Arima Lodge

About

Arima Lodge is a single player action game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Praenaris and was released on December 10, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Arima Lodge is a brief interactive story set entirely inside an elevator, following Kai the bellhop as he journeys to the 100th floor of a mysterious hotel. Players engage through limited dialogue choices and quick time events to open and close doors, uncovering unsettling secrets along the way. The game offers a tense, concise experience with a locked camera perspective.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

story4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

A short but intense game that creates suspense and keeps players engaged until the end.
The graphics and sound design are impressive, contributing to an immersive atmosphere.
It's a quick experience that can be completed in about 5 minutes, making it suitable for players with limited time.

The game lacks depth and meaningful gameplay, feeling more like a cutscene than a fully developed game.
The narrative is extremely brief and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more content and engagement.
Many dialogue choices feel inconsequential, reducing the impact of player decisions on the story.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The game's story is brief and lacks depth, centering around a bellhop's encounter with a mysterious man in an elevator, which creates a sense of tension but leaves players wanting more. While the atmosphere is engaging and the narrative builds intrigue, it ultimately feels underdeveloped, with many dialogue choices lacking impact and the overall experience being too short to foster a deeper connection to the characters. Despite its interesting premise, the story's brevity and lack of exploration make it less compelling for repeated playthroughs.
- “The game tells a cool, simple story that unfolds as you explore a serene yet mysterious lodge, but it’s over before you really have time to get fully immersed.”
- “The atmosphere is nice, with peaceful environments and a sense of calm that contrasts with the underlying tension of the story.”
- “The story is definitely the highlight, and it does a decent job of building intrigue, but once it’s over, you’re left feeling like there could have been more to explore or a deeper connection to the characters.”
- “It's an extremely short story non-game about a guy who gets into an elevator with another guy (ooh, sinister).”
- “That's the whole story; no other depth to the game at all.”
- “I can tell some work was put into the game as the graphics and such are good, but the lack of story makes this game pointless to play.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the heavy reliance on lengthy text cutscenes that detract from interactive elements, making it feel more like reading than playing. While the narrative choices do engage players and the gameplay mechanics are fluid, many feel that overall, there is a lack of substantial gameplay content.
- “The gameplay is fluid and the player's decisions impact the narrative, keeping you interested until the end.”
- “The developers failed one of the most basic, fundamental requirements of game design: 'show, don't tell.' You'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes because the developers couldn't figure out how to convey their narrative through the game mechanics, opting instead to compete with reading a book for your time.”
- “While I liked the game overall, there’s not much to it in terms of gameplay.”
- “While the sound design and music are commendable, there’s barely any gameplay here.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and aesthetic blend of early 1900s and futuristic elements, others criticize the overall quality as low effort, particularly in terms of environment design and storytelling.
- “The graphics are impressive and create an immersive atmosphere, while the music and sound effects add to the tension.”
- “The aesthetics complement each other, are nice to look at, and create an early 1900s hotel-elevator feel while at the same time having elements of a futuristic world (because of the giant dome around the city).”
- “The graphics aren't great; it's just a single set room with a bunch of poorly written text, making it an extremely low-effort entry on Steam Direct.”
- “I can tell some work was put into the game, as the graphics are decent, but the lack of story makes this game pointless to play.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised for enhancing the atmosphere and tension, contributing significantly to the overall experience. However, some users note that the gameplay itself is lacking, which may detract from the impact of the soundtrack.
- “The soundtrack was very good, made me a little anxious.”
- “The graphics are impressive and create an immersive atmosphere, while the music and sound effects add to the tension.”
- “While the sound design and music are commendable, there’s barely any gameplay here.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere in Arima Lodge is a compelling blend of eerie tension and immersive environments, enhanced by impressive graphics and effective sound design. Players experience a mix of creepiness and humor, with peaceful settings that juxtapose the underlying horror, making for a memorable and engaging experience.
- “The atmosphere is nice, with peaceful environments and a sense of calm that contrasts with the underlying tension of the story.”
- “The graphics are impressive and create an immersive atmosphere, while the music and sound effects add to the tension.”
- “With quick-time events, limited dialogue options, and an atmosphere so eerie it’ll make you side-eye every elevator ride from now on, Arima Lodge delivers a bite-sized horror experience that’s both creepy and kind of hilarious in hindsight.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heart-wrenching storyline, which resonates deeply with players and evokes strong feelings throughout the experience.
- “Heart-wrenching storyline.”
- “The game evokes a deep emotional response that stays with you long after playing.”
- “I felt a profound connection to the characters, making their struggles and triumphs incredibly impactful.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Arima Lodge" is characterized by its blend of creepy atmosphere and unexpected comedic moments, particularly in the context of quick-time events and limited dialogue options, which create a unique and entertaining horror experience that leaves players laughing in retrospect.
- “With quick-time events, limited dialogue options, and an atmosphere so eerie it’ll make you side-eye every elevator ride from now on, Arima Lodge delivers a bite-sized horror experience that’s both creepy and kind of hilarious in hindsight.”