Affliction
- June 25, 2018
- Corrosive Studios LLC
Get on Steam"Affliction" is a survival horror game set in a former Soviet military research base in Ghulovka, where players, as Vasya, must escape a nightmarish facility, fight for survival, and uncover the truth behind their identity and the horrific purpose of the complex. The game is community-driven, with all elements decided by player input during development. Players will explore the Triglav Complex, battling enemies and unraveling the mystery of their captivity in this cold war era research base.
Reviews
- The game offers an interesting post-apocalyptic storyline mixed with horror elements, which some players found engaging.
- Despite its flaws, the game is considered one of the better titles made with the Game Guru engine, showcasing effort and creativity from the developer.
- The combat mechanics and atmosphere received praise, with some players enjoying the challenge and the unique sound design.
- The game suffers from extremely long loading times, often taking longer to load than to play through levels, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Many players reported significant graphical issues, poor enemy AI, and unclear objectives, making gameplay frustrating and confusing.
- Frequent crashes and bugs, including game-breaking glitches, were common complaints, leading to a lack of recommendation from several reviewers.
- graphics13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they fall short of modern standards and resemble older titles, particularly from the Source engine era. While some appreciate the nostalgic art style and atmospheric design, others criticize the visuals as poor, with issues like jarring shadows and graphical glitches. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a significant drawback, impacting the overall experience.
“This is a pretty fun game to play through, it's very well put together and runs well, the atmosphere of the game is crafted really nicely with the art style and the background noises.”
“The graphical style reminds me of older games I've played years ago.”
“The graphics are a black mess, the AI is laughable.”
“Graphics are okay, but don't really live up to modern day standards.”
“For a game that just came out this year, the graphics look more like something from a game that came out in 2003.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as interesting and engaging, with a dystopian theme that evokes a sense of dread and keeps players invested in the unfolding narrative. While some players appreciate the depth and effort put into the storytelling and cutscenes, others find the overall execution lacking, citing bland environments and game-breaking bugs that detract from the experience. Overall, the storyline is a significant draw for many, despite some technical shortcomings.
“The storyline keeps you playing to see how it all unfolds.”
“It's the storyline that keeps you playing, and it takes the first couple of levels for it to start to unfold, but after that you want to play on to see where it's going.”
“A lot of work and thought has gone into the story, the cut scenes, voice acting, custom scripts, and it is only going to get better and more polished.”
“The story and environments are bland and forgettable.”
“It's the storyline that keeps you playing affliction, and it takes the first couple of levels for it to start to unfold, but after that you want to play on to see where it's going.”
“5: simple story and game.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's music is generally well-received, contributing to a relaxing and atmospheric experience, with some tracks described as chilling. While there is a notable involvement from the developers in the music production, one particular loop is praised but criticized for becoming repetitive due to its frequent use across levels. Overall, the music stands out as one of the better aspects of the game.
“Expect game guru quality but with nice menus, notes scattered around, good atmosphere, and music.”
“The game's music did make it somewhat chilling at times; it is still one of the better parts of the game.”
“The game's music did make it somewhat chilling at times. I don't think the dev had any involvement in the production of the music (edit: they did have involvement in the music production), but it is still one of the better parts of the game.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Gameplay is criticized for its unclear mechanics and linear, tedious progression, leading to a stilted experience. The framerate issues and frequent loading times detract from the overall enjoyment, while the outdated graphics and engine limitations further diminish the quality. Additionally, crashes during gameplay highlight significant stability concerns.
“Expanding your areas in order to provide more gameplay before having to wait to load the next would be a huge improvement.”
“The overall quality of the assets, as well as the heavy limitations of the engine itself honestly make this game feel and look like a 3D game from the early 90s, except they tended to have decent size levels and fun gameplay.”
“Unclear mechanics, such as what objects in the world are interactable and in what way.”
“It just seems too tedious to go through that progress again when the gameplay is already linear and bland.”
“The framerate runs in the 30s during gameplay.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its well-crafted art style, immersive background noises, and effective use of sound, all of which contribute to an engaging and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the thoughtful design of menus and scattered notes, enhancing the overall ambiance and making the gameplay more enjoyable.
“Expect game guru quality but with nice menus, notes scattered around, good atmosphere and music.”
“The atmosphere of the game is crafted really nicely with the art style and the background noises.”
“Very good use of sounds gives the game a great atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly for its performance without a dedicated graphics card, leading to a subpar experience despite comparable graphics to other titles. Overall, while it runs smoothly for some, many users find the optimization lacking.
“HL2 is a game comparable graphics-wise, and it runs smoothly; yet this game runs worse than satisfactory without a graphics card.”
“The only problem I have with the game now is the optimization.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly due to its linear gameplay, which diminishes the enjoyment of farming. While some recommend it for resource gathering, many feel that the effort required outweighs the rewards.
“It just seems too tedious to go through that progress again when the gameplay is already linear and bland.”
“Recommended for game farming”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent graphical glitches, sluggish movement, and excessively long loading times for saved games and level transitions, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
“There are lots of in-game glitches; one glitch I noticed several times was where the game 'deep fried' my screen.”
“I can't recommend this game due to the many glitches in graphics, sloppy movement, and excessively long loading times for saved games or level changes.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while expectations for humor may not be high, players appreciate moments of unexpected hilarity that can enhance the overall experience. Some users find that the game occasionally delivers enjoyable and funny content, making it a pleasant surprise.
“I wasn't expecting anything stellar, but I was expecting something slightly entertaining and possibly funny.”
“Every once in a while, I find a hidden gem that actually turns out to be an enjoyable experience, either because of how hilarious it is or because it's legitimately fun.”
