Doorways: Old Prototype

About

An immersive and twisted adventure created before the official development of the Doorways saga

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 301 reviews

atmosphere27 positive mentions

monetization6 negative mentions

The game offers a unique insight into the development process of the Doorways series, making it interesting for fans.
The platforming mechanics are enjoyable and provide a fun challenge, especially for those new to the genre.
It's free to play, making it an accessible option for players looking for a short, atmospheric experience.

The game lacks a cohesive story and feels more like a tech demo than a full game, which may disappoint players seeking a narrative experience.
There are significant usability issues, such as the inability to exit the game without using alt-tab, which can be frustrating.
The gameplay is very short, lasting only about 30 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more content.

atmosphere
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
19%
8%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its impressive blend of graphics, sound design, and immersive elements that create a captivating experience. Despite some criticisms regarding platforming and graphical simplicity, the overall ambiance—often described as eerie or atmospheric—enhances the gameplay and keeps players engaged. Many users appreciate the game's ability to convey a sense of history and development through its environment, making it a noteworthy experience for fans of atmospheric and horror-themed games.
- “You wouldn't think a thirty-minute demo that has bits of the game's development history scattered through the linear path would have amazing atmosphere, but it does.”
- “Outstanding atmosphere!”
- “I would really recommend this prototype to everyone who played all Doorways games and want to know more about its development and the team behind it. It was a unique experience; the atmosphere was amazing, as in all Doorways games.”
- “My eyes started bleeding and I thought it was part of the game's crappy atmosphere.”
- “You can get a sense for the atmosphere and survival-horror feel of the full game, but this mini game is basically just a set of some jump puzzles.”
- “The entire game acts more as a tech demo than a game itself, but the platforming and atmosphere definitely lends it to be something to be considered.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
52%
12%
The game's story primarily serves as a backstory about its development and the developers themselves, rather than a traditional narrative. Players who are curious about the creation process of the "doorways" series may find value in the brief insights provided, but those seeking a deep or engaging storyline may be disappointed. Overall, it is more of a tribute to the developers than a standalone story experience.
- “I had a very nice 31 minutes playing this game and getting told the story behind it.”
- “I enjoyed the notes about the devs' story and I'd like to try the complete game.”
- “There are some documents in the game that explain the chronological background story about the making of Doorways games and its developer members, and also about the connection between the stages in this demo-like game and the full game.”
- “There's really no other reason to check this out since there's no actual story or scares.”
- “It's a great move and jump skill training game without having any special story, characters, or puzzles.”
- “Not quite surprised, I wasn't expecting any backstory or deep explanation of gaming mechanics inside this game.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The graphics of the game receive mixed but generally positive feedback, with many users praising the atmospheric visuals and decent quality, especially for a prototype. While some note that certain areas may lack detail, the overall aesthetic is described as impressive, fluid, and engaging, contributing to the game's enjoyable experience. Users appreciate the balance between simplicity and atmosphere, making it a visually appealing title despite its prototype status.
- “The atmosphere is great, graphics are good and I am definitely going to purchase Doorways Prelude.”
- “It has amazing graphics; unlike most recent games, it didn't crash or make my laptop lag. There is a head bob which is a nice effect, as well as the sounds and music used.”
- “The visuals are spectacular and the movements are fluid.”
- “A prototype, it is also a prototype in Africa. We are waiting for the lack of a plot, many graphic components, and a menu button during the game.”
- “The graphics are so-so, and it works, so maybe one of the actual games in the series could be worth a look, but this is just a demo/advert in the wrong place.”
- “Although the developers say that the graphics are simple and cheap, they are kind of ideal - not too many details and a lot more atmosphere.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by solid platforming mechanics, with enjoyable jumping and movement that effectively introduce core game elements. While some users noted a lack of depth in narrative and structure, the experience remains engaging, particularly for a prototype, showcasing a mix of atmospheric soundtracks and varied environments. Overall, it provides a competent and immersive experience, especially for fans of the franchise.
- “Nice platformer mechanics; it feels good to jump, move, and look around.”
- “Having said that, this is a prototype, so some areas may feel less impressive than others in terms of graphics, but it does not take anything away from the gameplay, which is quite solid.”
- “Despite what I feel personally about the gameplay itself, I'm still going to recommend this because I feel it still achieves its goal of providing a competent hands-on experience with a bit of the doorways games' origins, and for free.”
- “Yeah, I only have 0.4 hours of gameplay, but that's all you need to play it.”
- “Forces you to stay immersed in the lovely lack of solid gameplay or narrative structure.”
- “The gameplay is fine, but if the goal of the game is to scare you, it doesn't come close.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for misleadingly presenting a demo or advertisement as a full game, which detracts from genuine titles and misuses marketing space on Steam. This practice is seen as a harmful tactic by developers to avoid proper marketing fees, ultimately leading to a negative experience for gamers. As a result, the reviewer cannot recommend the product.
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “This advertisement is taking up marketing space and visibility that would be better made available to a developer that's done the right thing and created a full game.”
- “Often developers may choose to incorrectly publish demos/advertisements as separate games as a cheap way to bypass paying Valve for marketing presence on the Steam front page, which may seem clever to them, but it's harmful behavior and it's not good for gamers.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, with some expressing a lack of motivation to continue due to the repetitive nature of the tasks. However, the presence of well-placed invisible checkpoints helps alleviate some frustration during challenging platforming sections.
- “The jumps and platforming in this section are filled with tight precision, though there are invisible checkpoints placed at just the right locations so that when (not if) you fall and die, it's not tedious to continue onward.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Unfortunately, I could not even get myself to finish the demo after getting stuck and just not being that interested in grinding through to the end.”
- “It can really get tedious.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The music in the game is praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience during gameplay, which primarily involves running and jumping. However, some users feel that it borrows too heavily from existing works, specifically referencing a Roblox game. Overall, the sound design contributes positively to the game's immersive environment.
- “The soundtrack tries to be as atmospheric as possible, indicating the direction the developer went into in later stages of the development.”
- “It has amazing graphics, and the sounds and music used create a nice effect with the head bob feature.”
- “The soundtrack tries to be as atmospheric as possible, but it often feels flat and uninspired.”
- “While the gameplay mainly consists of running and jumping, the music fails to enhance the experience.”
- “The music seems to lack variety and doesn't match the energy of the gameplay.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-received, with players finding it both funny and engaging despite its simplicity and short playtime of 20-30 minutes. The lighthearted nature and amusing community interactions contribute to an enjoyable experience, making it a standout aspect of the prototype.
- “For a prototype, this was very funny and a little challenging.”
- “Really funny short game (20-30 minutes to finish), will try the other version!”
- “It has no objective, just jumping and running, but it's funny reading how your community started. :D”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some appreciate the performance on specific systems, others note issues such as unrealistic sound effects and bugs that detract from the experience.
- “Runs great with open source drivers on Ubuntu 16.04 and its forks.”
- “The game maintains a solid frame rate even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs, which is impressive.”
- “I don't deny that a lot of work went into the second chapter/level, but it felt like it was lacking in some aspects compared to its predecessor; and it's where I noticed that the character's breathing could have been a little more realistic instead of having this buggy-like resonance.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game offers little to no replay value, as it seems designed primarily to entice players into exploring the full series rather than providing a standalone experience worth revisiting.
- “No replay value whatsoever; it feels like it was just meant to tease players into trying the full series of doorways.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”