Atama
- October 13, 2022
- Team Zutsuu
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"ATAMA is a stealth horror game set in an isolated Japanese village, where you uncover devilish puzzles and sinister creatures while seeing through the eyes of enemies. Kaede, the protagonist, visits her reclusive Aunt Noriko after concerning letters, only to be ensnared in a family curse nightmare. Gameplay focuses on solving puzzles and avoiding enemy gaze, as combat is not an option."
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Atama features a unique 'sight-jacking' mechanic that adds depth to the stealth gameplay, allowing players to navigate enemy patrols creatively.
- The atmosphere is deeply unsettling, with effective sound design and a creepy setting that enhances the horror experience.
- The game offers a compelling story with multiple endings and puzzles that keep players engaged, making it a worthwhile experience for horror enthusiasts.
- The game suffers from performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to lag and unplayable conditions for some players.
- Visuals are often criticized as basic and unrefined, with some assets feeling like placeholders, detracting from the overall immersion.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and trial-and-error based, which may drain tension and frustrate players looking for a more dynamic horror experience.
- story40 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and effectively utilizes a Japanese horror aesthetic, creating a spooky atmosphere that keeps players invested. While the narrative is delivered primarily through well-written notes, some players found it to be somewhat short and lacking a satisfying conclusion, which can be seen as fitting for the horror genre. Overall, the storytelling is appreciated for its depth and ability to maintain mystery, enhancing the game's creepy vibe.
“I also liked the storyline, which has that slightly unsettling Japanese horror element that you can never quite get comfortable with or settle into.”
“The story's deep enough to really engage, but not obtuse enough to bore.”
“Though I will admit, some of the monster AI is a little bit janky and the story mode feels way too short.”
“The overall story of the game, while told through notes you find (with occasional random lines of dialogue said by the main character), is pretty decent and the notes are well written, painting a good overall picture of what has occurred in the town and the horrific events that have transpired there.”
“The story is pretty bare bones, which I actually like because it sort of adds to the mystery and overall creepiness of the game.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Atama is characterized by its unique sight-jacking mechanic, allowing players to see through the eyes of enemies, which adds a fresh twist to puzzle-solving and stealth elements. While the game offers a challenging atmosphere and engaging puzzles, some players feel that certain mechanics are underutilized, leading to a trial-and-error experience that can detract from overall enjoyment. Despite its rough edges, the core gameplay is praised for its creativity and potential, making it a noteworthy entry in the indie horror genre.
“It's unique, somewhat challenging, has great sound design, and expertly delivers on a great mechanic.”
“Really fun game, I love the puzzle aspect and the primary mechanic of being able to see through the eyes of the enemies is really unique and cool.”
“For the positives, I really enjoyed the core mechanic of using the eyes of your enemies to sneak around, I enjoyed the puzzles, and the atmosphere was great, especially the back third of the game.”
“Developed by team Zutsuu and clearly inspired by Forbidden Siren, Atama has some good ideas topped with very poor gameplay choices, as the premise of the game is going from point A to point B while trying to avoid the 'horrors' lurking about... I say trying, since most of the game is just trial and error.”
“The ending town section could have had these mechanics; instead, I literally sprinted through it and ignored the heads because I'm faster than those particular heads and just went in the shrine.”
“It was so scary to me that I couldn’t even get through an hour of gameplay without having to take a break.”
- atmosphere22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Atama" is widely praised for its ability to engage and spook players, featuring a gritty aesthetic and a retro feel that enhances the horror experience. While some elements, like the written notes, are criticized for lacking depth, the game's sound design, music, and enemy behavior contribute to a tense and immersive environment. Overall, it is recommended for fans of atmospheric horror and experimental game design, successfully creating a captivating and eerie ambiance.
“As a jaded adult, horror is a genre I often have a hard time enjoying, but the writing, atmosphere, and enemy design of Atama kept me engaged and spooked.”
“The graphics aren’t amazing, but they work very well for the game; the gritty atmosphere generated, the color scheme, and the artwork seem to be chosen to heighten emotion rather than just serve as eye candy.”
“But in context, in motion, with the game's atmosphere, music and sound design, and with the creepy grin the enemies get when they close in on you?”
“A core component of any decent horror game is atmosphere, and Atama owns it.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many describing them as basic and unremarkable by modern standards, often detracting from the overall experience. However, some players appreciate the simplicity, noting that the visuals effectively contribute to the game's dark and unsettling atmosphere, complemented by shocking enemy designs and eerie sound effects. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they serve the game's emotional and thematic intentions.
“The graphics aren’t amazing, but they work very well for the game; the gritty atmosphere generated, the color scheme, and the artwork seem to be chosen to heighten emotion rather than just serve as eye candy.”
“The graphics are simple and effective.”
“I can play recent games with modern graphics like Tomb Raider and Alien Isolation on this same Mac, but it can't handle an homage to PS1?”
“The game has very basic visuals that look rather terrible by most modern standards, even amongst indie games, but the enemies themselves are rather shocking and disturbing, complete with some utterly bizarre and unsettling sound effects that really set the game's bizarre and dark tone well.”
“While Atama is visually unremarkable, the graphics do little to hold back the experience and arguably contribute to the surreal setting.”
- music16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and invoke suspense, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as perfectly crafted for the horror experience. While some noted a lack of music in certain moments, the overall sound design, including effective sound effects, contributes significantly to the game's chilling ambiance. Many recommend purchasing the soundtrack to enjoy the suspenseful tones outside of gameplay.
“The soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the game, every sound seems to be crafted to invoke suspense.”
“Is it worth the 19.99? Absolutely, I also recommend buying the soundtrack if you want to take the suspense with you on the road.”
“On top of this, there was no music and only basic 'nighttime cricket' noises to set the mood sound-wise.”
“I’ll be honest, this game is not for the faint of heart; it is scary, the music sets a tone, and the sound effects drive it home.”
“Atmospheric horror game with a bit of a retro feel to it and a soundtrack that suits the game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game elicits mixed reactions, with some players initially finding it amusing but quickly growing weary of it. Notably, a review highlighting the absurdity of the game's appeal, stating "everyone in the world who buys this game is an idiot," has been particularly well-received for its comedic value.
“Also, the Chinese review where he says 'everyone in the world who buys this game is an idiot' is friggin hilarious lol”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers some replayability, particularly with the potential for speedrunning, but many players feel it lacks depth and polish, which limits its long-term appeal.
“Without spoiling too much, there's some replayability, and I think it might even be fun to try speedrunning.”
“I liked it, but it's rough around the edges and needs more depth to be truly replayable.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism for prolonged loading screens following lengthy dialogue sequences and noticeable frame rate drops in certain areas, particularly at the beginning in shack city. Players feel that these issues detract from the overall experience and suggest that optimization improvements are needed.
“The intro and outro dialogue goes on too long and doesn't seem to preload, leading to another loading screen afterward. Additionally, frame rates can drop in certain areas, like the shack city at the beginning of the game, indicating a need for optimization fixes.”
“The game suffers from long dialogue sequences that don't preload, resulting in unnecessary loading screens. Frame rates also dip in specific locations, suggesting that optimization is needed.”
