Døm Rusalok

About

Døm Rusalok is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Butuzoff and was released on January 6, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

Russia in the ‘90s. A provincial town at the edge of the crumbling Soviet Empire. A group of kids faces the disturbing horror they are unable to comprehend – the Døm Rusalok. This is a place where the worst nightmares come true.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

story10 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game offers a captivating atmosphere and a compelling narrative that immerses players in the unique cultural context of 1990s Russia.
The sound design and visuals contribute significantly to the game's eerie ambiance, enhancing the overall experience.
Players who appreciate nostalgia and the exploration of urban legends will find the game engaging and thought-provoking.

The controls are clunky and can be frustrating, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
The story can be convoluted and difficult to follow, leaving players confused about the plot and its resolution.
There are technical issues, such as a glitchy UI and inconsistent autosave functionality, which can disrupt the flow of the game.

story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it captivating and atmospheric, while others describe it as confusing and lacking resolution. Many appreciate the intriguing narrative and its ability to evoke suspense, though the lack of character depth and translation issues detract from the overall experience. Ultimately, the story's bizarre elements and drab presentation leave players divided, with some enjoying the journey despite its flaws.
- “A captivating storyline creates an enchanting experience.”
- “The storyline is engrossing and keeps you both guessing and wanting more.”
- “The story was also intriguing and leaves the player thinking about the meaning of the game.”
- “The game's ending is a bit confusing, and the fact that most of the signs and texts you encounter aren't translated into English made me feel like I was missing out on some clues to fully understand the story.”
- “On the other hand, the story was impenetrable to me.”
- “At some point, things start getting ridiculous, and personally, I don't appreciate the direction it leads the story to.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its compelling and tense environment, enhanced by drab graphics and rich sound design that evoke a haunting, post-Soviet setting. Players appreciate the incorporation of cultural elements and urban legends, which contribute to a unique and immersive experience, despite some critiques regarding the narrative's direction and ending. Overall, the atmosphere effectively captures a sense of nostalgia and horror, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Thankfully for the game's (intentional) drab presentation, the story is compelling and the atmosphere is tense, especially after you start crawling the game's many abandoned buildings, decrepit corridors, and subterranean facilities.”
- “The items, situations, and sights are really taking me down to memory lane... the game is really a 'post-Soviet Stranger Things' and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the authentic atmosphere of Russian 199x and urban legends.”
- “This is a fantastic 3-4 hour point and click horror game with a rarely seen setting, kids that act like kids and are believable, fantastic atmosphere and sound design, and some really disturbing imagery.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
Gameplay in the game is described as accessible and fun, with an intriguing story that is well-integrated into the experience. However, it suffers from repetitiveness, unpolished controls, and minimal interaction, particularly towards the end where players navigate through numerous corridors, which can feel tedious. While it has potential for enjoyment, some players may find the gameplay experience lacking depth and engagement.
- “Intriguing and effective at the best of times, Dom Rusalok has the potential to be a very enjoyable experience for the right person - so long as a few bumps in the road can be overlooked regarding the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very much accessible and fun; think The Cat Lady.”
- “You won’t get very many details about each character you play as, so you don’t really form that deep of a connection to them, but the overall story is interesting and I loved how it was pieced together along the gameplay.”
- “Towards the end, the gameplay became a bit of a drag - just tons of corridors and rooms to run back and forth between.”
- “The gameplay is also a bit unpolished, even for simple point-and-click standards, and entering dingy corridors after a while starts feeling repetitive and unrealistic.”
- “Either way, I don’t really care for the controls in this game and felt it detracted from the gameplay.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's graphics have received mixed feedback; while some players find them unappealing at first glance, they appreciate the unique charm and atmosphere they create. Many reviewers highlight the graphics as a strong point, noting their effectiveness in enhancing the horror elements and overall aesthetic reminiscent of notable authors like Harlan Ellison and Stephen King.
- “I enjoyed this game; it has nice graphics and atmosphere.”
- “I think everyone will agree that this game's strongest aspect is its graphic design.”
- “Great horror and atmosphere, powerful music, and nice graphics!”
- “The visuals are not particularly pleasant to look at, but they build up their own charm.”
- “I think everyone will agree (he said ignorantly towards the internet) that this game's strongest aspect is its graphics design.”
- “The story and aesthetic were very reminiscent of Harlan Ellison or Stephen King.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players found the emotional impact of the game lacking due to a confusing ending and the absence of English translations for key texts, which left them feeling disconnected from the story. The overall atmosphere, combined with the anticipation of a jumpscare, contributed to a sense of frustration rather than emotional engagement.
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the ambiance and contributing to a powerful horror atmosphere, effectively complementing the quality of the background art. Reviewers note that the combination of music and sound design significantly elevates the overall experience.
- “Adding to the ambiance is the excellent music and background noise.”
- “Great horror and atmosphere, powerful music, and nice graphics!”
- “Combined with the quality of the background art and use of music, I give this a reluctant endorsement.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report stability issues, noting the absence of a manual save feature and frequent bugs with the controls, which can detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- “There's no manual save and the controls can be buggy.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, noting that the time spent walking around feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.
- “Walking around is tedious and takes too long.”