Dollhouse
- December 31, 2017
- Creazn Studio
Dollhouse has some honestly good mechanics and ideas, and can be fun to play in short bursts. It's just repetitive, and it's unique multiplayer modes have likely never been played.
Get on SteamDollhouse is a Horror Action game that can be played in single-player, multi-player, or co-op mode with up to 2 players. In the single-player mode, players must escape their pursuer while deciphering the story of their past. The game features procedurally generated maps, customizable characters with over 40 abilities, and a multiplayer mode where each player has a different target. The eerie atmosphere is enhanced by a film noir setting and a good soundtrack.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features an interesting and unique story that keeps players engaged.
- The atmosphere and visual style are well-crafted, creating a creepy and immersive experience.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and have made improvements through updates.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay and progression.
- Controls are poorly designed, making the gameplay frustrating and difficult to navigate.
- The gameplay becomes repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a boring experience overall.
- story62 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it interesting and engaging, while others feel it is poorly executed and lacks depth. Many appreciate the mysterious and creepy elements, as well as the character development, but criticize the repetitive gameplay that can detract from the narrative experience. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight for those who prioritize narrative over action, despite its scattered presentation and potential for monotony.
“Every time I logged on to play, I learned something new, and the story kind of bound onto me. I slowly got the grip of it, and it started to actually be fun; the story took me into its binding so that I just had to know what else would come.”
“This game is carried by the story, and it is weird and uncomfortable at times, which is good for the horror aspect.”
“Off the bat, the story is pretty interesting with a creepy opening that introduces the main character as the 'best detective in the world.'”
“The story barely exists, and I knew this game was going to be mediocre as soon as a character speaking to you through a radio says 'would you kindly'.”
“I am so frustrated by that kind of story and concept wasted.”
“The game is poorly designed, the controls are bad, and the story is quite boring; it already has too many negative reviews, and I couldn't be bothered to continue playing.”
- gameplay55 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it overly complicated, repetitive, and often frustrating due to broken mechanics and insufficient explanations. While some appreciate the unique elements and potential for skill development, others feel that the gameplay quickly becomes routine and lacks engagement. Overall, the game presents a steep learning curve and a blend of interesting concepts, but suffers from execution issues that detract from the overall experience.
“There's so many aspects to the unique gameplay.”
“Easy and cheeky fun gameplay.”
“The gameplay mechanics take a while to grasp, but the tutorial emphasized practice and I learned the ropes by chapter 2.”
“Tldr: the game does not properly explain its overly complicated mechanics, a lot of which are broken; the gameplay is boring, repetitive, and far too difficult (even on easy mode) because a lot of the player abilities don’t work correctly.”
“It has wonderful visuals (in the cutscenes at least), a promising scenario, and terribly boring gameplay.”
“So about 10 minutes into the game I was really confused by the controls and gameplay.”
- music24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its cool, down-tempo soft jazz style, which complements the noir atmosphere effectively. Reviewers appreciate the overall tastefulness of the soundtrack, noting that it enhances the game's ambiance and adds to the tension during chases. However, some express disappointment that the soundtrack is not available for purchase on Steam and suggest alternative sound design choices for specific gameplay moments.
“The music is very cool down tempo soft jazz, and it seems like a shame the soundtrack isn't available on Steam.”
“There's not much to say about the soundtrack except that it fits really well with the atmosphere and has overall a really good taste with it.”
“Chases are good and the music adds to the dread when you find the mother-mannequin around the next corner.”
“When the killer approaches the player, use the sound of footsteps (knock of heels) instead of intense music.”
“Add playing erotic videos during the killer running behind the player (instead of annoying music) when the killer knows the location of the gamer.”
“I don't want to address anything further regarding gameplay, music, story, etc... it's all irrelevant in my eyes if the product is broken.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as "okayish-good," fitting the noir aesthetic and doll-like style, though they lack the polish of next-gen visuals. While some players appreciate the artistic choices and atmospheric visuals, particularly in cutscenes, others express a desire for more color and depth. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's ambiance, despite being typical for an indie title.
“In my opinion, the graphics are perfect for the game; it's called Dollhouse, and the style is very doll-like, so I would say it is more a stylistic choice than an inability to make the graphics realistic.”
“Dollhouse is one of those indie games with amazing looking concept visuals, and so you think 'hey, this could be really good'.”
“The game has a heavy influence in puzzles and the beautiful aesthetic gives the player an uneasy feeling while wandering the environment.”
“I mean the graphics are not great, but they are okayish-good; they are fitting to the game.”
“Visually, the aesthetic fits the noir vibe they’re going for, and I like the music and general atmosphere, but I wish there was a little more color.”
“One complaint that I noticed was somewhat common is that the graphics aren’t 'next gen', but this is an indie game, and many indie games don’t have next gen graphics.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and immersive noir aesthetic, effectively enhancing the horror experience with a creepy vibe. The soundtrack complements the atmosphere well, although some players wish for a bit more color in the visuals. Overall, the combination of storytelling and environmental design creates a captivating and unsettling atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
“If you love horror games that are less shooting and more atmosphere, this is the game for you.”
“As a result, Dollhouse offers a creepy noir-themed horror game that has the player go around getting collectibles and keeps them on edge with the eerie atmosphere.”
“As a result, Dollhouse offers a creepy noir theme horror game that has the player go around getting collectibles and keeps them on edge with the eerie atmosphere.”
“But what makes it really shine is the story of the characters, the creepy atmosphere, how nothing stays the same after completing tasks, and just the different movies and such you can collect.”
“First off, the atmosphere is pretty creepy, so I found that as a huge plus.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for having numerous glitches and bugs, with some users labeling it as broken. However, many players noted that the developers are responsive and have released updates that address these issues, resulting in improvements over time. Overall, while stability is a concern, the situation appears to be improving with ongoing support from the development team.
“Broken/buggy game, don't buy!”
“Too many glitches >:(”
“- a bit buggy”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game offers good replayability due to its procedurally generated levels, which provide a unique experience for each playthrough, despite some players finding the gameplay repetitive. With a campaign length of 6-8 hours, the intriguing story adds to its overall replay value, appealing to those who enjoy exploring different outcomes.
“The game has an interesting and mysterious story, as well as good replayability thanks to the randomly generated nature of the levels.”
“Decent campaign length with a lot of replay value.”
“The developer claims the single-player is 6-8 hours long, but it's procedurally generated, so it has some replay value and will differ from person to person.”
“Then you read the 'discussions' forum on Steam and see that the developer claims the single-player is 6-8 hours long, but procedurally generated so it's got some replay value, and will differ from person to person.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting unstable frame rates even on capable hardware like the RTX 3060.
“Game optimization is horrible; I have an unstable frame rate with RTX 3060.”
“Game optimization is horrible; I have an unstable frame rate with RTX 3060.”
