ColdSide
- November 6, 2020
- AdroVGames
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"ColdSide" is a single-player Horror Adventure game developed with CryEngine V, featuring masterful graphics and a dense atmosphere. As a digger named Chris, explore an abandoned underground laboratory studying anomalous phenomena, with constant tension, atmospheric music, and ambient by Mikko Tarmia, influenced by the SCP Foundation.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and a well-executed atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
- It offers a mix of jump scares and tension, keeping players engaged throughout the gameplay.
- The game has replayability with multiple endings and collectibles, making it worth the price for a short horror experience.
- The story is often confusing and poorly executed, lacking depth and coherence.
- The save system is frustrating, as it only saves at the beginning of each level, leading to potential loss of progress.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with controls and unresponsive elements.
- story58 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it confusing, cliche, and poorly executed, often citing a lack of coherence and depth. While some appreciated the atmospheric elements and the potential for multiple endings, others criticized the narrative for being sparse and disjointed, making it difficult to engage with the plot. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the horror experience rather than a compelling narrative, leaving players divided on its effectiveness.
“The story is interesting, but both the narrative and endings are poorly executed.”
“I like the overall concept and story (I'm sure a few plot holes will be answered eventually, no spoilers). If you like a game that keeps the atmosphere tense with brilliant sound work and plenty of scares, this is definitely one to try out!”
“The story is a bit vague, but I think you're sent in to investigate a military/scientific research lab gone silent that was conducting experiments on anomalies and various alien objects for a rebel organization that is against the use of these objects.”
“The story is painfully mediocre and most scares are very predictable.”
“The plot is so generally incoherent, or at least inconsistent in its narrative focus, that you really can't get too attached to anything your character is doing.”
“The story is incredibly cliché and the dialogue is poorly written.”
- atmosphere34 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its excellent graphics, sound design, and ability to create a tense, creepy environment without relying heavily on jump scares. Reviewers appreciate the mysterious and immersive qualities, noting improvements from previous titles by the same developer, and highlight the effective use of lighting and music to enhance the overall experience. While some mention a confusing story and gameplay issues, the atmospheric elements remain a standout feature that many players find compelling and enjoyable.
“Atmosphere of this game is amazing and I can see a lot of improvement since the first game by the same developer.”
“Mysterious atmosphere while not being bombarded with jumpscares.”
“With the graphics and the music/sound effects, this game has an awesome atmosphere.”
“The earlier beginnings to the adventure did slow right and thanks to the monumental graphic power and at least some white-knuckle, straightforward (if unoriginal) horror set-pieces and thick atmosphere, the game did manage to hold my attention and make me appreciate the devs' efforts.”
“The lighting (sometimes lack thereof) adds so much tension and atmosphere to the game.”
“It would seem that the developers of this game did not need to use gore to make a spooky atmosphere for their little horror title.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting their excellence and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. Players noted the stunning visuals, impressive frame rates, and effective use of CryEngine, which contribute to a visually immersive experience. While some mentioned minor issues with post-processing effects and model quality, the consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, making the game visually appealing even on lower-end systems.
“The graphics on max were outstanding.”
“Graphically, this game is absolutely stunning.”
“With the graphics and the music/sound effects, this game has an awesome atmosphere.”
“Overall, I'm quite surprised by the difference between asset quality, graphics, and script/UI quality.”
“The graphics and lighting are decent, but the amount of post-processing effects are over the top, and the whole game feels like you are looking at it through some beefed-up filter.”
“Graphics are not realistic.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as slick and engaging, though it tends to be short and linear, resembling a horror-themed walking simulator. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and compelling story, others criticize the lack of depth and variety in gameplay mechanics, likening it to a tech demo rather than a fully realized game. Overall, it offers a decent experience for its price, but may not satisfy those seeking more substantial gameplay.
“Good graphics, an engaging gameplay where the horror elements do their job well; not too expensive and it's overall pretty impressive for a one-person indie developer.”
“Short amount of gameplay but compelling story.”
“While this game did not really scare me, it did keep me on my toes throughout the gameplay experience.”
“Gameplay didn't change much from the other games and still plays like a horror-themed walking sim.”
“The gameplay is non-existent.”
“With good lighting and atmosphere, but no actual gameplay, it feels more like a tech demo.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its dark ambient drone quality, effectively enhancing the atmospheric experience with a spooky yet immersive soundscape. Reviewers highlight the excellent audio and sound effects, which complement the game's graphics and narrative, creating a cohesive and engaging horror atmosphere without relying on cheap jump scares. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's unique ambiance.
“The music features nice dark ambient drone sounds that serve as an excellent soundtrack.”
“I found the music and sound effects to be exactly what was needed to keep the atmosphere at just the right levels of spooky.”
“With the graphics and the music/sound effects, this game has an awesome atmosphere.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, offering good graphics and performance that enhance the relaxing experience. Players appreciate the fair price-to-performance ratio, along with the effective sound and music that complement the game's atmosphere.
“The performance optimization is very good, and the sound and music are great, matching perfectly the plot and horror atmosphere.”
“Game has good graphics and good optimization.”
“Good for a relaxing afternoon; the price vs performance ratio is fair enough.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users experiencing bugs that can lead to game-breaking situations, such as going out of bounds or requiring level restarts. While controller functionality is generally stable, interactions with certain elements, like padlocks, can be inconsistent. Overall, the game is considered to be quite buggy.
“Hitting padlocks is finicky, but the game itself is not buggy with a controller.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a stable experience throughout.”
“I appreciate how the game maintains a consistent frame rate, making for a seamless gameplay experience.”
“The game is buggy.”
“Sometimes very buggy, requiring a level restart.”
“Still buggy; I went out of bounds after getting hit by a door through the wall.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability due to collectibles and miscellaneous achievements, though opinions vary, with some players finding it uninteresting while others consider it highly replayable.
“The game has some replayability involved, as there are collectibles within the levels and various achievements to unlock.”
“Also highly replayable.”
“Replayability is not interesting.”
“The game has some replayability involved, as there are collectibles within the levels, and some miscellaneous achievements as well.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a mix of humor that adds a lighthearted touch to its horror elements, with players noting amusing moments and goofy visuals that provide a welcome contrast to the tension. While some find the gameplay slightly dull, the humor enhances the overall experience, particularly in the alternate endings and the final level, which offers a fun departure from earlier gameplay.
“There's also a few segments that make me chuckle from how goofy it looks, but it's kind of nice to have that humor sprinkled in there.”
“This is a true turn your brain off and have fun horror game, look around and collect the little moon men for a funny alternate ending, or don't and experience the final level anyway, which is just a joy to play in because it's such a drastic change from the previous levels.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The lack of voice acting in the game detracts from the emotional impact of cut-scenes, resulting in awkward moments during what should be intense or heartfelt sequences.
