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DISTRAINT

It's functional and just weird enough to be mostly enjoyable, but the forced surrealism wears thin quickly.
DISTRAINT Game Cover
84%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, replayability
90% User Score Based on 2,688 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 2 reviews

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DISTRAINT Game Cover

About

DISTRAINT is a single player casual role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Jesse Makkonen and was released on October 21, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Distraint is a 2D psychological horror adventure for PC. To secure a partner position in the famous company he works for, Price seizes the property of an elderly woman. In that moment he finds the price of his humanity.

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DISTRAINT screenshot
DISTRAINT screenshot
DISTRAINT screenshot
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90%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,688 reviews
story696 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • Strong and emotionally impactful story that explores guilt, greed, and morality.
  • Impressive atmosphere created by unique pixel art style, sound design, and music.
  • Simple and accessible gameplay with light puzzles fitting the narrative tone, suitable for a short playthrough.
  • Some puzzles are unintuitive or frustrating, especially the timed 'mushroom' segment causing backtracking.
  • The protagonist’s motivations and story can feel simplistic or heavy-handed with moral messaging.
  • Slow character movement and parts of tedious backtracking negatively affect pacing and immersion.
  • story
    1,655 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of Distraint is widely praised for its dark, psychological narrative exploring themes of guilt, greed, regret, and morality through the journey of its protagonist, Price. Despite its brevity (about 2-3 hours), the game delivers a compelling, emotionally impactful tale enriched by atmospheric sound design and striking pixel art, though some critics find it heavy-handed or simplistic. Overall, the storytelling is considered the game's strongest element, engaging players with its unsettling yet thoughtful examination of human nature and consequences.

    • “Phenomenal story that really gets your gut wrenching, it leaves a lasting impression.”
    • “Distraint: deluxe edition, developed by Jesse Makkonen, is a uniquely atmospheric 2D psychological horror adventure that stands apart not through jump scares or high-octane tension, but through its haunting storytelling, minimalist design, and emotionally heavy themes.”
    • “It's a beautiful game with an incredible story and very beautiful drawings.”
    • “The story is lacking in substance and not developed; it all boils down to greed. There was definitely potential to make this more interesting but instead it feels like not a lot of thought went behind it and lacked vision. It's not subtle either; literally fat greedy capitalists in suits with bags of money congratulate when you evict people.”
    • “The story is too simplistic, symbolic, and cliché and the characters are so flat that you cannot attach emotionally to them.”
    • “I am puzzled with the amount of positive reviews praising the 'story'; I say it with quotation marks because it is non-existent, extremely naive, vague, inconsistent, artificially extended, and the dialogue is outright garbage.”
  • graphics
    539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics employ a distinctive pixel art style that, while simple and low-res, is widely praised for its atmospheric, eerie, and creative visual design that effectively complements the psychological horror tone. The hand-drawn, minimalist, and often surreal art style, combined with effective use of lighting and color, creates a unique, unsettling environment that many find charming and immersive despite some initial reservations about the pixelated aesthetic. Overall, while not technically advanced, the graphics are considered a strong asset in setting mood and supporting the narrative.

    • “The graphics work remarkably well; I would not have thought pixel graphics would fit something resembling survival horror, but here we are; the lighting and sparse yet well-chosen use of color really heighten this.”
    • “The art style is fantastic in my opinion, and the developer clearly has a talent for giving flavor to the environment and characters.”
    • “Distraint's simple but well-made art style, full of personality and just the right color scheme, creates a beautifully grim atmosphere and gives life and soul to the characters, making you care about the ones whose lives you, as the price, affect.”
    • “The funko-pop/bobblehead style of character design cuts the disturbing/frightening factor in half, subtracting from the ominous environment and plot developments.”
    • “The game's muddy, confused visuals seem mostly designed to reduce the developer's workload, adding nothing to the experience and hurting the overall project.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and hurt eyes.”
  • atmosphere
    421 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Distraint" is widely praised for its heavy, oppressive, and unsettling psychological horror tone, achieved through minimalist pixel art, haunting sound design, and emotionally resonant storytelling. Players highlight its eerie, dreamlike quality that evokes a strong sense of dread and immersion without relying on jump scares, instead using music, lighting, and narrative to build a deeply disturbing yet captivating mood. Overall, the atmosphere is regarded as the game's standout feature, skillfully enhancing its dark, melancholic themes and making it a memorable experience.

    • “Distraint: deluxe edition, developed by Jesse Makkonen, is a uniquely atmospheric 2D psychological horror adventure that stands apart not through jump scares or high-octane tension, but through its haunting storytelling, minimalist design, and emotionally heavy themes.”
    • “The game doesn’t rely on cheap jumpscares—instead, it creates an oppressive atmosphere through disturbing imagery, eerie sound design, and a creeping sense of guilt that seeps into the protagonist’s world.”
    • “Everything about it was crafted perfectly to create an unsettling atmosphere and a good story.”
    • “Deluxe edition changed quite a few key elements from the original game, including removing the lantern, throwing away one of the climax of the story and ruining the atmosphere.”
    • “The controls are slow in hopes to build up atmosphere, but all they do is make getting forward in the story painful.”
    • “All atmosphere the game could have generated was destroyed, along with the fourth wall, by making you backtrack through seemingly pointless hallways, making you retry simple and unsatisfying 'puzzles' because you ran out of your mushroom high, letting you realize early in the game that there is no danger whatsoever, and by your own audible sighs at boring introspective moments of clarity from your character that you could have told him after reading the game's description.”
  • gameplay
    362 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in Distraint is simple, straightforward, and primarily serves to support the story, consisting mainly of side-scrolling exploration and basic puzzle-solving with minimal mechanics. While some find the pacing slow and puzzles occasionally tedious or confusing, the minimalist gameplay effectively complements the game's atmospheric, narrative-driven experience and emotionally resonant story. Its short length and simplicity may not appeal to players seeking complex gameplay, but it suits those prioritizing storytelling and mood.

    • “Still: the art direction is creative, the atmosphere works, the pacing is tight enough, and the gameplay is smooth.”
    • “The gameplay is simple and fairly minimal, and the puzzles provide just enough substance to carry through to its dramatic conclusion.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but effective: you move left and right and solve puzzles to progress through the atmospheric story.”
    • “The puzzles ranged from tedious to frustrating, particularly when the solution required some limited time-based mechanics or interacting with something empty-handed instead of attempting to use an item.”
    • “The gameplay is simple and it's easy to find your way around the different places. Gameplay is simple and easy to understand, and although some of the maps and puzzles can be a bit confusing (I got lost wandering in circles in the cabin area for about twenty minutes) the good storyline and horror elements make up for it.”
    • “The gameplay can be a bit of a slog; puzzles, as sparse as they are, make no sense sometimes, and the slow walking speed can add insult to injury during these boring moments.”
  • music
    315 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric, eerie, and melancholic qualities, perfectly complementing the emotional and psychological horror themes. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance tension, evoke deep feelings, and immerse players in the narrative, often likening it to iconic ambient works. While minimalistic at times, the music stands out as a key element that significantly enriches the overall experience.

    • “The soundtrack itself is somber and melancholic, setting the emotional tone without being intrusive.”
    • “Rather than signaling danger or building tension in traditional horror fashion, the music here reinforces Price’s emotional journey—his remorse, his fear, and his internal conflict.”
    • “Every bit of music is pitch perfect for the emotional tone each scene tries to evoke.”
    • “While the visuals are fantastic, I do wish the audio was of equal quality but there just isn't enough of it (sound effects, music).”
    • “I picked up Distraint hoping that it would be one of those little 16-bit-esque games with a killer soundtrack that helps carry the graphical style, and to some degree that's what I got, but not so much that it blew me away.”
    • “Likewise, the soundtrack starts off pretty well, and then just dulls down with the horror aspect of the gameplay.”
  • emotional
    166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Distraint delivers a profoundly emotional experience through its minimalist design, haunting storytelling, and melancholic soundtrack, effectively exploring themes of guilt, greed, and ambition. While the game’s short length and simple gameplay may limit mechanical depth, players frequently praise its ability to evoke genuine emotional responses, including sadness and reflection, making it a touching psychological horror journey despite occasional criticisms about character development and ending execution. Overall, it stands out as a memorable, heartfelt indie game that resonates deeply with many players.

    • “Distraint: deluxe edition, developed by Jesse Makkonen, is a uniquely atmospheric 2D psychological horror adventure that stands apart not through jump scares or high-octane tension, but through its haunting storytelling, minimalist design, and emotionally heavy themes.”
    • “At its core, it’s a meditation on guilt, greed, and the human cost of ambition, wrapped in a deceptively simple side-scrolling interface that belies the depth of its narrative and emotional weight.”
    • “Both this and the second game are collectively an unforgettable experience with a beautiful and touching story filled with twisted horrors, beautifully haunting environments/scenarios and some absolutely devastating writing.”
    • “In the end, all the horror elements are nothing more than a coat of paint over a boring story about repossession.”
  • humor
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game effectively blends dark, macabre humor with its thriller and horror elements, often providing funny moments that lighten the overall grim tone. Its quirky, playful art style and humorous dialogue—especially through achievements and character interactions—offer a balanced experience of tension and levity, making the humor both memorable and integral to the game's emotional impact.

    • “The game has a dark sense of humor and you often question whether it's appropriate to burst out laughing but then you do it anyways.”
    • “The most important thing to remember about this game is that it's thrilling, funny and terribly sad all at the same time, making it a real gem among indie games.”
    • “A darkly funny horror game that's all about its message, it's super short, but it made me want to buy the sequel right away.”
  • grinding
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's grinding mainly involves tedious, confusing puzzles and backtracking, with some sections requiring precise timing that many find frustrating or overly drawn out. While the short length prevents it from becoming overwhelmingly tedious, several players felt the gameplay often overshadowed the story, making progression feel like a grind rather than enjoyable challenge. Overall, the grinding aspect may detract from immersion and engagement, though the experience remains relatively brief.

    • “You mostly search for items that can help with progressing and solving puzzles, but it's not tedious.”
    • “Some point and click style gameplay, but not tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The concept and the way the story is told warrants a playthrough, but I'd recommend having a walkthrough with you to navigate the more obscure and frankly tedious parts.”
    • “One puzzle in particular, about two-thirds of the way through, was so tedious and abstruse that I looked up a walkthrough.”
  • replayability
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is consistently described as short and strictly linear, offering little to no replayability beyond possibly hunting for achievements or easter eggs. While its brevity limits repeated playthroughs, many reviewers feel the game's low price justifies the limited replay value. Overall, replayability is minimal and not a strong aspect of this title.

    • “10/10 replay value”
    • “Distraint is a squarely two hour experience, and has a few puzzles which seem oddly obtuse, but the short timeframe makes it relatively replayable in a way similar to a movie being rewatchable, and for only five dollars it's not too bad of a grab.”
    • “I really, really enjoyed my time with Distraint even though its gameplay might be basic, most of the puzzles were a breeze and its linearity means there's little replay value unless you're achievement hunting.”
    • “I would prefer if this was a longer game with a deeper dive into presented themes, but oh well, we got what we got — a game trying to tell some type of story without any kind of replayability.”
    • “The game is strictly linear, which not only decreases replayability, but muddles the message of the game.”
    • “After the first playthrough there's no replay value whatsoever as the game only has one ending.”
  • character development
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is strong, effectively fostering empathy and delivering meaningful life lessons within a concise narrative. However, the unique, stylized character designs—often described as cute or bobblehead-like—undermine the horror atmosphere by reducing tension and fear, which some players find distracting or off-putting despite their suitability to the game’s dark themes.

    • “The game offers great character development and plenty of life lessons.”
    • “Character development does a good job in making the player empathize with both sides' points of view.”
    • “I liked that there's a lot of character development packed into it in a short period of time.”
    • “All in all, this is a great horror game weakened a bit by its not too serious character design which removes tension and fear rather than accentuating it.”
    • “Distraint is an impressively good game that suffers from a slightly repulsive character design flaw, which turns people off of playing it before even buying it.”
    • “He was too nice to fit the description the game was giving you, and it left no room for character development.”
  • stability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is generally stable and bug-free during most playthroughs, though some users report minor glitches and occasional freezing when interacting with objects. These issues are mostly non-game-breaking but can be somewhat frustrating. Overall, the stability is acceptable and does not significantly impact gameplay.

    • “It's not buggy; the puzzles are decent enough with a good visual style overall.”
    • “Bug free (at least in my playthrough).”
    • “Buggy game because there is a piece of the game that is impossible to do.”
    • “Sometimes it freezes when interacting with objects (the only recurring bug I've encountered throughout the whole game).”
    • “The game also suffers from some weird bugs and glitches which the developer seemed to have overlooked, but they don't hinder the game at all.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without performance issues and offering responsive controls and configuration options.

    • “I had no issues with the game's performance, controls, configuration, etc.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users appreciate the option to remove ads, indicating that the monetization approach is generally supported as long as ad removal is possible.

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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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2h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

DISTRAINT is a casual role playing game with horror theme.

DISTRAINT is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing DISTRAINT.

DISTRAINT was released on October 21, 2015.

DISTRAINT was developed by Jesse Makkonen.

DISTRAINT has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

DISTRAINT is a single player game.

Similar games include DISTRAINT 2, The Cat Lady, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, RiME, Layers of Fear and others.