Dread Weight
- July 29, 2024
- Deer Dream Studios
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."
Reviews
- Dread Weight expands on the original Cooking Companions with improved character development, engaging lore, and a variety of decision paths that enhance replayability.
- The game features stunning animations and a unique art style that adds depth to the storytelling, making it visually appealing.
- The atmosphere is filled with tension and intrigue, successfully blending horror elements with Slavic folklore, which keeps players invested in the narrative.
- Many players found the pacing rushed, leading to a disjointed story that lacks the gradual buildup of horror present in Cooking Companions.
- The horror elements, particularly the jump scares, were criticized for being predictable and lacking the unsettling atmosphere that characterized the first game.
- Some players experienced confusion with the plot and character motivations, feeling that the narrative was convoluted and left too many questions unanswered.
- story55 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
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. Many noted that the narrative requires multiple playthroughs to fully understand, and while some appreciated the character development and folklore elements, others felt the plot was underdeveloped and lacked tension. Overall, the game is seen as a worthy sequel to "Cooking Companions," but it leaves players wanting more clarity and depth in its storytelling.
“The story is something I do not want to give away, but had my mouth slowly falling open at multiple spots as I realized what was going on, and a broad smile once I knew what was happening.”
“Dread Weight has lovely characters and a compelling story; this game was well worth the wait ^_^.”
“The story and the world have expanded a lot, and that's great!”
“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.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
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 elements present in its predecessor, Cooking Companions. While the game creates a pleasing environment with endearing characters, it is noted that the pacing and overall atmosphere may not be as effective, with some players finding it less scary and more mysterious. Overall, the atmosphere is described as quirky and intriguing, but not as frightening as expected.
“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.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a diverse range of art styles, with some users noting jarring transitions between scenes, yet overall, the visuals are considered appealing and effective in enhancing the horror narrative. The distinctive artwork and beautiful animations contribute to a captivating experience, blending aesthetic beauty with moments of terror.
“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.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as beautifully written and effectively integrated, adding a comedic touch that some may find unexpected but fitting. Players appreciate the dark humor and puns, which enhance the overall experience, especially for fans of creative visual novel-style horror games. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and lore.
“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.”
“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!”
“I recommend it for getting all the juicy lore and humor.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, with players expressing enthusiasm for multiple playthroughs due to its engaging story, well-developed characters, and appealing art and voice acting. Despite some feeling the story is shorter, the overall consensus highlights a strong desire to revisit the game for its exciting narrative and character interactions.
“Saw some nice endings, talked to the characters. This has extremely high replayability. Good art, good voice acting, good writing, excellent story. Very exciting, I love it.”
“Was not disappointed with the sequel and look forward to my 2nd, 3rd, 4th playthroughs, etc. Happy about the replayability and enjoyed the story.”
“It's a fairly quick game that has so much replay value and really cool characters.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for being exceptional and surpassing that of its predecessor, contributing to an overall impressive artistic experience. However, some players expressed disappointment over the absence of a new song featured in the demo for "Dread Weight."
“Everything in this game, including its art, music, writing, and endings, is amazing and definitely surpasses the first game.”
“I really miss the new song that was part of the demo for Dread Weight.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game launched with some bugs and glitches, but these issues do not significantly impact the overall enjoyment of the experience. Users generally find the game stable enough to appreciate its content despite the minor technical flaws.
“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.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the need to repeatedly solve puzzles to unlock new routes.
“My final gripe comes from the tediousness of repeating the puzzles for new routes.”
“The grinding feels endless and often detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I find myself stuck in a loop of repetitive tasks that make progress feel more like a chore than a challenge.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its basic mechanics and a lack of depth in the concept of escaping Baba Yaga, leaving some players feeling underwhelmed despite enjoying the overall experience.
“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.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
“I found the controls to be unresponsive at times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character designs are praised for being both cool and cute, indicating a strong visual appeal that enhances the overall character development experience.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
“The backstories and growth of each character are so well-crafted, it makes every decision feel meaningful.”