Dark Hope

About

Dark Hope is a single player puzzle game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by BrokenBunnyStudios and was released on January 17, 2020. It received neutral reviews from players.

Dark Hope is a puzzle adventure game set in a steampunk world where electricity started and ended its existence with the light bulb. Towering clockwork puzzles and archaic symbols cover the halls. Strange rifts of light span the hallways.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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53%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features some brilliant puzzles that provide a sense of accomplishment when solved, particularly the math-based ones.
The atmosphere is engaging and creepy, effectively immersing players in the game's world.
The game encourages exploration and deductive reasoning, making it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy challenging puzzles.

Many puzzles are poorly clued, leading to frustration and requiring excessive guessing or external guides to progress.
The graphics and overall performance are subpar, reminiscent of outdated games, which detracts from the experience.
The interface and interaction speed are cumbersome, making exploration and experimentation feel tedious.

atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive blend of sci-fi and steampunk elements, enhanced by engaging in-game notes and a spooky ambiance reminiscent of classic titles like Myst. Players appreciate the dark, mysterious settings and effective use of lighting that create a captivating and sometimes unnerving experience, although some note that the pacing of interactions can be a drawback. Overall, the atmosphere successfully draws players into a compelling world filled with challenging puzzles and a sense of intrigue.
- “There is a story told through in-game notes and journals that are fun to read and add to the sci-fi/steampunk atmosphere.”
- “If you like hard but fair logic/science/math based puzzles in a sci-fi atmosphere and don't mind looking at dated graphics and using a rather clunky game engine, then I strongly recommend this game.”
- “The spooky atmosphere and at times genuinely unnerving settings, amplified by the use of flickering and on-and-off lighting, creates a truly immersive experience that'll enrapture any player.”
- “The atmosphere truly teleports you to a new location, one that's darker and mysterious, and combined with the puzzles into something that can truly capture your mind for hours.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The graphics in the game have been widely criticized for their outdated quality, often compared to early 90s titles like PS1 and Half-Life 1, with issues such as lag, glitchy lighting, and broken audio. While some players find the graphics merely adequate for the gameplay experience, many agree that they detract from the overall enjoyment, especially given the game's release in 2019. Despite these shortcomings, the graphics serve their purpose in presenting the puzzles effectively within the sci-fi atmosphere.
- “The main job of the graphics and engine in this case is to present the puzzles, which are well-integrated into the world.”
- “The quality of the graphics, modeling, textures, etc. are merely adequate for this day and age, but they get the job done.”
- “Bad graphics, lag, glitchy lighting, and occasionally broken audio are possibly tolerable.”
- “I don’t really mind bad graphics, but these are like PS1 graphics in 2019; this wasn’t some artistic choice, just very bad.”
- “The graphics look like Half-Life 1 (with empty, pointless rooms that look like something from early 90's games), yet the performance is still horrible.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The story is generally considered unimportant and lacking depth, though it is conveyed through engaging in-game notes that enhance the sci-fi/steampunk atmosphere. While the pacing allows players to enjoy puzzle-solving without frustration, many feel that the narrative could have been more developed to fully explore its intriguing setting.
- “There is a story told through in-game notes and journals that are fun to read and add to the sci-fi/steampunk atmosphere.”
- “The story is paced perfectly for this kind of game, giving you ample time to get lost solving puzzles and figuring things out without slipping completely into the realm of hopeless madness that makes you want to simply give up.”
- “The story is, sadly, largely unimportant and uncompelling.”
- “The puzzles are a different story.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The gameplay is generally considered mediocre, with the only notable positive being the relatively fast movement speed, which prevents players from experiencing sluggish navigation.
- “The gameplay is engaging and keeps you on your toes with its fast-paced action.”
- “I love how the mechanics are intuitive, making it easy to pick up and play.”
- “The variety of challenges in the gameplay keeps it fresh and exciting.”
- “The gameplay is mediocre.”
- “The controls feel unresponsive and clunky.”
- “There are too many bugs that disrupt the overall experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance despite its outdated graphics reminiscent of early 90s titles, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
- “The graphics look like Half-Life 1, with empty, pointless rooms that resemble something from early 90s games, yet the performance is still horrible.”
- “The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end hardware.”
- “Despite the potential for great visuals, the optimization issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”