Dark Deception

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 442 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Dark Deception Game Cover
Starting at $19.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on itch.io Store Get on Epic Games Store

A first-person horror game by indie developer Glowstick Games. The player must run through a maze of corridors, collecting shards and avoiding giant knife-wielding toy monkeys, in a decidedly Pac-Man-like fashion.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 442 reviews
gameplay12 positive mentions
stability17 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning graphics and unique level designs that enhance the overall experience.
  • It offers a challenging gameplay experience that keeps players engaged and coming back for more.
  • The story and character development are intriguing, making it a compelling horror game.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
  • Some levels are excessively difficult, which may deter players who prefer a more balanced challenge.
  • The pacing can be slow at times, with long intro sequences that can become tedious during replay.
  • gameplay35 mentions

    Gameplay in this game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and maze-like design reminiscent of Pac-Man, while others criticize it for being repetitive and plagued by bugs that hinder progress. Although the graphics and sound are praised, many users feel that the gameplay lacks creativity and polish, leading to frustration during key moments like boss fights. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, the execution leaves much to be desired, making it difficult for some players to fully engage with the experience.

    • “The quality is beautiful and the gameplay is just downright outstanding.”
    • “All in all, great story, good acting, cool designs, and awesome gameplay!”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic and always never gets boring.”
    • “But most of them feel forced and are really half-baked in terms of gameplay.”
    • “I really cannot stress enough the lack of creativity this game seems to have in mechanics, which is showcased so well in the first boss fight with Agatha.”
    • “It just seems like the creative and unique aspects that could be given to this game mechanically are not present for enough of it, and that the devs seemed to focus on the 'making sure you get jumpscared' side of the game instead of the 'making the game fun' side.”
  • story32 mentions

    The game's story is generally praised for its engaging and unique horror elements, with many players finding it addictive and well-integrated into the gameplay. However, some critiques highlight its linearity and predictability, suggesting that character backstories are underdeveloped, which diminishes emotional investment. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's incomplete status and bugs that hinder progress, leaving players uncertain about future updates.

    • “The story behind the game is absolutely perfect and players will get addicted easily.”
    • “Amazing and fun game with such a gripping story and concept with amazing character and level designs.”
    • “All in all, great story, good acting, cool designs, and awesome gameplay!”
    • “My main critique is that the story is very linear and offers no surprises.”
    • “The story is very lackluster at best, where the character is being this witch's errand boy, a demon and the witch having their 'he said, she said' they don't touch on any of the characters' backstories and it makes it difficult to love or hate them at all.”
    • “Even the voice actors sounded like they had to come in to the office on their day off and poorly sold what little story there is.”
  • graphics29 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and detail, with many users rating them as exceptional and visually stunning. However, some players have experienced performance issues, such as lag and limited graphics options, which detracted from their enjoyment. Despite these concerns, the creative design and ambiance contribute significantly to the game's appeal, especially in the horror genre.

    • “Graphics are incredible and the game is visually stunning.”
    • “Amazing graphics, amazing controls, amazing voice lines, amazing story line, just amazing all over the board.”
    • “The creative design is astonishing, and the graphics that you get for such a low price (for the expansions) are worth it.”
    • “Very laggy even with the lowest graphics settings and a decent computer.”
    • “The receptionist became giant and started t-posing during a cutscene, and the level was kind of laggy, even though I lowered my graphics even more.”
    • “There is one problem I have though, and that's the graphics options are far too limited.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game is generally well-received for its creativity and fun gameplay, but it suffers from numerous glitches and bugs that significantly impact stability. Players report issues such as freezing, black screens, and characters glitching through objects, which can hinder progress and enjoyment. While some levels are more stable than others, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too buggy for a seamless experience, leading many to recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing.

    • “Really good game but is extremely buggy and doesn't let me complete the clown level without it putting me in a black screen and forcing me to get out and lose my save of me beating the clown level. Another bug was during Agatha where you can die to the trapped portals while she is talking to you.”
    • “All in all, the idea and execution for the game is phenomenal, but glitches stop it from being fun or even playable at too many points.”
    • “Very well detailed game but, it's very buggy and the game crashes a lot.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and consistency, with many players highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as fantastic, complementing the game's atmosphere and challenges effectively. Additionally, there are mentions of varied musical styles, including trap music, which contribute to the game's engaging environment.

    • “I live streamed this last night on my YouTube, and I loved the different chapters, the levels of difficulty, the music, and the different challenges.”
    • “The soundtrack kicks ass and is definitely the most consistently fantastic part of the game.”
    • “The game is fun, it's scary, it looks great, it's got a great soundtrack, monster designs are sick as hell, and the story it's telling is interesting.”
    • “Play Pacman and have scary music in the background instead.”
    • “If we feel like it, we might change the music.”
    • “--> music <--”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted as a key element, with players finding it both thrilling and funny, contributing to their overall enjoyment. The game's updates have maintained its comedic appeal, making it a favorite among users.

    • “Funny shard game has gotten many updates over the years, and I personally am eagerly awaiting chapter 5.”
    • “It is hard at times, but it is thrilling, funny, and a bit scary. It is one of my favorite games right now.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game has limited replayability, with users noting a lack of content or incentives to revisit it after the initial playthrough.

    • “There's not really much in terms of replayability.”
    • “Replayability is quite limited.”
    • “The game lacks incentives to play through again.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with many levels feeling repetitive and lacking engaging monster designs. While some enjoy the game overall, the grind can detract from the experience, particularly when technical issues hinder progress.

    • “Half the levels are just tedious, and honestly, the designs for the monsters are bland and boring, with only a few exceptions that are a matter of personal taste.”
    • “Once the smaller duckies started to chase me, it just became less fun and more tedious.”
    • “One of my favorite games, but even after several tedious attempts, I could never complete the last chapter because the game always got stuck.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of this chapter has been criticized as the most unoptimized and buggy to date, with users expressing mixed feelings about the game's overall performance.

    • “This is the most unoptimized and buggiest chapter yet.”
    • “The performance issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I encountered frequent crashes and frame drops that ruin the experience.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is initially effective, creating a sense of terror and panic through its maze-like level design and menacing enemies. However, after repeated playthroughs, players report a decline in this ambiance, leading to feelings of frustration and boredom.

    • “The atmosphere is effective, enemies are terrifying, and the maze design of the levels will really make you panic when anticipating where they are, how close they are, and if you can find an available escape route if they do find you.”
    • “After a few replays, it starts to lose its atmosphere and overall ambiance, and it's replaced by frustration and constant boredom.”
    • “The atmosphere is lacking depth, making the game feel flat and uninspired.”
    • “While the initial atmosphere is engaging, it quickly becomes repetitive and fails to maintain tension.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players report experiencing strong emotional connections, particularly highlighting feelings of affection and attraction towards characters, such as Bierce, which adds depth to the gaming experience.

    • “This game has made me feel deep emotional connections with the characters.”
    • “The storyline evoked a range of emotions that I didn't expect to experience.”
    • “I found myself genuinely moved by the character's struggles and triumphs.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Dark Deception

Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News