Dark Fracture: Prologue

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Add the full Dark Fracture experience to your wishlist Join our community About the GameDark Fracture: Prologue is the introductory chapter of the first-person psychological horror experience Dark Fracture. In this free stand-alone game, you will get a taste of what it is like to face the inner chaos of a tormented mind. Witness the world change around you as the barrier between reality…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 700 reviews

story27 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game creates a genuinely creepy atmosphere that keeps players on edge.
The camera flashing mechanic adds a unique layer of tension and fear.
The story, while vague, piques curiosity and leaves players wanting more.

Some parts of the game feel unpolished, particularly the UI and controls.
The game is quite short, leaving players wanting more content.
There are moments where the gameplay can feel aimless or confusing, leading to frustration.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, while others criticize it for being vague, confusing, or lacking depth. Many appreciate the potential for expansion in the full version, but express a desire for clearer objectives and a more cohesive narrative. Overall, while the prologue sets an interesting premise, it leaves players wanting more clarity and development in the storyline.
- “The vibe was creepy, and I liked that the story was vague but left a few clues around to give hints on the story.”
- “I really enjoyed this prologue dark psychological horror; it has a beautiful atmosphere, a very interesting story, and great potential. I will definitely be purchasing the full game.”
- “The quality is stunning, the voice acting is extremely believable, and the story is genius!”
- “Although this game is free, the story is very weak and incomplete and does not tell you much.”
- “The only two things that could redeem the main game is if the plot was interesting, but sadly it seems it's yet another game about a character with mental illness. Can't indie devs think of another plot that is not mental illness already?”
- “Takes about half an hour to complete and yes I understand it's a prologue, but it didn't really feel like anything happened to further me into the story.”
gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the atmospheric elements and unique mechanics like the camera flash and sanity meter, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and reminiscent of other horror titles. Many noted the presence of jump scares and environmental puzzles, but some found the overall experience lacking depth and polish, particularly in the user interface and certain mechanics. Overall, the game shows potential but may require further refinement to enhance player engagement and satisfaction.
- “Scary atmosphere, interesting location (so far) and the gameplay feels smooth.”
- “An immersive horror experience that was quite fun and caught me off guard a few times, definitely shows potential for the full game to be like an Amnesia: The Dark Descent kind of gameplay while featuring encounters that trigger when you wouldn't expect.”
- “Good voice acting, fun gameplay, a couple decent scares. I'm hoping to see the continuation of this and am excited for when the full release comes out!”
- “The only problem there is that this taster is too convoluted, yet also too short, to be able to overcome the lack of any actual mechanics for producing adrenaline.”
- “Besides the somewhat clunky mechanics that take away from the overall experience, the game is essentially a walking simulator with jump scares designating when you've 'achieved' something.”
- “No unique mechanics, it's just a walking simulator.”
atmosphere
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
41%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its tense, eerie, and immersive qualities, enhanced by haunting visuals and sound design. Many players found it to be a genuinely scary experience, with a strong focus on psychological horror and a creeping sense of dread that effectively builds tension throughout gameplay. While some noted occasional underwhelming jump scares, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a compelling and engaging horror experience.
- “The atmosphere is tense and eerie, enhanced by the game's haunting visuals and sound design.”
- “I love the dark foreboding atmosphere and the creeping sense of dread as you progress further into insanity.”
- “This game for a free-to-play demo of a horror game was amazing, atmospheric and genuinely put me on edge and I honestly cannot wait for the full release because this will be an amazing game that could genuinely scare me like the demo did.”
- “The oppressive atmosphere creates a special charm to what is happening.”
- “The real horror comes from the atmosphere in this case.”
- “This is really impressive production quality for an indie game studio, visuals are comparable to AAA and there's such a thick, tense atmosphere throughout such that even if nothing was actually happening I was constantly on edge.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
43%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their impressive quality, atmospheric design, and smooth performance, particularly utilizing Unreal Engine 4. Many players noted the visuals contribute significantly to the game's eerie and tense atmosphere, enhancing the overall horror experience. However, some critiques mention issues with optimization and graphical settings, indicating that while the graphics are generally well-received, there are areas for improvement.
- “The atmosphere is tense and eerie, enhanced by the game's haunting visuals and sound design.”
- “I highly recommend this game, beautiful graphics and the great feel of a Silent Hill atmosphere.”
- “This is really impressive production quality for an indie game studio, visuals are comparable to AAA and there's such a thick, tense atmosphere throughout such that even if nothing was actually happening I was constantly on edge.”
- “Cheap graphics with very poor optimisation.”
- “For some reason this game was unhappy with my higher resolution monitor and it was really hard to click anything -or- to even change the graphical settings.”
- “Trying to navigate the graphical option menu alone was a complete nightmare for me and I almost gave up at that point.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
91%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in the prologue. While some acknowledge that it is a pre-release demo and expect issues, others find it largely unplayable due to the numerous technical problems. However, a few players noted that despite these glitches, the overall experience remains engaging and they look forward to improvements in the full release.
- “The game is remarkably bug-free, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs, which makes the gameplay feel incredibly stable.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; it runs flawlessly without any interruptions.”
- “The prologue is very buggy; the game freezes and I can't do anything.”
- “So, as of now, for me, it's just a buggy mess that's unplayable.”
- “The UI and game itself are very buggy and incomplete.”
monetization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of "Dark Fracture: Prologue" is criticized for being misleading, as it functions more as an advertisement for an unreleased game rather than a standalone product. Reviewers express frustration over the practice of publishing demos or promotional content as full games, arguing that it detracts from genuine titles and misleads consumers, ultimately undermining the gaming experience.
- “This is only free in the same way that adverts on YouTube and banner ads in your browser are.”
- “Just because advertisements are free, doesn't mean they're worth your time.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The music in the game is well-chosen and effectively enhances the atmosphere, contributing to moments of tension and fear. However, some players found the volume levels inconsistent, with certain tracks being too loud. Overall, while the soundtrack successfully sets the right tone, there is a desire for more variety in jump scares and spooky music to elevate the experience further.
- “Right tone, right soundtrack, and the player will scare himself long before any monster shows up.”
- “This was scary because of sudden events and music at the same time.”
- “While the story/action was a little predictable and followed a lot of the tropes of the genre, the ambient sound and music worked very nicely to set a terrific atmosphere for these tropes to work.”
- “You will have to wait as the song plays then switches channels a few times.”
- “Well chosen soundtrack, but it was too loud in some places - 7/10”
- “I would love some more jump scares, back story and some spooky music from time to time.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of light-hearted moments and subtle comedic elements, often contrasting with its horror themes. While some players found the humor effective and enjoyable, others noted inconsistencies, such as typos and childish jokes that detracted from the experience. Overall, the game offers a fun mix of scares and humor, though the execution may vary.
- “Fun horror game with some good scares and some funny trying-to-scare-you moments.”
- “I also appreciate the humor that is gently sprinkled in here and there.”
- “A funny horror game, but so far something is not very clear what to do and who is to blame.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring excessive backtracking to collect items, which detracts from the overall experience. While some acknowledge that it can be manageable, the repetitive nature of the tasks leaves many feeling unsatisfied and longing for a more engaging gameplay experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It gets tedious with the drawers because when you complete one, it leaves you wanting more.”
- “It was slightly tedious and frustrating to go around with just the camera.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is noted to hinge on character attachment and the potential for a dramatic payoff, though some elements, like voice acting, could be improved for greater impact. While the demo shows promise, it lacks originality and depth, suggesting that further refinement is needed to enhance the emotional experience. Additionally, mechanics like the sanity meter contribute to a sense of urgency and survival, adding to the emotional stakes.
- “Point 4 isn't particularly original either, but could succeed if it gives you a strong enough attachment to your character and culminates in a dramatic emotional payoff.”
- “Even if this isn't completely a survival game, it had aspects of it, like the sanity meter, that made me feel like I needed to find as much stuff as I could to help myself survive.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players generally find the game highly replayable due to its diverse gameplay mechanics, multiple endings, and the ability to make different choices that significantly impact the story. Many reviewers appreciate the variety of challenges and unlockable content that encourage multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game's design fosters a strong incentive to revisit and explore different strategies and outcomes.
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”