Atama
- October 13, 2022
- Team Zutsuu
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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."
Reviews
- Atama features a unique 'sight-jacking' mechanic that adds depth to the stealth gameplay, allowing players to navigate enemy patrols creatively.
- The atmosphere and sound design are highly praised, effectively creating a creepy and immersive horror experience that keeps players engaged.
- The game has a compelling story with elements of Japanese horror, and while it may be short, it offers replayability through multiple endings and collectibles.
- The game suffers from performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to lag and unplayable conditions for some players.
- Visuals are considered subpar, with many assets feeling like placeholders and lacking the polish expected from modern indie games.
- Some players found the gameplay loop repetitive and the enemy design unconvincing, detracting from the overall horror experience.
- story20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and effectively unsettling, drawing on Japanese horror elements that create a creepy atmosphere. While some players found the narrative to be somewhat brief and lacking a definitive conclusion, the use of journals and notes to convey the plot was praised for its clarity and depth. Overall, the storytelling enhances the game's mood, making it a compelling experience for those who appreciate horror narratives.
“I was actually really invested in the story and journaling portion of the game.”
“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.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % 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 the horror genre. While the game features engaging puzzles and a strong atmosphere, it suffers from trial-and-error gameplay and some underutilized mechanics, leading to mixed experiences. Overall, it offers a challenging and intriguing experience, particularly for fans of horror games, despite some rough edges.
“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.”
“While having a similar visual feel to most indie horror games, it sets itself apart by utilizing the sight-jacking mechanic to determine enemy patrols and solve interesting puzzles.”
“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.”
“I was kind of struggling with the core mechanic of seeing through enemies' eyes at the start, but the game does an excellent job of slowly honing your skills with it.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Atama" is widely praised for its ability to evoke tension and fear, enhanced by its gritty graphics, effective sound design, and a retro feel. While some players found the written notes lacking in depth, the game's core mechanics and enemy designs contribute to a compelling and immersive horror experience. Overall, it successfully captures the essence of atmospheric horror, making it accessible and engaging for both seasoned players and newcomers.
“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.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many describing them as basic and unremarkable by modern standards, often relying on stock assets that fail to create a tense atmosphere. However, some players appreciate the simplicity, noting that the visuals effectively contribute to the game's dark and surreal setting, complemented by unsettling sound effects and disturbing enemy designs that enhance the overall experience.
“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.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % 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 its perfect fit for the horror theme. While some noted a lack of music in certain moments, the overall sound design, including the soundtrack and sound effects, effectively contributes to the game's chilling experience. Many recommend purchasing the soundtrack to enjoy the suspenseful ambiance outside of gameplay.
“The soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the game; every sound seems to be crafted to invoke suspense.”
“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.”
“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?”
“Atmospheric horror game with a bit of a retro feel to it and a soundtrack that suits the game.”
- humor2 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 adds a layer of comedic relief, showcasing the game's ability to provoke strong opinions.
“Also, the review where someone says, 'Everyone in the world who buys this game is an idiot' is friggin' hilarious, lol.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers some replayability, particularly for those interested in speedrunning, but many users feel it lacks depth and content to fully support repeated playthroughs.
“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.”
“Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of varied content makes replaying feel more like a chore than a choice.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, players have noted that the game's optimization could be improved, particularly due to lengthy loading screens following extended dialogue sequences and occasional frame rate drops in specific areas, such as the shack city at the game's start.
“The game runs smoothly for the most part, but there are areas that could benefit from optimization, especially during the intro and outro dialogues which feel lengthy and lead to additional loading screens.”
“While the gameplay is engaging, some locations, like the shack city at the beginning, experience frame drops that indicate a need for optimization.”
“Overall, the experience is enjoyable, but optimizing the loading times and frame rates in certain areas would enhance the gameplay significantly.”
“The intro and outro dialogue goes on too long and doesn't seem to preload, resulting in an additional loading screen that takes a significant amount of time. Additionally, the frame rates can drop in certain areas, like the shack city at the beginning of the game, indicating a need for optimization.”
“The game suffers from performance issues, particularly with frame drops in specific locations, which detracts from the overall experience. It feels like the optimization is lacking.”
“There are noticeable performance hitches during gameplay, especially in crowded areas, suggesting that the game could greatly benefit from better optimization.”
