Disminal

About Disminal

Disminal is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Brian Gonnet and was released on May 2, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

Disminal is a First Person Exploration/Walking Simulator experience set in the backrooms where you will be able to wonder through some of it's unsettling and vacant places, is there an exit to be found? or will you be staying here forever, lost between two worlds. This game will focus merely on immersion and appreciation of aesthetics. Most zones/sections in the game are greatly influenced b…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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Reviews

93%Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews

graphics19 positive mentions

stability1 negative mentions

Exceptional liminal space atmosphere with immersive and eerie environments that capture the essence of the Backrooms without relying on jump scares or entities.
Beautiful and unique graphics with well-crafted, seamless level design that encourages exploration and a strong sense of isolation and mystery.
Thoughtful sound design and soundtrack that complement the visual aesthetic, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

Extremely slow walking and running speeds, especially when navigating stairs, which hampers pacing and can cause player frustration.
Lack of save or checkpoint systems forcing players to complete the game in one session, making exploration and replay less convenient.
Limited video and control settings, such as no option to toggle motion blur, adjust camera sensitivity, or remove VHS effects, which affects accessibility and comfort.

graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68% positive mentions, 21% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique VHS-style aesthetic, effectively capturing the eerie and liminal atmosphere of the backrooms with smooth camera movement and diverse, visually distinct environments. While the visuals are considered stunning and immersive, some users note performance issues at higher resolutions and occasional pixelation. Overall, the graphics are seen as a standout feature that enhances the game's tone and exploration experience.
- “The visual style and graphics, which look like an old VHS/handheld camera, really add to the atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the camera movement is smooth, and it's just an interesting place to explore.”
- “The graphics (with their VHS-style camera effects) are great and there's a real diversity in the design of the map, with each section of the liminal space you explore feeling visually distinct from the last.”
- “The way the lighting in the environments has been done, I think it clashes with the visual aesthetic and atmosphere that's already natively present.”
- “Most Unity games have mediocre and unrealistic looking graphics.”
- “The graphics were a little disoriented and too pixelated for my taste.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 35% neutral mentions, 15% negative mentions
The game excels in creating a heavy, oppressive, and immersive liminal space atmosphere through minimalist visuals, VHS-style graphics, and carefully crafted lighting and sound design without relying on jump scares or entities. Its eerie yet relaxing ambiance is praised for capturing the unsettling essence of backrooms and childhood fever dreams, making it a standout in atmospheric walking simulators. Some users wish the atmospheric levels were longer, but overall the atmosphere is regarded as the game's strongest and most defining feature.
- “The minimalist presentation works surprisingly well, creating a consistently eerie atmosphere without relying on cheap scares or excessive visual clutter.”
- “Perfect immersive liminal space simulator - heavy, oppressive atmosphere, beautifully crafted spaces, and uncannily like many of my childhood fever dreams.”
- “The visual style and graphics, which look like an old VHS/handheld camera, really add to the atmosphere.”
- “The way the lighting in the environments has been done, I think it clashes with the visual aesthetic and atmosphere that's already natively present.”
- “On the negative side, given how well laid out things are and how well the atmosphere in the various levels were done, it does leave me wishing that they were longer than they presently are.”
- “Atmosphere is a central focus of the genre, and it's where dismal shows expertise over its peers.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45% positive mentions, 55% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The music, composed by Infinity Frequencies, is widely praised for its atmospheric and ambient qualities that enhance the game's relaxing yet mildly unsettling, dreamlike experience. It complements the seamless environmental transitions and contributes significantly without becoming distracting, making it a perfect fit for the game's immersive and thought-provoking nature.
- “The music from Infinity Frequencies definitely adds to the atmosphere to make a really solid, if not short, game.”
- “Its inventive gameplay mechanics, subtle nods to internet culture, and amazing soundtrack combine to create an experience that is as thought-provoking as it is immersive.”
- “The use of sound and music created a great atmosphere in the moments it was used without sticking around to be a distraction.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 34% neutral mentions, 33% negative mentions
The gameplay offers a unique, atmospheric exploration experience focused on immersion without complex survival mechanics, though early versions lacked a save system which was later added, improving playability. While some players desire additional features like sprinting or flashlight mechanics, the game’s inventive design and subtle cultural references create a thought-provoking and engaging journey. However, slow navigation and potential backtracking may discourage extended exploration for some.
- “I got 2 real hours of gameplay because I quit playing on my first attempt since the game was a bit rough and did not have a save system. After some updates and the save system being added, I feel great about my purchase and look forward to more from Brian Gonnet.”
- “For the price, you're getting about an hour of forward-momentum gameplay, but you can easily get lost in here and explore dismal just as a piece of art—of feeling—for as long and as often as you want.”
- “Its inventive gameplay mechanics, subtle nods to internet culture, and amazing soundtrack combine to create an experience that is as thought-provoking as it is immersive.”
- “I got 2 real hours of gameplay because I quit playing on my first attempt due to the game being a bit rough and lacking a save system. After some updates and the save system being added, I feel great about my purchase and look forward to more from Brian Gonnet.”
- “I'm discouraged from exploring so many places after 40+ minutes of gameplay because I don't want to spend several minutes slowly walking to a dead end then have to backtrack another several minutes.”
- “For the price, you're getting about an hour of forward-momentum gameplay, but you can easily get lost in here and explore dismal just as a piece of art - of feeling - for as long and as often as you want.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game delivers impressive performance and visuals, running smoothly and efficiently even on Mac. However, some minor optimizations could improve certain areas, such as character movement speed. Overall, it maintains excellent performance without overheating or excessive noise.
- “Overall, incredible performance and visuals (excluding mpeg mode).”
- “The performance is fantastic as well; my PC stayed cool and quiet despite the game having better reflections than most modern AAA games!”
- “Some areas could stand to be optimized a little better, but good God please make your character walk faster than a snail.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability due to hidden areas and secrets that encourage multiple playthroughs. Players find value in revisiting to explore missed spaces and discover new content.
- “It took me two short sessions to find the exit, and I replayed it over the next few days... but apparently I missed a few hidden spaces so this game definitely has replay value.”
- “I've only done the one full playthrough right now, but from what I can tell, I would say there's definite replay value.”
- “I believe the game has replayability too because there could be some more areas you want to go back and explore.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The story is praised for its deep and engaging narration, which significantly enhances the overall experience.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Users appreciate humor that is evident through funny sounds or visuals, often enhancing their overall experience and enjoyment of the product.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The emotional experience is marked by a compelling blend of the uncanny and cozy, creating a unique atmosphere that feels both alienating and familiar, enhanced by immersive visual and audio design.
- “The visual and audio design made me feel like a voyeur inside a wrong but magical world that was equally uncanny and cozy, alienating and familiar.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game suffers from numerous unintended bugs, leading to a generally unstable experience.
- “Game is very buggy, and seemingly not in an intentional way.”