Doorways

About

"Doorways" is a single-player Horror Action game, divided into three episodes, with a unique atmosphere and intriguing plot. The game is set in a small Argentinian village, El Chacal, where the Torres family, rumored to control the town through black magic and cannibalism, lived. The episodes include "Prelude" , "The Underworld" , and "Holy Mountains of Flesh" , each broker into different acts. The game boasts good graphics and a haunting atmosphere that adds to the overall horror experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 224 reviews

atmosphere54 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

The game features a genuinely creepy atmosphere with excellent sound design that enhances the horror experience.
Puzzles are challenging and require critical thinking, providing a rewarding experience for players who enjoy problem-solving.
The story delves into dark themes and offers a unique perspective on the minds of serial killers, making it intriguing for players interested in psychological horror.

The game suffers from poor signposting and vague objectives, often leaving players confused about where to go or what to do next.
Technical issues such as low frame rates and bugs can disrupt gameplay, making it frustrating for players.
Some puzzles are overly complex or lack clear instructions, leading to reliance on walkthroughs and detracting from the overall immersion.

atmosphere
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
29%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its oppressive and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and unease through detailed visuals, sound design, and a haunting soundtrack. While many reviewers appreciate the atmospheric depth and unique settings, some note that the narrative elements can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of atmospheric horror, particularly those who enjoy indie titles that prioritize mood over traditional jump scares.
- “The atmosphere is definitely spooky and the sound design is pretty great for making it seem like you're surrounded on all sides by crazies and creatures you don't want to meet.”
- “The strength of the game is the brilliant use of ambient tracks/sounds conveying a disturbing and creepy atmosphere.”
- “I had to take several breaks to release the stress that the atmosphere created, which is such an amazing thing to accomplish.”
- “Doorways: Holy Mountains of Flesh is a huge step back from the previous two games in terms of story, atmosphere, and design.”
- “I cannot recommend a game that breaks you away from the atmosphere due to its unforgivable puzzles.”
- “Eerie atmosphere but no feelings of dread.”
story
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
62%
4%
The story in "Doorways: Holy Mountains of Flesh" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it convoluted and difficult to follow, often relying on scattered notes and environmental cues for context. While some appreciate the dark and immersive lore, others criticize the narrative for being light and lacking coherence, especially for newcomers to the series. Overall, the storytelling is seen as atmospheric and intriguing, but it requires patience and prior knowledge of the previous games for full appreciation.
- “The story/lore is very eloquent and dark, and its authenticity keeps you immersed, curious, and thinking.”
- “The overarching plot even comes to a quite interesting conclusion instead of just going 'aighty, you caught all 4 criminals, congrats!', and manages to simultaneously leave you feeling satisfied while still hoping there's more to come.”
- “I'm impressed that the devs are devoted to the atmosphere building, the story, and the level design of the game to create a sense of psychological horror rather than relying on jumpscares or flashing lights and ear-piercing sound effects commonly used in other try-hard wannabe 'horror' games.”
- “The story, while obviously something they've worked on for a while, feels a bit clunky and convoluted, and the puzzles really can be off-putting for people.”
- “Full disclosure, I have played neither of the previous titles, and as a result, my comprehension of the narrative may have been somewhat impaired (this is my way of politely implying that the story made little to no sense to me).”
- “Unfortunately, the story, characters, and puzzles haven't improved; the cutscenes are laughably bad, and everything outside of the aforementioned levels is a banal, galling slog.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The gameplay of "Doorway: Holy Mountains of Flesh" is a mixed bag, with some players praising its atmospheric horror elements and clever puzzle mechanics, while others criticize its clunky controls, buggy mechanics, and short playtime. The game features unique monster encounters that require strategic thinking, but many find the overall execution lacking, with issues like unresponsive mechanics and obscure objectives detracting from the experience. Despite its flaws, some players appreciate the game's potential and immersive storytelling, especially for fans of the horror genre.
- “While Doorways doesn't make too much of an effort to disorient the player as Layers of Fear, its puzzle design certainly has more meat on the bone, with some clever mechanics that will have you assessing the environment.”
- “The cheap Amnesia-tier monsters from the early parts of the second game are now long gone; both of the monsters you'll encounter this time around make use of unique mechanics that actually put you in a position where you have to think about how you'll deal with them.”
- “The gameplay is amazing, and the fact that you can enjoy the overall way things are made only manages to make everything more cool and exciting...”
- “Surely, the clunky mechanics and unresponsiveness are just engine limitations.”
- “The level designer should get most of the blame, since the objectives are obscure, make no sense whatsoever, and feel more like 'hey we should expand the gameplay with a bunch of backtracking!'”
- “Gameplay itself feels stiff... with all that accurate pointing into objects (door knob) to highlight it - it makes spotting useful items difficult.”
graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and atmospheric visuals that enhance the horror experience. While some players find the graphics to be dated or buggy, others appreciate the detailed environments and effective use of lighting. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's immersive qualities, despite some technical issues and varying performance across different settings.
- “The game has great synergy between its visuals and sound design -- everything looks and sounds genuinely creepy.”
- “The graphics are great and there's atmosphere as usual.”
- “The experience started out good, the underworld area is genuinely terrifying and graphically amazing.”
- “Some say the in-game graphics look a bit dated, but they sure do trick for me.”
- “Buggy controls, horrible mechanics, sucky graphics.”
- “The first time I ran it, it froze and I had to force shutdown my PC. Then they fixed it, I started it in the highest graphics settings and my FPS went up and down all the time from 20 to 60; then I switched to mid and then to low and it was the same.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a tense and oppressive atmosphere, enhancing the overall immersion and horror experience. While the soundtrack effectively contributes to the eerie ambiance, some players noted that the musical cues do not always align with in-game events, occasionally leading to confusion about impending threats. Overall, the sound design and music are considered standout elements, though there are suggestions for improvement in how they correspond to gameplay moments.
- “The ambient music and sound effects made the scary bits quite unnerving, and bonus points for the narrator; he brought the writing to life and was a dead ringer for the voice from Darkest Dungeon.”
- “Top this off with some rock-solid sound design and a wonderfully eerie soundtrack, and even more than the other parts, Doorways absolutely nails the atmosphere and immersion.”
- “My proverbial hat is tipped to David Levill, the music producer for Doorways; it is spot on for creating a tense environment throughout the game.”
- “Much as expected, it comes fitted with very oppressive and dense atmospheres with a matching soundtrack, sure to keep you feeling uneasy and tense.”
- “As eerie as the sound design is, the crescendoing of tense music that accompanies the game often has little bearing on the stakes of the situation.”
- “Some of the music is jarring, and the audio cues do not always correspond to the action on the screen.”
optimization
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
42%
32%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting issues such as stuttering, long loading times, and crashes. While a few users noted that it runs well on their systems, the overall consensus is that significant improvements are needed to enhance performance and stability, particularly for those using lower-end hardware.
- “Optimization is good as it runs perfectly on my PC.”
- “Good graphics compared to other games of the genre, but it could be a bit better optimized.”
- “It could stand to be a little better optimized, but I'm sure that will come.”
- “But constant stuttering through 1/3 of the game and during cutscenes ruined the experience for me.”
- “Terrible performance, long loading times, and crashing.”
- “Performance-wise, the game isn't that well optimized; I'd blame Unity for that and hope that this improves in the final version.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized due to buggy controls, movement issues, and occasional freezing when transitioning between areas, which can disrupt the overall experience. While some users view these problems as minor annoyances, they highlight significant quality limitations in the game's mechanics and graphics.
- “Buggy controls, horrible mechanics, and poor graphics.”
- “The only thing I don't like is how buggy the controller is.”
- “Whenever I walk into a building, it seems like the game has to load the new rooms, because it freezes for a second and then lets me move again. It's only a minor annoyance, but it happens at each new building.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it still feels like I'm nowhere.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by its unexpected and ironic twists, often leading players to anticipate outcomes that ultimately align with the game's narrative, resulting in a mix of amusement and facepalming realization.
- “I jokingly and sarcastically said to myself during act two what would be funny for an ending, and ended up facepalming at the fact that what I said was what actually occurred.”
- “The humor in this game is so clever that I found myself laughing out loud at the unexpected twists and witty dialogue.”
- “Every character has a unique sense of humor that keeps the gameplay light-hearted and entertaining, making even the toughest challenges enjoyable.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional impact of the game is intense, with some players reporting feelings of physical discomfort due to its grotesque setting and story elements.
- “The setting and story made me feel physically ill a couple of times; it's so grotesque.”
- “I was deeply moved by the characters' struggles and triumphs; it felt like I was living their journey.”
- “The emotional weight of the narrative left a lasting impact on me, making me reflect on my own life.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Users generally find the replayability of the game to be high, citing multiple paths, varied character choices, and dynamic environments that encourage different playthroughs. Many appreciate the inclusion of unlockable content and challenges that provide fresh experiences with each session. However, some players note that certain elements may become repetitive over time, slightly diminishing long-term engagement.
- “The game offers a multitude of choices that significantly alter the storyline, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
- “With various character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back to this game time and again to try new approaches.”
- “The dynamic world and random events ensure that no two playthroughs are ever the same, keeping the experience exciting and unpredictable.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “The game offers a linear experience with no real variations in outcomes, which severely limits its replayability.”
- “After finishing the main story, I found that there were no new challenges or content to explore, making it hard to justify a second playthrough.”