Dark Fall

Dark Fall: The Journal, a puzzle-solving horror game, depends heavily on ambience, and its sound effects and voice-overs are quite good. The puzzles are intelligent and well planned. Fans of the genre will be pleased, but the game has missed the boat by a few years, hearkening back to when titles li

63%Game Brain Score

story, atmosphere

grinding, monetization

79% User Score Based on 330 reviews

Critic Score 62%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

This Myst-style horror-adventure game will bring fear into your heart. From the very beginning you are exposed to an overwhelming but invisible ghost presence – strange calls, footsteps, voices from nowhere. In order to help your brother and survive you will need to solve the mystery of this abandoned, haunted place. And remember! Do not let it to find you! Do not let it to find you... Do not.. Le…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 332 reviews

story88 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Dark Fall: The Journal features a rich and engaging story that unfolds through exploration and careful observation.
The game creates a chilling atmosphere with effective sound design and voice acting, enhancing the eerie experience.
Puzzles are mostly logical and rewarding to solve, encouraging players to take notes and piece together clues.

The game suffers from dated graphics and clunky controls, which may frustrate modern players.
There is a lack of guidance and direction, leading to aimless wandering and potential confusion about objectives.
Some puzzles can feel obscure or illogical, requiring players to rely on external guides to progress.

story
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players finding it interesting, unique, and rich in detail, although some criticize its fragmented nature and lack of clear direction. The narrative unfolds slowly through notes and journals, creating an eerie atmosphere that enhances the experience, but it may require significant effort and attention to fully appreciate. While the ending can be underwhelming for some, the overall storytelling and character development are praised, making it a compelling choice for fans of story-driven games.
- “The story is eerie, fascinating, and very well-told.”
- “I was pleasantly surprised by the rich story and immersive atmosphere.”
- “The story was really engaging, and it really got deeper as you went on.”
- “The story doesn't make sense with what you have to do.”
- “Some of the plot lines are introduced just like that - they lead nowhere.”
- “Story-wise it's fine, but nothing too original or even interesting and is hard to follow because of the many, many notes scattered around.”
atmosphere
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
3%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively creating a haunting environment without relying on jump scares. Players appreciate the chilling sound design, ambient noises, and the overall sense of tension that enhances the storytelling experience. Many reviews highlight that the atmosphere is the game's strongest feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric adventure games.
- “Dark Fall's atmosphere is largely successful in making the abandoned train station and hotel feel eerie and haunted without shoving too much in the player's face.”
- “It creates an awesome atmosphere and if you get into the storyline and follow it to the end it can be really satisfying.”
- “The haunting sound effects, chilling background music, and ambient noises like whispers in the wind or creaking floorboards all contribute to the unsettling atmosphere.”
- “Unreasonable options where and how to 'move' (i.e. clicking to the next viewpoint) are destroying the atmosphere.”
- “Even though you can't save documents and clues (as in many other more modern games), I believe the atmosphere of this particular game is reinforced by having to take notes by yourself; almost as if you were the one actually investigating in that hotel, searching for your missing brother.”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
61%
16%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and basic, reflecting its age with low resolution and pixelation that may deter some players. However, many reviewers note that while the visuals are not spectacular, they are functional and contribute to the overall atmosphere, particularly in enhancing the game's story and horror elements. Players who appreciate narrative depth and are willing to overlook graphical limitations may still find the experience rewarding.
- “Great story, decent graphics, hard puzzles, and excellent sound effects.”
- “Interesting story, decent graphics (for the time), and supernatural occurrences make it fun.”
- “Nonetheless, the combination of graphics, music, and sounds make it wonderfully in horror mood.”
- “The game is just too old with poor graphics and no options to adjust resolution.”
- “This, coupled with the absence of any graphics or animation (except seeing a map of London appear), made for a stupefyingly unexciting and underwhelming start to the game.”
- “256 colors and low-res graphics simply don't do it for me anymore, I'm sorry to say.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The gameplay is primarily point-and-click, allowing players to explore and interact with the environment, though it is often described as basic and dated, reflecting its 2002 origins. While some mechanics, like hint systems for riddles, are appreciated, many reviewers find the gameplay to be tedious, with primitive controls and counter-intuitive mechanics that may not appeal to everyone. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience for fans of older games, but lacks the depth and polish of modern titles.
- “There's a mechanic in the game to get hints about most riddles, which has already proved useful.”
- “The gameplay consists of wandering around the station, looking around at the relics of the abandoned station.”
- “I can see this game not being to everyone's taste, but if you're a fan of pen-and-paper games and are not put off by old-style graphics or mechanics, then give it a go!”
- “The gameplay isn't great though.”
- “The game has a few things that could have been done better, and modern games have a few things that make this one seem a bit obsolete gameplay-wise.”
- “Dated, boring for me... not an original story... tortured gameplay and puzzles...”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
The music in the game is minimal during gameplay, often replaced by haunting sound effects and ambient noises that enhance the unsettling atmosphere. While some players noted a lack of music, they appreciated the chilling background sounds and memorable themes, particularly the main menu music, which left a lasting impression. Overall, the combination of sound design and music effectively contributes to the game's horror mood.
- “The haunting sound effects, chilling background music, and ambient noises like whispers in the wind or creaking floorboards all contribute to the unsettling atmosphere.”
- “I was attracted to the atmosphere, good music and riddles.”
- “Nonetheless, the combination of graphics, music and sounds make it wonderfully in horror mood.”
- “There is barely any music during the actual gameplay.”
- “- not much music, but plenty of sounds and voices.”
- “[*] no music, just sound.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be more tedious than enjoyable, suggesting that reducing the grind could significantly enhance the overall experience.
- “More tedious than fun...”
- “Make this less tedious and it would be great.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of voice acting in the game is inconsistent; while some performances effectively enhance the narrative, others fall short in emotional depth, impacting overall immersion.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is inconsistent, as the voice acting varies significantly; while some performances effectively enhance the narrative, others fall short, lacking the necessary depth to fully engage players.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a strict and edgy tone, often amplified by intense and unsettling sound effects, creating a unique blend of comedy and creepiness.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that ghost-themed games tend to avoid the quick cash grab tactics often associated with zombie games, suggesting a more thoughtful approach to monetization in the former.