Dread Weight

About

In "Dread Weight," survive a witch's relentless hunt in order to escape a crumbling mansion. Merging history with folklore, this sequel to "Cooking Companions" offers additional content for returning players. Solve puzzles, evade vengeful spirits, and delve deeper into the mansion's dark secrets with a new inventory system, all while outsmarting your supernatural pursuer. Note: This summary is based on the game's store page, as I couldn't find a video for the specific game titled "Dread Weight."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 280 reviews

story38 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Dread Weight expands on the original Cooking Companions with improved animations, character designs, and a compelling story that delves deeper into Slavic folklore.
The game features a variety of decision paths and multiple endings, encouraging replayability and exploration of different routes.
The atmosphere and tension are well-crafted, with many players praising the engaging narrative and the unique blend of horror and humor.

Many players found the story to be confusing and disjointed, with a rushed pacing that detracted from the overall experience and made it hard to follow.
The horror elements, particularly the jump scares, were criticized for lacking buildup and being less effective compared to the first game.
Some players experienced technical issues and bugs, which affected their gameplay and immersion, leading to frustration with the game's mechanics.

story
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
8%
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and filled with surprises, while others criticize it for being disjointed and confusing, often jumping between topics without sufficient explanation. Many reviewers noted that the narrative feels rushed, lacking the depth and coherence of its predecessor, "Cooking Companions," and that multiple playthroughs are necessary to fully grasp the plot. Despite its flaws, some players appreciate the replayability and the intriguing folkloric elements woven into the story, suggesting potential for future installments.
- “The narrative is strong, with a more traditional horror plot that remains enjoyable.”
- “Dread Weight has lovely characters and a compelling story; this game was well worth the wait.”
- “The storyline is amazing (fire lore) and new game plus makes it possible for you to get all the endings without struggling.”
- “The story is extremely disjointed, to the point that I had to do multiple runs to have any understanding of what was actually happening.”
- “The story/plot of the game treads a path that is somehow both too bare bones and overly convoluted.”
- “Story was bare minimum, none of the characters were interesting, nothing was surprising, nothing was scary, no tension, just me being bored the whole time.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its palpable tension and stellar environments, while others feel it lacks the depth and horror of its predecessor, "Cooking Companions." While the sequel offers a quirky mix of humor and intrigue, it is noted that the atmosphere leans more towards mystery than genuine fear, with some players finding it less immersive due to pacing issues. Overall, the game's atmosphere is well-crafted but may not resonate as strongly with fans of the original.
- “Somehow they managed to improve in almost every way from Cooking Companions; the tension is absolutely palpable in every scene and decision, and the atmosphere is top-notch. The environments made for this game are stellar; I never expected the switch to 3D.”
- “A pleasing environment was created by the well-crafted atmosphere and the endearing characters.”
- “If you loved the first one, you'll love the second; it's more of that same quirky humor mixed with creepy atmosphere and intrigue that Cooking Companions established so well, with more characters to love and appreciate.”
- “The whole thing feels like a full-pelt sprint to the end credits, atmosphere and detail be damned.”
- “I managed to find a way to go in an endless loop at one point, which wasn't harmful to the playthrough but definitely harmful to any atmosphere it could have been building.”
- “But on the whole, I just think this game's really lost out on atmosphere and pacing compared to Cooking Companions.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The game's graphics feature a diverse range of art styles, including beautiful animations and cute anime artwork, which contribute to its captivating horror narrative. While some players note jarring transitions between styles, the overall visual presentation is generally well-received, enhancing the storytelling experience. The combination of pretty and terrifying visuals effectively evokes the intended emotional responses.
- “The game is everything I want in a horror-driven narrative—a sensation that I can't quite put my finger on but can only refer to as 'the feeling.' It does this thanks to its distinctive artwork, captivating tale, and delectable writing.”
- “Some parts have beautiful animation, the art style is very pretty (and terrifying when scares happen haha), so not only is it a fun and interesting story, visually it's great as well.”
- “I like the variety of art styles, especially for those pixel art styles.”
- “The art style is variable - there are some jarring changes in style from scene to scene, but generally it's not bad.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as beautifully written and often comedic, with a blend of dark humor and puns that some may find out of place but ultimately fits the narrative. Players appreciate the replay value and the chaotic, sometimes unintentional comedic moments, making it a recommended experience for fans of creative visual novel-style horror games. Overall, the humor enhances the lore and adds depth to the gameplay.
- “It takes everything I loved from the first game and adds so much to it as well. The writing is beautiful, and it is also very comedic at times, which some may say is out of place, but it makes sense why that humor is there.”
- “That and the replay value of trying to get everyone's specific endings, as well as the hilariously chaotic ones that may or may not have been intentional (note to self, always go looking for the fuel instead of tossing an active mine down the oven).”
- “[tl;dr:] If you like creative short visual novel styled horror games and are in for some dark humor (and puns!) sprinkled in, check out the game!”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
30%
The game boasts extremely high replayability, with players eager to experience multiple endings and engage with its well-crafted characters and story. Many users express excitement for repeated playthroughs, highlighting the fun of exploring different narrative paths and chaotic scenarios. Despite some feeling the story is shorter, the overall consensus is that the game offers substantial replay value.
- “Was not disappointed for the sequel and look forward to my 2nd, 3rd, 4th playthroughs, etc. Happy about the replayability and enjoyed the story.”
- “That and the replay value of trying to get everyone's specific endings as well as the hilariously chaotic ones that may or may not have been intentional (note to self, always go looking for the fuel instead of tossing an active mine down the oven).”
- “It's a fairly quick game that has so much replay value and really cool characters.”
- “The replay value of trying to get everyone's specific endings is intriguing, but the chaotic moments that may or may not have been intentional can be frustrating.”
- “The game offers some replayability, but the lack of meaningful differences in outcomes makes it feel repetitive after a few playthroughs.”
- “While there are multiple endings to explore, the journey to get there feels tedious and doesn't offer enough variety to keep me engaged.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is praised for its great and visually appealing designs, but many players feel that the characters could have been explored more deeply, as the overall experience felt rushed.
- “Great character design, would have loved to know them better, but this game felt a bit rushed.”
- “Very cool (and cute) character designs!”
- “The ghost attacks are very well rendered thanks to David Romero's art (look him up!), the backgrounds look very nice and the character design works well.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers noting its exceptional quality and integration into the overall experience, surpassing that of the first game. The sound design, alongside animated cutscenes and jumpscares, enhances the immersive atmosphere, although some players expressed disappointment over the absence of a specific song from the demo.
- “Everything in this game, like its art, music, writing, and endings, is amazing and definitely surpasses the first game.”
- “Animated cutscenes, animated jumpscares, great sound and music design; it's all amazing.”
- “The music in this game really enhances the overall experience and adds depth to the atmosphere.”
- “I really miss the new song that was part of the demo for Dread Weight.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experienced some bugs and glitches upon release, but these issues do not significantly impact overall enjoyment for most players. Overall, it remains an enjoyable experience despite its stability concerns.
- “On release, it's a bit buggy but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the game, in my opinion.”
- “At the time of this review, I can say it was an enjoyable little game with a few notable glitches and bugs.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of solving puzzles to unlock new routes. This repetition detracts from the overall enjoyment and can feel monotonous.
- “My final gripe comes from the tediousness of repeating the puzzles for new routes.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay has been criticized for its rudimentary mechanics and a lack of depth in the concept of escaping Baba Yaga, leaving some players feeling let down despite enjoying other aspects of the game.
- “Though I did enjoy the game, I was let down by the rudimentary mechanics and the shallowness of the idea of escaping the Baba Yaga.”