Cosmodread

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A VR survival horror roguelike. Trapped in a dying spaceship filled with horrors, you must explore, survive, and find your way back to the safety of Earth. Cosmodread features a rich, tense and immersive atmosphere that will make you forget about the world outside the headset.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 283 reviews

gameplay33 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Superb sound and lighting create a thick horror atmosphere.
Replayability is high due to procedural generation and unlockable modifiers.
The game provides a decent challenge while being forgiving with death and failed runs.

Some enemy models look goofy and detract from the horror experience.
Physics interactions can be clunky, making item grabbing frustrating.
The character movement is slow, which can hinder gameplay and immersion.

gameplay
71 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Cosmodread is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and a tense atmosphere, with players enjoying the exploration and resource management elements. While some find the shooting mechanics clunky and the overall gameplay simple, many appreciate the addictive loop and the challenge of learning enemy behaviors and game mechanics through repeated runs. However, concerns about repetitiveness and the balance of difficulty suggest that while the game is fun and immersive, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
- “The room exploration mechanics are very cool and add a lot to the tension of the game.”
- “However, the most pleasantly surprising aspect of Cosmodread is the genuinely fun gameplay loop at the core of the game.”
- “Cosmodread is a fantastic rogue-lite with a simple but engaging gameplay loop.”
- “The biggest downside of this game is that after each session, you get used to the atmosphere and mechanics, making the game a bit repetitive and less scary.”
- “I didn't find the combat exciting; I wasn't impressed much by the game mechanics, and I was just sort of dissatisfied.”
- “There's also this pointless 'oxygen' mechanic in this game where you're constantly losing oxygen and you need to search the place for oxygen tanks or you will die. I mean, I understand that the point in it was to prevent the player from slacking off, but even still, it's not like I would get anything done without doing anything anyway, so it's pretty much pointless; it just adds a bunch of unnecessary tension.”
atmosphere
55 mentions
58 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its superb sound design and immersive lighting, creating a thick sense of horror and tension throughout. While some players noted that enemy designs could detract from the overall fear factor, the combination of ambient sounds and environmental storytelling effectively keeps players on edge. Despite some graphical limitations, the atmosphere is described as terrifying and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The atmosphere is just perfect, you'll be on edge the whole time, you'll hear groans and gurgles, strange thumps, odd computer sounds -- is that just a computer making computer noises or was that a security drone?”
- “Genuinely one of the most atmospheric horror games I've ever had the experience of playing.”
- “The atmosphere, visual and sound design are all fantastic - though a minor gripe is that you can hear enemies through walls as if the wall wasn't there.”
- “The graphics look like a mobile game; however, the ambiance and the sound design create a terrifying atmosphere.”
- “The biggest downside of this game is that after each session, you get used to the atmosphere and mechanics, making the game a bit repetitive and less scary.”
- “Not the best looking game by any stretch of the imagination, but the atmosphere created by the sound design is really good; the creaking, banging, groaning, and moaning noises had me constantly looking around in a panic, thinking I was about to become some grotesque monstrosity's lunch.”
story
30 mentions
17 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story, set aboard a malfunctioning ship, is conveyed through audio logs and collectibles, creating an intriguing atmosphere reminiscent of titles like Dead Space. While players appreciate the depth and replayability offered by the lore, many express a desire for a more expansive narrative and greater continuity beyond the limited missions. Overall, the storytelling is engaging but could benefit from further development to enhance player investment.
- “The story is interesting, but it is a pity that you cannot discover everything in a simple run; you must keep playing to unlock all the objects and lore bits of the game.”
- “The plot given through audio logs was unexpectedly good.”
- “There's plenty of replayability on account of it being a rogue-like, and the story is intriguing enough on its own to warrant repeat playthroughs to find out just what happened on this ship.”
- “The story is told in brief audio recordings and texts that you can find littered around the ship.”
- “Story is pretty standard fare, and it's aggravating to find a disk hoping it will contain a blueprint, only for it to contain lore text that frankly, you're not gonna care about much.”
- “The plot is similar to Dead Space in that you are stuck on a ship crawling with monsters, with limited ammo and resources, and one ultimate objective of getting back home.”
replayability
24 mentions
42 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its rogue-like elements, procedural environments, and unlockable modifiers that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players desire more enemy variety and objectives to enhance replay value, many find the intriguing story and gameplay mechanics sufficient to keep them engaged. The combination of random map layouts and difficulty tweaks further solidifies its potential for extended play.
- “Great game, unique, high replayability and with great potential.”
- “There's plenty of replayability on account of it being a rogue-like, and the story is intriguing enough on its own to warrant repeat playthroughs to find out just what happened on this ship.”
- “One of the best survival horror games on any platform in years, and very replayable with its procedural environments and modifiers.”
- “In my opinion, this could have used way more variations (that only occur in some runs) for more replayability, since right now it feels like there are only about 6 enemy types, and nearly all of them are 'shoot first, ask questions later' and equally go down. Some weapons are just outright better than anything else (looking at you, crossbow), while the pistol felt really awkward to use due to its massive chamber, which didn't feel as effective as the crossbow.”
- “Replayability/continued engagement is questionable—there are plentiful gameplay elements and mechanics to keep one engaged for several hours a few times, but this probably isn't something you'll play for 100 hours+.”
- “I feel like if there were more objectives to the game, it would become a lot more replayable, especially because the main objective seems to be the only focus.”
graphics
21 mentions
29 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as serviceable but not groundbreaking, with some users noting a low-poly aesthetic reminiscent of mobile games. While they may not impress in comparison to AAA titles, the visuals effectively contribute to the game's eerie atmosphere, enhanced by good lighting and sound design. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate for immersing players in the experience, despite some criticisms of their quality and creativity.
- “The graphics are maybe not next-gen, but they serve their purpose very well and immerse you into the experience.”
- “Graphics are pretty good on PC, really fit the atmosphere with great lighting and particle effects.”
- “The game starts off really good, the graphics, sounds, and feeling of being alone on an alien infestation ship is perfect.”
- “Maybe time hasn't been too kind on the graphics.”
- “The graphics won't blow you away, but they get the job done.”
- “As for graphics, the screenshots on the store page had me a bit concerned.”
music
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its ambient and spooky qualities, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and tension. However, some players criticize the repetitive nature of the music during encounters, which diminishes the element of surprise and impacts the effectiveness of jump scares. Despite these issues, the sound design contributes significantly to the game's terrifying ambiance and immersive experience.
- “Very good ambient music and sounds - very spooky.”
- “The atmosphere is incredible, and its great music and overall design brings much to the table.”
- “Even after completing the game, you'll be on edge all the time thanks to the terrifying atmosphere and excellent sound/music.”
- “The sound is pretty creepy and fitting, but sometimes you can hear the cut in/out of the sound effects and music.”
- “The fact that the same scary music plays every time I enter a room with an opponent means that I will almost never be surprised, and anyone who’s played a horror video game knows how important jumpscares are for paying off built-up tension.”
- “There is a questionable musical cue when monsters appear, and I think that could do with being optional.”
stability
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with minimal bugs, others encounter frustrating glitches, particularly when using certain mechanics or when alt-tabbing. Despite these issues, many find the game runs well, especially in VR, with good performance at high settings.
- “It runs great too, better than 90% of VR games in my experience.”
- “Runs great at 120Hz at 140% supersampling.”
- “It's buggy in its current state as of the time of writing this, but fortunately what I've experienced is purely visual and hasn't broken the game for me.”
- “Frustratingly buggy on Rift S initially.”
- “Using a syringe is buggy; I think you have to drive it into your hand and not just bring it in from the side.”
optimization
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized for VR, delivering smooth performance, impressive visuals, and responsive controls. Users report flawless performance on various setups, indicating that it runs exceptionally well even on less demanding hardware. Overall, the optimization is praised as fantastic, making for an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “As a VR game, it runs smoothly, looks great, and controls well.”
- “The game itself is highly optimized for VR.”
- “Note: played it on a Rift S with a Ryzen 5 3600 + RX 590 + 16GB RAM - flawless performance, very well optimized (I do tend to have minor issues with other VR games).”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often involving repetitive actions that can take multiple attempts to succeed, leading to a sense of annoyance and fatigue. The AI's ability to prolong these tasks adds to the overall feeling of being worn down.
- “Very boring and tedious.”
- “Like I'll pull open a door 5-10 times and it works the 10th time, or picking up an object with other objects around it can be very tedious.”
- “It is actually unnerving just how good the AI is at grinding you down.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its jump scares, which some players find amusing despite their predictability over time. Additionally, the original title "Cosmophobia" adds a layer of irony, as the game evokes comparisons to other horror titles like "Phasmophobia" and "Amnesia: The Dark Descent."
- “The game apparently was originally called Cosmophobia, which is funny because it feels like Phasmophobia combined with Amnesia: The Dark Descent on the USG Ishimura.”
- “This gave me a couple of jump scares for sure, which I find hilarious since the only game that has ever freaked me out was Subnautica. The jump scares wore off after a while as they became predictable, and I was able to time them with the lighting.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of disappointment and betrayal, indicating that the game's design choices detracted from their emotional investment and overall enjoyment.