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Black Mirror

I’m fairly easy to please, and one thing that always brings a smile to my face is a good Scottish accent in a video game.
53%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, stability
49% User Score Based on 370 reviews
Critic Score 56%Based on 19 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCPlaystation 4Playstation 4Playstation 5Playstation 5Steam DeckSteam DeckWindowsWindowsXbox OneXbox OneXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SLinuxLinuxPlayStationPlayStationXboxXbox

About

In "Black Mirror," players explore the eerie Scottish castle of the Gordon family, uncovering dark secrets and supernatural forces. With a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving, players must unravel the mystery behind the cursed lineage and the sinister events that took place. The game features a gothic horror atmosphere, paying homage to the original point-and-click game while offering improved graphics and gameplay mechanics.

Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
Black Mirror screenshot
+23

49%
Audience ScoreBased on 389 reviews
story161 positive mentions
gameplay21 negative mentions

  • The game features a captivating story that keeps players engaged throughout.
  • The atmosphere and graphics are well-designed, creating a dark and immersive environment.
  • Voice acting is generally strong, adding depth to the characters.
  • Controls are clunky and frustrating, making navigation difficult and often leading to character deaths.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including long loading times and glitches.
  • Puzzles are overly simplistic and lack the challenge that fans of the genre expect.
  • story
    450 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it diverges significantly from the original series, resulting in a narrative that feels short, fragmented, and at times incoherent. While some appreciate the dark atmosphere and intriguing elements, others criticize the lack of depth, poor character development, and a rushed conclusion that fails to connect with the legacy of the previous titles. Overall, the game offers a decent standalone story but is often overshadowed by technical issues and gameplay frustrations.

    • “The story is quite well done, and having not played through any of the previous games, it was all new to me and didn't know what to expect.”
    • “Black mirror’s story is rather intriguing and kept me wondering what’s going to happen next throughout the game but I felt that the entire thing was derailed by the final act which I didn’t really like as the story wrapped up really fast.”
    • “Exploring and investigation is an intriguing endeavor and the ghostly moments provide a fascinating highlight to puzzle solving and plot advancement.”
    • “The story has nothing in common with the original games; it's short and bland.”
    • “What follows is a fragmented story that introduces characters out of the blue and doesn't really string together a coherent narrative.”
    • “The game feels unfinished in many aspects, from the plot to the puzzles to the items you pick up serving no purpose; the game feels rushed and hastily put together, like parts were dropped during development in order to make some deadline.”
  • graphics
    160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the dark atmosphere and artistic style, while others criticize the visuals as inconsistent, glitchy, and poorly suited to the game's aesthetic. Many noted issues such as character models lacking detail, awkward animations, and various graphical bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while there are moments of visual appeal, the graphics are often seen as a significant drawback, especially in comparison to other recent adventure games.

    • “The game does a decent job of presenting its world with beautiful graphics, sound design, etc.”
    • “Beautiful art style is a perfect mix of gothic horror and Scottish folklore.”
    • “Despite all its many flaws, I would actually recommend playing it - the story is really good, it's got beautiful graphics and I really enjoyed it.”
    • “The graphics are bad; the 'black mirror' looked like blisters.”
    • “There were a number of graphical issues, with things not loading in and outside loading in and out through windows when walking by.”
    • “The graphics are equally as awful, with character models donning wax skin and clay hair; the developer didn't even take the time to sync mouth movements with dialogue.”
  • gameplay
    106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received significant criticism for its clunky controls, poor animations, and a lack of engaging mechanics, often feeling more like a walking simulator with minimal puzzle elements. Many players noted the game is plagued by bugs and a frustrating camera system, leading to an overall unsatisfying experience. While the atmosphere and story have some redeeming qualities, the gameplay itself is considered shallow and poorly executed, making it difficult for players to fully enjoy the adventure.

    • “The gameplay could use a couple of improvements, but overall it was a joyful adventure.”
    • “The gameplay best suits a controller, but the story felt like an instant gothic classic.”
    • “Mechanically, there are only a handful of puzzles in the game, so it plays more fluently and quicker, like some of the other modern adventure games.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's a 3D third-person adventure game, with a very sparse amount of puzzles, with what little there is being obtuse or trivial.”
    • “The mechanics were clumsy and buggy.”
    • “Multiple game-breaking bugs; in my 2 hours of gameplay, I've encountered 3... sluggish controls, loading screen simulator 2k17 as there's a loading screen for absolutely everything.”
  • atmosphere
    97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its dark, eerie, and immersive qualities, reminiscent of its predecessors, with effective audio design and detailed environments contributing to a spooky ambiance. However, many reviewers note that the atmosphere is undermined by poor animations, repetitive music, and gameplay issues, leading to a mixed reception overall. While some find it captivating and engaging, others feel it falls short compared to earlier entries in the series.

    • “The atmosphere is dark and brooding, the voice acting (with one minor exception) is excellent and the design of the house is more realistic with great attention to detail.”
    • “The audio design does wonders to build a really unsettling atmosphere that haunts you until the end credits start rolling.”
    • “A solid story and immersive atmosphere carry a lot of weight with me, and on this front, Black Mirror did not disappoint.”
    • “The game is desperately trying to capture the same dark atmosphere as in the original trilogy but fails completely.”
    • “The theme and atmosphere are there, though the game only features a singular music track that quickly gets repetitive.”
    • “The puzzles and atmosphere were fine, but the actual game made no sense and barely wraps up its own story.”
  • stability
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and long loading times that detract from the overall experience. Players have encountered issues such as character freezes, awkward animations, and graphical problems, which often lead to frustrating gameplay. While the story and atmosphere are appreciated, the technical shortcomings significantly hinder the game's potential.

    • “As I continued playing, I could see many other badly done things such as buggy animations and textures, but the most annoying thing were the loadings, often far too long.”
    • “My character freezes on the spot every time someone (including the narrator) is talking, and cannot move until the line is finished.”
    • “An ambiguous reboot which takes you to an atmospheric journey through the real curse of the Gordons: wonky controls, awful camera, game-breaking glitches, and whole 8 seconds of loadings between each room.”
  • music
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize its repetitiveness and sparse use. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a strong point, noting its eerie and fitting nature for the game's themes, though some feel it lacks the depth of the original titles. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, its inconsistent presence and occasional reliance on stock tracks detract from the experience for some players.

    • “The music and the overall audio design is top notch and works wonders for the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is also quite good and manages to capture the eerie feeling of some of the scenes in the game.”
    • “Music is the strongest side of this game.”
    • “The theme and atmosphere is there, though the game only features a singular music track that quickly gets repetitive.”
    • “The lack of music or any sounds in the background, mixed with loading screens between rooms and terrible animation leaves me behind with an unsatisfying experience and dismay since I have always liked the Black Mirror series.”
    • “Soundtrack being this game's strongest suit suddenly just stopped for me (near the start of the game so I don't know if it was intentional or not) and wandering around the corridors with occasional typical old house noises wasn't too exciting.”
  • optimization
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including fluctuating frame rates, long loading times, and unresponsive controls during interactions. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to a lack of polish and immersion. Developers have acknowledged these issues and indicated that a patch is forthcoming to address them.

    • “Long loading periods from room to room, and it takes a while for you to be able to take back control when backing out from focus/puzzle/investigation. It doesn't seem to be by design but more like an optimization issue.”
    • “On top of all these issues, there are also performance issues, which the developers informed will soon be addressed by a patch.”
    • “This game is clearly optimized for playing with a controller!”
    • “The game runs smoothly just because my laptop outperforms this game by a lot, but in reality, this is indeed poorly optimized.”
    • “Graphics are extremely unoptimized; my computer behaves like it was mining in certain areas/cut scenes.”
    • “Long loading periods from room to room, and it takes a while for you to regain control when backing out from focus/puzzle/investigation. It doesn't seem to be by design but more like an optimization issue.”
  • humor
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by bizarre and hilarious animations, with standout moments like a comically exaggerated scene featuring an older lady. However, some players feel that certain aspects can become frustrating, diminishing the overall comedic effect. Overall, the humor is a mix of absurdity and dark comedy, appealing to those who appreciate unconventional humor.

    • “Animations are as bizarre as they are hilarious sometimes.”
    • “In fact, there's a pretty hilarious scene involving an older lady that's groaning, and her mouth moves wildly the entire time.”
    • “This is hilarious and sad at the same time.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly criticizing the movement controls and navigation, which contribute to a frustrating experience. Additionally, long loading times on consoles exacerbate the issue, leading some to abandon the game altogether.

    • “Analyzing things is just tedious.”
    • “So tedious movement navigation/controls, I gave up.”
    • “This generally backward pricing makes sense once one realizes that King Art decided not to fix the tedious loading times on console, and as such it's selling worse there than it is here.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers express mixed feelings about the emotional impact of the rebooted Black Mirror series, noting that while they appreciate the fresh take, the pacing issues and technical flaws detract from the overall emotional engagement of the storyline. The emotional pull is perceived as weakened, leading to a sense of disappointment among fans.

    • “The newest take on the old Black Mirror series - as a fan of this series, I'm happy they chose to reboot the story instead of touching the legacy games.”
    • “I have to say it does break up the pacing and emotional pull of the storyline.”
    • “This game is also so technically flawed that the long list of credits at the end made me feel embarrassed for the developers.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that while the game's atmosphere, character designs, and initial story are appreciated, there is a significant lack of character development throughout the gameplay, leading some players to prefer watching a longplay instead of engaging with the game themselves.

    • “Little to no character development.”
    • “I really like the atmosphere, character designs, and the beginning of the story, but in this case, it would be better for me to watch a longplay on YouTube just to avoid the actual gameplay of this game.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is criticized for its lack of choices and consequences, resulting in minimal replay value and an overall forgettable experience. It may only appeal to achievement hunters or those specifically seeking a gothic-themed narrative, particularly if purchased on sale.

    • “Devoid of choices and consequences, null in replay value and forgettable as an overall experience. It might be worth picking up on a sale if you are an achievement hunter or desperate for a gothic-themed story.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players perceiving it as a cash grab aimed at fans. However, a positive note is the absence of loot boxes and microtransactions, which many players appreciate as it helps maintain game balance.

    • “From what I've played, I can't see why any fan of the genre or previous three games wouldn't enjoy this. As an added bonus, there are no loot boxes or microtransactions, which is great because the last thing we need is the butler putting on an 'extra melee/barge strength card' and unbalancing everything.”
    • “But in truth, I'd give it a pass; it seems like a cruel cash grab on the fans to me.”

Buy Black Mirror

6h Median play time
5h Average play time
3-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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