Dark Hours: Prologue
- July 18, 2024
- Piece of Cake studios
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamWISHLIST THE FULL GAME About the GameDark Hours: Prologue is a free version of Dark Hours. Experience the core gameplay and get a taste of the experience that awaits in the full game. Dark Hours is a co-op survival horror game for 1-4 players. Just when you think you've pulled off the perfect heist, your break-in is suddenly interrupted by an unexpected supernatural event. You find yourself t…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is incredibly fun to play with friends, providing a mix of horror and comedy that leads to memorable moments.
- The atmosphere and sound design are well-crafted, creating a tense and immersive experience that keeps players on edge.
- The gameplay mechanics are engaging, with well-designed puzzles and a unique concept that combines heist elements with horror.
- The game can become repetitive quickly due to limited content and the same map being used multiple times.
- There are significant bugs and performance issues, including frequent monster spawns that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- As a prologue, the game is quite short, leaving players wanting more in terms of story and exploration.
- gameplay46 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for being engaging, intuitive, and well-paced, with a balance of exploration, puzzle-solving, and horror elements that enhance immersion. Players appreciate the responsive controls and cooperative mechanics, although some note issues like lag and simplicity in certain aspects, particularly in the early access phase. Overall, the game shows promise for fans of horror and narrative-driven experiences, with potential for deeper mechanics and storytelling in future updates.
“The gameplay is intuitive yet challenging, keeping you on edge as you navigate through dark corridors and solve sinister puzzles.”
“With its intense gameplay mechanics, stunning visuals, and a narrative that grips you from start to finish, it delivers an adrenaline-fueled journey into darkness that will leave you breathless.”
“The gameplay mechanics were smooth and intuitive, adding another layer of enjoyment to the overall experience.”
“At the time of writing the review, the game is in early access and has mechanics that are easy to bypass; if this is fixed, it will be a good game.”
“I understand this is just the prologue, but the gameplay is pretty bland if I'm completely honest.”
“The radio mechanic needs a little work, but Discord exists.”
- atmosphere41 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Dark Hours: Prologue" is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, characterized by eerie sound design, dimly lit environments, and a pervasive sense of dread. Players are captivated by the game's ability to create tension and unease, making it a standout experience for fans of atmospheric horror. While some desire more narrative depth, the overall ambiance and attention to detail effectively draw players into its chilling world.
“From eerie whispers to the subtle flicker of lights, every detail added to the foreboding atmosphere.”
“The game excels in creating a haunting atmosphere, with dimly lit environments and unsettling sound design that heighten the sense of dread.”
“From the moment you step into its chilling world, you're immersed in an atmosphere thick with dread and tension.”
“The atmosphere is deeply unsettling, and the puzzles are engaging, though the short duration and limited exploration leave you hungry for more.”
“The environments are dripping with atmosphere, with dimly lit corridors, eerie shadows, and unsettling sounds that constantly remind you of the lurking danger.”
“The lighting and shadows play a crucial role in creating an atmosphere of perpetual unease, where danger could lurk in every shadow.”
- humor35 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its ability to blend comedy and horror effectively, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews note that the game's clever mechanics and the antics of teammates lead to hilarious moments, often resulting in laughter and memorable experiences despite some technical issues. Overall, it is described as a fun and funny cooperative game that excels in creating a comedic atmosphere amidst its scary elements.
“The clever gameplay mechanics, terrifying creatures roaming the dark museum, plus whatever hilarious (and stupid) things your teammates might be doing to taunt you or the monsters makes an excellent comedic-horror-puzzle cooperative experience.”
“I played it with some friends and now my stomach hurts from laughing too much. 10/10 recommend.”
“Ngl this game is really really good, the monsters, the characters and the fact that you can troll your friends and push them to the monsters is hilarious.”
- story34 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in "Dark Hours: Prologue" is characterized by its atmospheric and haunting narrative, effectively utilizing environmental storytelling and minimal dialogue to create suspense and a sense of dread. Players are drawn into a mysterious backstory through subtle hints and captivating twists, leaving them eager for more as they navigate the chilling environment. While some may desire more direct storytelling, the overall immersive experience and attention to detail make it a compelling start for fans of horror and narrative-driven games.
“The prologue’s story is haunting and mysterious, pulling you in with just enough hints to keep you curious but withholding the full picture to build suspense.”
“The storyline unfolds with captivating twists and turns, weaving together a narrative that adds depth to the fear-inducing environment.”
“With its captivating storyline, immersive gameplay, and impeccable sound design, it's a must-play for anyone brave enough to face the shadows and uncover the secrets hidden within 'dark hours.'”
“✅ this game has no story”
“While it builds atmosphere, some players might crave more direct storytelling or dialogue to flesh out the narrative.”
“The game’s reliance on environmental storytelling is both a strength and a weakness.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning quality, detailed environments, and immersive atmosphere that effectively enhance the horror experience. Players appreciate the smooth gameplay and the captivating visual design, although some have noted that technical issues can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are described as striking and well-executed, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“At first, the atmosphere and graphics drew me in, providing a captivating world to explore.”
“The visuals are striking, with detailed, shadowy environments that play with light and darkness to create a pervasive sense of unease.”
“Visually striking graphics and a haunting soundtrack further enhance the immersive experience, ensuring every moment is filled with suspense.”
“The game constantly crashes, and if you lower your graphics settings, the game gets worse.”
“The monster has its edge, but when it appears every 4 seconds to chase you down, it loses a lot of its thematic and aesthetic appeal.”
“The graphics and gameplay are top-notch, making it a must-play for any fan of survival horror games.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, with many users reporting inconsistent performance, lag, and crashes. While players enjoy the gameplay and are excited for future updates, they agree that significant improvements in optimization are necessary before the final release.
“With multiple maps, monsters, modifiers, and even further optimizations.”
“Overall fun experience on the demo with a friend, but I think this game overall needs to be optimized.”
“It needs to be optimized before final release.”
“It definitely needs optimization with performance being iffy.”
“Poor optimization 😐”
“The game is good for playing with friends, it still needs to be optimized and in my case there was a crash when starting the game.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by a chilling soundtrack and haunting ambient noises that effectively heighten tension and enhance the immersive horror experience. While some players noted confusion regarding the game's audio cues, the overall sound design is praised for complementing the visuals and reinforcing the themes of dread and suspense.
“The sound design complements this perfectly, with haunting ambient noises and a chilling soundtrack that heightens the tension.”
“Visually striking graphics and a haunting soundtrack further enhance the immersive experience, ensuring every moment is filled with suspense.”
“✅ just filling noises/no music”
“Just a part about the game when I got to the director's office my friend disconnected and the monster music played, he ran really fast without any animation.”
“The soundtrack, composed of haunting melodies and discordant tones, underscores the relentless atmosphere of dread and impending danger.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, with users reporting various glitches and issues, particularly with disconnections that prevent rejoining. While some players find it enjoyable for short sessions with friends, the overall optimization leaves much to be desired.
“The game is also buggy and if someone in the group disconnects, there is no way for them to rejoin.”
“Played two rounds of the game and encountered three different kinds of glitches.”
“Kind of mid, feels really buggy.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it infinitely replayable and enjoyable, others feel it lacks long-term engagement due to limited content and repetitive gameplay after initial exploration. There is hope for improvement with future updates, but current feedback suggests it may become stale quickly.
“Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
“You have something different with this game; listen to the people, it's fun with a good replay value.”
“Great concept, great fun, but lacks replay value.”
“While I'm excited to see further development of the game with extra levels and more monsters, I can see this game getting old quickly as there is not much replay value once you have played a stage and encountered a new monster.”
