CAYNE
- January 24, 2017
- THE BROTHERHOOD
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamCAYNE 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.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- CAYNE offers a compelling story with a unique protagonist, Hadley, who adds depth to the narrative.
- The game features impressive graphics and sound design, enhancing the overall atmosphere and horror elements.
- As a free game, it provides a satisfying experience with challenging puzzles that encourage critical thinking.
- Some puzzles are illogical or require trial and error, leading to frustration and potential reliance on walkthroughs.
- The pacing can feel slow due to backtracking and the protagonist's sluggish movement, which detracts from the urgency of the gameplay.
- The dialogue and character interactions can be hit or miss, with some lines feeling out of place or overly comedic in a horror context.
- story250 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative 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 the game’s short length and some confusing elements. Overall, it is seen as a compelling experience, particularly for fans of the genre, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its disturbing content and pacing issues.
“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 game's main story, while somewhat predictable, is nicely told and deeply enriched by the side stories within the game.”
“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 crap, I stopped reading them after the first few.”
- graphics90 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the impressive art style, atmospheric visuals, and high-quality animations, particularly in cinematic cutscenes. While some noted that certain effects like particle animations were average, the overall aesthetic—characterized by a blend of body horror and sci-fi elements—was described as captivating and fitting for the genre. Additionally, the transition to 3D graphics was highlighted as a significant improvement, especially in comparison to previous titles like Stasis.
“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.”
“It's as high-quality as Stasis, with great voice acting, lovely (creepy) graphics, and a well-written sci-fi horror story.”
“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.”
“- new graphics engine...the game just looks too clean compared to Stasis.”
- atmosphere72 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its grim, immersive quality, with many reviewers highlighting its eerie sound design and captivating visuals 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 atmosphere are considered its strongest features, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
“Cayne offers some great atmosphere and great graphics with sound design which is top notch.”
“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.”
“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 protagonist ruins the entire atmosphere of the game.”
“A main character who breaks the atmosphere every five seconds with annoying jokes, memes, and quips.”
“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!”
- gameplay54 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its slow pace and tedious puzzles that often lack logic, leading to a sense of frustration. While some appreciate the nostalgic mechanics reminiscent of classic games like Fallout, others criticize it for showcasing outdated adventure game elements. Despite these drawbacks, a few players found enjoyment in 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.”
“This game showcases all of the bad gameplay mechanics the adventure game genre left behind years ago.”
“Just no... very promising graphics and story however, all is ruined by the tortured gameplay... a waste of download...”
- humor22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as dark and often inappropriate, with the protagonist's jokes feeling out of place and detracting from the horror atmosphere. While some moments are noted as hilariously twisted, many players feel that the humor undermines the tension and realism of the character's situation, leading to a disconnection from the intended scare factor. Overall, the humor is a divisive element that can either enhance or detract from the experience, depending on the player's perspective.
“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.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players found the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to slow walking speeds and repetitive backtracking, which detracted from the overall experience. While some appreciated the engaging story and mechanics, others felt that the puzzles and the need for constant item retrieval made the gameplay feel monotonous. Overall, those averse to tedious tasks may want to reconsider.
“Some backtracking while walking was a little tedious because of the protagonist's walking speed, which was the biggest pitfall.”
“Running back and forth was tedious enough when I did have 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.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative 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 moments feature scary music, it tends to fade quickly, leading to a lack of sustained tension. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting, is praised as remarkable for its category.
“The music is more than competent and absolutely underscores and emphasizes the feelings of dread and horror in the game.”
“Music, sound, and voice acting are amazing for a free game.”
“There was some scary music at points, but it always faded away quickly, and there was just no pressure on me to do anything.”
“There was some scary music at points, but it always petered away quickly, and there was just no pressure on me to do anything.”
“The music 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, I've probably learned to suspend belief relatively easily.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches and black screens that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the atmosphere and story, the technical issues significantly undermine the 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, and this game has none of these qualities.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has minimal replayability, primarily appealing to players seeking to unlock obscure achievements, which may require a walkthrough. However, many reviewers consider this a minor drawback given the game's free status and overall quality.
“Replay value is nil; however, unless you are going for achievements that are not obvious, I would just 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.”
