Chordosis
- September 15, 2023
- AdamDubiGames
Get on Steam"Chordosis" is a cosmic survival sci-fi horror game set in the small, remote Hungarian village of Dunahont. Take on the role of Sadie, searching for her missing twin sister while being ignored by authorities. Solve physics-based puzzles, manage your inventory, and survive encounters with otherworldly creatures to uncover the truth behind the overwhelming number of alien abductions in the area.
PC
Reviews
- The game features a haunting atmosphere and impressive graphics, creating a genuinely creepy experience.
- Puzzles are engaging and provide a satisfying challenge, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- The developer's personal story adds depth to the narrative, making the game emotionally impactful.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including frequent crashes and game-breaking bugs that hinder progress.
- There is a lack of clear direction, leading to frustrating backtracking and confusion about objectives.
- The story feels disjointed at times, with two competing narratives that do not cohesively connect.
- atmosphere36 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie, oppressive quality, enhanced by unsettling visuals and haunting sound design that effectively create a chilling experience. While many players appreciate the intense and immersive atmosphere, some note that it can become overwhelming or diminish due to linear gameplay and repetitive puzzles. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a key strength, drawing players into a deeply unsettling and emotionally resonant horror experience.
“The game's masterful blend of unsettling visuals and haunting sound design crafts an atmosphere that's genuinely chilling.”
“I'm blown away by how intensely dreadful and amazingly crafted the atmosphere and the scares are.”
“What a beautifully crafted horror game and a very creative and atmospheric way of telling this story.”
“At this point of the game, I just wanted it to be over; I had no thrill, no appreciation for the atmosphere nor the ending.”
“Unfortunately, the game falls short with puzzles back to back and problem after problem; by the end, the atmosphere and sense of horror were starting to wear off.”
“The atmosphere initially is strong but it loses itself before even the midpoint.”
- story36 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it hard to follow and lacking coherence, particularly between the personal narrative and the sci-fi elements. While some appreciate the emotional depth and relatability of the themes, particularly regarding child abuse, others feel that the upfront revelation of these themes diminishes the mystery and impact. Overall, the storytelling is seen as fragmented, with a disconnect between the main narrative and the environmental lore, leaving players divided on its effectiveness.
“The story hits hard the idea of being a stranger in your own home.”
“What a beautifully crafted horror game and a very creative and atmospheric way of telling this story.”
“This is a phenomenal terrifying game that gives you just a small percent experience of what the real person behind this story (and many others) have experienced.”
“The story was lacking, and a good amount of the puzzles made zero sense.”
“The dissonance between the two cuts a wedge between both and compounds against the gameplay and other parts of the story.”
“Barely any story exists, and what is there feels like two completely distinct stories, and neither really does much to emphasize child abuse.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and atmospheric design, effectively blending unsettling visuals with a haunting soundscape to create a chilling experience. Players appreciate the distinct and visually striking environments, particularly the industrial sci-fi and steampunk aesthetics, which enhance the narrative and emotional depth. However, some users noted issues with optimization that affected performance, despite the overall high quality of the graphics.
“The game's masterful blend of unsettling visuals and haunting sound design crafts an atmosphere that's genuinely chilling.”
“The visuals are fantastic, I love the industrial sci-fi setting, and every room and hallway is distinct and visually striking.”
“Very steampunk/apocalyptic future aesthetic, composition within every turn was really pretty to look at, the colors, the architecture; again the visuals make the game so much more real and emotional.”
“The graphics were sharp, especially in the 'underground base'.”
“I've been streaming it on Twitch for a few days and I was genuinely very impressed with the atmosphere and horror aspects of the game, but the optimization is pretty bad. Even with all my graphics settings at minimum, I am unfortunately unable to finish the game.”
“As people tend to favor meme horror games, instant jumpscares, and the usual PS1 graphics and aesthetics for the lazy nostalgia factor.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a lack of bugs and crashes, but it suffers from linearity and a lack of engaging mechanics, leading to a sense of boredom rather than tension. While the atmospheric elements and narrative have potential, they are undermined by frustrating objectives and a slow pace that detracts from the overall experience. Players may find some enjoyment in puzzle-solving, but the gameplay ultimately fails to deliver a compelling survival horror experience.
“In terms of gameplay, no bugs, no crashes.”
“It seeks to establish itself with atmospheric locations, puzzles, survival horror gameplay, and an autobiographical narrative that unfolds.”
“I came across a playthrough of an early build of the game done by the YouTuber John Wolfe and was instantly drawn to the Amnesia-esque gameplay.”
“Survival horror gameplay is neither truly survival based nor particularly horrifying.”
“While the atmosphere in sight and sound works overtime to intimidate and horrify the player, the gameplay itself is so linear, straight-jacket, and blunt as to numb the participant to any sharp incisions it would otherwise make.”
“I would also note that the gameplay had me annoyed while I played it as I was constantly asking myself 'where am I going and why am I doing this?' and near the end I was just trying to finish it to be done with it.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its unsettling and emotionally charged atmosphere, effectively conveying themes of emotional abuse and personal reflection. Reviewers highlight the impactful ending and the game's unique ability to evoke deep feelings, making it stand out in the horror genre. The combination of a visually striking steampunk aesthetic and a compelling narrative enhances its emotional depth, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“Wow, what a hidden gem; truly unsettling and even emotional horror game.”
“The ending was decent as well, maybe a bit overt, but it was actually quite emotional and very unlike most horror game endings I've come across.”
“The whole atmosphere is very creepy and also heartbreaking, knowing that he is reflecting on his own experiences.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including frequent crashes and bugs, even at minimum graphics settings. While some users found the performance tolerable and appreciated the game's atmosphere, others were frustrated enough to consider not playing future titles from the developer.
“Performance was good.”
“The performance does buckle quite a bit, but for me the optimization wasn't that huge of an issue.”
“The frustrations I have had with this game are a huge turn-off for me, and although Chordosis was great, I don't think I'm going to give any other games of his a shot because even in Chordosis there were bugs galore and performance issues in spots.”
“I've been streaming it on Twitch for a few days and I was genuinely very impressed with the atmosphere and horror aspects of the game, but the optimization is pretty bad, even with all my graphics at minimum, and unfortunately, I am unable to finish the game.”
“I had multiple crashes, maybe around 10 or so. The performance isn't great, but that's not that big of a deal. I would have preferred to have a real story, and then the puzzles... those can be quite hard. I mean, most of those are just find item X and use it at location Y, but the levels are quite big and non-linear.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant issue for many players, with reports of frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder the overall experience. While some users experienced hard crashes and frame rate drops, others noted that they encountered fewer game-breaking issues, suggesting a mixed experience regarding stability.
“I have played this game for 7 hours total over two solid attempts (chapter 4 in my second attempt), but I can't get past the bugs, glitches, frustrations, and crashes. I wish I hadn't even tried to play this game.”
“I did, however, have 3 hard crashes which obviously are a buzzkill, and early on I experienced some FPS drops. I didn't encounter any game-breaking glitches I noticed all over the forums; maybe I got lucky.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is minimalistic, often enhancing the atmosphere through subtlety rather than loud, traditional horror soundtracks, which some players find more effective in creating tension and fear than typical jumpscare-heavy games.
“The music perfectly sets the mood, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.”
“Each track is beautifully composed, making the gameplay experience even more immersive.”
“The soundtrack is so catchy that I find myself humming it long after I've stopped playing.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short while.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
“The audio mixing is poor; the music often drowns out important sound effects, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
