Anglerfish

Anglerfish is a great mix of dark humour, unsettling atmosphere, and death-based gameplay. It’s worth the two to three hours it takes to finish your first playthrough, but the predictable ending and questionable in-game marketing, make this title fall short of being a seamless experience.

79%Game Brain Score

gameplay, humor

grinding, replayability

80% User Score Based on 274 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

Anglerfish is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Professional Villains and was released on November 10, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Anglerfish is a single-player Horror Fighting game that offers an interesting plot and spectacular gameplay, complete with outstanding music. As you try to survive your wildest night out at a secluded bar, every death presents a new challenge, encouraging you to explore and uncover hidden secrets. The game is inspired by a true psychological horror story and promises lots of grinding. The game's tagline, "It is when our expectations are broken that we feel life the most," hints at the unique twists and turns that await you.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 274 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game features a unique concept where dying leads to changes in gameplay, keeping it somewhat fresh despite repetition.
The humor and dark themes are engaging, with many players finding the experience both funny and entertaining.
The art style and sound design are praised for their quality, contributing to an enjoyable atmosphere.

The gameplay becomes tedious due to excessive repetition, with many players feeling forced to replay the same sections multiple times.
There are complaints about the game being unfinished, with content locked behind arbitrary requirements like the number of reviews.
Some mechanics, such as hit detection and character movement, can lead to frustrating deaths that detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players enjoying the unique mechanics and humor, while others find it repetitive and tedious, particularly when attempting multiple playthroughs. The core mechanic of dying to alter gameplay is seen as both innovative and monotonous, leading to a grind that diminishes the thrill of discovery. Overall, while the visuals and sound are praised, the gameplay experience varies significantly, with some players appreciating its fun elements and others criticizing its lack of depth and variety.
- “Excellent game, the core mechanic of changing things up each time works well.”
- “The gameplay is great, the characters are funny and original, the difficulty level is just right, and I really enjoyed this game.”
- “There's definitely a lot of interesting changes and new types of gameplay.”
- “The central gameplay loop is based on a singular mix of failure, usually through brutal, unfair death and randomness.”
- “However, the main mechanic of the game of dying to change stuff gets really repetitive and dull if you try to go for all 3 playthroughs.”
- “But the gameplay is very repetitive and the thrill of discovery fades fast into a tedious grind.”
humor
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of quirky, dark, and meta elements, with some players finding it hit-or-miss. While many appreciate the surprising and often hilarious scenarios that arise during gameplay, others feel that the humor can become predictable and tiresome over time. Overall, the game is noted for its creative and entertaining approach to humor, particularly appealing to those with a taste for the bizarre and absurd.
- “What a hilarious, bonkers title.”
- “It's weird, it's funny, it's all that a game should be.”
- “The ever-changing scenarios and dark humor are the perfect combination.”
story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The game's story is criticized for being minimal and confusing, with many players feeling it lacks depth and coherence, often resorting to repetitive gameplay to extend playtime. While some appreciate the underlying themes of vampires and the storytelling through flashbacks, they express frustration over the incomplete narrative and commercialization tactics, with significant story elements promised in future updates. Overall, the current narrative is seen as predictable and unsatisfying, leaving players eager for more content to clarify the plot.
- “I love everything from the art style to the humor; I feel like the story is also really good for the kind of game it is.”
- “It feels like there's some kind of story hidden under here, and I'm interested to see what it is once the next content patch drops.”
- “The game has little to no real story, and it keeps trying to pad out more gameplay by wasting our time.”
- “The majority of my time was spent walking down the same slightly different hallways fighting dull enemies and then occasionally being killed for plot progression.”
- “Regarding the story, it’s told mostly via mementos and occasional memories your character has, up until the end of the game.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
31%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fittingness to the gameplay and its overall quality, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive soundtrack and the creator's taste in music. While some songs may not resonate with all players, several tracks stand out and enhance the gaming experience, complemented by engaging animations that respond to the music. Overall, the soundtrack and pixel art contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay and developer behavior.
- “The music is really fitting to whatever is happening at the moment and I love all the details everywhere!”
- “Oh and don't even get me started on how great the soundtrack is.”
- “Also the creator has a nice taste in music.”
- “Not all songs in the track caught my attention, but I did really enjoy a couple.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, leading to a loss of excitement and engagement over time. While some enjoy the game overall, many recommend watching rather than playing due to the monotonous nature of the gameplay and the lack of meaningful rewards from randomized elements.
- “It's tedious.”
- “In the end, I liked it, but I would just recommend people watch it because playing it can get tedious.”
- “But the gameplay is very repetitive and the thrill of discovery fades fast into a tedious grind.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the unique art style and attention to detail, while others find the environments drab and uninteresting. Overall, the visuals are highlighted as a strong point, contributing to the game's charm and humor, despite some criticism regarding gameplay elements.
- “Amazing visuals, weird gameplay, great game.”
- “I absolutely love the art style they went with for this title, and they really paid attention to the smaller details.”
- “This is such a unique game, with a really cool art style, a few nice easter eggs pointing to other horror games and some intriguing marketing techniques that I found so charming.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is described as both chaotic and stylish, creating a unique blend of fear, anxiety, and frenetic energy. Despite its heavy themes, players find it enjoyable and engaging, appreciating the humor and overall ambiance.
- “It's got a lot of style and atmosphere.”
- “Fun game with a good atmosphere.”
- “Nice atmosphere which is weird to say considering the style and humor.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users express concerns about the replayability of the game, noting that it may be limited due to an inability to exit the end game speech loop with the developers after completing the main storyline. This suggests that once players reach the conclusion, they may not find a way to explore the game further or restart without repetitive dialogue.
- “Replayability: This may just be me not finding the option, but once you get to the end, it puts you in the end game speech loop with the developers.”
- “Replayability: This may just be me not finding the option, but once you get to the end, it puts you in the end game speech loop with the developers.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model has improved since release, eliminating frustrating requirements to visit the developers' site or gather reviews for progression. However, players still encounter intrusive advertisements that detract from the overall experience.
- “I've played it after release and there are no more idiotic requirements to visit the devs' site to progress or to reach a certain number of reviews, but some annoying advertisements are still present.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a hopeful emotional connection to the game, anticipating that upcoming content will enhance their experience. The affordability of the game at around $10 adds to their positive sentiment, leading to a strong recommendation if future updates meet expectations.