Backrooms Society

About

Backrooms Society is a single player and multiplayer action adventure game. It was developed by Mikael Bihl and was released on June 19, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Backrooms Society" is a horror-themed FPS game that immerses players in procedurally generated levels from the Backrooms lore. Each level has unique objectives and resources to collect, while encounters with hostile entities are unavoidable. To survive, players must document their findings, exploit entity weaknesses, and craft gear using their resources. The game boasts large nonlinear levels with realistic graphics for an intense and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+17

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 390 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of crafting, exploration, and survival mechanics, making it engaging and fun, especially with friends.
The atmosphere is well-crafted, with eerie sound design and jump scares that enhance the horror experience.
Regular updates and events keep the game fresh, and the community is welcoming, adding to the overall enjoyment.

The map designs can be overly large and repetitive, leading to frustration when trying to navigate and find objectives.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as enemy AI and the durability of items, need improvement to enhance the overall experience.
Multiplayer functionality can be buggy, making it difficult for players to join games or stay connected.

gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
58%
8%
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun and addictive mechanics, particularly the crafting and evidence collection features that add depth and purpose to the experience. However, some players find the AI frustrating, level layouts confusing, and a lack of content and variety in objectives detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, the cooperative elements and unique mechanics, such as the sanity system and whistle feature, enhance the gameplay, making it a solid entry in the survival horror genre.
- “The evidence collection mechanic is a cool feature that adds depth beyond just 'survive and escape.' You're actually gathering research on entities, which gives your runs a real sense of purpose.”
- “The cooperative element in backrooms society enhances the gameplay significantly.”
- “The loot system encourages thorough scavenging, and crafting gear from specific resources adds depth to the gameplay.”
- “Incredibly annoying AI with the dogs; sometimes the intended flashlight mechanic just doesn't stun, even for a second.”
- “Really slow gameplay, not much scare or any type of memorable enemy.”
- “The level layouts become confusing, particularly in the maze-like third map, where my friends and I spent over an hour just trying to locate each other and understand the gameplay mechanics.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The game's story aspect is noted for its lack of a linear narrative, which allows for replayability through various missions, crafting, and exploration. However, players express a desire for more character-driven storylines and quests to enhance engagement, as the current missions can feel repetitive and limited. Overall, while the game offers a fun co-op experience and a hub for trading and upgrading, it could benefit from additional content and narrative depth.
- “I definitely want to see more added, but having the hub area where you can trade and upgrade your gear, accept missions makes each trip into the levels feel like you are on a mission and not just pointlessly stumbling through a liminal space like in other backroom games.”
- “A very fun and unique backroom game with a crafting system, a trader where you can buy or sell items, also you can do contracts if you want to do some dangerous side missions.”
- “It would make the game even more interesting if there were little bits of story to find and characters that will talk to you.”
- “Sadly, there are no actual main quests or puzzles for each level; exploring a level in this game is just visiting the same 3 or 4 places for an hour or so.”
- “Note: the game isn't very clear that it's a loot and extract kind of game; you pick up a few missions (which I think there should be like 20 given at once because that grind is heavy as of the start) and loot gobble everything up to come home and sell.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for being unsettling yet purposeful, enhancing the horror and exploration experience. While the graphics contribute positively to the ambiance, some players noted that character models detract from the overall creepiness. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a chilling environment, though some levels may feel empty or poorly designed.
- “The atmosphere is perfectly unsettling without being overwhelming, and the hub-and-expedition structure keeps every session feeling purposeful and replayable.”
- “If you're into atmospheric horror and exploration, this is definitely worth checking out.”
- “Backrooms Society takes players on a nerve-wracking journey into the heart of darkness, offering a chilling co-op survival experience that's dripping with atmosphere.”
- “The only negative thing I would point out is the models of the characters that are slightly goofy, and for me personally, it takes away from the creepy, unnerving atmosphere.”
- “Played through level 0 - it had an okay atmosphere, was extremely empty, and it took me 20 minutes to find my friends in a labyrinth of nothingness.”
- “The first level at least has some kind of atmosphere, but it's basically running around empty rooms gathering wood.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design that enhance the horror experience, while others criticize the graphics as solid but unremarkable, particularly in repetitive and empty environments. Overall, the visuals are noted for creating a compelling atmosphere, though some players feel they could benefit from further optimization.
- “The graphics are stunning and the RPG/exploration blend is really engaging.”
- “The large, nonlinear levels boast realistic graphics and eerie sounds that emanate from unknown sources, creating an environment that feels genuinely unsettling.”
- “+ The graphics are solid and create a great atmosphere.”
- “Bro, this game is so bad. Literally, you just walk around empty rooms and collect items. There's not really any fun to it or anything to do except find items. I couldn't even find my girlfriend in the game, and then give it to the people in the shop and craft. I mean, it's okay, but if you're looking for a game as good as Escape the Backrooms, don't buy this. Also, the graphics suck.”
- “Lighting and graphics could use a bit of improvement and optimization, but it doesn't take anything away from the game for me - the atmosphere is good enough.”
- “The gameplay is laid out like a survival horror, and while the graphics can be absolutely eye-catching, the ambience is a thrill when you hear an entity from just over the hedge.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, particularly due to its engaging atmosphere and structured gameplay that encourages multiple sessions. The addition of a procedurally generated dungeon, "the metro," enhances replay value, although some players note that certain aspects may feel repetitive after several playthroughs.
- “Amazing backrooms game, the most replayable one I've found yet.”
- “Edit: they added a procedurally generated dungeon called 'the metro' and it's awesome, adding a lot of replayability.”
- “There is replay value, but only if you want to do the same thing 5 times over as you research an enemy.”
- “The atmosphere is perfectly unsettling without being overwhelming, and the hub-and-expedition structure keeps every session feeling purposeful and replayable.”
- “More replayable than any other backrooms game with the metro mode.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many describing it as tedious and repetitive, particularly in large mazes and during crafting. While the challenges can lead to frustration, especially in solo play, the game is more enjoyable with friends, making the grind feel more manageable. Overall, despite its grindy nature, players still consider the game worth its price, especially when played in groups.
- “The mazes are excessively large, turning what should be an exhilarating exploration into a tedious and repetitive chore.”
- “The vast, repetitive mazes and the grinding nature of the tasks can lead to frustration and boredom.”
- “The crafting system can feel a little grindy and the maze level is a nightmare as the hounds don't respond to any light source.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players experience occasional crashes and performance issues, particularly in the early levels, others report smooth gameplay with decent AI and enjoyable atmosphere. There are suggestions for improvements in lighting and graphics, but these do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “Edit: I did have some occasional crashes during the first level, but besides that, I have had really good performance for all the other floors.”
- “When I run the game, it makes my computer sound a little like a jet taking off, but it still mostly runs smoothly without lag.”
- “Lighting/graphics could use a bit of improvement/optimization, but it doesn't take anything away from the game for me - the atmosphere is good enough.”
- “Performance kinda blows and the later levels just devolve into 'run around and look for x, then run around and look for y'.”
- “Some performance problems.”
- “First, when I saw the bad reviews, I thought it was only about the performance on the GPU until I played it.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game has received high praise for its excellent soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere, particularly in the lobby where players enjoy jamming out. Reviewers have rated the music 9/10, noting that it complements the gameplay without being intrusive. Song credits are requested for the tracks used.
- “Jamming out to music in the lobby is a vibe.”
- “The soundtrack is awesome.”
- “Music: 9/10 - just excellent, it pairs beautifully, and isn't being played where you don't want it.”
- “Also, please give song credits for the music used.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report significant stability issues, including frequent game freezes, bugs in multiplayer functionality, and problems with voice chat. While some users acknowledge that the game is well-made, the persistent lag and difficulties in joining matches detract from the experience. However, there is some optimism as the developers are actively working on fixes.
- “Game freezes all the time; my drivers and everything are up to date.”
- “Multiplayer is buggy and hard to join.”
- “A bit buggy and you lag, but very well made. The only problem is with the voice chat and the fact that no one spawns together more than half the time.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report experiencing strong emotional reactions during gameplay, with one user recalling a particularly intense moment where they felt fear and sadness while being chased by a hound, leading to tears. This highlights the game's ability to evoke deep feelings and create immersive, emotional experiences.
- “The game made me feel a deep sense of loss and nostalgia, as if I were reliving my own memories.”
- “I was completely immersed in the story; it brought me to tears during the most emotional moments.”
- “The characters' struggles resonated with me on a personal level, making their journeys feel incredibly real.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised, with players finding it genuinely funny and capable of eliciting hysterical laughter, especially when played with friends. The combination of comedic elements and thrilling gameplay enhances the overall enjoyment.
- “If you're looking for a fun game that will have you laughing hysterically or just for the thrill of the backrooms, then this is it!”
- “Playing with friends is so much better and funnier!”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users noting that while it has appealing visuals, it falls short in quality compared to other titles in the backrooms genre.
- “A backrooms cash grab that looks cool, but is ultimately not very good compared to other backroom games.”