Amygdala
- March 15, 2024
- Stigma Studios
Get on Steam"Amygdala" is a first-person horror game set in a haunting location filled with terrifying creatures. The game explores the dark depths of the nightmare realm, where lost entities from the universe end up. Players must confront their fears and uncover the secrets behind the mysterious dimension of Amygdala.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features amazing visuals and creature designs, showcasing the developer's talent.
- The atmosphere is immersive, with a unique and intriguing storyline that keeps players engaged.
- Despite its short length, the game offers a fun experience with interesting puzzles and a creepy vibe.
- The game is plagued with bugs and optimization issues, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Many players found the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, primarily revolving around key collection.
- The voice acting and dialogue quality are poor, detracting from the overall immersion and storytelling.
- graphics25 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their striking, dark, and surreal aesthetic, which effectively enhances its psychological themes and immersive atmosphere. While many players commend the detailed artwork, creature designs, and overall visual experience, some report minor graphical glitches and optimization issues that detract from the gameplay. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, showcasing the developer's talent and effort in creating a unique and engaging world.
“Amazing visuals, interesting but simple storyline, and good puzzles that are a challenge but aren't impossible.”
“The artwork and models are amazing and you can tell the creator put a lot of effort into creating the world, which pays off with a surreal, visceral experience.”
“The game’s art style is striking, with a dark and surreal aesthetic that perfectly complements its psychological themes.”
“First of all: don't go in expecting a fully polished horror experience with mind-bending puzzles or next-gen graphics.”
“So yes, the controls are a bit clunky, it has some graphical artifacts and optimization issues, and the gameplay essentially just consists in finding keys scattered throughout simple levels.”
“Atmosphere: so far I loved it and it really had great body horror elements, but it could really use some polishing on graphics since sometimes some enemies look rough around the edges.”
- gameplay24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant optimization issues and bugs that detract from the experience. While some appreciate the artistic design and atmospheric storytelling, others criticize the gameplay as repetitive and simplistic, primarily revolving around collecting keys and dodging enemies. Overall, the game offers a blend of intriguing concepts and aesthetic appeal, but its execution leaves much to be desired in terms of engaging gameplay mechanics.
“Bringing your nightmares to life in a fast-paced horror experience with simple mechanics.”
“This game stands out not just for its gripping gameplay but for its profound exploration of the human mind, making it a must-play for fans of thought-provoking narratives and challenging mechanics.”
“Amygdala excels in its gameplay mechanics, offering a mix of platforming challenges and puzzle-solving elements.”
“I'm so tired of these buggy, unoptimized horror games made with one or two gameplay assets with heavy emphasis on walking and picking up items but somehow released with game-breaking bugs and not patched ASAP.”
“Game is unoptimized, full of bugs, as my continue game point spawns me outside of the map that is only within 0.3 minutes of gameplay.”
“From a gameplay standpoint, there is almost no gameplay; your only job is to find keys!”
- story21 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by an intriguing yet simple narrative that unfolds through environmental storytelling and cryptic messages, fostering player engagement and a sense of mystery. While some players appreciate its psychological depth and atmospheric elements, others criticize the abstract nature and execution of the plot, describing it as half-baked and poorly conveyed. Overall, the story offers a unique experience that encourages exploration and multiple playthroughs, despite some inconsistencies and reliance on AI-generated dialogue.
“With an interesting backstory, using themes such as the corruption of 'hunger for knowledge'.”
“The story unfolds through environmental storytelling and cryptic messages, encouraging players to piece together the narrative themselves.”
“The world and setting is fascinating with an interesting story that definitely had my attention from the beginning.”
“All the dialogue and text is clearly AI-generated garbage; the story is boring and only given through borderline unintelligible exposition dumps.”
“Story is very half-baked and doesn't make any sense; voiceovers are really bad and make the atmosphere suffer.”
“There were some parts of the story that I felt could have used more fleshing out.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie visuals, haunting soundtrack, and exceptional sound design, which together create an immersive and unsettling experience. While the creature design is noted as top-notch, some users mention technical issues and a need for graphical polish. Overall, the atmosphere is described as unique and layered, effectively enhancing the horror elements, despite some criticisms regarding the story and voice acting.
“The game’s atmosphere is meticulously crafted, combining eerie visuals with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that immerses you in its world.”
“Amygdala’s sound design is exceptional, playing a crucial role in building its eerie atmosphere.”
“It could have been a simple walking simulator, but instead, it has layers, and oozes atmosphere!”
“The creature design is top notch, but, at least without global illumination turned off, I was getting shadow flickering issues, so expect some bugs. However, I still think that for the creature design and atmosphere in the game, the price is worth it.”
“If you like a horror atmosphere that delivers a really weird experience, then this is worth it!”
“Story is very half-baked and doesn't make any sense; the voiceovers are really bad and negatively impact the atmosphere.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players reporting various bugs and performance issues, particularly in specific levels. While some users experienced no major performance problems, others noted that the game could be unoptimized for weaker systems, leading to clunky controls and graphical artifacts. Overall, while there are signs of improvement through patches, significant optimization issues remain.
“The graphics are good, models and scenery are disturbing, and it's optimized well enough (not great but not bad), and I only saw a few minor visual glitches in my playthrough, and no game-breaking bugs.”
“And I did find some issues with bugs and optimization (both of which are already being worked on through patches, so I imagine they'll be ironed out in the future).”
“I'm so tired of this buggy, unoptimized horror game made with one or two gameplay assets with heavy emphasis on walking and picking up items, but somehow released with game-breaking bugs and not patched ASAP.”
“Game is unoptimized, full of bugs, as my continue game point spawns me outside of the map that is only within 0.3 minutes of gameplay.”
“So yes, the controls are a bit clunky, it has some graphical artifacts and optimization issues, and the gameplay essentially just consists of finding keys scattered throughout simple levels.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's music is praised for its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the immersive atmosphere, blending ambient sounds with emotional melodies. However, some players expressed frustration with the inability to replay certain songs and the dual voice-over options, which can be difficult to listen to simultaneously. While the use of AI-generated music and voice-overs is noted, opinions are mixed, with some preferring traditional music and voice acting for a more polished experience.
“The game’s atmosphere is meticulously crafted, combining eerie visuals with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that immerses you in its world.”
“Some of the creatures in the main room were singing familiar songs to themselves... if you get close enough to them, you can make out the songs.”
“Only complaints I have is I could not for the life of me play that song after obtaining the vinyl, not even on low settings. Also, at the end, you have a female and a male voiceover and you need to pick just one; otherwise, it's hard to listen to.”
“The dev admittedly used AI to generate voice-over and music. While I don't fully endorse this kind of generated content, this is an example of how AI can be used as a tool when backed by careful and tasteful supervision. I would still prefer 'real' music and voice actors in a hypothetical future, polished version of the game though.”
“The soundtrack is a mix of ambient sounds and melodic pieces that evoke a range of emotions, from tension to melancholy.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, stability in the game is a mixed bag; while some players report minor visual glitches and occasional bugs, others have experienced game-breaking issues that hinder progress. Despite these problems, some users found the optimization acceptable, with no major disruptions during gameplay. However, the presence of significant bugs has led to frustration among many players.
“I'm so tired of this buggy, unoptimized horror game made with one or two gameplay assets with heavy emphasis on walking and picking up items, but somehow released with game-breaking bugs and not patched ASAP.”
“Buggy mess, got to a locked door that I had already picked up the key for, but the door still would not open.”
“The graphics are good, models and scenery are disturbing, and it's optimized well enough (not great but not bad), but I only saw a few minor visual glitches in my playthrough, and no game-breaking bugs.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive attention to detail in both environments and character designs, which enhance the overall sense of unease and intrigue. At a budget-friendly price of $15, the character design alone is noted as a standout feature.
“The attention to detail is impressive, with the environments and character designs contributing to the overall sense of unease and intrigue.”
“As a game that is only $15 at full price, it stands out for character design alone.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users generally find the replayability of the game to be high, citing multiple branching storylines, diverse character choices, and various difficulty levels that encourage multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the inclusion of unlockable content and achievements further enhances the incentive to revisit the game. Overall, players appreciate the depth and variety that keep the experience fresh with each session.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, featuring a mix of quirky moments and clever easter eggs that enhance the overall experience.
“I really enjoyed the bits of humor and craziness, along with the small easter eggs scattered around.”
“The game is filled with clever jokes and hilarious moments that kept me laughing throughout.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations made for a truly entertaining experience.”
