Blackbay Asylum
- August 1, 2014
- TAD Productions AB
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Blackbay Asylum" is a 2D, side-scrolling psychological horror game. You play as a patient in an abandoned asylum, trying to uncover the mystery of what happened to its inhabitants while avoiding dangerous enemies. The game features puzzle-solving, stealth, and combat mechanics in a hand-drawn, gripping environment.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Blackbay Asylum features a unique blend of dark humor and challenging puzzles, making it an entertaining experience for players who enjoy horror-themed games.
- The game successfully incorporates Lovecraftian elements and has a quirky protagonist whose dialogue adds to the overall charm and humor.
- Despite its dated graphics, the game creates a chilling atmosphere and offers a variety of gameplay perspectives, enhancing the player's immersion.
- The game suffers from significant technical issues, particularly on Windows 10, where players experience low frame rates and crashes, making it nearly unplayable.
- Many players find the lack of a save feature frustrating, as it requires completing entire chapters in one sitting, which can be tedious and punishing.
- Some puzzles are considered obtuse or poorly designed, leading to confusion and the need for external guides, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- humor76 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Blackbay Asylum" is characterized by its dark, twisted, and often crude nature, appealing to players who appreciate morbid comedy and a unique, sarcastic protagonist. While some find the humor refreshing and entertaining, others feel it can be excessive or offensive, with a mix of gruesome content and recycled clichés. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with horror elements, creating a distinctive experience that may not resonate with everyone.
“Blackbay Asylum is surprisingly enjoyable due to its black humor and perplexing puzzles.”
“I liked the sense of humor; the protagonist is a psychopath who comments on his surroundings and what is happening in the asylum in his own, very unique way - I can imagine that not everyone thinks this is funny, but I did.”
“While the game itself has a sick, twisted sense of humor that can be very funny at times, this is due to the protagonist Doug's reactions not just in cut scenes and situations he finds himself in, but also when you interact with the environment around you in general in terms of dialogue.”
- graphics60 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated and mediocre, with some reviewers noting that they resemble early PSX titles. Despite their simplicity, many players find that the visuals effectively contribute to the game's horror atmosphere, and the gameplay experience compensates for the graphical shortcomings. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they are deemed acceptable for an indie game from 2014, with some moments of chilling visual impact.
“Legitimately scary visuals despite the aged graphics.”
“The atmosphere was chilling at times, which is a feat, given the not very advanced graphics.”
“The graphics are actually quite good, especially cut scenes.”
“And let's be honest, the graphics of this game are pretty awful.”
“The graphics are mediocre; as some other reviewers already wrote, some parts are okay, but some are really bad, especially some of the cutscenes and a good part of the 'first person view mode' are terrible.”
“Meaning the gameplay is a little clunky, the action sequences can frustrate, and the graphics are notably dated.”
- story53 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is a Lovecraftian narrative featuring a psychopathic killer navigating a chaotic asylum, enriched by intriguing lore and character interactions. While the plot is engaging and well-constructed, some elements feel cliché or rushed, and the overall experience is relatively short. Despite minor grammatical issues, the storytelling effectively maintains interest through clever puzzles and atmospheric design.
“I liked the change of perspective in parts of the game and the varying lengths of the game chapters, which creates a very enjoyable storytelling experience.”
“The story follows a psychopathic killer with a cute little teddy bear that gets sent to Blackbay Asylum; after a while, as is normal in asylums in games, all hell breaks loose and you are set out to escape this asylum while avoiding getting killed in the process.”
“The best part about this game is the story.”
“The story follows a psychopathic killer with a cute little teddy bear that gets sent to Blackbay Asylum. After a while, as is normal in asylums in games, all hell breaks loose and you are set out to escape this asylum while avoiding getting killed in the process.”
“As a Cthulhu-inspired story, it had a lot of potential, and the game's first half makes you believe it will reach it. However, it ultimately falls short.”
“The story is handled well when presented in the form of journals, logs, files, letters, and conversations with some of the inhabitants, but it comes across as a little cliché and certain parts seemed rushed.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily focused on puzzle-solving within a unique adventure framework, combining various mechanics that enhance the experience. While it starts strong, some players note a decline in quality as the game progresses, with clunky controls and frustrating action sequences. Overall, the atmosphere and character development are praised, making for an engaging, albeit imperfect, adventure game.
“Really cool adventure game that takes advantage of different mechanics to create a unique gameplay experience, at least for an adventure game.”
“Amazingly, the game brilliantly combines the two gameplay styles together without difficulty.”
“The atmosphere is amazing and the gameplay is new and refreshing.”
“Gameplay starts out okayish but then quickly declines in quality as it progresses.”
“Meaning the gameplay is a little clunky, the action sequences can frustrate, and the graphics are notably dated.”
“The only exceptions are longer because the actual gameplay takes longer (such as the first person sections, where the movement is quite annoyingly slow).”
- atmosphere36 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, spooky, and chilling qualities, effectively creating a sense of discomfort and intrigue despite its less advanced graphics. Players appreciate the combination of clever puzzles, engaging storylines, and unique character interactions that enhance the overall experience. While some find the occult themes and humor a bit odd, the immersive atmosphere and dynamic sound design contribute to a compelling adventure that many recommend.
“I don’t mind admitting that I got genuinely spooked by the atmosphere it managed to create.”
“Odd characters, chilling music, very dynamic, and creepy atmosphere definitely a recommended buy.”
“The atmosphere was chilling at times, which is a feat, given the not very advanced graphics.”
“It's an adventure game with a thick atmosphere filled with gore, humorous dialog, violent nudity, also has cringeworthy voice acting.”
“+/- atmosphere - now the game doesn’t go out of its way to necessarily scare you but does provide a certain type of discomfort which seems to be more of a mixed bag.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is described as somewhat inconsistent; while some players report minor bugs that are not game-breaking, there is a significant issue related to a Windows 10 update that can render the game unplayable for some users. Individual experiences may vary based on operating systems, and players are encouraged to consult community forums for additional insights.
“I've personally found no bugs or glitches within the game itself; however, there is one major issue with a Windows 10 update that makes the game completely unplayable.”
“It's a little bit buggy, but nothing game-breaking.”
“In-game glitches: (note: review ends here and only represents my time playing the game and things that stood out to me. If you're still not sure, I recommend reading other reviews, going to the community forum to ask questions, or checking for any type of game updates. Note also that experiences may vary depending on your OS.)”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game are highly praised for their ability to enhance tension and create an eerie atmosphere, contributing significantly to the overall experience. The dynamic and chilling soundtrack, combined with well-executed sound design, effectively immerses players in the gameplay, although some feel that key gameplay events could be better timed to maximize impact. Overall, the audio elements are considered a strong point and a compelling reason to recommend the game.
“The sound effects are well made and in certain places it adds to the tension, as does the music.”
“Odd characters, chilling music, very dynamic, and creepy atmosphere definitely a recommended buy.”
“For instance, in the game while in birds-eye view, all you can hear is the music and the sounds of your footsteps, which creates an eerie feeling within the game.”
“For instance in the game while in birds-eye view all you can hear is the music and the sounds of your footsteps, which creates an eerie feeling within the game. However, once you get far enough, a gameplay event occurs that has great execution in terms of tension, but I feel it was put in too early, and the main issue is that this gameplay event doesn’t occur often enough.”
“What sound there is is well done and in certain places adds to the tension, as does the music.”
“The sound effects are well made and in certain places it does add to the tension, as does the music.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, leading to a frustrating experience.
“This gets tedious.”
