D1896

About

D1896 is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Arkhouse Telegraph and was released on November 15, 2019. It received neutral reviews from players.

"D1896" is a challenging single-player Horror Action game with striking black-and-white graphics and piano music, offering tough battles, intricate puzzles, and long dialogues, relying on simple controls and inspired by early horror films, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Alice in Wonderland. There are no colors, HP bars, RPG elements, extra weapons, items, or optional content, besides a secret boss.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

53%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that captures a vintage horror aesthetic.
The soundtrack is beautiful and complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
The narrative is intriguing and offers a creative tone, with elements of humor and philosophical themes woven throughout.

Gameplay is frustrating due to clunky controls, awkward attack mechanics, and unresponsive platforming, making it difficult to enjoy.
The game lacks intuitive design elements, such as the pause menu and control customization, which can lead to accidental progress loss.
Despite its artistic merits, the game is often described as unplayable and overly punishing, deterring casual gamers.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their outstanding aesthetic, featuring stunning gothic visuals reminiscent of silent films, with a unique black and white art style that incorporates various artistic influences. However, while the visuals are captivating, many reviewers feel that the gameplay does not match the quality of the graphics, leading to a disconnect between the game's beautiful design and its frustrating mechanics. Overall, the game's art style is considered a highlight, but it may not be enough to compensate for the gameplay experience.
- “A fun brutal ballbuster of a Castlevania wannabe game with stunning gothic silent film visuals with a celluloid filter that really feels like you're playing a game set in a silent film era.”
- “The aesthetic is gorgeous.”
- “Everything is in black and white with appropriate use of grayscale; there are several gothic variations when it comes to shapes and aesthetics in general; sometimes everything looks minimalistic, other times baroque, other times grossly organic, and yet there are also elements of classical art.”
- “Everything is in black and white with appropriate use of grayscale; there are several gothic variations when it comes to shapes and aesthetics in general. Sometimes everything looks minimalistic, other times baroque, and other times grossly organic, yet there are also elements of classical art.”
- “Aesthetic takes priority over gameplay, intentionally or not.”
- “This platformer is a little different (more linear), although it still has those psychedelic visuals and a twisted narrative that is similar to Mirage of Dragon.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay has been widely criticized for being clunky and frustrating, with issues such as broken hit boxes, awkward controls, and poor platforming mechanics. While the visuals are praised, many players feel that the gameplay detracts significantly from the overall experience, leading to disappointment and a sense of torment during play. Overall, the balance between aesthetics and gameplay is seen as heavily skewed, resulting in a frustrating experience for many.
- “Overall, I like the game for lots of things, but I'm highly disappointed that broken gameplay severely twisted my experience.”
- “However, make no mistake, the gameplay is extremely frustrating and not in a good way.”
- “Aesthetic takes priority over gameplay, intentionally or not.”
- “And unfortunately, gameplay is the weakest aspect here.”
- “But gameplay... oh boy... it's a torment.”
- “Your worst enemies here are: broken hit boxes, terrible platforming in general and clunky jumps in particular, weird and frustrating combat mechanics, awkward and unchangeable controls.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The story aspect of the game is described as intriguing yet cryptic, often leaving players with unanswered questions and open interpretations. While some reviews note that the narrative feels unpolished, others appreciate its artistic flair and integration with the game's vintage horror aesthetic. Overall, the story is delivered through NPC dialogue and complements the challenging gameplay, creating a unique experience that encourages exploration.
- “This is a pretty tough, albeit short game driven by strict platforming, difficult combat that requires precise timing and positioning, a challenging puzzle segment, and a story delivered via dialogue between NPCs.”
- “Nearly every level is 'that level', every boss is 'that boss', and even the story doesn't feel like it was proofread by the end.”
- “Very artsy story; many things are left unanswered, most are left open to interpretation.”
- “A game of vintage horror, with a heavy dose of unforgiving platforming, unusual story, and a style you won't soon forget.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its artistry and emotional resonance, with beautiful piano compositions and a fitting silent-film motif that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some reviewers find the music to be merely "okay," many highlight it as a standout feature that complements gameplay elements effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, despite mixed feelings about other aspects of the game.
- “Probably like most people here, I also grabbed the game for its visual aspects, style, music, and atmosphere.”
- “The music is incredible and the silent-film motif was done to perfection.”
- “Beautiful piano music, appropriate sound effects, everything is great; the music goes perfectly with the battles, hazards, NPC interactions, all of it.”
- “Control-wise, it's a needlessly stiff and plodding mess, the music is okay, design is linear enough to make the Netherlands look positively mountainous by comparison, and it's so disappointing for such a gorgeous game to be so unplayable.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique art style and immersive music, which together create a distinctive and captivating experience that resonates with players. Many reviewers highlight the visual elements as a key draw, emphasizing the developer's signature aesthetic.
- “Probably like most people here, I also grabbed the game for its visual aspects, style, music, and atmosphere.”
- “When I saw the trailer, I knew exactly who the developer was - the art style and atmosphere are so unique it is unmistakable.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a consistent blend of humor through absurd and witty dialogue, often referencing modern geek culture, which adds a lighthearted touch to its otherwise challenging gameplay. Players appreciate the clever, tongue-in-cheek writing that balances the cryptic story with comedic elements, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “To keep the game from feeling too heavy, unapologetically ridiculous and funny exchanges are in almost all of the dialogues, and I laughed a little with each of these exchanges; the game sometimes pays tribute to modern geek culture through a few references, and is brilliantly tongue-in-cheek at times.”
- “If you want a game that is cruel in difficulty, but ultimately fair, which combines a cryptic story with hilarious flair, as seen through a lens of vintage horror, I recommend you get this one right away!”