Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist

About

In "Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist," players step into the shoes of a master thief attempting a daring heist in a European mansion. However, the game's description is written in a humorous and unconventional style, with the writer expressing their frustration with their work conditions and ultimately joining a strike. This first-person adventure game features quirky humor and a unique approach to storytelling.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist screenshot

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,277 reviews

humor1.6k positive mentions

stability73 negative mentions

humor
1,615 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Dr. Langeskov, the Tiger, and the Terribly Cursed Emerald" is widely praised for its cleverness and absurdity, drawing comparisons to the style of "The Stanley Parable." Players appreciate the witty narration, engaging voice acting, and the game's self-aware, meta-commentary, which often leads to laugh-out-loud moments. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a delightful and entertaining experience, especially given its short playtime and free price tag.
- “The game puts you in a hilariously chaotic behind-the-scenes scenario, with a narrator who expertly balances sarcasm and desperation.”
- “Short, clever, and utterly hilarious, it’s a must-play for fans of witty, narrative-driven experiences.”
- “This game is a charming, hilarious palate cleanser.”
- “I didn't pick up the tape recorder on my first playthrough, which I'm grateful for, as I think I would have liked this game a lot less if I had listened to Justin Roiland do painfully unfunny bits with silly voices the first time through.”
- “What you get in return is a painfully unfunny 'narrator' who doesn't have one tenth of the wit that Kevan Brighting had.”
- “They're basically everything that is not funny in Rick and Morty, with no humor or logic whatsoever.”
story
542 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The story of "Dr. Langeskov, the Tiger, and the Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist" is a humorous and self-referential narrative that unfolds in a linear fashion, focusing on a heist involving a cursed emerald. While many players appreciate the clever writing and engaging narration, some criticize its brevity and lack of replay value due to the absence of branching paths or significant choices. Overall, the game is praised for its entertaining premise and witty delivery, making it a delightful short experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “In conclusion, Dr. Langeskov, the tiger, and the terribly cursed emerald: a whirlwind heist is a delightful romp through the absurdities of game development and storytelling.”
- “The story is extremely funny and self-referential.”
- “The plot of the game is about... itself.”
- “The slow pace of the story turns achievement hunting into a slog.”
- “While the story starts out strong, it's apparent the writers didn't know where to go after the cool hook at the beginning.”
- “The narrator is truly annoying and 'I'm a funny guy' like, very unoriginal, no story, no linguistic twists, nothing; this game is what its price is - a big nothing.”
gameplay
386 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
3%
The gameplay of "Dr. Langeskov, the Tiger, and the Terribly Cursed Emerald" is characterized by its brevity, typically lasting around 15-30 minutes, and features minimalist mechanics that prioritize narrative and humor over traditional gameplay depth. While some players appreciate the inventive stealth mechanics and engaging voice acting, others find the gameplay lacking in complexity and challenge, often comparing it to "The Stanley Parable" in its linearity and interactive style. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that may appeal to fans of narrative-driven titles, but its short length and simplistic mechanics may not satisfy those seeking a more substantial gaming experience.
- “With its sharp wit, inventive gameplay, and memorable characters, it's an experience that's sure to leave a lasting impression, even if it's over all too soon.”
- “The puzzles are challenging but not frustrating, keeping the gameplay engaging and entertaining.”
- “The gameplay is fun, you can crouch like any other stealth games to reduce your visibility.”
- “Its brevity may leave some players craving more content, and its unconventional gameplay style may not appeal to those seeking a traditional gaming experience.”
- “The only real gameplay is finding collectibles.”
- “For some reason, I kept expecting that there would be actual gameplay after we help the narrator and was waiting for my mind to be blown, so that was highly disappointing.”
graphics
240 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The graphics of the game receive a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the vibrant art style, smooth animations, and attention to detail that enhance the overall experience. While some reviews note performance issues and a lack of flexibility in graphical settings, the visuals are often described as charming and immersive, contributing significantly to the game's comedic and atmospheric tone. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, with many players finding them appealing and well-executed for a free game.
- “The graphics are stunning, with every detail of the game world meticulously crafted to create a fully immersive experience.”
- “The graphics are absolutely cutting edge, combining the latest in ray tracing technology with motion capture character sequences, giving every modern game out there a serious run for its money.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, too, way past what I'm generally inclined to expect from free games on Steam.”
- “The graphics are a little dated and chunky with simplistic textures, and the lighting and water effects don't have anything special to make them more realistic.”
- “It's not that graphically advanced to be this slow.”
- “Unless you want me to highlight the terrible optimization that let my graphics card run on full capacity despite the game looking fairly old by today's standards, with very low-resolution textures and low-poly models, lots of which are reused quite a bit.”
replayability
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
56%
21%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it highly replayable due to hidden secrets and achievements, while others feel it lacks depth and variety after the initial playthrough. Many reviews highlight that, despite its short length and linear structure, there are enough humorous elements and minor changes in subsequent runs to encourage a few replays. Overall, while it may not reach the replayability of "The Stanley Parable," it still offers enough charm and content to warrant multiple playthroughs for those interested in exploring all its nuances.
- “Despite its relatively short length, Dr. Langeskov manages to pack a surprising amount of depth and replay value.”
- “The achievements provide a bit more replayability, with challenges such as collecting all the pretzels or turning off all the lights.”
- “While the game is short, there are enough secrets to bring immense amounts of replay value.”
- “And really, a game whose main strength is humor runs out of replay value pretty fast.”
- “There is no replayability with this game, but that was the same with The Stanley Parable; once you've seen and done all the options, that's all there is to the game.”
- “It's like The Stanley Parable without replayability.”
music
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
3%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its orchestral and classical elements, particularly the use of Beethoven, which enhances the cinematic experience and builds tension. However, some players find the soundtrack minimal and occasionally overshadowed by narration, leading to a lack of immersion at times. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its beauty and thematic relevance, opinions vary on its frequency and impact within the gameplay.
- “The soundtrack is beautiful, using scores of Beethoven to punctuate the moves made within the game, giving every action a weight that feels cinematic.”
- “From the flawless gameplay to the absolutely masterful writing and soundtrack, everything is flawless in this game.”
- “Rich story with exciting gameplay, powerful music, and over 100 hours of gameplay.”
- “Didn't need all the Slim Shady music.”
- “I have no complaints about the game itself, but I do wish there were in-game options for volume, particularly as the music during the final section was very loud compared to the rest of the game.”
- “The music is a bit weird for a heist game but it does fit the weird style of the game as a whole.”
stability
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs, particularly related to the achievement system, which often fails to trigger correctly. Additionally, various audio and visual glitches, as well as issues with in-game mechanics like elevators and grappling hooks, contribute to a frustrating experience. Despite these problems, many players still find the game enjoyable and recommend it, especially given its free price point.
- “This game is perfectly safe and runs great!”
- “Not buggy.”
- “High recommended plus it's free, looks great, runs great, sounds great too with top-notch voice acting to give you a great laugh for not following instructions or for even idling!”
- “One of my biggest complaints is probably the buggy achievement system.”
- “What should have been an amusing 20-30 minute story experience turned into a multi-hour slog of troubleshooting, experimentation, and being afraid to so much as breathe wrong for fear of a pretzel failing to appear or a coin failing to be counted.”
- “Even free, this game was a half-baked, frustrating, buggy mess.”
atmosphere
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
27%
6%
The atmosphere in *dr. langeskov, the tiger, and the terribly cursed emerald: a whirlwind heist* is widely praised for its immersive and varied environments, enhanced by effective use of lighting, sound, and humor. Players appreciate the blend of tension and whimsy, with many noting the game's ability to create a unique and engaging experience, despite some minor production issues. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, with a strong sense of authenticity and depth that draws players in.
- “The atmosphere feels just right~”
- “The game has a simple and familiar art style but the contrast of dark scenes with vibrant colors and lighting help the industrial theater setting feel more unique and atmospheric.”
- “But it came across as completely unprofessional, like they only reserved 10 minutes in the sound booth and couldn't get anyone else to come in and read... and it really threw me out of the atmosphere of the heist.”
- “A heavy handed attempt at avant garde that fails to create the atmosphere desired and expected after the moody beginning.”
- “The atmosphere was eerie and it all came together to make a great experience.”
optimization
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it runs smoothly and is largely free of bugs, while others experienced significant performance issues, particularly at higher graphics settings. Some users recommend lowering the graphics quality to avoid lag and frame rate drops, especially in certain areas, indicating that while the game is visually appealing, it may not be well-optimized for all systems. Overall, the game's performance is seen as inconsistent, with some praising its technical execution and others expressing frustration over optimization shortcomings.
- “Its free, it looks very good, there are no bugs and it runs smoothly.”
- “I didn’t have any technical problems, the game runs in the Unity engine so it is very well optimized, with options to play in tons of different resolutions and controller support too.”
- “There are limited graphical options, but the game should run fairly well on any machine given how well it is optimized.”
- “The only problems I've had is the fans overselling the game (it's good, great even, but it doesn't live up to what the fans sell it as), optimization is poor (even in a window on cardboard level graphics I was constantly below 15 fps), it's a bit too linear for my taste (the Stanley Parable was a tree of paths, the Stanley Parable demo was 4 or 5 loop-de-loops, and this game was one big loop-de-loop), and the achievements are currently broken.”
- “Unless you want me to highlight the terrible optimization that let my graphics card run on full capacity despite the game looking fairly old by today's standards, with very low-resolution textures and low-poly models, lots of which are reused quite a bit.”
- “Graphics at 720p, cardboard quality, framerate drops, and stuttering present.”
emotional
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a mix of humor and poignant storytelling, with players experiencing a range of feelings from laughter to deep sadness. Many reviews note the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses, particularly through its narrative and character development, despite lacking the branching choices of similar titles. Overall, it is described as an emotional rollercoaster that leaves players feeling reflective and mentally drained.
- “I laughed, I cried!”
- “An emotional rollercoaster.”
- “This was hands down one of the most emotional and at the same time action-packed games I've played in a long time.”
grinding
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
14%
81%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when it comes to achieving 100% completion, which often requires multiple playthroughs due to linear gameplay and potential bugs. While the achievements themselves are not overly difficult, the repetitive nature of grinding for them can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. Despite these challenges, some players still appreciate the game, indicating that the grinding, while annoying, does not completely overshadow the experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The achievements are all fairly simple but might require a second or third playthrough, which will get tedious fast as not a lot changes.”
- “Many people have struggled to get some of the achievements, and given the game is linear in nature, it's a bit tedious replaying when you aren't certain if you're missing something or just experiencing a bug.”
- “Warning for achievement hunters, though: it's pretty tedious to try to 100%.”
monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
9%
64%
Overall, the monetization aspect of the game is positively received, with many users appreciating the absence of microtransactions, which is a refreshing change in the current gaming landscape. However, some players express frustration over misleading advertising and the presence of purchasable crafting materials that can disrupt gameplay balance. Despite these concerns, the game is recognized for its quality and engaging design.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “Free, no microtransactions, and small download size.”
- “It's like Payday 2 but without microtransactions.”
- “The advertising is misleading; there is no tiger, no heist, and no emerald.”
- “Sure, I can understand that by advertising the game as 'a backstage walking simulator where you can... pull levers and press buttons', no one would ever play it, but this is not the way to trick players, even if the game is free and would otherwise feel like a well-designed product.”
- “I'm also not a fan of the microtransactions for selling crafting materials... tiger bait is way overpowered and trivializes the cornerstone experience of the game, the encounter with the wild tiger.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highly praised for its compelling story and interesting character arcs, complemented by impressive character design and engaging gameplay.
- “The story is very compelling, with really interesting character development.”
- “Amazing character design and gameplay.”