Buried: An Interactive Story
- January 22, 2016
- Bromoco Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Buried: An Interactive Story" is a playable, text-based game where you play as Roger Hastings, a logger searching for his missing crew in a forest with a haunting atmosphere. Your choices affect the plot, determining the outcome of danger, trust, and life or death situations. With a stunning photo display, immersive soundscape, and 5 intense chapters, uncover the hidden secrets and face the consequences of your decisions. Music by Gimu.
Reviews
- Engaging and immersive story with a gripping narrative that keeps players on the edge of their seats.
- Multiple choices throughout the game create a sense of consequence, enhancing replayability despite some choices having minimal impact.
- Great atmosphere supported by effective sound design and visuals that complement the text-based storytelling.
- Many choices feel inconsequential, leading to a linear experience where most decisions do not significantly alter the outcome.
- The game is relatively short, with some players wishing for more content and depth in the story.
- A few grammar and spelling errors detract from the overall polish of the writing.
- story188 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Buried" is a gripping sci-fi thriller infused with Lovecraftian horror elements, featuring a well-crafted narrative that keeps players engaged despite its short runtime of around three hours. While the game offers multiple endings and choices, many players note that these decisions have limited impact on the overall plot, leading to a somewhat linear experience. Overall, the writing is praised for its immersive quality and suspenseful atmosphere, making it a recommended choice for fans of interactive storytelling.
“The story is like a sci-fi thriller with pseudo-Lovecraftian horror elements and multiple endings.”
“The atmosphere of the story and gameplay really pull you in.”
“The story reads from the perspective of a timber logger who has come to after an unexplained accident, then attempts to discover what happened and subsequently get to safety.”
“Very few of your choices actually seem to matter and some even get completely contradicted by what the story will describe later.”
“Literally none of the choices have any impact on the story (believe me, I went back and re-did choices to see the differences) and that bothered me a lot.”
“My biggest qualm is that regardless of what you choose to do, the greatest differences of the outcome are only made in the end of the game (which you can only get to by playing through the rest of the game first, as there is no saving) and thus the plot was extremely linear and reduced the replay value to once or twice at most, which is disappointing for a 'choose-your-own-adventure' style story.”
- music20 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the overall experience and setting a grim tone. While some reviewers found it basic or unremarkable, many appreciated its subtlety and ability to maintain emotional engagement throughout the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a crucial element that complements the narrative, despite some differing opinions on its fit with specific events.
“Great atmosphere, ambient soundtrack, kept me on edge.”
“The soundtrack was well done and served its purpose to set a grim tone.”
“Enjoyable text adventure with minimal graphics that help set the scene and great background music that really kept my emotions high.”
“The soundtrack was eh.”
“This soundtrack doesn't stand out – it looms in the background.”
“However, if you're not into reading and music/photos don't really create an effective ambiance for you, I'd suggest moving along.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its oppressive and immersive qualities, enhanced by a compelling story, well-paced writing, and an effective ambient soundtrack. Reviewers highlight how these elements work together to create a gripping experience that keeps players engaged from start to finish, making it particularly appealing for fans of atmospheric and text-based adventures.
“The atmosphere was already being built from the very start and only continued to get better and better as the story progressed.”
“Great atmosphere, dark and oppressive thanks to good writing and good background sound, highly recommended for those who enjoy text-based adventures.”
“The oppressive atmosphere created by the sound, simple visuals, and well-paced writing made for a two-night playthrough that was frankly tough to stop on the first night.”
“The speed of the text and button reveals feel appropriate to the atmosphere, but it's painfully slow when you're just trying to power through a replay.”
“The pacing of the story is good; it never has a boring or drawn-out section, and the writing does wonders to keep a thick atmosphere throughout it all.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are minimal yet effective, serving to enhance the storytelling rather than distract from it. Users appreciate the cute visuals and atmospheric soundtracks that complement the narrative, creating an immersive experience despite the lack of advanced graphics. Overall, the focus on storytelling and mood over high-end visuals is well-received, making for an engaging text adventure.
“The graphics are cute, and the text is completely understandable and has me unable to look away; the different possibilities for endings are amazing!”
“Buried is a solid interactive story game with interesting visuals and wonderful audio.”
“The visuals are minimal but effective, the sound is spooky and immersive, and the writing is simplistic and a tad underwhelming but gets the job done.”
“No amazing 3D graphics, dazzling explosions, or killer AI enemies... what is amazing is the terrific, immersive story you are drawn into.”
“The visuals are minimal but effective; the sound is spooky and immersive, and the writing is simplistic and a tad underwhelming but gets the job done.”
“A minimally graphic episodic novel that features a combination of sci-fi, mystery, thriller, and action genres that will make you go nuts over what's going on.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is frequently criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of significant variation in endings and impactful choices, leading to a linear experience. While some players appreciate the suspenseful story and minor variations in outcomes, most agree that the limited differences in gameplay and short runtime diminish the incentive to replay. Consequently, many feel that the game is best enjoyed in a single playthrough, with only a few willing to revisit it.
“This is an awesome game full of suspense with a decent amount of replay value.”
“I would give it an 8/10 for the replay value and the ability to play with a group of people.”
“Oh, and for those greatly concerned with such things: it would also appear to have some small degree of replayability due to the variety of choices on offer, even if one suspects that most if not all of the story's main mysteries are revealed in a single playthrough.”
“Replayability is not great.”
“- little variety in endings leads to little to no replay value.”
“My biggest qualm is that regardless of what you choose to do, the greatest differences of the outcome are only made in the end of the game (which you can only get to by playing through the rest of the game first, as there is no saving) and thus the plot was extremely linear and reduced the replay value to once or twice at most, which is disappointing for a 'choose-your-own-adventure' style story.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Buried" is characterized by a straightforward mechanic that involves making limited choices at key narrative points, allowing for a more streamlined experience without extensive time investment. While it lacks traditional action elements, the focus on decision-making ensures that player choices significantly impact the story, making it an engaging option for those seeking an atmospheric game with a manageable length.
“I also like the limited choices mechanic; it means I don't necessarily spend too much time on the actual choice-making... usually!”
“Hours of gameplay, which is awesome.”
“No action or actual gameplay, but your decisions matter.”
“The core gameplay of Buried is simple: text is read to you on your screen describing the story, and when you come to a fork in the road, you're given two choices on what to say or do.”
“I was in the mood for an atmospheric game that wasn't going to require 50+ hours of gameplay and my firstborn to complete, and I stumbled upon Buried.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users feel that while the game presents choices that could significantly impact characters, the emotional effects are fleeting and lack lasting depth, diminishing the overall emotional engagement.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of relief when the grinding aspect of the game comes to an end, indicating that it may have detracted from their overall enjoyment of the experience.
“While there were many positives to the first half of the story, I was quite happy when it finally came to a grinding halt.”
“The endless grinding made the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
“I found myself stuck in repetitive tasks that drained the fun out of the gameplay.”
