Dark Reflection (Тёмное отражение)
- November 13, 2019
- Buherman
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreYou play as Denis, a teenage fan of heavy music. He is bored to live a normal life and it seems that others do not understand him. Together with his friend, musician Max, he finds a way to open the door to another Evil-dimension. The friends decide just for fun to check is it really work. "Dark reflection" is a mix of good old-fashioned aesthetics of pixel games, black humor and light philosophy…
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful level design, detailed graphics, and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Dark Reflection offers a unique blend of dark humor and horror, maintaining a well-balanced atmosphere without falling into cliché jokes.
- There is a surprising amount of secrets, multiple endings, and hidden content that encourages exploration and replayability.
- The player's attack range is very short, making combat frustrating and challenging, especially against tougher enemies.
- Some players may find themselves in unwinnable situations, requiring restarts and potentially leading to frustration.
- The gameplay can feel simplistic at times, which may not appeal to those looking for more complex mechanics.
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"Dark Reflections" successfully balances dark humor and horror, maintaining a delicate equilibrium that avoids crossing into poor taste. The game's intriguing scenario culminates in a hilarious ending, though some reviewers noted that the gameplay itself could be lacking.
“Dark Reflections walks a really thin line between dark humor and horror.”
“It could be so easy to destroy the balance with one more sexual dialogue or a bad joke, but the game always manages to stay on the line, providing a well-balanced experience of dark humor and gore/horror that is so difficult to achieve.”
“While the scenario is interesting and the ending is hilarious, the gameplay is not so good, I'm afraid.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been compared to classic titles like Splatterhouse and Harvester, evoking a nostalgic yet creepy atmosphere. However, despite an interesting scenario and a humorous ending, many players find the gameplay itself lacking in quality.
“While playing the game, I had vibes not only of Splatterhouse for the gameplay and the art, but also of Harvester, a creepy and disturbing retro adventure, which was quite a surprise.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story is described as goofy and accompanied by simple, sometimes childish art, yet it captivates players, making it hard to stop playing until they complete the game.
“The story is a bit goofy, and the art is simple and sometimes childish, but once I started, I couldn't put it down and ended up completing the game 100%.”
“The story is more than a bit goofy, and the art is simple and sometimes childish, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The narrative lacks depth and fails to engage the player, making it hard to care about the characters or their journey.”
“The plot twists are predictable and the pacing is uneven, leaving the story feeling rushed and underdeveloped.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the atmosphere of "Dark Reflection," noting that it successfully maintains a compelling tone without succumbing to disruptive humor or overused meta-gaming jokes, which often detract from the experience in other indie games.
“So many indie games destroy this balance with crappy jokes breaking an interesting atmosphere, or silly and over-used meta-gaming jokes such as 'hey this is the dev, I am also a character of the game', but Dark Reflection was not one of these games, at least for me.”
