DOM RUSALOK

About

"DOM RUSALOK" is a horror adventure game set in 90's rural Russia, where a group of children must confront their worst nightmares when one of their own goes missing. Inspired by Stephen King and R.L. Stine, the game offers a unique post-Soviet atmosphere, as players navigate through cellars, basements, and yards to uncover dark secrets. The demo features a homicidal clown and a challenging chase scene.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

story5 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game offers a captivating atmosphere and intriguing storyline, reminiscent of 90s Russian culture, which can evoke nostalgia for players familiar with that era.
The sound design and background art effectively enhance the game's eerie ambiance, creating a sense of tension and engagement throughout the experience.
Despite its flaws, the game provides a unique narrative that encourages players to think critically about its themes and interpretations.

The controls are clunky and inconsistent, making navigation and interaction frustrating at times, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
The story can be convoluted and difficult to follow, leaving players confused about the plot and its resolution, particularly towards the end.
There are technical issues, such as a glitchy UI and unreliable autosave functionality, which can lead to repetitive gameplay and frustration.

story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
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 English translations for certain texts leaves some feeling lost. Overall, while the story has its flaws, it is often seen as engaging and thought-provoking, despite a disappointing ending.
- “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
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its compelling and tense environment, enhanced by impressive graphics and sound design. Players appreciate the authentic representation of post-Soviet culture, with a rich blend of urban legends and horror elements that create a memorable experience. However, some reviews note that while the atmosphere is strong, the narrative may feel lacking or unresolved.
- “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
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by a repetitive and somewhat unpolished experience, with players often navigating through numerous corridors and rooms, which can become tedious over time. While the controls detract from the overall experience, the game remains accessible and engaging for some, particularly those who appreciate its intriguing story and structure, despite the minimal interaction and lack of character depth.
- “The gameplay is very much accessible and fun, think The Cat Lady.”
- “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.”
- “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
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag; while some players find them unappealing at first, others appreciate their unique charm and atmospheric quality. Many reviewers highlight the strong graphic design as a standout feature, contributing to the overall horror and immersive experience.
- “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 graphic design.”
- “The story and aesthetic were very reminiscent of Harlan Ellison or Stephen King.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players found the emotional impact of the game diminished due to a confusing ending and a lack of English translations for key signs and texts, which left them feeling disconnected from the story. The overall atmosphere, combined with the anticipation of a jumpscare, contributed to a sense of unease rather than emotional engagement.
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the ambiance and contributing to the overall atmosphere, particularly in horror settings. Reviewers note its quality and effectiveness in creating a powerful emotional experience, complementing the game's graphics and background art.
- “Adding to the ambiance is the excellent music and background noise.”
- “Combined with the quality of the background art and the use of music, I give this a reluctant endorsement.”
- “Great horror and atmosphere, powerful music, and nice graphics!”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the background art is impressive, the music fails to complement it and often feels out of place.”
- “The soundtrack is forgettable and doesn't enhance the overall experience of the game.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report stability issues, noting the absence of a manual save feature and occasional buggy controls, which can detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- “There's no manual save, and the controls can be buggy.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant frame drops and lag during gameplay.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly noting that the time spent walking around feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.
- “Walking around is tedious and takes too long.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
- “Leveling up requires an excessive amount of time and effort.”