Descent of the Hunted
- February 25, 2024
- Calamity Bay Games
Get on Steam"Descent of the Hunted" is a psychological horror visual novel, where you control the monster stalking a tormented soul, with your choices determining the monster's nature and appearance. The game explores coping with trauma in a world of isolation, drawing inspiration from transgressive horror and story-driven classics. With unnerving horror, multiple routes and endings, and an hour and a half playtime per route, the game provides a deep and thought-provoking experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a deeply immersive experience that effectively explores dark themes such as mental illness, grief, and depression, resonating with players on a personal level.
- The art style is simple yet evocative, enhancing the eerie atmosphere and complementing the well-written dialogue and character interactions.
- Multiple endings and choices provide replayability, allowing players to explore different paths and outcomes, making it a thought-provoking experience.
- Some players found the identity of the monster too clearly defined, which detracted from the mystery and ambiguity that could have enhanced the experience.
- There were technical issues reported, such as music looping poorly and low default volume, which affected immersion.
- A few players felt that the use of cursing was unnecessary and distracted from the overall narrative and emotional weight of the story.
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The story is a well-crafted psychological narrative that explores themes of suffering and isolation through a nuanced character study of a woman and her "monster." It effectively balances mellow moments with sudden terror, creating a relatable and impactful experience, though some found the ending particularly depressing. The writing is accessible yet layered, with genuine character interactions, complemented by effective visual storytelling despite its simplicity.
“This is a satisfying story and a nuanced character study.”
“I like how you combined mellow moments and sudden terror, thematically pretty different from other psychological visual novels that I played. The ending with Mat was super depressing; I think the game does a good job of delving into the character's struggles, and the plot feels very close to the heart.”
“I like how you combined mellow moments and sudden terror; thematically, it's pretty different from other psychological visual novels that I've played. The ending with Mat was super depressing. I think the game does a good job of putting the character through emotional turmoil, and the plot feels too close to the heart.”
“Very well written psychological story about a woman and her 'monster', with a realistic depiction of suffering and isolation, both moving and relatable.”
- music5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game, while likely not original, is generally well-received for its immersive quality and effective sound effects. However, players have noted issues with the looping of tracks, which can be jarring due to noticeable pauses, and the default volume being too low, requiring adjustments for optimal listening.
“The song loops poorly; there is a big pause, and the volume by default was too low. I had to raise it to 7.”
“I don't know if the music is made for the game (I assume not?), but I do think the choice was perfect.”
“I assume the OST is not original, but I still liked the music and the sound effect choices. I thought the immersion was mostly perfect, although the song was looping a bit poorly, and I had to raise the volume from 5 to 7 because it was a bit too low by default.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as effective in maintaining tension while providing light-hearted moments, such as amusing references that resonate differently with players. Some users find these humorous elements enhance immersion, while others may have a more personal interpretation of the humor, leading to varied experiences.
“The author manages to keep the tension high even in the moments that provide a touch of humor or brevity (maybe it's just me, but the reference to watching reels about cross-color makeup application provoked a giggle).”
“For some, it may make the experience more immersive, but I personally named them 'shawty,' which probably explains the moments of humor I found that others may not.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development is highlighted by simple yet evocative illustrations, featuring clean designs that stand out against a dark, scratchy backdrop, enhancing the overall narrative and emotional impact.
“The illustrations are simple and evocative, with clean character designs jumping out from the sinister, scratchy background.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their interesting and cool art style, contributing positively to the overall visual experience of the game.
“I think the art style is pretty interesting and cool!”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's short duration, which accommodates limited free time, while the presence of multiple endings enhances its replayability.
“I personally liked the short duration because I could get through the game with limited free time, but the multiple endings also enhance its replayability.”
“The variety of choices and paths you can take makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting, ensuring high replayability.”
“With so many different character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back to the game again and again.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
“Once you've seen the story, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The gameplay mechanics are repetitive, which diminishes the desire to replay.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its moody atmosphere and relatable plot, which effectively convey a range of feelings, particularly during pivotal moments like the call ending. While some users feel the endings could have been more ambitious, the overall emotional impact remains strong and resonant.
“I got exactly what I wanted from it: a moody experience with different tones and a bit of mystery. It could have been a little more ambitious with the endings, but I still liked the simple delivery. I felt the emotional impact, especially with the call ending. I think it has a very realistic and relatable plot.”
