Dinner with an Owl

About

Dinner with an Owl is a single player action game with horror, mystery and comedy themes. It was developed by BoringSuburbanDad and was released on May 18, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Dinner with an Owl" is a narrative-driven game where players interact with various characters at a mysterious dinner party. The game features a unique art style and puzzle-solving elements as players uncover the secrets and relationships between the guests. The game's themes include communication, observation, and the impact of social dynamics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 578 reviews

story55 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features excellent voice acting and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the eerie atmosphere.
The unique art style and surreal narrative create a compelling and immersive experience.
Despite its short length, the game offers an intriguing story with unexpected twists that keep players engaged.

The gameplay can feel repetitive due to the limited interactions and linear progression, which may lead to a lack of engagement.
Many players found the game too short, with some completing it in under 30 minutes, leaving them wanting more content.
The story lacks depth and character development, making it difficult for players to connect with the narrative or its characters.

story
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The game's story is a short, intriguing narrative that combines elements of mystery and horror, enhanced by strong voice acting and a unique art style. While many players appreciated the atmosphere and initial premise, they expressed a desire for deeper character development, more plot twists, and expanded gameplay options, as the linear and somewhat superficial nature of the story left some feeling unsatisfied. Overall, it offers an engaging experience but could benefit from further elaboration and complexity in its storytelling.
- “The story was cool, I enjoyed the voice acting, and the art style is perfect for the vibe.”
- “A really interesting story, I thoroughly enjoyed it!”
- “Overall, this game gives a unique and immersive horror experience with an intriguing story.”
- “The plot is mostly spelled out within the title and there's not enough of a dramatic reveal to make it very memorable.”
- “The story is also very linear, which proves to the game's detriment seeing as how multiple pathways and choices would prevent the experience from going stale too quickly.”
- “I was intrigued by the premise at first but was left disappointed by the abrupt ending and poor plot explanation.”
graphics
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
57%
3%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and fitting art style that enhances the narrative and atmosphere, creating an eerie and captivating experience. While some users noted that the visuals can be simplistic or repetitive, the overall aesthetic, color palette, and voice acting contribute positively to the game's mood. Overall, the graphics are seen as effective in conveying the game's themes, despite some criticisms regarding their plainness or rough edges.
- “The art style is fitting and adds to the overall narrative, with a unique and recognizable aesthetic.”
- “The visuals effectively convey the dark and unsettling mood of the story, drawing players into the game's world.”
- “I love how the graphics look a bit fancy while looking a little bit eerie at the same time.”
- “The graphics are a bit simple, but the voice acting and overall design of the scenario is pretty good.”
- “Poor graphics but works for the purpose of the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The graphics threw me off a little bit in the beginning, but once I got to playing I've noticed that they only contribute to the atmosphere.”
music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its ability to enhance the eerie atmosphere and complement the visual style, with standout tracks like "Legion" being particularly memorable. Players appreciate the full voice acting and the unexpected musical moments, which add a unique charm, although some found certain transitions in the soundtrack to be jarring. Overall, the combination of engaging music and artistic design creates a captivating experience that many recommend, especially for fans of point-and-click games.
- “The soundtrack complements the game perfectly, setting the mood and enhancing the eerie atmosphere.”
- “The amazing music and voice acting bring everything together and make it an experience you don't want to miss.”
- “The art style and the audio, such as the music and the voice acting, really add to the mystery and surreal settings in place.”
- “Music on the other hand feels a bit off.”
- “The only critique I have for that part is to make the song not seem so out-of-place.”
- “The main soundtrack didn't quite work for me - at some point it seems like Mr. Owl is about to break into a somber musical number, which was odd and amusing at the same time, but did take me out of the game for a moment.”
atmosphere
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
31%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, unsettling, and immersive qualities, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and distinctive art style. Many players appreciate the combination of voice acting and visuals that contribute to a captivating experience, although some express a desire for deeper lore and more interactive elements. Overall, the game successfully creates a unique and engaging atmosphere that keeps players returning, despite its brevity and simplicity.
- “I still come back to this game occasionally for the ominous, unsettling atmosphere that it instills in the player.”
- “The art and atmosphere of the game really pulls you into the universe.”
- “It should have consistently given off a disturbing atmosphere depending on whether you were afflicted or not.”
- “It's not bad per se, but some of the tracks feel a bit goofy and then there's a sudden switch to a very seriously eerie song; it kind of feels absurd, but I for the most part enjoyed the music, it does its job well building an unsettling atmosphere.”
- “With an art style reminiscent of a 19th century penny dreadful, and an atmosphere that never deviates from deeply unsettling, 'Dinner with an Owl' explores in startling fashion a variety of different sociological themes.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The gameplay of "Dinner with an Owl" is primarily a basic point-and-click adventure, characterized by its simplicity and minimal interactivity, which some players found satisfying while others deemed it repetitive and lacking depth. The game features a unique time loop mechanic that adds a layer of intrigue, but many reviewers noted that the overall experience is short and could benefit from more engaging interactions and puzzles. While the artistic visuals and music received praise, the gameplay itself often felt underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more from the narrative and mechanics.
- “Dinner with an owl is a captivating game that combines thought-provoking themes with challenging gameplay and a unique art style.”
- “The gameplay is simplistic, yet satisfying.”
- “The game also has a nice mechanic where you are in a looping storyline that gets modified a little each time.”
- “Dinner with an owl is one of those games I really wanted to enjoy more than I did, but there isn't really much there to enjoy to begin with - the whole game is disappointingly short, has barely any gameplay to speak of, and goes absolutely nowhere.”
- “The story and the gameplay both end up going in literal circles, lingering on a plot point that was only interesting the first time - it's like the game is reluctant to develop from there, even though it laid the premise for what could have been a complex and gripping story for an equally enjoyable game.”
- “The only other aspect of gameplay is talking to the characters, and while we get multiple-choice dialogue, most of them have absolutely no effect on the game or story, and those that do must be inevitably chosen later on anyway, and all lay along the same route.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of absurdity and dark comedy, often eliciting laughter through its quirky scenarios and clever writing. Players appreciate the mix of creepy atmosphere with funny moments, making it an entertaining experience for those who enjoy unconventional humor. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
- “I played this for the story, which was intriguing at first with some funny moments too.”
- “I suspect it was supposed to be more spooky than how I received it, but the absurdity mostly made me laugh, which was great.”
- “If you like dark humor, you'll like this game.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally acceptable, with some users noting minor glitches and bugs, particularly related to animations and certain gameplay elements. While these issues are present, they do not significantly detract from the overall experience, especially considering the game is free.
- “A bit buggy, but that might be the engine more than the game itself.”
- “Quite a few glitches, like the magic phantom knife... the game loves calling you out on your mistakes when you start messing around.”
- “It has a few glitches and bugs regarding the animation, but nothing to worry about; I mean, it was free and it did not interfere with the gameplay.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's simple point-and-click mechanics contribute to its excellent optimization, enabling it to run smoothly on a wide range of PCs and laptops.
- “The simple point-and-click mechanics allow it to run smoothly on any PC or laptop.”
- “The optimization is impressive, making the game accessible to a wide range of hardware.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it runs flawlessly even on lower-end systems.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the game to have strong replayability, often citing the lasting impact of the initial experience and the well-crafted atmosphere. Despite its brevity, the game offers a dense array of content that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Perfect atmosphere constructed with seemingly good replayability.”
- “Even then, I find the game replayable as I still haven't forgotten the original 'first-time' experience.”
- “A short but dense display of replayable content.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like a task requiring an immense commitment, akin to needing a second life to manage it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”