effects were out of place and were not playing based on the situation. Sometimes the music was too loud or didn’t play in some cases, and there were some overlaps with conversations too.”
  • emotional
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players highlighting its deeply moving narrative that explores themes of trauma, war, and familial bonds. The storytelling is described as an emotional roller coaster, often leaving players in tears, while the atmospheric design enhances the psychological impact. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a profound emotional experience rather than purely mechanical gameplay.

    • “You walk through a dramatic and emotional story with a very good concept.”
    • “It fills me with dread and awe in equal measure, the kind of emotional ache that only truly great stories leave behind.”
    • “This game is a unique, emotional experience and a great example of magical realism as a piece of art.”
  • stability
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some players reporting minimal glitches and smooth gameplay, while others encountered various bugs, including animation issues, clipping, and problems with puzzles and checkpoints. Although many appreciated the game's story and atmosphere, the presence of glitches—especially as the game progressed—was a common concern, leading to a perception of poor optimization. Overall, while some players experienced a stable and enjoyable playthrough, others found the game riddled with bugs that detracted from the experience.

    • “This game runs great on the Steam Deck - if you drop the shadows quality down to minimum.”
    • “You'll get a solid 30fps out of it with that tweak, and everything runs great.”
    • “There’s also the occasional bug—glitches with animations, clipping issues, or rare event triggers that don’t fire properly.”
    • “I ran into several music timing glitches during my playthrough (at least three times), which completely broke the atmosphere.”
    • “It is riddled with glitches, big and small.”
  • grinding
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that the game's grinding aspect is largely viewed as tedious and unengaging, with many players feeling that the gameplay consists of overly simple puzzles and repetitive exploration that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the voice-acted collectibles and story elements, the general consensus is that the game suffers from a lack of engaging content, leading to a monotonous experience that feels more like a walking simulator than a compelling adventure.

    • “A well-blended mix of story-driven walkthrough, puzzles (not punishing) and enemy/boss moments which are challenging enough, but not grindy.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, at the best of times, and tedious at the worst.”
    • “This game... I really wanted to like it, I gave it enough chances but it's just boring... nothing happens you walk to a place you read a ton of stuff with mediocre acting and then walk some more then an enemy comes at you and it's super easy to deal with them and it's just tedious.. the whole game is just a bore and them charging $35 for this is criminal.”
    • “The game falls off from its amazing start and becomes a tedious half-finished slog.”
  • optimization
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting minor issues such as stuttering frames, crashes, and unoptimized animations, particularly in high-performance setups. While some areas run smoothly, others exhibit significant lag and technical bugs, detracting from the overall experience. Despite ongoing patches, players feel that the game still lacks polish and effective optimization, especially given its graphical fidelity.

    • “Optimization is well enough, and I encountered a single crash in my playthrough.”
    • “Some areas were not as optimized as others and would lag a little, but it didn't affect my experience much as I got through those areas quickly.”
    • “It does not really run smoothly at first, but if you fix it up, it will stop crashing. Good game too; the soundtrack is amazing.”
    • “Despite having an intriguing and well-written story, 'Ad Infinitum' simply can't make up for its buggy gameplay, somewhat poor optimization with some 30 fps animations that simply feel odd (like the animations of the rifle) and most importantly - for its boring overall experience.”
    • “Unfortunately, I have a 4090 and various optimization issues.”
    • “Other than that, 'Ad Infinitum' is let down by its lack of polish and optimization.”
  • replayability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is generally considered limited, with some users noting that while there are three different endings based on player choices, the overall experience lacks depth and variety for multiple playthroughs. Many reviewers highlight the inability to skip cutscenes and dialogues as a significant drawback, further diminishing the incentive to replay. Overall, the game offers some replay value, but it falls short of expectations for a title priced in the "double-a" range.

    • “There are three different endings depending on choices you make at critical points, so there is some built-in replayability (and a second playthrough would probably also help to more fully understand the story anyway).”
    • “For something priced in decidedly 'double-A' fashion, it's not especially long, replayable or super-duper-mega slick; it's a great little 'game that could', but don't go mistaking it for anything that could go truly head-to-head with the 'big boys'.”
    • “The replay value is overall limited.”
    • “Replay value is close to zero, and you cannot skip most of the cutscenes/dialogues.”
    • “There is a replayability value to this game, but unfortunately the way that they implemented it is really bad.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by unintentional hilarity in subtitles and a blend of nostalgic references, such as amusing monster designs reminiscent of early 2000s films. Players appreciate the developer's sense of humor, which has provided comfort and laughter during tough times. Overall, the game successfully combines dark themes with lighthearted moments, creating a unique comedic experience.

    • “The subtitles were often unintentionally hilarious, including things like 'hit by bullet', 'takes final breath', and 'dies'.”
    • “You had an amazing sense of humor and I will miss your jokes.”
    • “Some of the monsters are similar to those funny little jungle zombies from the early 00s sequel of 'The Mummy', and the whole mother of sorrows thing reminds me of Dario Argento's universe.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for being shallow and disjointed, with many reviewers noting that it fails to create meaningful connections or growth for the characters. Additionally, the reliance on stale mechanics from other games detracts from the overall depth and engagement of the narrative.

    • “The story feels disjointed, and the character development is shallow, relying too much on stale mechanics from other games.”
    • “Character development is lacking depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional, and their growth throughout the game is minimal and unconvincing.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews do not provide relevant information regarding the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on historical and cultural commentary. Therefore, no summary can be derived for monetization from the provided texts.

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7h Median play time
6h Average play time
4-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Infinitum is a survival action adventure game with horror, warfare, thriller and historical themes.

Ad Infinitum is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing Ad Infinitum.

Ad Infinitum was released on March 3, 2023.

Ad Infinitum was developed by Hekate.

Ad Infinitum has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Ad Infinitum is a single player game.

Similar games include Still Wakes the Deep, Amnesia: Rebirth, SOMA, The Medium, The Beast Inside and others.