Clea

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 117 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Clea Game Cover
Don’t let its children’s book aesthetic and promise of being “jump scare free” fool you. Clea is an effectively creepy survival horror game that requires plenty of patience and courage when you’d rather just run.
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Clea is a single-player Horror Action game with a splendid story, good gameplay, and pretty visuals. You play as Clea, trying to escape from the monster-infested Whitlock Mansion while outwitting the Chaos Servants and solving intricate puzzles. The game focuses on skill-based gameplay, with no jump scares, and offers a deep dive into the dark history of the Whitlock family through collectible memory orbs.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 117 reviews
story28 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • Clea features a captivating art style and atmosphere, enhancing the overall horror experience.
  • The game offers a unique blend of stealth and puzzle mechanics, requiring players to rely on sound cues to navigate and survive.
  • Multiple difficulty levels and endings provide significant replay value, making it engaging for both casual and hardcore players.
  • The limited save system can be frustrating, as players must manage their resources carefully and may need to replay sections if they run out of candles.
  • Some players found the initial gameplay confusing, with a lack of clear instructions on how to progress.
  • The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content and depth in the story.
  • story58 mentions

    The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing and well-structured narrative, complemented by strong voice acting and atmospheric elements. While many players appreciate the unique plot and multiple endings, some note the presence of plot holes and suggest that the initial sections could be more engaging. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay experience, encouraging exploration and replayability.

    • “This is a great horror game; it's very well done and keeps you interested in what happens. The story is very well done and the voice acting is really good as well.”
    • “The story is unique, enemy concepts are great, and the replay value is excellent as there are multiple difficulties and endings to behold.”
    • “There are multiple endings, and they all are interesting and well integrated into the story; they're never strange or out of place.”
    • “The story could use a little more oomph in the first section of the game.”
    • “I felt like there were some plot holes in the story or some things didn't make sense.”
    • “I hope the story can be expounded for more endings.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay of this 2D survival horror game is characterized by a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and stealth mechanics, requiring players to learn enemy patterns and utilize sound to navigate challenges. While the art style and atmosphere are highly praised, some players find the initial learning curve frustrating due to a lack of guidance on mechanics. Overall, the game offers a rewarding experience with multiple endings and varied enemy interactions, though certain sections can become tedious.

    • “Clea combines horror with stealth and puzzle gameplay.”
    • “Each enemy's mechanics are a tad bit different, so the gameplay doesn't get too repetitive. The art style is 10 out of 10.”
    • “Clea isn't the exception; it's a solid atmospheric horror game with an amazing art style. The mechanics are good (hide and seek/relying on sound to avoid a game over), requiring a lot of patience from you at times, but rewarding when beaten.”
    • “Gameplay is basically: save point, explore ahead, die, repeat, until you know how to run/survive the next section, then do a good run through that section and save at the next point.”
    • “It can be frustrating with the first sections of gameplay not knowing exactly what is going on, and not being taught directly on how to play.”
    • “I do like the atmosphere, music, and art, but I shouldn't have to spend an hour just figuring out the mechanics of how to play the game.”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique hand-drawn art style and atmospheric design, which effectively complement the horror elements and storytelling. Many players appreciate the game's visual appeal, likening it to other successful titles in the genre, while also noting that the graphics enhance the overall gameplay experience. However, some minor issues, such as sound synchronization, have been mentioned, but they do not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the visuals.

    • “What I like in this game are the art style, atmosphere, storytelling, and the characters.”
    • “As someone who loves a good, original concept for the horror genre and an adorable art style to go with it, this game really hits all of my standards.”
    • “Absolutely loved this game - the hand-drawn graphics, the ambience, the story, the puzzles, and 'certain keys' unlocking essentially a side quest/story.”
    • “The graphics and sounds of the kid's footsteps are also out of sync.”
    • “Don’t let its children’s book aesthetic and promise of being 'jump scare free' fool you.”
    • “Since I don't want to go on forever writing (even if I'd like to, I love Clea), I will talk just a little about graphics and sound.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its excellent art style, fitting music, and immersive storytelling, contributing to a spooky and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create tension and fear, with mechanics that enhance the atmospheric horror, although some express frustration with the learning curve. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound, and narrative effectively captivates players, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The atmosphere in this game is excellent!”
    • “Clea isn't the exception; it's a solid atmospheric horror game with an amazing art style. The mechanics are good (hide and seek/relying on sound to avoid a game over), requiring a lot of patience from you at times, but rewarding when beaten.”
    • “Rich story, very atmospheric, and good scares. 9.5/10”
    • “I do like the atmosphere, music, and art, but I shouldn't have to spend an hour just figuring out the mechanics of how to play the game.”
    • “Atmosphere and music are pretty fitting, but the overall experience is hindered by other issues.”
    • “The atmosphere is intriguing, but it feels overshadowed by the lack of clear gameplay mechanics.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to create a fitting and creepy atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience. While the soundtrack is described as interesting, some reviewers note that it lacks variety, yet the individual tracks effectively contribute to the game's ambiance. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and art design is highlighted as a strong point, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics.

    • “The soundtrack and the enemy designs are creepy, especially that chaos clea thing that appears in the hallucinations and on the game over screen. The characters are enjoyable, the voice acting is great, and the ambiance is also creepy.”
    • “Subtle but nice music.”
    • “Atmosphere and music are pretty fitting; controls are smooth.”
    • “This game is splendid and it refers to mechanics (to every enemy you have to find a way to outsmart them), music (unfortunately the list is not very rich, but separate of them can create a very good atmosphere).”
    • “The soundtrack and the enemy designs are creepy, especially that chaos clea thing that appears in the hallucinations and on the game over screen, the characters are enjoyable, the voice acting is great, the ambiance is also creepy.”
    • “I do like the atmosphere, music and art, but I shouldn't have to spend an hour just figuring out the mechanics of how to play the game.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    The game offers solid replayability through various difficulty options, multiple endings, and unlockable costumes, appealing particularly to completionists. While it is linear and relatively short, the inclusion of different game modes and bonus areas enhances the overall replay value. Players can enjoy a unique story and engaging enemy concepts, making it a worthwhile investment.

    • “The game has multiple endings, unlockable costumes, different modes and difficulties, which all add to the replay value!”
    • “The story is unique, enemy concepts are great and the replay value (if you're a completionist that likes to hold onto those sweet, sweet achievements) is great as there are multiple difficulties and endings to behold.”
    • “The game is linear (with some bonus areas to find) and short, but you have many difficulty options and game modes to add some replay value.”
    • “The game is linear and short, but you have many difficulty options and game modes to add some replay value.”
    • “The game has multiple endings, unlockable costumes, different modes, and difficulties, which all add to the replay value!”
    • “Buy the game, it's cheap and worth the money, replay value is given and inner panic is inevitable.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Players express strong appreciation for the character designs and voice acting, highlighting their emotional connection to the characters. However, some users wish for a longer game to further explore character development. Overall, the character design and voice acting significantly enhance the gaming experience.

    • “I'm super in love with the character designs and the voice acting is great as well; although I wish the game were slightly longer, it was worth everything I paid for.”
    • “But then, all of a sudden, the character designer who worked with Invertmouse on his previous projects came back.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game exhibits some stability issues, including occasional visual glitches and slow running speeds. Additionally, players have reported a frustrating bug where monsters can camp hiding spots, necessitating the use of an item to reset their behavior. Overall, while the controls are generally acceptable, these stability concerns detract from the experience.

    • “The controls aren't too bad and the game looks pretty good too, but running can feel kind of slow at times. There are sometimes visual glitches (like a character poking out of a closet) and a bug where the monsters camp your hiding spot, which forces you to use an arcane candle to hopefully 'reset' them.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players appreciate the variety in enemy mechanics, which helps prevent grinding from becoming too repetitive; however, some encounters, particularly with specific bosses, can feel tedious. Overall, the game's art style is highly praised, adding to the overall experience.

    • “The grinding can become tedious, especially when facing certain enemies like Clea's mom and little brother, despite the varied mechanics.”
    • “While the enemy mechanics are somewhat diverse, the grinding aspect can feel repetitive and tiresome over time.”
    • “The gameplay offers some variety, but the grinding ultimately leads to a sense of monotony, particularly against specific foes.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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