BLACKOUT
- May 26, 2021
- INNERVISION
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"BLACKOUT" is a first-person survival horror game where you play as an office worker alone in your house, hearing strange sounds and receiving eerie messages. The game is set in a dark and ominous house with mazes and dead rooms. The game may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy and contains themes of alcohol and drug abuse, making it suitable for mature audiences.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a strong atmosphere with effective lighting and ambient sound design that enhances the horror experience.
- It offers some genuine jump scares and a creepy visual style that can be engaging for horror fans.
- The game is inexpensive, making it a low-risk option for those looking to experience a short horror game.
- The narrative lacks depth and world-building, leaving players with many unanswered questions and an abrupt ending.
- Gameplay mechanics, particularly the platforming sections, are poorly executed and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience.
- The pixelated art style feels disjointed, combining high-resolution textures with a pixel filter that undermines the visual appeal.
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its effective use of lighting and ambient sound design, creating an immersive and terrifying experience. However, while it excels in atmosphere, it is criticized for lacking depth in storytelling and gameplay, leaving players wanting more despite its appealing price for fans of atmospheric horror.
“The game's use of lighting and ambient sound effects is commendable, effectively enhancing the mood and immersing players in the terrifying atmosphere.”
“Very good price for a game like this; it's very creepy and atmospheric. Not as long as I thought it was, but it has a good atmosphere.”
“It’s an inexpensive title worth considering, especially for fans of atmospheric horror, but it leaves much to be desired.”
“A game with strong atmosphere but lacks depth.”
“Blackout has strong elements, including its atmosphere and some scares, but ultimately falls short in storytelling and gameplay execution.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in Blackout is criticized for being minimal and lacking clarity, often relying on familiar horror tropes without providing substantial context or resolution. While the game's atmosphere and scares are praised, many players feel that the narrative fails to engage or explain the events adequately, leading to a sense of confusion and an unsatisfying conclusion.
“This game is really pretty and one of the only horror games that could actually scare me, but I think I'm too dumb to understand the story.”
“The story does very little to explain anything other than the classic trope of 'you've done something bad and the ghost or supernatural has come back to create spooky shenanigans.'”
“It's like a walking simulator that doesn't really try to tell you a story, leaving you to wonder what the point of your 30+ minute journey was, and then it leaves you with an unfinished ending.”
“Blackout has strong elements, including its atmosphere and some scares, but ultimately falls short in storytelling and gameplay execution.”
“The story does very little to explain anything other than the old trope of 'you've done something bad and the ghost or supernatural has come back to create spooky shenanigans.'”
“It's like a walking simulator that doesn't really try to tell you a story, leaving you to wonder what the point of your 30+ minute journey was, and then it ends with an unfinished conclusion.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received criticism for their disjointed pixelated art style, which lacks cohesion with the horror genre. Reviewers note that the combination of modern high-resolution textures with a pixel filter results in a mismatched aesthetic, detracting from the overall visual experience.
“Most games that have this type of art style will also have low poly and low quality textures to bring the whole style together, but in Blackout, the game sticks with modern high poly/high res textures with a pixel filter applied on top.”
“However, the pixelated art style feels disjointed.”
“It would benefit from a more cohesive design that aligns with the horror genre, avoiding the pitfalls of a mismatched aesthetic.”
“Most games that have this type of art style will also have low poly and low quality textures to bring the whole style together, but in Blackout, the game sticks with modern high poly/high res textures with a pixel filter slapped on top.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Blackout features impressive atmospheric elements and visuals, but it suffers from weak storytelling and poorly executed mechanics, leaving players feeling that the overall experience is underdeveloped.
“Blackout has strong elements, including its atmosphere and some scares, but ultimately falls short in gameplay execution.”
“Check out my full gameplay here if you wish to.”
“Blackout has strong elements, including its atmosphere and some scares, but ultimately falls short in storytelling and gameplay execution.”
“While the game looks amazing, as they have nailed the style and lighting, the actual gameplay is immensely undercooked.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally regarded as decent and effective in setting the mood, but it is not enough to elevate the overall experience, with many reviewers suggesting that there are better horror games available.
“The music was the only thing that was good at setting the mood.”
“The soundtrack, while decent, complements the overall experience.”
“Pretty decent soundtrack.”
