Apsulov: End of Gods

About

Apsulov: End of Gods is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Angry Demon Studio and was released on August 8, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

Apsulov: End of Gods is a first-person horror game set in a futuristic, cybernetic world inspired by Norse mythology. Players must explore a mysterious facility, solve puzzles, and fight for survival as they uncover the dark secrets of the gods. With a focus on atmospheric storytelling and psychological horror, Apsulov offers a unique and unsettling experience for players seeking a challenging and immersive gameplay experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,124 reviews

story330 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of Norse mythology and sci-fi horror, creating an engaging and original experience.
The atmosphere and sound design are exceptional, contributing to a constant sense of tension and immersion.
The story is compelling, with well-placed twists and a satisfying conclusion that leaves players wanting more.

The gameplay can feel repetitive, with a lack of puzzles and an over-reliance on stealth mechanics.
The AI of enemies is often predictable and can be easily exploited, reducing the overall challenge.
The game is quite dark, making navigation difficult at times, and some players may find the limited combat mechanics frustrating.

story
644 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
44%
5%
The story of "Apsulov: End of Gods" is a blend of Norse mythology and sci-fi elements, which many players found intriguing and engaging, though some noted it could feel disjointed or lacking in emotional depth. While the narrative is praised for its unique concept and atmosphere, critiques often mention that character development is underwhelming and the pacing can be slow, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite these criticisms, the game is recommended for those who appreciate story-driven experiences, particularly within the horror genre.
- “Let me start by saying that this is a really good game with an even better story!!!”
- “The compelling story, combined with challenging puzzles and intense encounters, makes for a must-play game.”
- “Apsulov: end of gods is a fantastic horror game with amazing atmosphere and an intriguing story.”
- “The story did not really get that much attention and felt a bit lacking in emotional investment; it also feels like an unnatural mix between elements of different worlds.”
- “Story did not make any sense to me, characters were bland, nothing triggered any emotion.”
- “The story's details are so limited and short that the relatively short length of this game feels too far dragged for how far and in between the story is being fed to the player.”
gameplay
312 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, often likening it to a walking simulator with basic mechanics. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and unique story, others criticize the lack of engaging gameplay loops, tedious level design, and underwhelming combat mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for its narrative and visuals, but it struggles to maintain player engagement through its gameplay.
- “The graphics, gameplay, story were great!!!”
- “Overall, I did enjoy this game and had fun exploring the world(s) as I wasn't able to predict most of the time what would be happening next, and that sense of mystery and surprise was a good addition to the gameplay.”
- “Fantastic storytelling, compelling lore, OST out of this world, and fun gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive; it turns the game quickly into a chore.”
- “While the game's general story and setting are interesting enough to grab the player's attention, its mechanics and gameplay loop fail to keep the player engaged.”
- “There are a lot of cool ideas here, but the game feels constructed to maximize wasted time: you will walk through dozens of corridors that are completely devoid of gameplay just to get to a room where you press a button to drop a ladder that you climb into a vent and you spend 2 minutes in the vent and drop out into an airlock which takes 30 seconds to cycle, walk down a hall and enter another airlock for another 30 seconds, then get into an elevator and wait a minute.”
graphics
250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
30%
3%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the beautiful environments, unique art style, and smooth performance, particularly when utilizing high settings. However, some players noted issues with overly dark visuals, graphical glitches, and a lack of polish in certain areas, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's aesthetic and atmosphere are often highlighted as standout features, contributing to an engaging narrative experience.
- “The graphics are marvelous; I can't believe it is an indie game. The story is great, and the atmosphere, combining the grotesque and dark scenery with some exceptionally creepy sounds, makes you feel like you are constantly stalked by some weird creature.”
- “Apsulov delivered and then some with a unique sci-fi/norse horror atmosphere, engaging story, and awe-inspiring visuals.”
- “Graphics are top notch on very high, frame-rate at 2k keeps an average of around 120 - 130 at all times, and goes above my max refresh rate of 165 often, smooth as butter for how good it looks.”
- “Graphics were okay, but seeing the fact that this uses the Unreal Engine, one would have expected much better.”
- “So much of the environment is pitch black, meaning you need the night vision on in order to see where you're going. When the bar runs out, you have to turn it off and hold still (or navigate blindly) until it recharges. For the most part, the game's unique aesthetic is either shrouded in darkness or in a poor green/blue filter that barely makes it 2 meters ahead of you.”
- “To add insult to injury, an in-game mechanic, consider it as a night vision-esque visual filter which you’ll need to navigate 90% of the maps, adds a constantly shifting rainbow shade onto basically everything… the graphic quality is there, but the style just seemed cheap.”
atmosphere
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of Norse mythology and futuristic elements, creating a dark and immersive experience that captivates players from the start. While some reviewers noted that it lacks traditional horror elements and can feel oppressive at times, the sound design, visuals, and overall ambiance contribute significantly to the game's tension and sense of dread. Many players found the atmosphere to be the standout feature, making it a compelling choice for those who appreciate story-driven, atmospheric horror games.
- “This captivating game combines Norse mythology with futuristic elements to create a unique, dark atmosphere that draws the player in from the very first minute.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly good, it has such an air of anxiety around it and I can tell how much thought was put into it.”
- “Apsulov delivered and then some with a unique sci-fi/Norse horror atmosphere, engaging story, and awe-inspiring visuals.”
- “The presentation, visuals, and atmosphere are all there, but it sadly lacks in gameplay and story.”
- “The voice acting is jarring and pulls you out of the atmosphere; half the game was essentially a haunted house where you walk through and have sounds play from points where nothing is to try and scare you.”
- “Though the dark atmosphere can feel oppressive at times, and the enemies act a bit mindlessly, this is easily forgiven by the sense of progress you feel at the end of each chapter.”
music
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its dark tone and immersive sound design that complements the gameplay. While some tracks are noted as particularly captivating, a few instances of unconventional instrumentation were mentioned as feeling out of place. Overall, the soundtrack is described as fantastic, contributing significantly to the game's tension and emotional impact.
- “The musical score is perfect, and the tension built by the ambiance is absolutely heart-pounding.”
- “The environments are beautiful and unique and well done graphically, the music and atmosphere are also great and these aspects really help make this an immersive game with a brooding feeling.”
- “The soundscape intensifies this immersion, as you are surrounded by distant screams, squishy goo and other effects, and a very good musical soundtrack with ethereal chants or driving Viking drumbeats.”
- “The musical score I was mostly appreciative of, and I enjoyed it overall; however, at times there were bits of music that had odd instruments, such as electric guitar, that felt out of place and didn't quite fit the theme.”
- “The music isn't all that memorable, but some set pieces really set the mood for the whole experience.”
- “Nothing really stands out, the ambient sounds are usually way too loud and clash with other music/sound effects happening.”
optimization
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
28%
36%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players experiencing smooth gameplay and high frame rates, even at maximum settings. However, some users reported occasional performance drops and issues with frame rates dipping below 60, particularly during map transitions. Despite these minor setbacks, the graphics are considered top-notch, contributing to a visually impressive experience.
- “The graphics were also very good and the game is optimized well with fluid gameplay.”
- “Graphics are for the most part pretty good and the game ran at 1440@144fps (max detail) which also indicates pretty good performance as far as I'm concerned - running a 3060ti.”
- “Optimization is great (played at 4k with no issues), sound is crazy immersive, gameplay is limited but what it does do, it does it.”
- “There's a lot of forced shaky cam used to express motion of the world which is really jarring and annoyed me, and there are a few optimization issues that kind of break the tension.”
- “I did notice quite a lot of performance issues, specifically my FPS dropping below 60 and my GPU and CPU usage dropping in places they shouldn't.”
- “Which has resulted in a temporary performance drop, noticeably so.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
Players consistently describe the grinding in "Apsulov: End of Gods" as tedious and joyless, with repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience. The game features mechanics that are intended to create tension but often result in dull gameplay, leading to frustration rather than engagement. Many reviewers feel that the reliance on jumpscares during these monotonous activities further diminishes the enjoyment of the game.
- “The gameplay simply gets tedious after a while.”
- “Many not fun and tedious game elements make the game a slog and not worth playing.”
- “It's a tedious and joyless game, not fun, extremely dark you cannot see anything most of the time.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits a range of stability issues, primarily characterized by frequent visual glitches and bugs that, while not game-breaking, detract from the overall experience. Players have noted that these glitches can be annoying, and some have expressed frustration over the game's release in such a buggy state. However, the presence of numerous save points offers a safety net for players encountering these issues.
- “Super super super buggy.”
- “How can they release this game when it's this buggy?”
- “The graphically the game can be good, but I also encountered a lot of graphical glitches, nothing game breaking, but just kinda unsightly.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews; while some players found it effectively unsettling and capable of creating tension, many criticized the story for lacking depth and emotional investment, describing it as a checklist of plot points with lifeless emotional beats. The combination of different narrative elements felt unnatural to some, detracting from the overall impact of the game's emotional themes.
- “One of the only horror games I have ever played that has actually made me feel on edge.”
- “The plot felt like a series of checklists; it would've been a bigger surprise if the 'big twist' hadn't been there, and the emotional beats about dead family members were lifeless.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of witty voiceovers and a quirky script that often embraces absurdity, particularly through its characters and scenarios. While the voice acting can be inconsistent, it tends to lean towards being humorously bad rather than simply poor, contributing to an overall comedic experience that lightens the game's darker themes. Players appreciate the unexpected moments of levity, which often arise from the game's stiff animations and the juxtaposition of serious folklore with humorous elements.
- “The voice over and script has a humorous edge I like.”
- “I like Norse folklore as much as the next nerd, but sometimes it is just funny in this game.”
- “The voice acting is hit-or-miss, but it's funny bad instead of just bad.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game offers a solid 4-5 hour experience with replayability stemming from four difficulty levels that alter enemy spawns and two speedrun achievements. While it may not have endless content, players find value in replaying the game to explore different challenges, especially if purchased at a discount. Overall, it strikes a balance between a concise journey and enough variety to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “Overall, it's about a 4-5 hour experience, which is fair enough for the asking price, given there's replay value. I got it heavily on sale, so I definitely got my money's worth.”
- “There's 4 difficulties total (easy, normal, hard, very hard) and they each modify enemy spawns, so there's some replay value there in addition to two speedrun-related achievements.”
- “Sure, having a game with tons of replayability or never-ending things to do or even a massive world that could take an entire year to complete is all well and good, but a sturdy 5 to 10 hour journey is all you need.”
- “Overall, it's about a 4-5 hour experience, which is fair enough for the asking price (given there's replay value), but I got it heavily on sale, so I definitely got my money's worth.”
- “There's 4 difficulties total (easy, normal, hard, very hard), and they each modify enemy spawns, so there's some replay value there in addition to two speedrun-related achievements.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is praised for its strong design and integration with the story, contributing to an immersive atmosphere. While the combat mechanics may be limited, the beautiful visuals and engaging narrative enhance the overall experience, making the character development a standout feature.
- “The atmosphere, character design, story, and location designs are all very good!”
- “I know this game may not be for everyone, especially with its limited combat mechanisms, however I do think the beautiful visuals, strong character designs, and interesting story are worth it.”
- “Character development, enemy introduction, ambiance, and all different details - everything is on point.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express concern that the current monetization strategy, particularly through ads, may lead to negative outcomes if the quality of content does not improve.