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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.
Black Mirror Game Cover
52%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, stability
49% User Score Based on 204 reviews
Critic Score 56%Based on 19 reviews

Platforms

LinuxXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Mac OSPlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
Black Mirror Game Cover

About

Black Mirror is a single player action adventure game with horror, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by KING Art and was released on November 28, 2017. It received neutral reviews from both critics and players.

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.

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49%
Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews
story97 positive mentions
gameplay11 negative mentions

  • The game features a captivating atmosphere and eerie setting that immerses players in the gothic horror experience.
  • The voice acting is generally well done, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the storytelling.
  • The story, while not as complex as previous entries, offers intriguing elements and twists that keep players engaged.
  • Controls are clunky and frustrating, making navigation and interaction with the environment cumbersome.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including long loading times and bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
  • Puzzles are often too easy and lack the depth and challenge expected from a point-and-click adventure game.
  • story
    262 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its intriguing premise, dark atmosphere, and character depth, while others criticize it for being shallow, poorly developed, and disconnected from the original trilogy. Many players found the narrative engaging but noted issues with pacing, abrupt endings, and a lack of coherence, leading to a sense of disappointment, especially for fans of the original series. Overall, while the story has its merits, it often feels rushed and underwhelming compared to its predecessors.

    • “Great remake with an incredible story to tell!”
    • “The game story-line is dark and deep; it will keep you in suspense till the very end.”
    • “The story was well fleshed out, and the characters all had very distinct personalities.”
    • “Now, on to the story — if you can even call it that!”
    • “I got the impression that they came up with a basic framework and didn't bother developing the characters, plot, or atmosphere.”
    • “The story has nothing in common with the original games; it's short and bland.”
  • graphics
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the atmospheric art style and decent visuals, while others criticize them as lackluster and glitchy, particularly for a 2017 release. Many feel that the shell-shaded graphics do not align well with the game's intended aesthetic, leading to a disconnect in the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some users noted that the graphics contribute positively to the dark atmosphere, though they are marred by technical issues and poor character animations.

    • “The graphics are very good.”
    • “Beautiful art style is a perfect mix of gothic horror and Scottish folklore.”
    • “The game does a decent job of presenting its world with beautiful graphics, sound design, etc.”
    • “The graphics are bad; the 'black mirror' looked like blisters.”
    • “There were a number of graphical issues, things not loading in, 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.”
  • atmosphere
    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its dark, eerie, and immersive qualities reminiscent of the original series. While some players appreciated the gothic setting and effective voice acting, others criticized the execution, noting issues like repetitive music, poor animations, and gameplay glitches that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game captures a haunting atmosphere but struggles to fully realize its potential compared to its predecessors.

    • “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.”
    • “I got the impression that they came up with a basic framework and didn't bother developing the characters, plot, or atmosphere.”
    • “The game is desperately trying to capture the same dark atmosphere as in the original trilogy but fails completely.”
    • “A game with a good story, characters, and voice acting / atmosphere in parts and places but loses some at that by the end while being heavily let down by serious performance issues and a lack of polish throughout!”
  • gameplay
    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received significant criticism for its clunky controls, poor optimization for mouse and keyboard, and a lack of engaging mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some appreciate the atmosphere and story, the overall execution is marred by bugs, simplistic puzzles, and a shift away from the beloved point-and-click style of earlier titles in the series. Many reviewers suggest that the game feels more like a walking simulator with minimal interaction, making it less enjoyable than expected.

    • “I bought it to experience the original Black Mirror point-and-click but with a graphic and gameplay update.”
    • “The gameplay could use a couple of improvements, but overall it was a joyful adventure.”
    • “So if you're looking for a 1920s setting with okay dialogue, nice background music, a beautiful castle to explore, and no more than 6 hours of gameplay, then do check out Black Mirror.”
    • “Unfortunately, there are several issues with game mechanics, design, and bugs, especially given how long ago the game was released.”
    • “The gameplay is rather simple; it's basically a walking simulator with light puzzle elements, as well as choosing different dialogues, kind of like Black Mirror, but not by much.”
    • “The worst offender is the 'ghost-vision' mechanic added to this incarnation, of which there are only a handful of instances... and not a one of them is fun or interesting.”
  • stability
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and game-breaking issues, including soft locks, long loading times, and awkward animations. Players frequently experience freezing characters, clumsy controls, and graphical problems, detracting from the overall experience despite the game's engaging story. While some users found enjoyment in the narrative, the technical shortcomings significantly hinder the gameplay.

    • “Buggy as hell (soft locked it multiple times by simply being ever so slightly in the wrong spot when I clicked on something, not to mention cutscenes locking it up as well).”
    • “While the game had potential, it was buggy and poorly written.”
    • “There were also a few almost game-breaking glitches that were of concern and nearly made me punch a hole in my screen.”
  • music
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its dynamic and eerie qualities. However, some players found the limited variety of tracks to be repetitive, and there were instances of sparse music that detracted from the experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, its inconsistent presence and occasional technical issues left some players wanting more.

    • “The music was really good with plenty of great tracks to listen to that would fit in Black Mirror.”
    • “The music and ambiance is very good.”
    • “The music and the overall audio design is top notch and works wonders for the game.”
    • “The theme and atmosphere are 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 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
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as frequent FPS drops, stuttering, and long loading times. Many users noted that the controls are poorly suited for mouse and keyboard, leading to choppy interactions, while some experienced better performance on higher-end systems. Overall, the game appears to be lacking polish and is primarily optimized for controller use, leaving many players frustrated with its technical shortcomings.

    • “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.”
    • “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!”
    • “It suffered from terrible performance issues with FPS drops and stuttering that were uncalled for because it's not even a new game.”
    • “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/cutscenes.”
  • humor
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor 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, detracting from the overall comedic experience.

    • “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.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching father-son narrative and excellent music, which resonate with players. However, some reviewers feel that technical flaws and pacing issues detract from the overall emotional impact of the story.

    • “The music is excellent, and the father and son story was touching.”
    • “I have to say it does break up the pacing and emotional pull of the storyline.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to cumbersome movement controls and long loading times on consoles, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Analyzing things is just tedious.”
    • “Movement navigation and controls are so tedious that 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, resulting in worse sales there than here.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that while the game's atmosphere and character designs are appreciated, there is a significant lack of character development, leading some players to prefer watching a longplay rather than engaging with the gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “There is little to no character development.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has low replayability due to a lack of meaningful choices and consequences, making it a forgettable experience overall. It may appeal to achievement hunters or fans of gothic themes, but is generally not recommended unless 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
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, but players appreciate the absence of loot boxes and microtransactions, which helps maintain game balance and enhances the overall experience.

    • “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.”
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6h Median play time
5h Average play time
3-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Black Mirror is a action adventure game with horror, mystery and thriller themes.

Black Mirror is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Mac OS and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Black Mirror.

Black Mirror was released on November 28, 2017.

Black Mirror was developed by KING Art.

Black Mirror has received neutral reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Black Mirror is a single player game.

Similar games include Blacksad: Under the Skin, Syberia 3, The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief, Sherlock Holmes The Devil's Daughter, Still Life 2 and others.