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Black The Fall

If you can push through some frustrating moments during the opening hour, Black The Fall offers challenging puzzles with a thought-provoking narrative.
Black The Fall Game Cover
73%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
replayability, grinding
75% User Score Based on 936 reviews
Critic Score 71%Based on 18 reviews

Platforms

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Black The Fall Game Cover

About

Black The Fall is a single player platformer game with horror, historical and science fiction themes. It was developed by Sand Sailor Studio and was released on July 11, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Black the Fall" is a puzzle-platformer game set in a bleak, totalitarian society. As an old machinist, you'll sneak and deceive your way through various challenges, using both your own wits and the help of a small robot companion. The game features a dark, atmospheric world with unique mechanics and a focus on exploration and problem-solving. The Collector's Edition includes a digital soundtrack and artbook.

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Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
Black The Fall screenshot
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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 936 reviews
gameplay66 positive mentions
replayability9 negative mentions
  • The game features a haunting atmosphere and impressive visuals that effectively convey the oppressive theme of a dystopian world.
  • Puzzles are generally well-designed, offering a mix of challenge and satisfaction when solved, with some unique mechanics introduced throughout the game.
  • The minimalistic storytelling through environmental cues allows players to immerse themselves in the narrative without the need for dialogue.
  • Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustration during platforming sections.
  • Some puzzles lack clear direction, resulting in trial-and-error gameplay that can detract from the overall experience.
  • The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 3-4 hours, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • gameplay
    292 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed experience, featuring a blend of side-scrolling exploration and environmental puzzles that often rely on trial-and-error mechanics. While some players appreciate the innovative puzzle design and atmospheric storytelling, many criticize the controls as clunky and the mechanics as poorly explained, leading to frustration and confusion. Overall, the game offers intriguing visuals and a unique setting, but its gameplay suffers from inconsistencies and a lack of polish.

    • “The mechanics evolve steadily, introducing new ideas at a careful pace, including a companion mechanic that adds both heart and complexity to the journey.”
    • “Gameplay is a mix of side-scrolling exploration and environmental puzzles.”
    • “The gameplay presents a good challenge, with clever puzzles, but never frustrating (for me, at least).”
    • “A lot of the later puzzles really don't telegraph what it expects you to do well, and some of them even require you to use mechanics in ways that it doesn't inform you they can be used.”
    • “The gameplay is dull, repetitive, and unoriginal.”
    • “Frustrating and unexplained mechanics in addition to having to wait for an action to happen before attempting to advance for most of the game makes this frankly boring to play.”
  • graphics
    240 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Black the Fall" are widely praised for their striking art style and atmospheric design, effectively conveying a dystopian and oppressive environment. While some reviewers note that the visuals may not be as technically advanced or realistic as other titles, the unique aesthetic and clever use of lighting and textures create an immersive experience that resonates with the game's themes. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of graphical options and occasional performance issues, which detract from the overall visual experience.

    • “Black the Fall is more than a puzzle-platformer — it's a quiet, chilling reflection on life under totalitarian rule, brought to life through striking visuals, intelligent design, and a deeply oppressive atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic and the mood/atmosphere is really cleverly done.”
    • “The art style is immaculate, the different scenes are detailed and convey the mood wonderfully.”
    • “While both 'Inside' and 'Black the Fall' have minimal looking visuals, 'Black the Fall's visuals feel like an uninspired replica, while 'Inside' has loads of personality.”
    • “Now I understand that this game is indie, but it was pushing my graphics card to 99% usage and turning my computer into a microwave oven. I don't know what the game needs all that for, but that's insane for a game that doesn't look that great in spots.”
    • “The graphics are simple, but there are enough effects to offset the simplicity; dynamic lighting, fog, dust, and contrasting colors all help to bring the game to life.”
  • story
    238 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a minimalist yet impactful exploration of life under a dystopian regime, heavily inspired by Romania's communist past. While it employs environmental storytelling and stark visuals to convey its themes, many players find the narrative obscure and lacking depth, often requiring external context to fully appreciate. Overall, the story resonates with those interested in its historical parallels, but may leave others feeling disconnected due to its abstract presentation and limited dialogue.

    • “The story is about a captive worker who is trying to escape from an even more dystopian and bleaker Soviet Union, in a near future with mechs and other new inventions.”
    • “Black the Fall tells a dark, cold, hard story in a brilliant, wordless narrative way.”
    • “The story is too obscure to be impactful, and about 40% of the puzzles require the use of a mechanic that was not clearly demonstrated prior to its encounter.”
    • “The game’s storytelling is almost entirely visual, relying on stark imagery, symbolism, and environmental cues to guide players through its bleak, mechanical landscape.”
    • “There isn't really a story to tell or a lesson to be learned, no moral to the story really, just an edgy depiction of communism at its worst.”
  • atmosphere
    217 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Black the Fall" is widely praised for its oppressive, dystopian setting, reminiscent of titles like "Limbo" and "Inside." Players appreciate the game's striking visuals, minimalistic design, and the ability to convey a narrative without dialogue, effectively immersing them in a bleak world that reflects themes of totalitarianism and societal oppression. While some critiques mention gameplay issues, the overall consensus highlights the atmosphere as the game's strongest aspect, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric puzzle platformers.

    • “The atmosphere of this game is its greatest strength.”
    • “The atmosphere is impactful despite (or because of) the dim and minimalistic aesthetic of the game.”
    • “Black the Fall is more than a puzzle-platformer — it's a quiet, chilling reflection on life under totalitarian rule, brought to life through striking visuals, intelligent design, and a deeply oppressive atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is grim sometimes, but very captivating.”
    • “The atmosphere of totalitarian USSR and visuals are great, but everything else is really frustrating.”
  • music
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive and atmospheric qualities that complement the visuals, while others find it minimalistic and unremarkable, lacking a memorable soundtrack. Many agree that the ambient soundscapes enhance the overall experience, but a notable absence of music at times detracts from the game's atmosphere. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its fitting tone, it is often described as basic and not particularly impactful.

    • “Music played an important role and fitted the surroundings very well.”
    • “Ambient music and dark art style make this game.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, the art direction is great and the soundtrack fits very well.”
    • “There is a minimalistic soundtrack in this game, but I found it unremarkable.”
    • “The music nearly doesn't exist and usually is just quiet.”
    • “While its puzzles and art style are to praise, the game feels too repetitive at times and its lifespan can get too short, not to mention that the lack of music harms the overall environment.”
  • replayability
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many users noting that it can be completed in a short time (around 3-4 hours) and offers little incentive to play again. While some mention the potential for achievement hunting, the consensus is that the linear gameplay and lack of alternative paths significantly diminish replay value, making it a tough sell at its price point.

    • “Has some unique and interesting puzzles, and there's certainly replayability value in this one. I do not want to spoil anything for anyone, but if you're the kind of player that likes exploring and then wishing you'd taken the other path, you are in for a great experience.”
    • “It's a bit of a short game and it doesn't offer much replayability, which is good on one hand as the theme is heavy and not very cheerful.”
    • “The graphics are okay, but nothing special, and the achievements and extra mode add little replay value.”
    • “Can complete in a sitting, but sadly no replay value.”
    • “The game isn't bad per se, but the length of the game and lack of replayability means it's a tough sell at that ~$15 price point.”
    • “You'll only get 4ish hours of gameplay, no replayability unless you are an achievement hunter; at the $15 price tag, this is expensive for what you get.”
  • emotional
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its powerful storytelling and ability to evoke deep feelings, including sadness and empathy. Many reviews highlight the impactful conclusion and the connection to historical events, particularly the Romanian revolution, which resonates strongly with players. Overall, the game is described as an emotional journey that effectively combines gameplay with a heartfelt narrative, leaving a lasting impression on its audience.

    • “And while it’s not focused on action or combat, the emotional weight of your journey builds as you progress, leading to a conclusion that’s as unsettling as it is meaningful.”
    • “This is a powerful message; dying in this game felt emotionally different than dying in other games to me and was different in each situation my character was in.”
    • “The game made me laugh, gave me goosebumps, and made me cry, and I'm not ashamed of admitting it.”
  • grinding
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game often leads to tedious and repetitive tasks, particularly in puzzle-solving and platforming sections. While some players appreciate the atmosphere and occasional fun moments, many find the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay frustrating and lacking in challenge, ultimately detracting from the overall experience. The game is recommended for those seeking a casual platformer, but players should be prepared for a significant amount of grinding that can feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “That means lots of trial and error, but the slow pace can mean repeating a very tedious task many times before figuring out the puzzle.”
    • “Tedious and bland.”
    • “Good game up to the point when the puzzles became so tedious rather than difficult that I lost all interest.”
  • optimization
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization received mixed reviews. While some players reported smooth performance with no significant issues, others experienced frequent frame drops and noted a lack of advanced graphical options. Additionally, there were complaints about misleading system requirements and the need for better overall optimization.

    • “Luckily, performance and polish don't share this frustration as I did not encounter any lag, stutters, or crashes, and only one bug that a quick quit to menu quickly alleviated.”
    • “Played on i5, AMD HD78xx, 16 GB RAM at 2560x1440 with no performance problems or graphic glitches.”
    • “Performance-wise, I had no trouble running the game in my monitor’s native resolution (3840x2160) and constant 60 frames per second.”
    • “My only significant complaint is that the game could have been optimized better.”
    • “Gameplay was not very persuasive, not to mention the fact that it's horribly optimized.”
    • “System requirements on the Steam page are a bit misleading; this game has some issues with optimization.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report smooth performance with no significant glitches, others encounter frequent bugs that hinder progress, particularly during puzzles. Despite these issues, many still find the gameplay enjoyable, though it may require patience due to the occasional frustrating mechanics.

    • “It can be a little buggy.”
    • “If you're looking for a game like Limbo or Inside; this is similar, however it is not better, so don't have your expectations high. Get ready to die hundreds of times, mainly due to working out the puzzles and sometimes due to buggy mechanics.”
    • “It was fun until the game glitches 100% of the time on one puzzle.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by subtle dark comedy, amusing animations, and a mix of funny and poignant dialogue, particularly for those who understand Romanian. Players appreciate the cute and humorous sidekick, as well as moments that evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to sadness. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with deeper themes, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “There's subtle dark humor in every animation.”
    • “The sidekick is cute and funny.”
    • “The game made me laugh, gave me goosebumps, and made me cry, and I'm not ashamed of admitting it.”
    • “The humor in this game often falls flat, relying too much on tired clichés.”
    • “I found the jokes to be more cringeworthy than funny, which really detracted from the experience.”
    • “The attempts at humor felt forced and out of place, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with users noting that the character design is mediocre and uninteresting, resulting in minimal growth or depth. While the presentation features appealing minimalistic visuals and sound effects, it does not compensate for the absence of meaningful character development.

    • “1) Decent presentation – nice minimalistic visuals for character designs and nice sound effects.”
    • “The character design is quite mediocre and uninteresting.”
    • “There is no character development.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with many users feeling that it attempts to exploit the success of similar games rather than offering genuine value.

    • “Overall, it felt like a cash grab trying to ride the coattails of success.”
    • “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, which ruins the experience.”
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71%Critics’ scoreBased on 18 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
4h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Black The Fall is a platformer game with horror, historical and science fiction themes.

Black The Fall is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Black The Fall.

Black The Fall was released on July 11, 2017.

Black The Fall was developed by Sand Sailor Studio.

Black The Fall has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its replayability.

Black The Fall is a single player game.

Similar games include INSIDE, Deadlight, Somerville, Monochroma, Planet of the Eyes and others.