Backrooms Society
- June 19, 2023
- Mikael Bihl
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of crafting, exploration, and co-op gameplay, making it a fun experience, especially with friends.
- The atmosphere and level design create a genuinely unsettling environment, enhancing the horror experience.
- The progression system, including contracts and a hub for trading and crafting, adds depth and encourages replayability.
- Many players find the maps to be excessively large and confusing, leading to frustration when trying to locate objectives or teammates.
- The multiplayer experience is often buggy, with issues related to joining lobbies and game stability.
- Some players feel the game lacks direction and clear objectives, making it feel repetitive and aimless at times.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, rewarding progression, and enjoyable multiplayer experience, though some players note a lack of content and variety in objectives. The survival horror elements and unique features, such as the sanity mechanic and cooperative gameplay, enhance the overall experience, despite some frustrations with confusing level layouts and the potential for players to get lost. While the game is still in early access, it offers a satisfying gameplay loop that many find engaging, with room for future improvements.
“Love the game, great progression and fun mechanics that are very rewarding.”
“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.”
“I hate the durability mechanic.”
“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.”
- story19 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely underdeveloped, with players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative and character interactions. While there are missions and a hub area for trading and crafting, the exploration feels repetitive, lacking substantial quests or puzzles. Overall, players appreciate the potential for a richer storyline and more diverse missions to enhance the gameplay experience.
“I definitely want to see more added, but having the hub area where you can trade and upgrade your gear, and 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 backrooms games.”
“A very fun and unique backroom game with a crafting system, a trader where you can buy or sell items, and you can do contracts if you want to take on 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 at the start) and loot gobble everything up to come home and sell.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, particularly in co-op survival scenarios, with some players highlighting the excitement of unique interactions like setting bacteria on fire. However, there are mixed opinions on the level design, with some areas feeling empty and lacking in engagement, which detracts from the overall experience. While the lighting and graphics could use improvement, the core atmosphere remains compelling for many players.
“I love the atmosphere of this game, and the fact that I can set the bacteria (aka Larry) on fire is awesome and adds a new element to the backrooms.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the large, repetitive mazes and the challenging crafting system. While these elements can lead to frustration and boredom, many reviewers note that playing with friends enhances the experience, making it enjoyable despite the grind. Overall, the game is considered worth its price, especially for those who are well-prepared.
“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. It's definitely very windy and impossible with just matches.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players praise the stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere, others criticize them for being subpar and repetitive. The game's realistic graphics and eerie sound design contribute to a thrilling ambience, but issues with optimization and level design detract from the overall experience.
“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 gameplay is laid out like a survival horror and the graphics can be absolutely eye-catching, but the ambience is a thrill when you hear an entity from just over the hedge.”
“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 could not 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.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players experienced occasional crashes and noted that the graphics and lighting could be improved, many reported smooth performance and enjoyable gameplay. The game's atmosphere and AI were appreciated, despite the occasional performance hiccup.
“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.”
“At first, when I saw the bad reviews, I thought they were only about the performance on the GPU until I played it myself.”
“The lighting and graphics could use a bit of improvement and optimization, but it doesn't detract from the game for me - the atmosphere is good enough.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the multiplayer experience is notably problematic, with users reporting frequent bugs, difficulty joining servers, and issues with voice chat. While some players acknowledge that the game is well-made overall, the persistent connectivity issues and lag detract significantly from the experience. However, there is some optimism as the developers are actively working on fixes.
“Multiplayer is buggy beyond repair. I was advised to restart Steam if friends can't join your server, but even after shutting everything down, they still can't join.”
“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.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find that the humor in the game is significantly enhanced when playing with friends, leading to a more enjoyable and comedic experience.
“Playing with friends is so much better and funnier!”
“The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch; I found myself laughing out loud!”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations kept me entertained throughout my playthrough.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, receiving a score of 9/10 for its excellent quality and seamless integration, enhancing the overall experience without being intrusive.
“Music: 9/10 - just excellent, it pairs beautifully and isn't played where you don't want it.”
“The soundtrack is incredibly immersive, enhancing the overall experience of the game.”
“Each track perfectly complements the gameplay, making every moment feel more engaging.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The addition of the procedurally generated dungeon known as "the metro" has significantly enhanced the game's replayability, offering players a fresh and exciting experience each time they play.
“They added a procedurally generated dungeon called 'The Metro,' and it's awesome, adding a lot of replayability.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more; every playthrough feels fresh.”
“With multiple character builds and story paths, I find myself replaying the game just to explore different experiences.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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.”
