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Decarnation

Despite several useless and unsatisfying gameplay elements, Decarnation still features one of the best stories I've seen in a horror game with a fantastically portrayed message both visually and narratively and lots of excellent references.
79%Game Brain Score
story, music
optimization, grinding
89% User Score Based on 420 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $7.98
Buy NowGet on Steam$14.99

About

"Decarnation is a single-player Horror Role Playing game with an interesting plot and delightful graphics, inspired by surrealist works such as Silent Hill and Alice in Wonderland. As cabaret dancer Gloria, you'll face monsters and nightmares in a mesmerizing story of survival. Expertly combining classic horror and adventure elements, Decarnation features mini-games that require consideration and strategy."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot
Decarnation screenshot

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 431 reviews
story150 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning pixel art and a haunting atmosphere that captivates players from start to finish.
  • The storytelling is engaging and tackles heavy themes with sensitivity, making it a thought-provoking experience.
  • The soundtrack is exceptional, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative and contributing to the overall ambiance.
  • The gameplay is often simplistic and can feel repetitive, with some mini-games being frustrating and poorly executed.
  • The pacing can be uneven, with some sections dragging on and making the experience feel longer than necessary.
  • Certain plot points may come off as predictable or blunt, lacking subtlety in their delivery.
  • story
    335 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of *Decarnation* is a captivating blend of psychological horror and emotional depth, exploring themes of trauma, self-discovery, and resilience through the protagonist, Gloria. While the narrative is praised for its haunting atmosphere and strong writing, some players found the pacing slow and the gameplay lacking, often feeling more like an interactive story than a traditional game. Overall, the game's stunning pixel art and evocative soundtrack enhance the storytelling experience, making it a worthwhile journey for those who appreciate narrative-driven titles.

    • “The storytelling and dialogues are great.”
    • “Decarnation is a short game (10 hours max) that is full of personality and beautifully tells a story.”
    • “The story is captivating, easy to follow, and the symbolism is well done.”
    • “The story starts really strong just to fall flat at the very end.”
    • “The story drags itself longer than necessary, honestly.”
    • “The main story that enables all the psychological mumbojumbo is infantile at best.”
  • music
    168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Composed by notable artists including Akira Yamaoka, the music is described as catchy, fitting the game's themes and atmosphere beautifully, although some players noted issues with synchronization during rhythm sections. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and artistic presentation.

    • “The soundtrack is (surprisingly) the best part of it and has a lot of bangers that are fun to listen & dance to.”
    • “The music in this game is great!”
    • “The soundtrack composed by fleur bleue and akira yamaoka can feel as liberating as it can feel suffocating in the best way possible; it is the cement that holds together the bundle of joy that is decarnation.”
    • “And it's also upsetting the music is off-sync with the dance moves.”
    • “But...the inputs often did not make any sense in regards to the music, and the input timing was always off just slightly from the actual tempo.”
    • “The rhythm music sections feel bad to play and the whole thing was absurdly long for its story and just didn't land at all.”
  • gameplay
    129 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Decarnation" is generally considered weak and simplistic, often taking a backseat to the narrative and visual elements. Players describe it as a mix of basic puzzles, mini-games, and exploration, with many feeling that the gameplay lacks depth and can be tedious or frustrating at times. While the story and art are praised, the overall consensus is that the gameplay does not meet the expectations of those seeking a more engaging interactive experience.

    • “What gameplay there is includes rhythm sections, stealth sections, and avoiding hazards.”
    • “The gameplay is just enough to keep attention, keep those fingers twitching and at the ready while the atmosphere ensures you're never too relaxed...or bored.”
    • “The gameplay is light but the story makes up for it.”
    • “I am really disappointed because the game is well done in all the aspects of what a video game should be but it gets wasted on a narrative that the writer seems didn't know where to go with, juvenile dialogues and to end it up with no gameplay whatsoever.”
    • “Gameplay-wise it is quite bad, maybe intentionally as at times it feels they are thematizing the mechanics, but surrounding that concept there's too much boredom as there's no cognitive challenge at all.”
    • “Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the story and bizarre gameplay choices made.”
  • graphics
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and haunting quality, featuring a unique pixel art style that enhances the psychological horror narrative. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful and creative visuals, which effectively convey the game's themes and atmosphere, although some note that the gameplay itself can be lacking. Overall, the art direction and accompanying soundtrack are considered standout elements that elevate the experience, making it a visually compelling title despite its gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The visuals are stunning yet disturbing at the same time.”
    • “The graphics were such eye candy and the concepts felt so unique.”
    • “The visuals, writing, and music all make an engrossing tale that I couldn't put down.”
    • “Though the graphics' pixels and looks friendly - - - it is absolutely not.”
    • “It's not a horror game, it's a walking simulator with some simple minigames and dark visuals.”
    • “Decarnation certainly has a lot of style with its retro graphics and themes inspired by Silent Hill and works from David Lynch and Junji Ito; however, its gameplay leaves a lot to be desired by taking too much on its plate.”
  • atmosphere
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by stunning pixel art and a compelling soundtrack, including contributions from notable artists like Akira Yamaoka. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and surreal narrative, some express frustration with gameplay elements that disrupt immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, effectively conveying themes of trauma and emotional struggle.

    • “Its eerie atmosphere and storytelling keep you on edge from start to finish.”
    • “The soundtrack from different artists, one of which is Akira Yamaoka of Silent Hill fame, sets up the atmosphere amazingly, as well as its expressive pixel art.”
    • “Found this game a really gorgeous and compelling piece of work; the aesthetics, art direction, and atmosphere are incredibly well done, with the subtle characteristics of the environments and both inner and inter-character dialogue painting something that feels genuinely human and nuanced.”
    • “The atmosphere is extremely well done, and the way the narrative weaves between reality, dreams, and nightmares is handled well.”
    • “Quite a strong emotional journey, light on the gameplay, which is entirely at the service of the story and the atmosphere.”
    • “There's a lot of content which does approximately nothing either for the plot or for the atmosphere.”
  • emotional
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautiful art, haunting music, and a deeply touching narrative that resonates with players, often evoking strong feelings such as sadness and empowerment. Many reviewers noted their investment in the protagonist's struggles, leading to tears and a profound connection to the themes of female rage, emotional abuse, and personal challenges. While some found the gameplay lacking, the emotional journey and symbolic depth of the story were universally praised, making it a highly recommended experience for those seeking a thoughtful and impactful narrative.

    • “Beautiful art and sound, and a story as haunting as it is touching.”
    • “The music and leitmotifs were also really nice to listen to; they beautifully complicated the emotional highs and lows of the story.”
    • “Genuinely a heartbreaking, but empowering experience.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its excellent performance, particularly in the classic horror genre, with users recommending it over Amnesia: The Bunker due to its poor FPS optimization. Additionally, it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, with no reported issues regarding performance or controls.

    • “Great performance of the classic horror theme!”
    • “Also, played on Steam Deck, no problems whatsoever with performance and controls.”
    • “Buy this instead of Amnesia: The Bunker (terrible FPS optimization).”
    • “Performance issues are a major drawback for this game.”
    • “The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with some mechanics feeling drawn out. While the subject matter is appreciated, issues like game-breaking bugs further exacerbate the frustration with these repetitive tasks.

    • “Although at times I found certain mechanics drawn out, repetitive, and tedious, the respect the subject matter was given is done so beautifully.”
    • “Game-breaking bugs forcing tedious reloads.”
    • “The mini-games, especially the rhythm game, became tedious and repetitive.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is praised for its engaging and participatory nature, allowing players to influence their characters' growth. The stylish designs and fluid animations enhance emotional expression, making characters feel relatable and immersive. Overall, the art style and music contribute positively to the character experience.

    • “I love how the player gets to take part in each step of the character development.”
    • “Stylish character designs and fluid little bits of animation feel properly emotive, expressive, and at times even relatable.”
    • “I love the art style and character design, and the music is nice in places.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been criticized for a significant number of bugs and glitches, including distracting visual artifacts and softlocks that hinder gameplay. While players appreciate the engaging story and creative mechanics, the prevalence of technical issues has led to frustration and calls for patches from the developers.

    • “I experienced a staggeringly high amount of bugs and glitches in my playthrough, chief among them was a dev option I presumably enabled by accident that permanently watermarked the corners of the screen with the build version and current level screen name. A real bummer as this text was not only distracting but often spoiled the narrative metaphor or upcoming twist of the gameplay, and I had to force myself to ignore it.”
    • “Be aware of a couple glitches: some bugs, softlocks, and ill-calibrated rhythm minigames, reported many times in the forum. Hope the devs patch it.”
    • “Some bugs and glitches.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing puns of the bird men and the antics of the quirky cake girl, who serves as a central comedic character. Overall, the game's humor is characterized by playful and whimsical elements that resonate with players.

    • “The bird men making certain funny puns were my favorite characters.”
    • “The funny cake girl is the main focus, though.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers limited replayability, with a playtime of 5-6 hours, but is considered reasonably priced for the experience it provides.

    • “Not much replayability here, but the game is a good price for its 5-6 hour length.”

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

Buy Decarnation

5h Median play time
5h Average play time
5-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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