Amberskull
- April 13, 2018
- CharlieBehan
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Amberskull" is a survival horror anthology featuring four unique, terrifying experiences in varied environments. Players must overcome unique enemies and solve hidden mysteries while facing heart-pounding fear and challenges. With collectibles to find and extreme remixed versions to unlock, "Amberskull" promises a stressful and fun horror experience for $4.99, available on Unreal Engine 4.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game effectively blends audio, color, and visuals to create a scary atmosphere, making it worth the price.
- Each of the four mini-games offers unique mechanics and environments, providing varied and engaging horror experiences.
- The game features effective jump scares and a minimalist design that heightens tension and keeps players on edge.
- The game currently has significant technical issues, including frequent crashes, especially on Windows 11, making it unplayable for some users.
- Some mini-games lack depth and can feel frustrating or confusing, particularly the Ocean and Forest scenarios.
- There are complaints about the audio cues being too quiet or unclear, which detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by four distinct horror mini-games, each featuring unique mechanics and environments that create tension and jump scares. While many players appreciate the atmosphere and engaging mechanics, some criticize the initial balance and audio issues, which detracted from their overall experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable and nerve-wracking scenarios, though opinions on its execution vary significantly.
“Even after learning the mechanics and cycles, it still manages to zap me with juicy jump scares and give me chills, due to how it's crafted to leverage your attention.”
“A fun game with good atmosphere from level to level, with simple but interesting mechanics for each.”
“- as I mentioned in the gameplay section (might as well be an essay when I look at that now, lmao), the audio design was pretty sketchy and felt unpolished at times.”
“- in terms of visuals, I made a comment in the gameplay section about the forest monster looking more goofy than scary.”
“The premise and gameplay of each episode is fairly simple with only a few basic controls to get you by, but despite that, there's a lot of tense and somewhat scary scenarios the game will put you in.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is praised for its effective blend of audio, visuals, and color, creating a genuinely scary experience that heightens player senses and engagement. However, some players feel that certain levels lack the intended creepiness and fail to deliver a consistent atmospheric experience, with criticisms aimed at repetitive scare tactics and uninspired design in later episodes. Overall, while many appreciate the eerie ambiance and engaging mechanics, there are notable inconsistencies that detract from the overall atmospheric impact.
“The developer does an expert job of blending audio, color, and visuals to create *that* scary atmospheric experience.”
“Deliberately pared-down, with simple controls, simple visual/audio cues and clues, combined with just the right amount of atmosphere and motivations to repeatedly force you to heighten your senses while focused on a specific goal, with consequences and threats ranging from subtle to explosive.”
“This guy sure knows how to create an eerie atmosphere!”
“The forest - got scared once in the start, missed on the atmosphere, wasn't creepy and didn't have any chills.”
“Had no atmosphere whatsoever, driving a boat and suddenly you're done like..... nothing happened..... and the same horrible ending.”
“No atmosphere, same old scare tactics which didn't scare after episode 1.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality and ability to enhance the atmospheric horror experience, with a strong blend of audio and visuals. While most users find the visuals impressive, some note that certain character designs, like the forest monster, may come off as more goofy than frightening. Overall, the game's graphics contribute significantly to its eerie and engaging ambiance.
“The developer does an expert job of blending audio, color, and visuals to create *that* scary atmospheric experience.”
“Small, bite-sized horror experiences with decent graphics and a cool, weird atmosphere.”
“The graphics are amazing and Amberskull is definitely worth your time!”
“- In terms of visuals, I made a comment in the gameplay section about the forest monster looking more goofy than scary.”
- story6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story of Amberskull revolves around a protagonist trapped in four fear-based simulations, ultimately revealing that these experiences are part of a larger testing facility aimed at studying human reactions to fear. Each segment of the game features its own unique monster and narrative gimmick, contributing to the anthology's horror theme.
“The story goes that the protagonist is stuck playing four simulations of fear, and afterward, he/she comes to the realization that it's all part of a giant testing facility dedicated to studying the human reaction in terms of... well, fear.”
“Amberskull is a first-person horror anthology, where each story comes with its own gimmick and a unique monster to avoid.”
“What is with the images of brains to the right of the player? Is there a story to this?”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The consensus among users is that the game lacks significant replay value, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to play it again.
“No real replay value.”
“No real replay value.”
