DreadOut

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,691 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
DreadOut Game Cover
DreadOut's potential is never realized in its messy first act
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"DreadOut is a single-player horror adventure game, featuring a good story and exceptional music. As Linda, a high school student, you explore an abandoned town with your smart-phone and camera, battling supernatural forces and solving puzzles. Despite some hilarious bugs and optimization issues, the game delivers a dense atmosphere and a wholesome story of a teen discovering her latent powers in a terrifying realm."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,691 reviews
story143 positive mentions
gameplay45 negative mentions
  • Creepy atmosphere with lots of jump scares and unique ghost designs.
  • Interesting use of Indonesian folklore adds depth to the story.
  • Engaging gameplay mechanics that involve using a camera to fight ghosts.
  • Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay.
  • Puzzles can be obtuse and lack clear direction, often requiring a guide.
  • The game is buggy, with issues like graphical glitches and game-breaking bugs.
  • story442 mentions

    The story of the game is generally regarded as intriguing, drawing on Indonesian folklore and featuring a compelling premise involving a group of students trapped in an abandoned town. However, many players find the narrative execution lacking, with vague plot points, confusing elements, and insufficient character development that can leave them feeling disconnected from the storyline. While the atmosphere and horror elements are praised, the overall coherence and depth of the story often fall short, leading to mixed reviews on its effectiveness.

    • “Its unique cultural perspective, combined with solid gameplay mechanics and an engrossing storyline, makes it a memorable and spine-chilling adventure that leaves a lasting impression.”
    • “The story had me hooked as well, and I'll definitely be checking out the other games in the series.”
    • “I really liked this game, the story is good and it can scare you really hard sometimes; it's fun to play and is not that hard, I really recommend you to play this sometime.”
    • “The story is nothing to rave about, I have to admit.”
    • “The story is vague and uninteresting.”
    • “The whole story is never properly explained and, after the end, you're left wondering what exactly happened and why.”
  • graphics318 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely described as outdated, often compared to PlayStation 2 and early PlayStation 3 titles, with many reviewers noting significant graphical glitches and low-resolution textures. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and atmospheric qualities of the visuals, others find them detracting from the overall experience, particularly in terms of immersion and gameplay. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game's eerie atmosphere and design can still provide a compelling horror experience, especially for those who prioritize story and ambiance over cutting-edge graphics.

    • “The graphics are nice and the ghosts are terrifying.”
    • “The graphics in the game are nice, pretty well-detailed with some interesting locations to see, and it does a good job with balancing light and shadow.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is superb; it doesn't take the visuals too seriously, and this is a good thing; the ambience and immersion are amazing.”
    • “It suffers drastically under graphical issues like the lighting and character models; even if this was developed by an inexperienced indie team, it still should not look like this.”
    • “The graphics are very outdated for a game that wasn't released too long ago.”
    • “The graphics are like a vintage horror movie, complete with a special effects budget that could be measured in pocket change.”
  • gameplay302 mentions

    The gameplay of DreadOut has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique mechanics inspired by the Fatal Frame series, where players use a smartphone to combat ghosts. However, criticisms highlight frustrating controls, clunky mechanics, and a lack of clear guidance, leading to confusion and repetitive gameplay. While the atmosphere and cultural elements are praised, the overall execution of gameplay often detracts from the experience, making it feel dated and at times tedious.

    • “Its unique cultural perspective, combined with solid gameplay mechanics and an engrossing storyline, makes it a memorable and spine-chilling adventure that leaves a lasting impression.”
    • “The gameplay really shines because it's focused on delivering ghosts that are talked about in Indonesian culture & also heavily influenced by the Fatal Frame games, with some chilling music composed to really give you some goosebumps while you're hunting for ghosts with your cellphone & camera.”
    • “I loved Fatal Frame and was happy to see another game use that same gameplay style.”
    • “The game suffers significantly from stuttery performance, frustrating pushback mechanics, and extremely punishing combat mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is horrible, with nonsensical puzzles and an overall story that is horrendous.”
    • “The gameplay consists of walking through empty rooms, with polygon modeling equivalent to a student using 3D Studio Max back in 1998.”
  • atmosphere280 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Dreadout" is widely praised for its ability to create a genuinely creepy and unsettling experience, drawing on Indonesian folklore and effective sound design to enhance immersion. While some players note that the game lacks in jump scares and can suffer from technical issues, the overall ambiance and tension keep players engaged and on edge throughout their journey. Many reviewers highlight the game's atmospheric qualities as its strongest feature, making it a notable entry in the horror genre.

    • “The game features some unique puzzles and enemies, which give it some standout flavor, and boasts an atmosphere that is genuinely unsettling.”
    • “Dreadout is a commendable entry into the horror genre, offering a unique cultural perspective and a genuinely spooky atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is genuinely frightening, the monsters freakish and terrifying, the music and sounds perfectly moody and foreboding, and the slight kitschy feeling of Southeast Asian horror movies washes over everything and brings out the folklore of Indonesia like no one else can.”
    • “Sadly, a good creepy atmosphere could not save this dreadful title.”
    • “All the time I spent trying to figure out how to overcome the game's technical and design shortcomings resulted in a complete desensitization to any atmosphere that the game may have been trying to build, and the lazy, predictable jump scares just plain don't work.”
    • “The lack of detail takes away from the overall experience of the game, by making it harder to submerge in the atmosphere and fully understand what is going on as the game moves along.”
  • music124 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a chilling atmosphere, effectively enhancing the horror experience with eerie soundscapes and well-placed musical cues. While some players noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive or awkward at times, many appreciated the unique blend of traditional Indonesian music and haunting ambient sounds that contribute to the game's unsettling vibe. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, successfully immersing players in the game's eerie world.

    • “The rare instances where there is music and ambient sounds are masterfully done, complete with high-pitched strings and drums that instantly give you chills.”
    • “The music for the game was nice and spooky, definitely did a good job in setting the atmosphere for the game.”
    • “The atmosphere is genuinely frightening, the monsters are freakish and terrifying, the music and sounds are perfectly moody and foreboding, and the slight kitschy feeling of Southeast Asian horror movies washes over everything and brings out the folklore of Indonesia like no one else can.”
    • “The musical soundtrack is goofy and amateurish.”
    • “The soundtrack is ridiculously bipolar, bouncing between everything from Silent Hill-esque ambient tracks to Indonesian music and pop-rock anthems.”
    • “Yes, there's some 'scary' music and sound effects, but unfortunately, if you get stuck in a maze, it's the same sound effect on endless loop - the screaming woman repeating every 10 seconds for 10 minutes while you aimlessly wander through what looks like classroom after classroom, all empty and pointless.”
  • stability118 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly hinder the overall experience, with many players reporting game-breaking issues that require restarts or lead to frustration. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and concept, the instability and lack of polish detract from its potential enjoyment, making it difficult to recommend without caution. Overall, players should be prepared for a bumpy experience filled with technical shortcomings.

    • “The gameplay runs smoothly overall, with only minor bugs like slight lag when turning quickly.”
    • “Despite a few minor issues, the game maintains a solid performance and stability.”
    • “Overall, the game is quite stable, with only occasional minor glitches that don't detract from the experience.”
    • “The number of glitches is really big, and those create softlocks too, so at least now don't buy this game.”
    • “Extremely buggy to the point that I could no longer progress in the game.”
    • “All in all, no matter how much I want to like this game, the sole fact that it has so many game-breaking glitches and apparently wasn't tested properly makes it impossible to recommend.”
  • optimization27 mentions

    The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and long loading times. Many users noted that the game is poorly optimized for gamepad use and suffers from graphical glitches and texture problems, detracting from the overall experience. While some found the gameplay enjoyable, the technical shortcomings have left a negative impression on a substantial portion of the player base.

    • “Performance: smooth enough to keep the chills running down your spine without turning into a full-blown technical meltdown.”
    • “Great design, horrifying atmosphere, scary sound; all of these could cover the lack of good UI and bad engine optimizations.”
    • “Btw check its sequel (DreadOut: Keeper of the Dark), a bit better (more optimized) although still has most problems from the original DreadOut.”
    • “The game suffers significantly from stuttery performance, frustrating pushback mechanics, and extremely punishing combat mechanics.”
    • “Game is not optimized.”
    • “The problem is the poor performance, with such graphics that fps drops to 20 often enough and 10-15 occasionally.”
  • humor25 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as strange and often hilarious, with many players appreciating its quirky animations and comedic moments that blend well with the creepy atmosphere. While some found the humor to be a highlight, others noted that it could detract from the game's intended scares, leading to a mix of laughter and frustration. Overall, the game successfully incorporates a unique brand of humor that resonates with players, reminiscent of quirky titles from the PS2 era.

    • “Love the strange humor in it.”
    • “Thanks for reading, and may your ghostly encounters be as hilariously terrifying as mine!”
    • “It has weird bits of comedy that made me laugh pretty hard every time I saw them.”
    • “The game is not funny... not scary... not a game.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced throughout.”
    • “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and unoriginal.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    Players report a mixed emotional experience with the game, noting moments of genuine fear and tension, particularly from the atmosphere and music, while also feeling frustrated by technical issues and combat mechanics. Despite its flaws, many found themselves emotionally invested in the characters and story, with some expressing that the game evoked strong feelings of fear, rage, and nostalgia reminiscent of early 2000s titles. Overall, while it may not excel as a horror game, it successfully elicits a range of emotions that resonate with players.

    • “This game made me feel emotions again.”
    • “I have never been truly 'scared' of a game, but this is the only game that has ever made me feel the tension of being 'watched.'”
    • “I really loved the main protagonist Linda Meilinda, and despite her not being all that developed, I also came to care for her friends, making me emotionally invested in the outcome of the story.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it offers enough secrets and collectibles to warrant multiple playthroughs, others feel it lacks depth and content for extended replay. Achievements and alternate costumes provide some incentive, but overall, the replay value is limited, especially after the initial experiences. Fans of the genre may enjoy revisiting it, but it may not appeal to those seeking substantial replayability.

    • “Has enough replay value to be worth the buy.”
    • “It's relatively short but it has a few secrets that make it replayable.”
    • “Hunting poltergeists with a camera is fun, challenging, and replayable.”
    • “Like any horror game, the amount of replayability it has is very low.”
    • “There's a little replay value, if only to get the achievements, but not much.”
    • “An addition of a basement to the school certainly wouldn't have gone amiss; also, the whole game seems to be a little bit empty of things to do and places to explore: the replay value beyond the second or third playthrough just isn't there.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing it as slow and repetitive, particularly during combat and exploration. Many reviewers note that the need for extensive grinding can detract from immersion, with some battles and tasks feeling excessively drawn out and irritating. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that can lead to player fatigue.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “But when I'm searching through a massive school for one of many identical rooms that will allow me to progress, it becomes tedious rather than immersive.”
    • “The gameplay from combat to movement is slow and tedious.”
    • “Each time you die, the space between you and the light gets bigger, which can get quite tedious.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, leaving players with little opportunity to connect with or understand the characters due to a lack of narrative depth. While the character and ghost designs are praised for their aesthetic appeal, the overall storytelling fails to provide a coherent context for the characters' actions and motivations.

    • “There's hardly any character development; there is hardly enough time to get to know these characters, and there is hardly enough sense put into the game to understand what the hell is going on.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of depth in the character arcs; they felt rushed and underdeveloped.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for being a poorly executed cash grab, despite featuring humorous advertisements and a comedic setting.

    • “It's a poorly coded, horribly animated cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

50% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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