Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
- November 13, 2014
- Stormling Studios
- 31h median play time
Get on Steam"Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder" is a chilling point-and-click puzzle horror adventure game inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. As a detective, you must investigate a mysterious murder with ties to the occult, while facing a series of terrifying dreams and supernatural experiences that threaten your sanity. Delve into a rich, psychological world filled with Lovecraftian horrors and intricate puzzles.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and sound design that effectively captures Lovecraftian horror.
- Intriguing story with complex puzzles that encourage exploration and critical thinking.
- Unique mechanics involving underlining clues in documents and combining thoughts to progress the narrative.
- Clunky user interface and controls that can be frustrating and unintuitive.
- Some puzzles are overly complex or obscure, often requiring a walkthrough to solve.
- The story feels incomplete and leaves many threads unresolved, leading to a disappointing ending.
- story364 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its engaging and intricate narrative, rich in Lovecraftian themes, and filled with twists that encourage players to piece together clues from various documents. However, many reviewers express frustration with the convoluted storytelling, poor interface, and gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience, often requiring the use of walkthroughs to progress. While the atmosphere and voice acting are well-received, the story's pacing and unresolved plot threads leave some players feeling unsatisfied.
“The plot is great and full of twists, the puzzles are challenging, and the whole investigative aspect of it, having to inspect documents, is very well done.”
“I was absorbed into the story the whole time; the graphics are very good for the time, and it really captures Lovecraft's essence.”
“The story and writing are oozing with love for the Cthulhu mythos and will hook you in!”
“Even though the game tries to tell a compelling story, the interface and the gameplay ruin it all.”
“If you play at standard difficulty you cannot find out the entire narrative; you have to pick hard mode to get the full story, and that's just terrible design.”
“The main problem with the story is that a lot of threads are created, but by the end of the game only a couple of them, and the obvious ones at that, are resolved.”
- atmosphere204 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, effectively capturing a quintessentially Lovecraftian vibe through detailed environments, sound design, and a sense of psychological horror. Many reviewers highlight the absence of jump scares, instead noting a gradual build-up of dread that enhances the overall experience. While some mention issues with gameplay and puzzles, the atmospheric elements remain the standout feature, drawing players into a haunting and unsettling world.
“Quintessentially Lovecraftian with incredible atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is the main draw of the game; it's mature, isolated, and really does well to portray a sense of madness in the main character.”
“The atmosphere is truly fantastic; I can almost feel what's intended to - chill, thrill, the smell of old books and mold.”
“This game has decent story elements and atmosphere, but it's an absolute mess as a game.”
“An obtuse, lovecraftian point and click title that does a decent job of capturing that dread atmosphere but is held back by bugs and the occasional puzzle (as well as needed objects which can be missed and you can't go back for).”
“Maybe the story or atmosphere will make up for it, there must be a reason for positive reviews, but right now poor game design is completely interfering with my ability to enjoy it.”
- gameplay153 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the mechanics clunky and unintuitive, leading to a frustrating experience. While the game features interesting puzzle mechanics and a compelling Lovecraftian atmosphere, the point-and-click interface and complex systems, such as the "Howard's Mind" mechanic, often hinder progression and enjoyment. Overall, while some players appreciate the story and immersive elements, the outdated and cumbersome gameplay mechanics detract significantly from the overall experience.
“Puzzle mechanics are interesting and the Lovecraftian mood is brilliantly executed.”
“True to its professed Lovecraftian-esque gameplay and atmosphere, I was impressed with how immersive and spooky it managed to be, despite being a point-and-click style game.”
“I really enjoyed the underlining mechanics for clues and piecing together objects to form ideas!”
“Even though the game tries to tell a compelling story, the interface and the gameplay ruin it all.”
“The research and investigation system has potential, but in the end it's a clunky mess like the rest of the game mechanics.”
“The gameplay, however, is awkward and in some cases annoying.”
- graphics130 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting a low-resolution quality reminiscent of older titles, which detracts from the overall experience. However, the visuals effectively contribute to the game's dark and atmospheric tone, capturing the essence of Lovecraftian themes despite their shortcomings. While some players appreciate the artistic design and ambiance, others find the graphics inconsistent and lacking polish, leading to mixed feelings about their impact on gameplay.
“I was absorbed into the story the whole time, the graphics are very good for the time and it really captures Lovecraft's essence.”
“The visuals create a dark and mysterious vibe that brings the story to life.”
“Graphics, though serviceable, are enhanced by the dim and moody lighting and lend a real air of mystery to the game.”
“The graphics are atrocious for when it came out, but the voice acting is really good.”
“Graphics quality is poor.”
“The graphics are as if I'm playing on 640 resolution, even though I'm at the largest I can go.”
- music70 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting that it effectively complements the environments and contributes to a moody, immersive experience. While some tracks are described as repetitive and not particularly memorable, the overall sound design, including ambient effects and voice acting, is considered high-quality and fitting for the game's themes, particularly its Lovecraftian elements. The combination of chilling soundscapes and haunting melodies creates a compelling backdrop that heightens the game's tension and narrative depth.
“Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder can boast excellent high-quality voice acting and a pleasant ambient soundtrack which suits the moody and contemplative atmosphere of the game.”
“The music adds so much to the ambiance of the game.”
“Creaking floorboards, whistling draughts, and oppressive bouts of silence are all used to great effect, and the hauntingly crafted musical tracks provide excellent ambience to their respective environments.”
“I also saw that you can buy the soundtrack but I wouldn't recommend it; for me it wasn't memorable and it's quite repetitive in the game, so you don't want to hear it more than you already have.”
“It does not have bad atmosphere, the soundtrack is decent, the Lovecraft vibe is nice and strong... but...”
“The environments themselves blend with the musical score and come off as unsettling and believable, with a stark contrast between the falsely domestic and the absolutely bizarre.”
- grinding24 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive gameplay, with players noting that tasks such as clue discovery, movement, and inventory management become frustratingly monotonous. Many reviews highlight the excessive length of text and the lack of intuitive clues, contributing to a sense of mind-numbing frustration that limits playtime. While some players appreciate the challenge, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay being overly tedious and cumbersome.
“Movement is tedious, the clue system is tedious, linear and scripted gameplay, find the banana peel and use it on the doorknob hidden-object style.”
“I can't really play this game for more than 20 minutes at a time because it's so tedious and mind-numbing.”
“When the pages of text become 5+ pages of information, this becomes tedious and frustrating.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous glitches and crashes reported by players, rendering it unplayable for many. Users have experienced frustrating bugs that prevent progress and even require hard reboots of their systems. Overall, the game's instability detracts heavily from the experience, leading to disappointment and wasted time.
“Can't finish the game because there are glitches where key information won't let you underline it, making the game unplayable.”
“I wasn't planning on this title being bug-ridden.”
“Seemed like fun, but couldn't get far because it is a buggy, crash-ridden mess that forced me to hard reboot my computer a couple of times before I gave up.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players found the graphics and sound effects amusing, particularly the ghost noises, others criticized the writing and gameplay as lacking in comedic value. Overall, the humor seems to stem more from unintentional comedic elements rather than intentional jokes, leading to mixed reactions among players.
“However, at times I was laughing at the graphics and sound effects (one area actually has 'woooooooo' ghost noises!) but hey, it entertained me!”
“[It references Lovecraft, it attempts to be creepy, graphics are funny].”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Players generally find the game offers some replayability due to hidden secrets and achievements, though opinions vary. While some appreciate the replay value, others feel it is limited, citing an interesting story and good atmosphere but outdated graphics as drawbacks. Overall, the consensus suggests a mixed experience regarding replayability.
“I really appreciate this game for giving me replay value.”
“There are a lot of hidden secrets, so it's replayable, and the achievements are nice.”
“This game offers great replayability with its numerous hidden secrets.”
“Overall would give it a 7/10: interesting story, good atmosphere, but sadly lacking in replayability and graphics are a bit outdated.”
“Overall would give it a 7/10: interesting story, good atmosphere, but sadly lacking in replayability and graphics are a bit outdated.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game effectively immerses them in an emotional experience, evoking feelings of being a detective through its atmospheric and unsettling environments. The design creates a sense of unease, enhancing the emotional impact and engagement with the narrative.
“It made me feel like a real-life detective (well, as far as it’s possible in a gaming medium).”
“The game has a good atmosphere and puts you in eerie and uncomfortable environments; including one hallway that made me feel I should be falling even though my feet were still flat on the ground.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the game's performance grading system frustrating due to its challenging requirements, yet they appreciate the abundance of thorough walkthroughs that help navigate these difficulties.
“The game grades your performance, which is offensive because of how difficult it is to do things the way it wants, but merciful because that's probably why walkthroughs are so thorough and available.”
