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Blackbay Asylum

58%Game Brain Score
humor, graphics
music, stability
58% User Score Based on 297 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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About

"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.

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Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
Blackbay Asylum screenshot
+6
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58%
Audience ScoreBased on 297 reviews
humor83 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • Blackbay Asylum features a unique blend of dark humor and challenging puzzles that keep players engaged.
  • The game successfully creates a creepy atmosphere with its visuals and sound design, enhancing the horror experience.
  • The protagonist, Doug, provides entertaining commentary throughout the game, adding a comedic element to the otherwise grim setting.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including a lack of save options and frustrating checkpoints that can lead to repeated gameplay.
  • Many players have reported bugs and performance issues, particularly on modern systems, making it difficult to enjoy the game fully.
  • The graphics and overall presentation feel dated, which may detract from the experience for some players.
  • humor
    83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a divisive aspect, with many players appreciating its dark, twisted, and often crude comedic style, particularly through the protagonist's sarcastic and absurd commentary. However, some find the humor repetitive, overly reliant on shock value, and not suitable for all audiences, leading to mixed feelings about its effectiveness. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy offbeat, gory humor and puzzle-solving, while others may find it juvenile or annoying.

    • “Blackbay Asylum is surprisingly enjoyable due to its black humor and perplexing puzzles.”
    • “The humor in this game isn't really juvenile; it's unnecessary, but it does have some genuinely funny lines while examining the many hotspots of the asylum.”
    • “It's a funny little puzzle adventure game with early nineties PC graphics.”
  • graphics
    73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely criticized as outdated and inconsistent, with many reviewers describing them as "ugly" or "terrible," particularly in certain cutscenes and character models. However, some players appreciate the simplistic style, noting that it complements the game's atmosphere and humor, and that the visuals can still effectively convey a chilling experience. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they are deemed acceptable for an indie title, with some finding charm in their nostalgic quality.

    • “Legitimately scary visuals despite the aged graphics.”
    • “The graphics are nice and clean, and it’s easy to understand what’s going on around you.”
    • “Actually, the crude style of the graphics and the alternating shifts from 2D to 3D perspective complement the weird story quite well.”
    • “The graphics are terrible, especially the character models, and the story is pretty generic, but the puzzles and the atmosphere are pretty good.”
    • “The graphics are really, really dated.”
    • “The graphics aren't anything to write home about; they look like something from the mid-00s or even earlier, and the music/sound effects are generally annoying.”
  • story
    66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a blend of Lovecraftian themes and dark humor, featuring a psychopathic protagonist navigating a creepy asylum filled with puzzles and lore. While some players found the narrative engaging and well-constructed, others criticized it for being cliché or poorly paced. Overall, the storytelling is appreciated for its atmosphere and clever integration of humor, despite some graphical shortcomings and a somewhat predictable plot.

    • “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 whilst avoiding getting killed in the process.”
    • “There is a story, a deep horror story, but told in a way that keeps it light-hearted throughout.”
    • “The story is also great and has a few funny moments too.”
    • “The story is trash; the way it's sold is even trashier.”
    • “Poor pacing, shit-tier design, and to top it all off, not even a decent story.”
    • “I could speak a little about the story, but I'll save myself (and you) the time of reading the same thing you'll read in the game's description; that's more than you really need to know, considering that the story is so horribly uninteresting.”
  • atmosphere
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its chilling and immersive qualities, effectively capturing a dark, spooky tone reminiscent of 90s horror comedy games. While some players noted technical issues and dated graphics, many found the atmosphere engaging, complemented by clever puzzles and intriguing storytelling. Overall, it offers a unique blend of humor and horror that resonates well with fans of the genre.

    • “So if you love a dark, spooky atmosphere, but prefer a less adrenaline-heavy experience, this might be right up your alley.”
    • “I don’t mind admitting that I got genuinely spooked by the atmosphere it managed to create.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing and the gameplay is new and refreshing.”
    • “The atmosphere was chilling at times, which is a feat, given the not very advanced graphics.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and the switch between topdown and 1st person constantly breaks the atmosphere without adding any benefits to the gameplay.”
    • “Poor fps killing the atmosphere.”
  • gameplay
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a blend of first-person and third-person perspectives, primarily focusing on puzzle-solving within an adventure framework. While some players appreciate the unique mechanics and engaging atmosphere, others criticize the graphics and occasional clunkiness in controls. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable exploration and tension-building moments, though it may suffer from interface issues and pacing concerns.

    • “Really cool adventure game that takes advantage of different mechanics to create a unique gameplay experience, at least for an adventure game.”
    • “The gameplay is more or less like a point-and-click adventure game with a top-down camera view, and all you have to do is solve puzzles.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing and the gameplay is new and refreshing.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and the switch between top-down and first-person constantly breaks the atmosphere without adding any benefits to the gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay starts out okay 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.”
  • music
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and tension, with some tracks described as chilling and dynamic. However, opinions vary, as some players find certain pieces annoying or headache-inducing, while others appreciate the sound effects for their contribution to the eerie ambiance. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, despite some criticisms regarding its execution in specific gameplay moments.

    • “The sound effects are well made and in certain places it does add to the tension, as does the music.”
    • “Odd characters, chilling music, very dynamic, and creepy atmosphere definitely a recommended buy.”
    • “Great soundtrack.”
    • “Music is pretty disturbing.”
    • “The graphics aren't anything to write home about, they look like something from the mid 00s or even earlier and the music/sound effects are generally annoying.”
    • “For instance in the game while in birds-eye view all you can hear is the music and the sounds of your footsteps will create an eerie feeling within the game, then once you get far enough a gameplay event occurs which the overall execution in terms of tension was great, but there was part of me that feels that this was put in too early while the other believes the main issue is that this gameplay event doesn’t occur a little bit more.”
  • stability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report it runs smoothly with no significant bugs, others experience minor glitches and a major issue related to a Windows 10 update that can render the game unplayable. Most users agree that the bugs present are not game-breaking, but experiences may vary depending on the operating system.

    • “This game runs great.”
    • “The game is pretty buggy.”
    • “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.”
    • “In-game glitches.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly by users experiencing significant performance issues, such as low frame rates (3 fps) on capable hardware, potentially linked to Windows 10 compatibility. While the title screen runs smoothly, overall performance remains a concern for many players.

    • “At least the title screen runs smoothly.”
    • “Maybe it is not optimized for Windows 10, but I'm not going to install Windows 7 to find out...”
    • “Some users, including me, are reporting very poor performance (3 fps) on good hardware; it's possibly Windows 10 related.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, likening it to a first-person shooter card farming simulator that requires repetitive tasks to progress.

    • “This gets tedious.”
    • “1 FPS card farming simulator.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express that the emotional experience can be hindered by the game's darkness, which creates a sense of disorientation and confusion, detracting from the overall immersion and emotional connection to the environment.

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4h Median play time
4h Average play time
2-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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