CASE: Animatronics
- March 4, 2020
- NamexPrime
- 3h median play time
CASE: Animatronics has decent atmosphere and unintentionally hilarious voice acting, but nothing really stands out, and most of the game is filled with boring and familiar horror cliches.
"CASE: Animatronics" is a first-person stealth horror game where you play as overworked detective John Bishop. While working late, the police department's security system is hacked, all exits are locked, and the power is shut off. To make matters worse, you're being pursued by animatronics controlled by a mysterious hacker, with red eyes and shifting, clanking metal sounds, in a terrifying fight for survival.
Reviews
- The game has a terrifying atmosphere with effective jump scares that keep players on edge.
- The free-roaming gameplay allows for exploration and adds a unique twist to the horror genre.
- The animatronic designs are impressive and contribute to the overall creepy aesthetic of the game.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including animatronics becoming invisible and teleporting unpredictably.
- The voice acting is subpar, often detracting from the immersion and overall experience.
- The objectives are unclear, leading to frustration as players wander aimlessly without guidance.
- story74 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it underdeveloped and lacking depth, often comparing it unfavorably to the Five Nights at Freddy's series. While some appreciate the attempt at a coherent narrative and the use of notes to piece together the backstory, others criticize it for being simplistic, poorly executed, and not engaging enough to hold interest. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game may have some intriguing elements, it ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling story.
“It feels immersive and kind of a detective game trying to find notes to connect the story together, which is a brilliant idea for a FNAF-like game.”
“A very scary game, despite the fact that it is very old, the plot is very interesting and you want to know everything.”
“Great and scary game with an amazing storyline.”
“Lack of a comprehensive storyline and characters you can't get attached to because it's so on the nose you might as well have drawn stick figures and labeled them 'bad guy', 'good guy', 'child who is angry'.”
“The story is incredibly weak; you're trapped in a police station with glass exit doors and yet you need several keycards to escape.”
“The story of the game is nearly non-existent and doesn't really keep me wanting to play at all.”
- gameplay64 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Case: Animatronics" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its blend of stealth, puzzle-solving, and survival elements, while others criticize its execution as broken and frustrating. Many reviews highlight issues such as unclear objectives, buggy mechanics, and a reliance on outdated horror tropes, which detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential for tension and strategic gameplay, the inconsistent mechanics and short playtime leave players feeling disappointed.
“The gameplay is a blend of stealth, puzzle-solving, and sheer survival.”
“The use of a tablet to monitor security cameras adds a strategic layer to the gameplay, but it's the need for silence and stealth that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
“Not only are the graphics cool, but the gameplay mechanics are challenging and make sense.”
“It mistakes unfair mechanics and terrible code (can't tell you how many times I've just up and died to invisible animatronics or got my legs caught on something that wasn't even there) for genuine difficulty.”
“The objectives aren't very clear, and neither are the mechanics or checkpoints, so I kept running in circles and dying over and over.”
“The jump scares are not scary, the mechanics are not clear or they are bugged.”
- graphics39 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive a largely positive reception, with many users praising their impressive quality and atmospheric design, particularly on lower-end systems. While some reviews note issues with loading times and gameplay mechanics, the visuals are frequently described as outstanding, immersive, and well-suited to the game's horror theme. However, a few critiques mention that the graphics can be too dark or inconsistent, indicating a mixed experience for some players.
“When compared to games like 'Five Nights at Freddy's,' 'Case: Animatronics' stands out for its free-roaming gameplay and realistic graphics.”
“The game's graphics and sound design are impressive, with a moody and atmospheric score adding to the tension.”
“Excellent game, good story, amazing graphics, smooth gameplay.”
“Case Animatronics is a horrible game, impossible to control, bad graphics, and bad writing.”
“Graphics quite poor, story is boring and the fail rate is just too high so the game gets very repetitive in order to move 1 small step forward.”
“The history is poor, the graphics are poor, the settings in the game are non-existent, the movement and how you control the game sucks big time.”
- atmosphere23 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dense tension and immersive sound design, effectively creating a creepy and claustrophobic environment that keeps players on edge. While the visuals and audio contribute significantly to the overall experience, some players find certain elements, like the flickering flashlight, frustrating rather than atmospheric. Overall, the atmosphere is described as terrifying and suspenseful, drawing comparisons to other horror titles while maintaining its unique intensity.
“The atmosphere and sound are very good; I never truly felt safe, and the unknown was always a factor. Hearing the metallic footsteps and thumping through the vents left me in constant suspense.”
“The atmosphere is dense with tension, and the metallic echoes in the corridors make every moment a test of courage.”
“The game offers a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere, with jump scares and stealth elements keeping players on edge.”
“It starts off very quickly putting you in the deepest pits of hell and the atmosphere is incredibly terrifying.”
- stability16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder the overall experience, with issues such as invisible animatronics, clipping through doors, and problematic AI behavior. While some players noted minor glitches that didn't detract from their enjoyment, the consensus is that the game's stability needs considerable improvement to fully realize its potential. Overall, the frequent technical issues lead to a frustrating gameplay experience rather than the intended thrill.
“The idea of this game is great, but it is so buggy that it's not even fun to play.”
“The game suffers from numerous glitches that detract from the overall experience.”
“Constant bugs and glitches, with the animatronics occasionally turning invisible or, during the final sequence, permanently blocking doors, forcing a load from the previous checkpoint to progress.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its intentionally poor voice acting, which many players find hilariously entertaining, despite some criticism of its replacement with less amusing performances. The plot is described as goofy and funny, contributing to the overall comedic experience, especially in the context of horror elements that blend jump scares with humor. While some players appreciate the humor, others feel it has diminished over time, leading to mixed reactions about its comedic value.
“Voice acting is atrociously funny.”
“The story and voice acting is hilariously goofy, the robots look great, and there's so many ways to approach gameplay!”
“Yo this was a super fun game and the jump scares are scary as well as hilarious!”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration during lengthy cutscenes and certain gameplay sections. While some acknowledge moments of fun, the overall sentiment leans towards the experience becoming boring and annoying over time.
“The game's checkpoint system, while helpful, sometimes places you before lengthy cutscenes, making repeated attempts tedious.”
“Repetitive and tedious sections.”
“It's okay, it's very tedious and not very fun; it just gets boring very easily!”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game effectively enhances the atmosphere, signaling danger and creating tension, particularly with its creepy undertones and sound effects. While the soundtrack and sound design received praise for their quality, some reviewers noted that the overall musical experience lacks depth and a compelling narrative. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, though it may not stand out as a highlight.
“Sound & music: (8/10) all the sound effects were done very well from the walking sound of both bishop and the animatronics.”
“The music signified the danger I was in and how exposed I was if I didn't pay attention.”
“Still, it would be nice to get an image of Bishop leaving the station with the animatronics watching him from inside, with creepy music playing and police sirens in the background.”
“As for positive things, the graphics and soundtrack are fine, and luckily it's not a long game.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to poor performance that detracts from the overall experience. While some players find the game acceptable despite these flaws, many express a strong need for improvements in both optimization and localization.
“Overall, the game is okay if you can handle terrible English and performance.”
“There are some optimization issues in various parts of the game.”
“Bad optimization, please fix.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the game has limited replayability, as there is little incentive to revisit it after completing the main objectives and collecting all the notes.
“There is little replay value once you complete the game and collect all the notes.”
“After finishing the game, I found no incentive to play through it again.”
“The lack of varied endings or choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”