Curse
- August 31, 2016
- Stormlord Games
"CURSE is a single-player Horror Shooter game with an intriguing story and spectacular graphics. Navigate the haunted Atherton Manor in a 3D world, battling hostile ghosts with your flashlight in icon-driven point-and-click gameplay. Uncover the secrets hidden in the manor's shadows through immersive story-driven gameplay with rich characters and unexpected twists."
Reviews
- The game effectively creates a spooky atmosphere with good audio design and graphics, making it a solid choice for horror fans.
- The story is engaging and features interesting notes and effects that enhance the gameplay experience.
- The unique flashlight mechanic adds tension during ghost encounters, providing a mix of point-and-click adventure with real-time action.
- The gameplay is overly linear, with limited exploration and many instances where players are forced to click through predetermined paths, reducing the sense of agency.
- Puzzle mechanics can feel tedious and repetitive, often requiring players to find keys to unlock other keys, which can be frustrating.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with slow movement and some encounters feeling luck-based, leading to potential frustration during gameplay.
- story26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, praised for its intriguing narrative and atmospheric writing, with many players appreciating the depth provided by journals and investigative elements. While some found the plot to be cliched or slow at times, the overall experience is enhanced by engaging storytelling and a rich horror atmosphere, making it appealing for those who enjoy narrative-driven gameplay. However, a few critiques mention issues with pacing and plot contrivances, suggesting that while the story captivates, it may not be without its flaws.
“I really enjoyed the story and appreciated all of the journals, even if they seemed to have been written at the moment of death for some of the people.”
“The story is also fascinating in that you uncover in the beginning that a paranormal investigation team had been dispatched to the same estate in the recent past, but their disappearance became an unsolved mystery.”
“There is a lot of text and story to this game, so if you enjoy reading while residing in a rich horror atmosphere, then you are going to love this game.”
“Slow, boring, incredibly stupid plot contrivances, and full of typos.”
“There are moments where you have a bit of agency as to what order you investigate things in, but beyond that, the tightly-constructed plot pretty much leads you where it wants you to go, and decides in what order you open what door or investigate which piece of furniture.”
“There's a lot more hinted in the story that happens and I was just hoping to see a little more.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design that enhance the horror experience. While some players note issues with repetitive animations and execution, the overall consensus highlights impressive graphics for an indie title, contributing to a creepy and engaging atmosphere.
“The visuals and the artwork are absolutely stunning.”
“The graphics are excellently creepy; dark enough to give that scary atmosphere with colors like red and dark umber saturating the scenes, but light enough that you can see what the heck is happening... most of the time ;).”
“The graphics are amazing, the animation is silky smooth and the audio is chilling to the bone.”
“Graphics aren't great - the ghost models up close all doing the same silly attack animation breaks the spookiness.”
“Game seems to require more graphics card memory than I have in my integrated video card.”
“The graphics were impressive for an indie developer.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its effective horror elements, combining creepy graphics and well-timed jump scares to create an immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to balance tension with humor, making it memorable, especially for fans of horror narratives. Overall, the rich storytelling and visual design contribute to a solid and engaging atmosphere, perfect for a Halloween-themed experience.
“I love the atmosphere and the story.”
“The graphics are excellently creepy; dark enough to give that scary atmosphere with colors like red and dark umber saturating the scenes, but light enough that you can see what the heck is happening..most of the time ;).”
“Overall, this game was impressive and unlike many horror indie games, nailed the horror atmosphere.”
“The graphics are excellently creepy; dark enough to give that scary atmosphere with colors like red and dark umber saturating the scenes, but light enough that you can see what the heck is happening most of the time.”
“- atmosphere is pretty alright.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Curse is a point-and-click adventure that features a unique "running away" mechanic from ghouls, but it ultimately feels linear and simplistic, relying heavily on trial and error to evade enemies. While the flashlight mechanic adds some tension, the repetitive nature of navigating rooms and the lack of engaging puzzles detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of frustration rather than challenge. Players seeking depth and complexity may find the gameplay lacking, as it leans more towards a streamlined haunted house experience than a robust adventure.
“Curse is a point-and-click adventure that incorporates a mechanic of 'running away' from a handful of spooky ghouls.”
“I went into it expecting it to be a straightforward, 'keep-your-arms-in-the-ride-at-all-times' haunted house experience, and I definitely received that.”
“- Unique use of flashlight mechanic (though not the first game to suggest flashlights can harm entities).”
“I don't mind streamlined (read: dumbed-down) mechanics of old-school 'adventure' / point-and-click games being presented in a somewhat linear fashion, but can I at least be forced to solve one puzzle outside of 'find the key / read the note in the room'?”
“However, the 'return to the start of the room' mechanic every time you begin to investigate a room gets very old, very quick, and really pads the play time out with just scene after scene of your character walking to a shelf, then back to the entrance, walk to a bookcase, then back to the entrance, etc.”
“Puzzle mechanics seem a bit shite.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's music effectively enhances the horror experience, featuring a mix of tense violins and melancholic melodies that resonate well with the game's atmosphere. However, some players have noted issues with audio levels, suggesting that certain sounds are difficult to hear even at maximum volume, indicating a need for potential updates from the developers. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its quality and contribution to the game's eerie ambiance.
“The soundtrack to the game was great, but the audio in the game was off and should be updated because even with my volume all the way up, I couldn't hear some of the noises or sounds as much, which I think has to do with the game... not so much your sound system.”
“Other than that, the sounds and music really helped drive this game throughout.”
“From tense violins to sad music while investigating a child's toybox, you'll notice the music is really nice.”
“The music is creepy.”
“(Remember to turn up your volume, guys... pending the developer issues a patch) other than that, the sounds and music really helped drive this game throughout.”
“From tense violins to sad music while investigating a child's toybox, you'll notice the music is really nice...”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that certain puzzles and combat mechanics can lead to frustration or a lack of challenge, making the overall experience feel uneven.
“The game had one puzzle I found especially tedious.”
“The movement is a bit tedious, and the combat can be super easy or frustrating.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mix of feelings, ranging from frustration at perceived condescension to genuine attachment and distress during intense moments. While the first half effectively creates a deep emotional connection with the haunting narrative, the latter half introduces humor that lightens the mood, showcasing a blend of horror and levity.
“The second half has some silly skeletons under a sheet that made me giggle and yell 'spoopy', while the first half of the game made me feel very upset and emotionally attached to a ghost trying to rip my face off.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its dark and ironic moments, particularly in how characters comically prioritize mundane tasks even in life-threatening situations, creating a blend of tension and absurdity.
“I found it hilarious how many people had written notes so close to death that it was like they'd asked the killer to just wait a second while they finished up.”
“The game's humor is spot on, with clever dialogue and absurd situations that had me laughing out loud.”
“I love how the characters have such quirky personalities, making even the most serious moments feel lighthearted and funny.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development of Mary and Eve is praised for its appealing design, suggesting that their visual representation contributes positively to the overall character experience.
“The character design for Mary and Eve is quite impressive.”
“The depth of character development really enhances the overall experience.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic.”