Albino Lullaby: Episode 1

57%
Game Brain Score Based on 228 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Albino Lullaby: Episode 1 Game Cover
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
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Albino Lullaby is a horror adventure game that doesn't rely on jump scares or gore. Escape from a surreal psychological nightmare as the world dynamically twists and contorts around you.

  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Oculus Rift
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

57%
Audience ScoreBased on 228 reviews
story22 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • Albino Lullaby is one of the most original and exciting games I've played recently, offering a unique horror experience without relying on jump scares or gore.
  • The game's atmosphere is haunting and immersive, with a vibrant art style that enhances the surreal and creepy elements.
  • The voice acting and sound design contribute significantly to the unsettling experience, making the game both engaging and memorable.
  • The game has been criticized for its long wait for additional episodes, with many players feeling misled about the release timeline.
  • There are technical issues, including frame rate drops and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in later sections.
  • Some players found the gameplay mechanics repetitive, with a lack of depth in puzzles and objectives, leading to a less engaging experience.
  • story63 mentions

    The story of the game is described as intriguing and unique, with a blend of horror and exploration elements that unfold dynamically through the environment and collectible notes. While many players appreciate the atmosphere and art direction, some express frustration over the episodic format and the lack of a complete narrative, leaving them yearning for more depth and clarity. Overall, the storytelling is engaging but can be vague, requiring players to piece together the plot as they progress.

    • “I love the story; the setting is so unique and unlike anything I can think of.”
    • “Albino Lullaby is an engaging horror/exploration/adventure game—one whose story is not told through mountains of exposition and minute-long cutscenes, but through the world itself.”
    • “The story, while seemingly basic or bland at first, gets slowly more and more absurd in the best ways possible as you sink farther into this world with the simple goal of escaping.”
    • “Waited for many years to see the continuation of the story, but it's extremely frustrating to see a game with so much promise get scrapped for no reason.”
    • “If you want a full story, do not buy this game.”
    • “I'm not sure if there is supposed to be a storyline here... if so, I completely missed it, despite reading pretty much every single one of the notes.”
  • graphics61 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and colorful art style that blends surreal and eerie elements, reminiscent of a hand-drawn aesthetic. While many players appreciate the creative visuals and atmospheric design, some have noted technical issues such as frame rate drops and blurriness at higher resolutions, leading to mixed feelings about the overall graphical fidelity. Despite these concerns, the art direction is often praised for enhancing the game's mood and narrative experience.

    • “The graphics are eerie and striking, like a dark ride or a laser tag arena, and can allow one to really grasp the dreamlike state of the narrative.”
    • “The visuals are beautiful; they are like a blend of Borderlands and Psychonauts, colorful and creepy.”
    • “The atmosphere, art style, lighting, and the events in the game were well done.”
    • “What happened to the visuals and why did it take 8 years to develop the second part?”
    • “The game's FPS count will drop dramatically even on a computer that meets the recommended system requirements; the graphics will randomly become blurry upon restarting the game.”
    • “Only really negative is that graphics settings are a little messed up - changing the resolution to anything other than 720p causes the game to get really blurry and low quality.”
  • gameplay56 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic and poorly designed, particularly criticizing the stealth mechanics and overall lack of polish. While some appreciate the exploration aspect and the unique atmosphere, others feel that the gameplay is underwhelming and riddled with technical issues, making it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. Overall, it seems that the game prioritizes narrative and atmosphere over engaging gameplay, leading to a generally disappointing reception in this aspect.

    • “The gameplay is kind of slow-paced and simple, but with reveals that boggle the mind in a very disturbing way.”
    • “While the gameplay mechanics and puzzles are rather simple, I personally enjoyed the exploration aspect of the game enough that it didn't get boring to play.”
    • “The controls are simple to understand and the overall gameplay experience is straightforward.”
    • “The gameplay is total and complete garbage.”
    • “Hunting notes, running away, and struggling to locate switches is the sum total of the gameplay, leading to the escalation remaining unsatisfying as you struggle to decipher what the developer wanted you to do.”
    • “Horribly optimized, pretty much no gameplay to speak of (beyond pushing buttons), has a pretty cool visual style but other than that it's not scary and it runs like shit.”
  • atmosphere53 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Albino Lullaby" is widely praised for its unique, eerie quality that sets it apart from conventional horror games, relying on psychological tension rather than jump scares or gore. Players appreciate the surreal art style, haunting sound design, and the game's ability to create a compelling, immersive experience that evokes a sense of dread and intrigue. However, some reviewers note that if the atmosphere doesn't resonate, the gameplay may feel slow and unengaging.

    • “This game oozes atmosphere and has a really distinct style within the horror genre, like if a Roald Dahl book came to life in a more twisted way.”
    • “Albino Lullaby is so far a wonderful game in my opinion; it doesn't have jump scares like your normal horror game, but the atmosphere and the psychological aspect of it make it amazing.”
    • “A sublime mix of influences seeming to comprise Pink Floyd, Guillermo del Toro, and Terry Gilliam, Albino Lullaby: Episode 1 manages to stand out among the plethora of recent horror games by its atmosphere alone.”
    • “There isn't a lot happening though, so if the atmosphere for some reason doesn't grab you, you may get bored quicker than in something more punchy, like Alien Resurrection/Outlast/etc. It's not about that.”
    • “For some reason every single horror game developer seems to think that making the game as grim as America's future would suffice in creating atmosphere... it is not.”
    • “Unfortunately, I got bored pretty fast playing it despite the trippy atmosphere and novel design.”
  • music29 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its beautiful, haunting, and psychedelic qualities that complement the visuals and gameplay. The soundtrack is described as original and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's mood and overall experience, making it a standout feature that players appreciate. Despite some concerns about the game's development, the music remains a highlight, with many expressing a desire to add the soundtrack to their personal libraries.

    • “I love the art style, I love the soundtrack, I love the world this game has built.”
    • “The music and voice acting is top notch, it matches the environment perfectly.”
    • “While I do recommend the first episode and its soundtrack, it would be unwise to purchase episodes 2/3, and by extension, support such a shady dev team.”
    • “The music is a fusion of psychedelic industrial that adds to the already psychedelic horror atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere created in this game through the clever use of music and sounds is very creepy and gives a feeling of emptiness throughout gameplay.”
  • humor26 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a unique blend of dark and bizarre elements, often straddling the line between creepy and funny. Players appreciate the quirky monsters and their humorous voice acting, as well as the game's witty dialogue and notes that provide a refreshing contrast to typical horror tropes. Overall, the game successfully combines a chilling atmosphere with moments of levity, making it a memorable experience for those who enjoy a mix of horror and humor.

    • “The humor, the art style, everything about this game is very unique.”
    • “It's horror/stealth with a sense of humor as black as coal.”
    • “Funny notes and sarcastic writings everywhere instead of blood and gore are a really big advantage of this game.”
    • “If you can handle the pain, the only somewhat captivating part of this game is the cringey humor the game attempts to quell your disdain and boredom with.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, making the humor more of a chore than a source of entertainment.”
    • “I found the attempts at humor to be painfully awkward, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, with issues ranging from graphical glitches to problematic physics, which can disrupt gameplay and immersion. While some players report that it runs well on their systems without major performance issues, the presence of persistent bugs has led to a mixed reception. However, the developers have been responsive to community feedback, suggesting that improvements may be forthcoming.

    • “But otherwise, on a technical level, it runs great.”
    • “As far as controls, gameplay, etc., it runs great on my not very nice Windows Dell laptop.”
    • “It's a buggy mess that, in retrospect, was never worth the positive reception it received.”
    • “Only major issue I have with this is how buggy it is.”
    • “Graphical glitches that become apparent when being chased or by simply going up a lift.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, significant performance issues, and poor framerate even on capable hardware. Many players feel that the lack of polish severely detracts from the overall experience, indicating that substantial improvements are necessary.

    • “The framerate was a hassle, even with some of the graphic settings lowered, so some optimization is needed.”
    • “My only real quarrel with this game is the optimization.”
    • “Performance hit at certain sections.”
    • “It's an unpolished, poorly optimized disaster...”
    • “If the performance wouldn't be so terrible (the game nearly crashes every time I pick up a page or an area loads; I have a PC that should be able to run it on the highest options without crashing or lagging), I'd recommend this.”
    • “Also, the framerate was a hassle, even with some of the graphic settings lowered, so some optimization is needed.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players report a unique emotional experience with the game, describing feelings of intense frustration and discomfort due to its challenging mechanics and disorienting gameplay. The combination of anxiety from in-game threats and physical discomfort from the controls creates a profound emotional impact, leading some to abandon the game altogether.

    • “And I can safely say that no other game has ever made me feel quite the same.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing skepticism about the developer's commitment to completing the title and suggesting that the focus is primarily on profit rather than player experience.

    • “Sadly, it seems as though this developer used (and continues to use) this game as a cash grab and a rip-off.”
    • “I do not think that they have any intention of finishing their title, and I believe that this is a disingenuous cash grab.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character development for its impressive level and character design, highlighting the creativity and detail that enhance the overall gaming experience.

    • “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a strong emotional connection with each character.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
    • “The choices you make significantly impact character growth, leading to a unique experience for every player.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

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