Blank Frame

About

Blank Frame is a single player simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by ThroughTunnel and was released on January 27, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

Blank Frame is a first person surreal horror game with a look akin to early 2000's pc/ps2 games.. In the small town of Dim River, one resident, Henri, has found himself trapped inside of his own apartment, perhaps not completely by himself. The night is going to be long and peculiar.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

atmosphere15 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is drenched in atmosphere, providing a unique and immersive experience reminiscent of classic psychological horror titles like Silent Hill.
It features a compelling story with multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different outcomes and interpretations.
The retro art style and haunting soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it a nostalgic treat for fans of the genre.

The lack of a save system forces players to complete the game in one sitting, which can be frustrating, especially given the potential for bugs and glitches.
Several players reported game-breaking bugs that can lead to softlocks or require a complete reinstall to fix, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
Some puzzles are considered obtuse or poorly explained, leading to confusion and a disjointed pacing that can hinder the narrative flow.

atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
10%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie and calming elements, creating an engaging and immersive experience. Players appreciate the game's aesthetic quality, supernatural design, and effective storytelling, which contribute to a haunting yet beautiful environment. However, some reviewers noted that the atmosphere can be undermined by convoluted puzzles and a disjointed narrative, affecting overall immersion.
- “This title straight up oozes with atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing; I find it as calming in some moments as eerie in others.”
- “The supernatural design and the atmospheric horror is top-notch, and I do recommend everyone who reads this to play this little gem.”
- “Everything about it has some strange, disturbing atmosphere.”
- “Unfortunately for the game, it has some decent attempts at building the atmosphere and immersion, but between the convoluted puzzles and strange progression, I found the pacing of the story to be disjointed.”
- “The atmosphere and the just weirdness of it just made it unique and unsettling to play through, which I just loved.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The game's story is characterized by its engaging atmosphere and intriguing, albeit vague, narrative that invites personal interpretation. While many players appreciate the depth and character interactions, some find the story progression restrictive and disjointed, leading to a lack of connection with the plot and characters. Overall, the story is praised for its immersive qualities and thought-provoking elements, though it could benefit from more clarity and development.
- “The story, however, is my personal favorite aspect of the game.”
- “The story and atmosphere were extremely engaging and kept me playing until the end.”
- “It has an intriguing story and an oppressive atmosphere.”
- “The story progression felt a bit restrictive and arbitrary at times.”
- “Sometimes you feel like you need to go back and forth between rooms in an effort to 'trigger' the next story sequence or see if anything has changed.”
- “Please note, I think it's a decent game, and it actually has some fun atmospheric moments; that said, I just could not connect with the characters or the plot. It was so vague that I could not collect my thoughts for most of the story.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game has received high praise for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, with standout tracks like "a theme of dreams" enhancing the overall experience. While most songs effectively evoke emotions during key moments, some players noted a lack of ambiance in certain areas. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's storytelling and atmosphere, making it a noteworthy aspect for players.
- “And that soundtrack named 'A Theme of Dreams'... it's just awesome.”
- “The soundtrack was great and the story was surprisingly good; the game makes you think before doing any actions in-game.”
- “Nice atmospheric horror game with a great story and soundtrack.”
- “Graphically sits somewhere between PS1 and PS2, with a haunting soundtrack to match.”
- “Passing grade however for atmosphere, music, sound, and aesthetics.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics are praised for their cool retro art style, blending PS1 and PS2 aesthetics, and creating an eerie, atmospheric experience that enhances the game's horror elements. Users highlight the evocative visuals and diverse character designs, contributing to a deeply immersive and haunting environment. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, earning high marks for their artistic appeal and atmospheric depth.
- “10/10 aesthetic eye candy; a blurry horror game that stimulates the mind.”
- “Well, the blank frame obviously looks amazing aesthetically, highly evocative, beautifully lit, and atmospheric.”
- “Graphically sits somewhere between PS1 and PS2, with a haunting soundtrack to match.”
- “Multiple endings, eerie and strange graphics, lots of different characters with backgrounds to explore, a deep descent into the maddening unknown.”
- “Passing grade, however, for atmosphere, music, sound, and aesthetics.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay is characterized by basic puzzles and a narrative-driven experience, typically lasting around two hours for a first playthrough. However, the absence of a save mechanic is a significant drawback, as it forces players to replay lengthy segments after dying, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “And everything else falls into place: the story, the writing, the gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is fairly basic puzzles and story, will take about ~2 hours for the first playthrough.”
- “I understand why there is no save mechanic, but that doesn't make me like it.”
- “Kind of a huge oversight when your death means replaying an entire hour's worth of slow buildup gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is fairly basic puzzles and story, will take about 2 hours for the first playthrough.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is generally enjoyable, but players have reported significant bugs that affect stability, suggesting potential issues during gameplay.
- “Good game, although it's really buggy, so keep that in mind.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the gameplay.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by its unintentionally amusing dialogues, which are often described as poorly written yet entertaining.
- “The dialogues are so bad that they end up being genuinely funny.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the absurd situations the characters found themselves in.”
- “The humor is delightfully quirky, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive at times, suggesting that it can detract from the overall experience.
- “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worth it.”
- “Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
- “While there are moments of grinding, they are balanced by engaging gameplay and rewarding loot.”
- “It can feel a bit grindy at times.”
- “The grinding aspect really drags down the overall experience.”
- “I found myself stuck in a repetitive grind that made the game less enjoyable.”