Don't Chat With Strangers
- January 6, 2017
- Bartosz Bojarowski
Get on Steam"Don't Chat With Strangers" is a horror-themed, text-based adventure game. You play as a teenager who begins chatting with a stranger online, but the conversation takes a dark turn. The game is a series of choices, and your decisions will determine your character's fate. Be careful who you trust in this suspenseful game of cat and mouse.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept and an interesting atmosphere that can be engaging for horror fans.
- The graphics and audio are well-crafted, contributing to the overall creepy vibe of the game.
- Despite its flaws, some players find the trial-and-error gameplay rewarding and fun once they figure out the mechanics.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, making it frustrating and difficult to complete.
- Many players feel the gameplay is overly cryptic, requiring guides to progress, which detracts from the experience.
- The lack of multiple endings and the repetitive nature of dying in various ways can lead to boredom and dissatisfaction.
- story44 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story is generally regarded as intriguing and atmospheric, with some players appreciating its depth despite its simplicity. However, many reviewers express disappointment with the limited gameplay and an unsatisfying ending, suggesting that the narrative could benefit from further expansion, possibly through DLC. Overall, while the story serves as a compelling element that keeps players engaged, its execution is hampered by gameplay flaws and a lack of content.
“While the game itself is weak, the story is intriguing; while it's simplistic, it really is a force that keeps you going to see how it wraps up.”
“If you play your cards right, you'll get to have odd and surreal conversations with 'the stranger' that reveal interesting, yet puzzling bits of information that progress the story forward and clue you into what this is all about.”
“The sounds and music match the art and story very well.”
“I liked the game concept and atmosphere, but there's just too little story in it.”
“I'd normally be willing to put in that work, but after the 9th time of encountering the same problems for a relatively simple story, I eventually just got bored and gave up.”
“I think the dev is probably someone with not too much experience in programming games; I don't mean the graphics with that, I mean the game mechanics and the story.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is initially praised for its immersive audio and creepy ambiance, effectively drawing players into its unsettling world. However, many reviewers note that this atmosphere diminishes over time, particularly as gameplay becomes repetitive and the story lacks depth. While the atmosphere is compelling at first, it ultimately fails to sustain engagement throughout the experience.
“The audio is great as well; it's a great mix of ambiance from the computer buzzing and noises from the messaging app. These sounds help build a great atmosphere that will surely get under your skin while playing.”
“[b]Don't Chat with Strangers[/b] successfully creates a creepy atmosphere. Although most of the choices given seem either arbitrary or useless, there is a purpose, and there is a hidden pattern.”
“Even if this was 'not fun but had a point', I'd try to identify redeeming factors of which I do not find any other than the initial burst of atmosphere.”
“[b]Don't Chat with Strangers[/b] successfully creates a creepy atmosphere, and although most of the choices given seem either arbitrary or useless, there is a purpose, and there is a hidden pattern.”
“It reminds me of Emily is Away, but with a horror atmosphere... and lots of dying.”
- stability16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by significant stability issues, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and clunky controls that hinder gameplay. Players frequently encounter inconsistent mechanics and broken achievements, leading to frustration and a lack of enjoyment. Overall, the game's stability problems severely detract from the experience, making it difficult for users to engage with it meaningfully.
“It's short, buggy, and has a broken achievement.”
“I really want to like this game, but it's very, very buggy.”
“It glitches out half the time and is generally buggy.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Don't Chat with Strangers" is characterized as a unique pixelated horror point-and-click puzzle adventure that features a compelling story and an engaging soundtrack. While the mechanics are simple and the game includes a permadeath feature, players feel that the overall experience is limited, with some expressing a desire for more gameplay to match the depth of the narrative. The game draws comparisons to "Welcome to the Game," but some reviewers note that it may reflect the developer's inexperience in crafting more complex mechanics.
“This is a pixelated horror point-and-click puzzle adventure game with an excellent soundtrack, interesting lore, a permadeath mechanic, and the best in-game arcade game since Galaga!”
“Using simple point-and-click mechanics, you try to uncover the secrets behind this mysterious stranger.”
“The story is great, but with a story of that magnitude, you'd hope there'd be more gameplay.”
“5 cents seems more reasonable for less than an hour of gameplay.”
“The story is great, but with a story of that magnitude, you'd hope there'd be more gameplay, yeah?”
“I think the dev is probably someone with not too much experience in programming games (I don't mean the graphics with that, I mean the game mechanics and the story).”
- graphics14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Don't Chat with Strangers" are generally well-received, with many praising the art style and the ability of simple visuals to create tension. While some users find the graphics to be merely "okay," overall, they contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, despite concerns about the developer's experience in game mechanics and storytelling.
“The graphics and audio are pretty great, as is the story, barring the unsatisfying ending.”
“I appreciate the art style.”
“The graphics in 'Don't Chat with Strangers' are just okay.”
“A game whose simple graphics hide tension.”
“I think the developer is probably someone with not too much experience in programming games (I don't mean the graphics with that, I mean the game mechanics and the story).”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellent quality and strong alignment with the art and story, enhancing the overall experience. Notable highlights include an evocative unknown piano piece and the soundtrack accompanying the mechs, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature in this pixelated horror adventure.
“The sounds and music match the art and story very well.”
“This is a pixelated horror point-click puzzle adventure game with an excellent soundtrack, interesting lore, a permadeath mechanic, and the best in-game arcade game since Galaga (ha!).”
“The soundtrack is great.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be initially engaging but ultimately tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of dying and retrying to progress. While some appreciate the challenge, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration as the grind becomes monotonous over time.
“But after some time it becomes tedious to die over and over again trying to finish the game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some mildly funny scenarios, but overall, many players find it lacking and buggy, leading to a disappointing experience that diminishes enjoyment after the initial moments.
“Buggy, not funny, inconsistent... you'll never have fun with this game past the first 20 minutes.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players feel that while the game has its merits, it falls short in terms of replayability, making it seem overpriced for the limited enjoyment it offers upon repeated playthroughs.
