Biophobia

About

Biophobia is a single player simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Charlotte Madelon Design and was released on May 16, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Biophobia is a single-player horror simulation and experimental art game that blends delicate dissection with nurturing gardening mechanics to explore trauma, death, and agency. Through hauntingly beautiful, non-gory body horror and surreal visuals, players engage in a short, impactful experience of creation and decay. Inspired by historical and cultural depictions of the female form, it challenges traditional game conventions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews

music3 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful color palette and serene environment that contrasts with its heavy themes, creating a hauntingly beautiful experience.
It invites players to engage with difficult subjects like trauma and body autonomy in a unique and thought-provoking way, making it feel like an art piece rather than a traditional game.
Many players found the experience to be emotionally touching and reflective, appreciating the juxtaposition of life and decay as they progressed through the game.

The gameplay can feel directionless and tedious at times, with unclear mechanics that frustrate rather than enhance the experience.
Some players found the ending to be anti-climactic and felt that the overall message was muddled or lacking depth.
The game is very short, leading some to feel that it doesn't provide enough substance or storytelling to justify its themes.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is described as somewhat tedious and frustrating due to poorly explained mechanics, which can leave players feeling stuck. However, once the core gameplay loop is understood, progression becomes smoother, and the interactivity allows for personal exploration of themes like body autonomy. While the aesthetics are praised, the simplicity of the gameplay may not provide enough mental satisfaction for some players.
- “But progression went a lot smoother once it finally clicked and I understood the core gameplay loop.”
- “It's about 15 minutes of gameplay (10 if I had noticed the scalpel earlier).”
- “So if you're an idiot like me and get stuck, the gameplay is quite simple: grab the scalpel from her hand, then cut her open. Once you're out of options, it means one of the flowers is clickable. Zoom in on her remains and collect all the seeds. Once you do that, go back to the first flower and repeat the process. You can select these seeds and click around to make a beautiful garden.”
- “Somewhat tedious in its gameplay.”
- “This game is hauntingly beautiful and really a piece of art, but it is hampered by poorly explained mechanics that frustrate rather than illuminate.”
- “Look, it's free, so I'm not going to be too harsh on something that is this strangely compelling, but if you find yourself stuck and not sure about what you're not doing right in order to proceed, just back out of the scene and click on a flower. Not sure why this is a thing, but it is often what is required in order to move the game forward; poorly explained mechanics.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The story has been described as lacking depth and engagement, with some players feeling that it fails to fully explore its themes, particularly regarding the protagonist's trauma. While it resonates with certain audiences, especially women, many reviewers express a desire for more narrative development and context to enhance emotional impact. Overall, the storytelling is seen as symbolic but ultimately insufficient, leaving players wanting more substance.
- “This journey with this woman is a very specifically targeted feeling, and I'm sure many women might relate to this story.”
- “This is a horror story, and it forces you to look at every detail.”
- “It's short and bittersweet, especially with the pre-context of the story.”
- “What storytelling?”
- “I guess the message is to not look away or something, but with the only story being that this woman was violated, there's not really much attachment and I think the impact doesn't really hit.”
- “I wish there was more storytelling the further you get into the game, or some type of narration.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is described as calming and beautiful, contributing to a reverent ambiance that contrasts with the disturbing themes of the gameplay. Its minimal soundtrack enhances the aesthetic experience, making the repetitive cycles feel oddly soothing amidst the game's unsettling context.
- “The music was calming, the environment was pretty.”
- “Beautiful music and oddly calming doing the repetitive cycles of the gameplay.”
- “The game holds an almost reverent ambiance with its minimal soundtrack, the beautiful landscape, and the woman's peaceful expression.”
- “Despite the importance of trauma from a woman, I feel like this game is kind of pro-life... the thing I hate is not that the game is disturbing... it's kind of a part of an art with the colors and the music... but the end???”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, evoking feelings of kindness and care in players. Despite its brevity, it delivers a surprisingly impactful experience that resonates on a personal level.
- “A really beautiful and touching game.”
- “It made me feel kind; it made me feel caring.”
- “Short, but it touched me emotionally in a way I did not expect.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics are praised for their serene and dreamlike aesthetic, creating a visually appealing experience. However, some users find the overall execution to be mediocre, with a desire for more depth in both gameplay and visual elements.
- “I hope Charlotte continues making games; I'd like to see her expand on these themes, especially with this serene, almost dreamlike art style.”
- “Recommended, but while the aesthetics are top-notch, the gameplay is occasionally frustrating for the above-mentioned reason, as well as almost too basic to be mentally satisfying.”
- “It's overall kind of just 'eh' with a pretty aesthetic tied to it.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express concerns about the game's stability, describing it as buggy and feeling that it lacks honesty in its presentation.
- “But what I do care about is honesty, and I only feel dishonest vibes from this short, buggy game.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious and boring, leading to a less engaging gameplay experience.
- “This game is boring and tedious.”
- “Somewhat tedious in its gameplay.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest that the game's optimization is more of an artistic experience than a technical achievement, emphasizing its emotional and thematic depth rather than performance metrics. Players find it to be a beautifully crafted piece that prioritizes artistic expression over traditional optimization standards.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is criticized for being repetitive and ultimately boring, failing to evoke any emotional response or tension, even in the context of its intended body horror elements.
- “It's very repetitive, and while that can add to the atmosphere of an artsy game like this, it 100% failed in this one. It was plainly boring and didn't even manage to raise any unsettling feelings from the body horror elements.”