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Back in 1995

Back in 1995 Game Cover
65%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, atmosphere
Most mentioned negative aspects:story, graphics
65% User Score Based on 93 reviews

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Back in 1995 Game Cover

About Back in 1995

Back in 1995 is a single player survival shooter game with horror, mystery and post-apocalyptic themes. It was developed by Throw the warped code out and was released on April 28, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A throwback to the survival horror and mystery games of the original Playstation, Back in 1995 faithfully re-creates everything from this forgotten era of games.

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Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
Back in 1995 screenshot
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Games Like Back in 1995

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Reviews

65%Audience ScoreBased on 93 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
story7 negative mentions
  • Faithfully recreates mid-1990s PS1-style survival horror atmosphere with authentic tank controls, fixed cameras, and retro visuals.
  • Strong nostalgic appeal for fans of early 3D horror games like Alone in the Dark and Silent Hill, delivering a sincere homage.
  • Includes an interesting meta-narrative twist near the end and developer commentary adding depth for those invested in the concept.
  • Gameplay is very slow, clunky, and minimalistic with limited enemy threat, making combat and progression too easy and unengaging.
  • Story is vague, poorly developed, and abruptly ends, failing to provide satisfying narrative closure or compelling character development.
  • Technical issues such as warped textures, annoying camera angles, frequent loading screens, bad audio design, and low-quality voice acting hinder the experience.

  • story

    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    11% positive mentions, 76% neutral mentions, 13% negative mentions

    The story attempts a nostalgic homage to classic survival horror with a slow build and psychological themes, but many find it vague, poorly conveyed, and lacking meaningful character development or a satisfying conclusion. While some appreciate its restrained, exploration-based storytelling and eerie atmosphere, others criticize its abrupt, confusing ending and overall weak narrative impact, making it less engaging than its inspirations.

    • “The atmosphere, the strange stilted storytelling... it's all very compelling.”
    • “Storytelling unfolds through exploration rather than exposition-heavy dialogue.”
    • “The story and inner meaning itself is pretty good too; it very much feels like an homage while also pointing out that holding onto the past isn't always the way to go.”
    • “The presentation is pretty bland, the characters are yawn-inducing, the story is poorly conveyed and the voice acting is actually grating to listen to most of the time.”
    • “Well that was disappointing, sadly the game itself looked somehow well made for that era; however, it doesn't mean the story had to suffer or be not engaging. I finished the first chapter and had no reason to keep going. The pacing of the story is off; the protagonist just needs to go to a location without any build-up or motivation, making it odd and unrelatable. The protagonist seems unaware of the monsters, making the rooftop scene feel strange. I cannot recommend this game to fans of old horror games, as it tries too hard to mimic the old style but fails in storytelling and controls.”
    • “The rest of the negative reviews really explain why this game whiffs on what makes older survival horror games fun and interesting. It is basically an hour of meandering build-up leading to an absolute blue-balling mess of an ending sequence with very little substance to its plot or atmosphere.”

  • graphics

    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    6% positive mentions, 88% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The graphics in this game are a deliberate and nostalgic homage to mid-90s PS1-era survival horror, featuring chunky, low-poly models, grainy visuals, and CRT-style effects that evoke the feel of early 3D games. While some players appreciate this retro aesthetic and find it charming or atmospheric, others note graphical warping and quirks that can feel more like glitches than authentic throwbacks. Overall, the visuals successfully capture the era’s vibe but may not appeal to those expecting modern graphical fidelity.

    • “I consider myself a veteran of the genre and I liked the art style and direction this was taking; the faux PlayStation mid 90's vibe and aesthetic really struck a chord with me to the point that I was all-in for this game.”
    • “If you enjoy both (1) the impressionistic look of early, primitive 3D graphics as seen on the PS1/Saturn/3DO; as well as (2) slower-paced, puzzle-sprinkled gameplay that is lighter on action but heavy on atmosphere, I think you'll love this game.”
    • “The controls, the graphics, the combat, and the inventory system have great attention to detail to them and bring a sense of nostalgia.”
    • “This level of animations, graphical fidelity, gameplay and enemy AI would not have been acceptable in 1995, let alone the current year.”
    • “If the game had modernized some things, made movement like the original Silent Hill (at least you could run in that game for Pete's sake), put more thought into the creature designs, took more time creating atmospheric moments to induce horror, it feels like there wasn't a clear vision for the aesthetic and presentation.”
    • “What I will say is some of the graphics start to contort and stretch in strange ways sometimes which honestly looks horrid; I'm not even sure if this is intentional or not but it reminded me more of a weird emulator glitch rather than something on actual hardware of 1995.”

  • gameplay

    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    11% positive mentions, 82% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions

    The gameplay of "Back in 1995" deliberately recreates mid-1990s survival horror mechanics, featuring tank controls, simple puzzles, and slow pacing that may appeal to fans of retro horror. However, it is often criticized for being overly simplistic, lacking depth, and hampered by technical issues like frequent loading screens, making it less engaging for players seeking modern refinement. Overall, it works as a nostalgic homage but is generally seen as a short, niche experience best suited for hardcore fans of classic 3D horror games.

    • “Gameplay follows traditional survival horror structure: explore interconnected environments, gather items, solve puzzles, and survive occasional enemy encounters.”
    • “The concept is about taking the player back to the gameplay mechanics and graphics aesthetics of the 1990s, and this implies and means that the mechanics are 'dated' to that period; movement is achieved with tank controls, an oft maligned and underrated form of movement that when placed in an appropriate game can heighten the player's tension with clumsy navigation.”
    • “The combat mechanics are simple yet fittingly cumbersome, making timing a necessity in combat.”
    • “This level of animations, graphical fidelity, gameplay and enemy AI would not have been acceptable in 1995, let alone the current year.”
    • “There's a reason these game design decisions stayed in 1995 and gameplay and presentation evolved from these archaic styles, because they're taxing on the player experience and their ability to have fun or be immersed.”
    • “You might get four loading screens just trying to walk from one place to another, it really drags down the gameplay when most of the time it is waiting as you explore a room just to wait to get out, then again and again and again.”

  • atmosphere

    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    21% positive mentions, 63% neutral mentions, 16% negative mentions

    The game effectively captures a nostalgic, old-school survival horror atmosphere reminiscent of 90s PlayStation titles like Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark, with a strong focus on exploration and ambient unease. While some appreciate its slow-paced, impressionistic style and deliberate pacing, others feel the atmospheric potential is undermined by clunky mechanics, lackluster music, and a weak narrative climax, making the overall experience somewhat incomplete.

    • “The atmosphere, the strange stilted storytelling... it's all very compelling.”
    • “This is closer to Alone in the Dark—that raw, primitive survival-horror DNA where the atmosphere matters more than the mechanics.”
    • “Well, you already know that graphics don't matter to enjoy a good game, and this is what Back in 1995 brings us: a fun little experience that everyone left behind more than a decade ago. The little details of the items, the spooky atmosphere makes this an enjoyable experience.”
    • “The rest of the negative reviews really explain why this game completely whiffs on what makes older survival horror games fun and interesting; it’s basically an hour of meandering build-up and a frustrating ending sequence with very little substance to its plot or atmosphere.”
    • “It missed the key elements that made classic games great: atmosphere, plot, fear, and most importantly, a climax. Those games had excitement and genuine conclusions, which this title lacks.”
    • “The music ranged from forgettable to occasionally nice tracks but never truly supported or enhanced the atmosphere.”

  • music

    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 25% negative mentions

    The music in the game is generally seen as serviceable but unremarkable, often described as relaxing rather than tense, which undermines the horror atmosphere. While some tracks are enjoyable or fit the late-90s aesthetic, overall the soundtrack is forgettable, occasionally jarring, and does little to contribute to a sense of fear or tension.

    • “Janky controls, poor aiming, oversaturated VO, weirdly dramatic droning music, bizarrely translated text notes that don't really make 100% sense... all of it is absolutely pitch perfect for a late-90s 3D console game and PC-ports of console games.”
    • “Nevertheless... "back in 1995" has charm, especially the slow paced gameplay and soundtrack.”
    • “Usually a focal point of survival horror games is the use of sound design in order to create tension, fear and a foreboding sense of danger, whereas in this game it was mostly just some noise in the background, bar a few encounters with enemies that triggered music.”
    • “The sound is also horrendous, sporting some of the worst music I've heard in a horror game coupled with tepid sound effects that perfectly match.”
    • “A good horror game, whether new or old, should have tense music, but this game has a very relaxing "soundtrack."”
    • “A lot of the music I found to be honestly kinda jarring and not in a good way.”

  • humor

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    Users find the humor in the game divisive, with some interpreting the intentional jank as parody, while others feel it results in frustration and confusion without delivering clear comedic value. The humor is often described as relying on toilet jokes, which may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the sense of humor is considered either absent or unappealing by many players.

    • “I think it's funny that some comments are from people playing it who clearly don't appreciate that all of the jank was deliberately coded in.”
    • “Toilet humor is not my forte but this game inspires it plentifully.”

  • stability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game is generally stable and playable with no major glitches, though occasional changes or minor glitches occur without significantly impacting gameplay.

    • “All of those things are fantastic, how the game changes and glitches while playing it, but unfortunately just as it gets interesting it ends.”

  • monetization

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Users view the monetization as a negative cash grab, indicating dissatisfaction with its approach to in-game purchases or pricing.

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Play Times

3h Median play time
3h Average play time
3-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Back in 1995 is a survival shooter game with horror, mystery and post-apocalyptic themes. Common tags for Back in 1995 include indie, surreal, psychological, exploration, emotional and others.

Back in 1995 is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Back in 1995.

Back in 1995 was released on April 28, 2016.

Back in 1995 was developed by Throw the warped code out.

Back in 1995 has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Back in 1995 for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Back in 1995 is a single player game.

Similar games include Hollowbody, Tormented Souls, Crow Country, Alisa, Heartworm and others.