Backrooms Exploration
- March 22, 2023
- Mistcloud Games
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Backrooms Exploration" is a 3D psychological horror game with adventure elements, featuring a retro VHS style and atmospheric audio. Players can explore 10 levels of the Backrooms, a series of eerie, interconnected rooms, and uncover the lore behind this mysterious universe. In Horror Mode, players must complete puzzles and traverse through the levels in a traditional horror playstyle, with a VHS filter adding to the game's unsettling atmosphere. Your reality has disintegrated, and it's up to you to discover what the Backrooms are and if you can escape.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game effectively recreates the eerie atmosphere of the Backrooms, with well-designed levels that evoke a sense of dread.
- Puzzles are diverse and challenging, providing a good mix of gameplay elements that keep players engaged.
- The sound design and ambient noises enhance the horror experience, contributing to the unsettling vibe of the game.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues that can hinder gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
- Gameplay is overly linear, lacking exploration opportunities and secrets that could enhance the Backrooms experience.
- The absence of a tutorial or clear instructions makes it difficult for players to understand game mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration.
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being incoherent and lacking depth, with players describing it as a "nothingburger" that fails to engage. While some appreciate the unique approach to storytelling within the backrooms genre, others find the narrative linear and the scares unconvincing, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite attempts to provide context through documents and clues, the execution leaves much to be desired.
“You are one of them, and your mission is simple: survive this new and mysterious world - with or without the aid of a mysterious stranger.”
“Aside from the story-related documents, you’ll find more clues in each level that may shed some light on the events.”
“The story mode isn't 'by the book' as it tells mostly its own story while using the wiki's environments, but it's still done much better, more unique, and more fun than most of the other backrooms games on Steam that are popular.”
“This is genuinely some of the biggest slop I've ever played. I genuinely can't list a single redeeming aspect about this game; it doesn't run well, the environments don't look good, the gameplay is literally just walking around mazes hunting for objects, there is barely even a coherent story. This game is literally just a quadruple stack nothingburger.”
“I don't like how linear it felt in the (I'm assuming) story mode.”
“I realize this is one of those backrooms games with a backstory and entities, but the scares felt a little cheesy, and I didn't really feel much of anything related to the feeling of unsettling.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a unique aesthetic reminiscent of low-resolution VHS footage, effectively contributing to the overall sense of dread. While some players appreciate the attention to detail and nostalgic visuals, others criticize the lack of graphical options and the cluttered screen that can lead to confusion. Overall, the visuals are polarizing, with some enjoying the effort put into them while others find them lacking in modern standards.
“I can see the effort that went into the game; I really did enjoy the visuals and traveling through some of my favorite levels, but a backrooms game needs to be more than this.”
“The game uses a low-res VHS filter for its visuals, rightly so as the original backrooms footage that started everything was indeed taken with such a medium.”
“The game's graphics have a very unique aesthetic, with attention to detail that adds to the overall sense of dread.”
“You can only increase the graphics resolution, which adds more clutter on screen and contributes to confusion about what you are supposed to do.”
“The graphics remind me of the old Duke Nukem 3D made way back in 1996.”
“There is a complete lack of graphical options, and no FPS lock or VSync either.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it for being clunky, lacking a coherent story, and featuring tedious maze-like exploration. However, others appreciate the variety in gameplay elements such as exploration, puzzles, and platforming, noting that the atmosphere is engaging despite technical issues and pacing problems. Overall, while there are redeeming qualities, many feel the execution falls short.
“Gameplay variety between exploration, lore, puzzles, and platforming is good enough to keep interest up throughout the experience.”
“It has good atmosphere and interesting gameplay; however, technical issues and pacing problems drag it back considerably.”
“The game's mechanics are simple yet effective, with a focus on exploration and survival as you try to find a way out of each level.”
“The game mechanics are clunky, the jump scares are unnecessary, and the cut scenes break immersion.”
“One of my personal rules for buying a game is that I'll at least get 1 hour of gameplay per $1 spent on it, and this one was looking like it'd be around 4 or 5 hours total playtime... liminal mode would have to be pretty interesting to justify $8.”
“The other game, I might add, is made by one person who, unlike this game, puts time and effort into making their levels and mechanics.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is effectively crafted, evoking a strong sense of dread and impending doom across its various levels, enhanced by artistic choices that create an unsettling ambiguity. While the eerie ambiance and intense moments contribute positively to the experience, technical issues and pacing problems can detract from the overall immersion, occasionally leading to dullness during backtracking.
“This artistic decision improves the atmosphere, making everything unclear in a good way, expanding upon the sense of dread and bleakness these same-y, desolate locales already give out on their own.”
“On one side, the slow pace makes the experience more atmospheric surely; on the other, it makes it dull, especially when you have to backtrack or redo a section because you died.”
“The backrooms’ atmosphere is well-recreated: each level gives an eerie sense of impending doom, while scary moments are plentiful and intense.”
“The game fails to create a truly immersive atmosphere; it feels more like a series of disconnected rooms than a cohesive world.”
“Despite the potential for a haunting environment, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the tension and suspense that the concept promises.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing noticeable game glitches, particularly in the menu at the end of the game, indicating stability issues that may affect the overall gameplay experience.
“The game glitches are quite noticeable, especially around the menu at the end.”
“I experienced frequent crashes that made it difficult to enjoy the game.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay and hinder overall stability.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the game's replayability is significantly enhanced by its diverse content and multiple pathways, encouraging players to explore different strategies and outcomes. Many reviewers appreciate the variety of challenges and unlockable features that motivate them to return for additional playthroughs. Overall, the game offers a compelling reason to replay, ensuring a fresh experience with each session.
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music and sound design are highly praised for their superb quality, featuring unsettling melodies and ambient noises that effectively create a chilling atmosphere.
“The game's sound design is superb, with ambient noises and unsettling music that will send shivers down your spine.”
