Before I Wake

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 147 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Before I Wake Game Cover
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The little girl lost in a spooky haunted mansion. And you have to solve some puzzles to save her out of there... [Media 2563258] #1 place in «Halloween 2019: Monster Madness!» contest The game...

  • Mac OS
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 147 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • The game is fun and offers a lot of different weapons and power-ups, making gameplay enjoyable.
  • The graphics and art style are cute and appealing, with a humorous premise of an armored kitten.
  • It's a great time-waster for casual gaming sessions, providing mindless fun and chaos.
  • The gameplay becomes extremely repetitive and monotonous after a short period, with little variation in missions.
  • There are significant issues with localization, including untranslated text and poor grammar, which detracts from the experience.
  • The game suffers from technical problems, including crashes and lack of proper optimization, making it frustrating to play.
  • story38 mentions

    The game's story is described as vague and largely disconnected from the repetitive mission structure, which consists of similar tasks that become increasingly tedious over time. Players noted that while the initial missions were enjoyable, the lack of variety and the grindy nature of the gameplay led to a decline in engagement, with many missions feeling like elongated versions of earlier ones. Overall, the narrative fails to enhance the experience, overshadowed by the monotony of the gameplay.

    • “Its affordable, gory as all hell, and has all of them uncensored swears; also, it has a decent story and good animations for such a cheap game, it's amazing.”
    • “Alright, just got done finishing the story.”
    • “Every mission is basically the same thing, and the missions between acts are the exact same thing, just scaled so you spend more time in the mission.”
    • “The story is not tied to the missions.”
    • “But as time went on, I quickly found the game was just constant repeats of the same mission or level, just tacking on additional number requirements to complete each level.”
  • gameplay18 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as simple and repetitive, appealing to both casual and hardcore gamers, but often criticized for its lack of depth and variety. While some players enjoy the chaotic, mindless fun reminiscent of classic arcade shooters, many find the missions and mechanics overly simplistic and tedious, leading to boredom after a short period. Overall, it serves as a decent time killer with enjoyable elements, but its repetitive nature limits its long-term appeal.

    • “From the gameplay to the lore, this game is for casual and hardcore gamers alike.”
    • “Good time killer with plenty of unlockables and simple but solid gameplay.”
    • “Casual, no-frills dual-stick (or WASD+mouse) top-down shooter featuring a cute kitten, fluid gameplay, lots of gore and some funny pop-culture references.”
    • “Gameplay is an incredibly shallow arcade/console-like affair of blasting waves of enemies as you move along each 2D level, that's it.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is very very simple and repetitive.”
    • “The gameplay is also incredibly boring and repetitive; it's just the same few 'kill [certain type of enemy]', 'move this many tiles to the right', or 'protect [x person/object]' quests over and over again with the exact same enemies with a few color palette swaps.”
  • graphics17 mentions

    The game's graphics have drawn mixed reviews, with many users noting a strong influence from classic titles like Quake and Doom, resulting in a retro aesthetic reminiscent of low-quality Flash games. Critics highlight the lack of customization options and resolution settings, leading to a perception of low effort in the visual design, while some praise the simple, cartoony style and effects. Overall, the graphics are seen as underwhelming for a PC game, lacking the polish and quality expected by players.

    • “I would like to start off by congratulating this game on its excellent graphics, but apart from that, I was completely dissatisfied.”
    • “+ graphics are nice”
    • “Funny fast-paced shmup with good effects and graphics.”
    • “There's no options to change the resolution for the game or customize the graphics settings.”
    • “The game features simple, cartoony 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low-effort mobile apps.”
    • “Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
  • music14 mentions

    The game's music, heavily inspired by rock and metal genres reminiscent of Quake and Doom, is generally well-received for its energetic vibe, enhancing the gameplay experience. However, many players note the limited variety of tracks, leading to repetitiveness that can detract from enjoyment over time. While the soundtrack is enjoyable, some players opted to mute the game after a while in favor of their own music.

    • “A nice game with a lot of fun and good music!”
    • “Top mini-game with different weapons, stages, atmospheric retro-flair + metal music.”
    • “Great music to rock out to as you're blowing away space mutants.”
    • “Overall it's a fun and enjoyable game to lose a few hours in but would benefit from some new levels, music and missions.”
    • “The music is rock/metal, it's kind of doom'ish but after 1 hour of play I muted the game and had my own music on; it uses almost the same music on every level so it gets dull fast.”
    • “Although you get annoyed by the 1 or 2 songs playing in the background, since there are very few songs.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for becoming tedious and repetitive after a short period, with players noting a lack of variety in missions and enemy encounters. While some find initial enjoyment and addictive qualities, the overwhelming number of repetitive tasks and extended grinding sessions lead to frustration and boredom. Overall, the game is seen as a grind-heavy experience that may appeal to fans of the genre but can quickly wear thin.

    • “It becomes fantastically tedious after an hour or so, made worse by the utter lack of variety.”
    • “Some of the later missions are absolute slogs, tedious exercises in endurance that long outstay their welcome.”
    • “The missions became even more tedious, as the already frustratingly long 'kill x enemy 300-400 times' would turn into 800+, with said enemy only being available to kill for a short portion, forcing you to push on for longer and longer periods until your brain would liquify.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by its lighthearted, cat-themed parody of classic shooters, featuring amusing pop-culture references and quirky elements like armored kittens. While the initial comedic appeal is strong, some players feel that the humor loses its charm as the gameplay progresses, leading to a sense of boredom with repetitive objectives and diminishing intermission jokes. Overall, it offers a fun and casual experience, but may not sustain its comedic momentum throughout.

    • “Look, I get that this game is meant to be funny and not taken too seriously.”
    • “Nice and very funny game at the best price ever!”
    • “Casual, no-frills dual-stick (or WASD+mouse) top-down shooter featuring a cute kitten, fluid gameplay, lots of gore, and some funny pop-culture references.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers minimal replayability, with some users noting that completing the campaign and attempting harder difficulty levels provide slight additional value. However, the overall consensus is that there is a lack of engaging content to encourage repeated playthroughs.

    • “Campaign level progression complete; harder difficulty adds to replay value.”
    • “The game offers a variety of choices that enhance replayability.”
    • “Very little replay value.”
    • “But there's nothing cat-like about it, and there's almost zero replayability.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting a poorly optimized experience that strains even basic systems, leading to a dull and repetitive gameplay that fails to justify its cost, even at a discount.

    • “However, what you get is a poorly optimized, incredibly dull and repetitive experience that, even at a discount, is not really worth it.”
    • “The game's optimization is also quite poor, and thoroughly taxes some simpler systems.”
    • “Very poorly optimized.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game is criticized for its $5 price tag, which many users feel is not justified due to the game's defects and shortcomings, especially when compared to numerous high-quality free alternatives available on Steam. However, some appreciate the absence of additional DLC or microtransactions.

    • “Definitely fun for meditating/time killer... at least it doesn't have a 12+ DLC or microtransactions.”
    • “Armored Kitten has the cash grab price of around $5 USD. It's not worth it given the defects and shortcomings of the product, especially considering the sheer number of completely free, much higher quality games on Steam.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a vibrant retro flair, enhanced by a diverse selection of weapons and stages, all set to an energetic metal music soundtrack that elevates the overall experience.

    • “The game features a top mini-game with various weapons and stages, all infused with an atmospheric retro flair and accompanied by metal music.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, blending nostalgic elements with a modern twist that keeps you engaged.”
    • “The combination of the game's visuals and soundtrack creates a unique atmosphere that draws you into its world.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players have reported that the game's flash graphics can induce feelings of sickness, impacting their emotional experience negatively, particularly within the first hour of gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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