CAYNE

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 214 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
CAYNE Game Cover
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CAYNE is a free, single-player horror point-and-click game with an amazing story and graphics. Players help Hadley, the expecting protagonist, escape from a mysterious facility and uncover the truth about her baby. The game boasts isometric backgrounds, 3D animated characters, quality FMV, and intuitive puzzles, making for a gritty and immersive experience.

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Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 214 reviews
story57 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • CAYNE offers a compelling and dark atmosphere with impressive graphics and sound design, making it a visually engaging experience.
  • The game features interesting lore and character development, particularly through the use of PDAs that enhance the storytelling.
  • As a free game, it provides a solid adventure experience with challenging puzzles that encourage critical thinking.
  • The puzzles can be unintuitive and frustrating, often requiring trial and error without clear guidance, which may lead to player confusion.
  • The protagonist's dialogue can break immersion with inappropriate humor, detracting from the horror atmosphere.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with slow character movement and excessive backtracking that can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
  • story125 mentions

    The story of "Cayne" is a dark and intriguing sci-fi horror narrative that explores themes of family and parenthood, enriched by well-crafted environments and strong voice acting. While some players found the plot predictable and the dialogue occasionally cringeworthy, many appreciated the depth provided by side stories and lore, despite some confusion and pacing issues. Overall, the game is noted for its atmospheric storytelling, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its graphic content and linear structure.

    • “Well to start, like with Stasis, the story to this game is really fantastic. It talks about family and what it means to be a parent.”
    • “The story here is way better than Stasis interestingly enough: having to address the subject matter in a shorter time span forced them to narrow the themes down quite a bit and get it to you in a quicker fashion, and they do it really well.”
    • “The atmosphere and story are both excellent, and it adds some extra depth to the Stasis universe - one which I'd love to see more from.”
    • “The story is barely coherent.”
    • “Now this game doesn't just suffer from inconsistent audio mixing and a terribly annoying twit of a main character, but its story is painfully dull or at least everything that was supposed to invest me just came out as meaningless drivel.”
    • “The only story elements you get are awful dialogue, the set pieces which are interesting but too strange, and the logs in people's PDAs which are so bloated with large sections of boring content that I stopped reading them after the first few.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many users praising the impressive art style, atmospheric visuals, and high-quality animations. The combination of twisted body horror elements and a sci-fi aesthetic creates a captivating experience, although some noted inconsistencies in audio mixing and average particle effects. While the graphics are generally considered excellent for a free game, opinions vary on the overall execution and coherence of the visual storytelling.

    • “The ever captivating isometric appearance has a well-designed art style fitting perfectly into the modern look of a classic and cherished genre.”
    • “Cayne offers some great atmosphere and great graphics with sound design which is top notch.”
    • “Graphically, the game looks pretty good, though the transition to 3D isn't fully realized until Bone Totem.”
    • “Just no... very promising graphics and story; however, all is ruined by the tortured gameplay... a waste of download.”
    • “Now, away from the bad mechanics, when I started this game up I was impressed with the graphics, but I then realized how weirdly inconsistent the audio mixing is.”
    • “The new graphics engine... the game just looks too clean compared to Stasis.”
  • atmosphere36 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its grim, eerie, and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the captivating artwork and sound design that enhance the psychological horror experience. However, some criticism arises from the protagonist's humor, which detracts from the overall tension and horror, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's atmospheric consistency. Overall, the game's aesthetic and atmospheric depth are considered its strongest features, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.

    • “Fantastic game, the atmosphere of the game is truly immense; it's beautiful in its own dystopic horror theme with its casual playstyle and rhetoric story mechanics making the game so beautiful to play.”
    • “Cayne offers some great atmosphere and great graphics with sound design which is top notch.”
    • “The atmosphere is eerie, although it could have had some more suspense and danger.”
    • “The protagonist ruins the entire atmosphere of the game.”
    • “However, that doesn't excuse that it's still advertised as a horror game and proceeds to take all horror out of it by having constant atmosphere-breaking things happen, mainly from Hadley herself!”
  • gameplay27 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it slow and tedious, particularly criticizing the illogical puzzles and lack of meaningful choices. While some appreciate the nostalgic mechanics reminiscent of classic adventure games, others feel that the overall experience is marred by sluggishness and frustrating gameplay elements. Despite these drawbacks, a few players enjoyed the story and atmosphere, suggesting that those who can overlook the gameplay issues may still find it intriguing.

    • “Didn’t expect anything when I downloaded this game, but it actually has a cool story and fun gameplay for a free game.”
    • “Fantastic game, the atmosphere of the game is truly immense, it's beautiful in its own dystopic horror theme with its casual playstyle and rhetoric story mechanics make the game so beautiful to play.”
    • “Another superb point & click game from the brotherhood, paid extra for the deluxe items and backed their Kickstarter without hesitation, their games just ooze with atmosphere and gameplay.”
    • “While there are puzzles and achievements, there isn't really much choice or actual gameplay.”
    • “If you're turned off by tedious puzzles and want actual choices in gameplay, then maybe it's not for you.”
    • “The gameplay is the worst part of the game easily.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as dark and often inappropriate, with some players finding it both cringeworthy and sadistic, leading to a disconnect from the horror atmosphere. While there are moments of genuine hilarity, particularly in absurd situations, the protagonist's unrealistic and flippant attitude undermines the tension and immersion, leaving some reviewers disappointed with the overall execution. Despite this, the game does offer a mix of humor and horror, appealing to those who appreciate a more twisted comedic approach.

    • “There's a lot of humor, which immediately took me out of the horror mood.”
    • “She just calmly goes about making jokes, having to keep herself from laughing at the man who lost his legs, and generally not giving a shit until the plot suddenly decides that she should.”
    • “There was one part in particular, in the 'sex god wannabe's' room that made me just stop and stare at the very, very, squicky and hilarious outcome to a puzzle solution.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to slow walking speeds and repetitive backtracking, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the engaging story and mechanics, those seeking more dynamic gameplay and less tedious puzzles may be disappointed.

    • “Some backtracking while walking was a little tedious due to the protagonist's slow walking speed.”
    • “Running back and forth was tedious enough even when I had all the items I needed.”
    • “If you're turned off by tedious puzzles and want actual choices in gameplay, then maybe it's not for you.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game is described as competent and effective in enhancing the feelings of dread and horror, particularly impressive for a free title. While some users noted moments of scary music, they felt it often faded too quickly, lacking a sense of urgency or pressure. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting, received positive remarks, contributing to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The music is more than competent and absolutely underscores and emphasizes the feelings of dread and horror in the game.”
    • “The music, sound, and voice acting are amazing for a free game.”
    • “The music adds a layer of atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience without overwhelming the gameplay.”
    • “There was some scary music at points, but it always petered away quickly, and there was just no pressure on me to do anything.”
    • “It doesn't necessarily knock you off your feet, but it is more than competent and it absolutely underscores and emphasizes the feelings of dread and horror in the game.”
    • “Never really something that's troubled me, but being that I personally have a background of working in musical theatre, where characters walk into a room and start singing for no reason, I've probably learned to suspend belief relatively easily.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for being plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the atmosphere and story, the technical issues, including black screens, significantly hinder enjoyment.

    • “I like the atmosphere and how the story is going, but it ruins the fun with bad puzzles and it's pretty buggy from many points of view.”
    • “Too many glitches and black screens.”
    • “I have no idea why it's free, but I expected something buggy, short, and unfinished; however, this game has none of these qualities.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has minimal replayability, primarily appealing to those seeking achievements that are not easily discovered, suggesting a walkthrough for the initial playthrough. However, many users consider the lack of replay value a minor drawback, especially given the game's quality and free access.

    • “Replay value is nil; however, unless you are going for achievements that are not obvious, I would suggest a walkthrough from the first playthrough.”
    • “The only negative is the lack of replay value, but for a free game of this quality, that is a non-issue.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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