D'LIRIUM
- October 25, 2023
- B52 Development Team
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamD'lirium is a single-player action game with horror elements, featuring an amazing story, exceptional mechanics, and masterful graphics. Set during New Year's Eve, the game follows a protege invited to a mansion with an unusual gift that should never be opened. The experimental 2D-shooter brings classic mechanics, random events, and non-traditional controls, creating a dense and immersive atmosphere.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of horror and cute pony aesthetics, creating an unsettling yet engaging atmosphere.
- Gameplay mechanics are interesting, with a focus on managing health, sanity, and toxicity, adding depth to the combat experience.
- The pixel art style and soundtrack are well-received, enhancing the overall experience and nostalgia for retro games.
- The story and dialogue suffer from poor translation and lack of coherence, making it difficult to follow the plot.
- The game can feel short and repetitive, with limited levels and enemy variety, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Controls can be confusing, especially for new players, and the lack of clear instructions can lead to frustration.
- story204 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its intriguing premise and potential for development, while others criticize it for being vague, poorly translated, or lacking depth. Many appreciate the horror elements and character dynamics, but feel that the narrative could benefit from further expansion and refinement. Overall, while the story has its strengths, it is often seen as a secondary focus compared to gameplay and graphics.
“D'lirium is honestly one of the best MLP fan-made games I've played in a long time; the story is short and sweet and has got me in this chokehold I can't wiggle myself out of.”
“The storyline of D'lirium is intriguing, set during a New Year's Eve gathering at a mansion on the outskirts of a town.”
“Enjoyed the gameplay and the story (especially the ending); the devs clearly put a lot of care into making this, which the seasonal updates show well.”
“The storytelling in this game is bare bones.”
“All in all while the storytelling and narrative is by far the game's greatest weakness, it matters very little, if at all.”
“I give this game's story/narrative a 1/5 for being a very cliché, niche, generic sort of edgy, horror theme.”
- gameplay170 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its smooth mechanics, innovative features, and nostalgic 90s-style design, while others criticize its confusing controls and lack of depth. Players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements, including unique health systems and strategic components, but some find the overall experience short and lacking in content. Despite its flaws, the game offers a compelling atmosphere and engaging mechanics that resonate well with fans of the genre.
“The gameplay elements certainly reflect a 90s-esque game - and while they turned down the overall difficulty of the game upon release - the hardest difficulty is truly a fun little challenge if you enjoyed the old top-down shooters from the earlier times.”
“The gameplay is fun and fluid, with some very interesting and innovative mechanics.”
“Not just updates, the amount of different special screens, enemy variety, sounds, themes, environment details, and etc all culminate alongside an excellent unique health system and battle tools to provide a truly delightful gameplay loop.”
“I had to play 2 hours before becoming completely infuriated with the gameplay mechanics.”
“The controls are convoluted and poorly explained; you'll frequently get stuck on walls when attempting to go through doors or around corners, or have your character commonly backtrack by itself for no discernible reason, and there are both mechanical and grammatical errors throughout that make it even more difficult to understand what is going on.”
“D'lirium's gameplay is similar to that of a typical top-down shooter indie game like Nuclear Throne or Enter the Gungeon, only without the fancy bells and whistles of dodging, different abilities and weapons, or much variety in your means to fight off enemies.”
- graphics90 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming pixel art and detailed sprite work, which many players find appealing despite some cluttered visuals and occasional discrepancies between promotional and in-game designs. While the aesthetic draws inspiration from both horror and nostalgic gaming styles, it effectively conveys dark themes and enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some players note that the low-resolution graphics can sometimes obscure the action, particularly during gory scenes.
“The sprite work in this is most certainly a sight to behold, amazingly detailed, despite the game's pixel art style.”
“However, this game makes up for it all with its charming art style, the rest of its soundtrack fits the mood pretty well, and the control scheme is very smooth.”
“While not very technologically advanced, this game has very charming pixel art graphics, highly customizable controls, and a truly creepy atmosphere.”
“The low-res graphics and primitive gameplay really do make it feel like a long-forgotten, cheap shareware game from the 1990s.”
“Without any weight, all it had left was the scary visuals and violence.”
“Some of the scenes are so gory that, with the pixelated art style, you can't actually tell what is going on.”
- music80 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its quality and integration into gameplay. While some noted that certain tracks can become repetitive, the overall soundtrack is described as engaging, fitting the game's themes of charm and spookiness. However, a few critics found the music lacking in memorability and suggested that sound effects could be improved.
“This was a great game with an amazing soundtrack!”
“The soundtrack is nicely made and serves to enhance the atmosphere without ever seeming out of place.”
“The music and overall sound design is equally very well executed and effectively sets the mood just right.”
“Would advise to stay away, still in early access and the controls are the worst I've ever experienced. Not a bad price, but there are better games for that money. The music is dull, not even scary, just annoying.”
“The music, as I previously mentioned, gets boring quickly.”
“This makes it especially weird that the soundtrack is available on its own when it's so minimal and dull.”
- atmosphere68 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and unsettling qualities, effectively blending cartoonish elements with horror to create a unique and captivating experience. The audio, particularly the soundtrack, enhances the tension and fear, contributing significantly to the overall ambiance. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke dread and keep them on edge, making it a standout aspect of the gameplay.
“It oozes atmosphere, and it's obviously a passion project.”
“This premise serves as a perfect backdrop for the game's horror elements, creating an atmosphere that is both captivating and unsettling.”
“Wow, this is genuinely terrifying in its atmosphere, combat is surprisingly responsive and well done.”
“While it isn't that bad, it's just honestly not my thing and I unfortunately think that the way it sounds doesn't fit the atmosphere the game is trying to present.”
“From the few minutes I've played, it has an atmosphere of dread, and once the monsters showed up, I noped out of that game so fast you could hear the frantic clicking.”
“I guess what I'm trying to say is that this game is very unique and different from other horror games I've played, even though it's the first 2D horror game I've played, the storyline is pretty original and not too cliché like others tend to be, and though the atmosphere may be disturbing and scary at times, it isn't exactly what I'd call top quality horror.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, featuring multiple endings and a wealth of challenging achievements that encourage creative playthroughs. Priced affordably, it provides ample content and unlockables, making it appealing for players who enjoy challenges and exploration. While some users note that replayability may be minimal for others, the overall consensus is that the game is designed for those seeking to maximize their experience through repeated play.
“And tons of replay value, with lots to unlock.”
“The replay value is there and there are a ton of achievements that are not easy to get, encouraging you to be creative on your future playthroughs.”
“There are also multiple endings and loads of achievements to add replay value if you're into that sort of thing, and it's only 5 dollars at full price; I am more than satisfied with what I received here!”
“It may be in early access and look simple, but the best way to enjoy this game is to challenge yourself. Do all the achievements and different run types; replayability is minimal, but if you like challenges, grab this. The price isn't too bad for what you get.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that the game requires an excessive amount of grinding, often suggesting that it demands a significant time investment, akin to needing a "second life" to keep up with the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A lot of grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game experiences several minor glitches, particularly with the teleport orb feature, which is both innovative and prone to bugs. While the concept is appreciated, the stability issues detract from the overall experience.
“The little teleport orb is an exceptional idea and is super buggy; unless always smashing into walls is intended, nonetheless I love the idea of it.”
“And, it's (who guessed?) buggy.”
“Few little glitches here and there.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by random yet amusing dialogue, particularly in the early stages, and clever jokes that enhance the experience, such as the suggestion to wear a scarf when it's cold. Despite its simplistic technology, the game successfully combines charming pixel art with a creepy atmosphere, contributing to its overall comedic appeal.
“Some of the dialog in the beginning is kind of random, but still pretty funny.”
“While not very technologically advanced, this game has very charming pixel art graphics, highly customizable controls (I suggest you turn on the shooter mode and use WASD keys to walk around), funny jokes (put on a scarf if you're freezing!) and a truly creepy atmosphere.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its stunning portraits and fantastic character designs, highlighting the visual appeal and creativity in the game's character representation.
“The portraits are wonderful and the character designs are fantastic.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally satisfactory, with users noting that control performance is adequate, contributing positively to the overall experience.
