DreadOut
- May 15, 2014
- Digital Happiness
- 4h median play time
DreadOut's potential is never realized in its messy first act
Get on Steam"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."
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Reviews
- Unique take on Indonesian folklore and horror elements
- Atmospheric and genuinely creepy with good sound design
- Engaging gameplay mechanics with a mix of puzzles and ghost encounters
- Game is buggy with frequent glitches and performance issues
- Objectives can be unclear, leading to confusion and frustration
- Combat mechanics can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially during boss fights
- story880 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "DreadOut" is a blend of Indonesian folklore and horror elements, centering on a group of students who become trapped in an abandoned town filled with ghosts. While some players find the narrative intriguing and appreciate its cultural context, many criticize it for being vague, disjointed, and lacking clear direction, often requiring external resources to fully understand the plot. Overall, the game offers a unique atmosphere and engaging ghost encounters, but its storytelling leaves room for improvement.
“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 plot doesn't exist, or if it does, I didn't find it even though I found most documents, but I had no idea what happened and why, because they didn't take the time to at least try to explain what was going on.”
“The story is weakly developed, very few puzzles and not much is developed beyond the atmosphere part.”
- graphics635 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and reminiscent of PlayStation 2 or early PlayStation 3 titles. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and atmospheric qualities, others criticize the numerous graphical glitches, low-resolution textures, and inconsistent performance, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, many players find that the game's eerie atmosphere and engaging story compensate for its visual flaws, making it enjoyable for those who prioritize gameplay over graphics.
“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 graphics are amazing and it brings me back memories of the Fatal Frame series; a good ghost banishment via camera will do that.”
“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 is amazing, you feel like something will be at the corner, maybe there is, or maybe not.”
“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.”
“Sadly, I did not enjoy it for my first 2.5 hours due to graphical issues caused by the game itself (not my PC, it ran perfectly fine).”
“Sure, the visuals are pretty damn weak even for a low-budget game dating back to 2014; there's no denying that.”
- gameplay604 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of DreadOut is a mixed bag, drawing inspiration from classic horror titles like Fatal Frame, but often falling short due to clunky controls, frustrating mechanics, and a lack of clear guidance. While the unique use of a smartphone to combat ghosts and the incorporation of Indonesian folklore add an interesting twist, many players find the puzzles cryptic and the combat mechanics punishing, leading to a generally janky experience. Overall, the game offers a memorable atmosphere and intriguing story, but suffers from significant gameplay issues that detract from its potential.
“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 with its focus on delivering ghosts that are talked about in Indonesian culture, heavily influenced by the Fatal Frame games, with chilling music that gives you goosebumps while hunting for ghosts with your cellphone and camera.”
“I personally loved it; I feel that the gameplay, the characters, etc. deserve a 10/10 from me. It really hooks you and is very good.”
“The game suffers significantly from stuttery performance, frustrating pushback mechanics, and extremely punishing combat mechanics.”
“The gameplay is horrible, puzzle nonsensical or for simpletons, and the overall story is horrendous.”
“There's a lot of wandering around, some odd puzzles, and one particular mechanic can be frustrating: when you die, you often restart in the same spot you died, with your opponents still hovering over you, and it might be hard (or, in some reported cases, impossible) to break the loop of deaths without exiting and reloading the last save file.”
- atmosphere560 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative 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 noted issues with graphics and gameplay mechanics, the game's atmospheric elements, including its music and environmental details, successfully evoke tension and fear, reminiscent of classic horror titles like "Fatal Frame." Overall, the atmosphere is considered the game's strongest aspect, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric horror.
“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.”
“While there's no doubting the atmosphere of Dreadout is creepy and the story might have been compelling, its cryptic and repetitive gameplay, unresponsive controls, glitchy camera, uncooperative flashlight, disappearing textures, popup and flickering decals make this game an utter mess.”
“I wanted to give it some points for 'atmosphere', but with the weak narrative, it just all comes off as pointless, depressing, and meaningless.”
- music248 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative 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 culturally relevant tracks. While some players noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive or awkward at times, many appreciated the diversity and emotional impact of the music, particularly during key moments. Overall, the sound design, including ambient noises and musical cues, significantly contributes to the game's immersive and unsettling environment.
“I like this game so much, the environment, the ambient, the music are all on point!!!”
“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 this game was nice and spooky definitely did a good job in setting the atmosphere for the game.”
“The musical soundtrack is goofy and amateurish.”
“Soundtrack is just some ambient loop that goes on and on and on.”
“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 secs for the 10 min you aimlessly wander through what looks like classroom after classroom, all empty, all pointless, all pretty ugly looking in the flashlight perspective you are allowed; all worthless because - frankly - I had no clue how to get out of there, and why I should, and after 10 minutes, I really didn't care anymore.”
- stability236 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative 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 can halt progress. While some users appreciate the game's atmosphere and concept, they often find it difficult to overlook the instability caused by these technical problems. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, leading to frustration and a lack of recommendation from many reviewers.
“The gameplay has some slight bugs, such as lag when turning fast, but other than these minor issues, it runs great.”
“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.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 41 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, featuring significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and long loading times. Many players report that the game struggles with graphical fidelity and control responsiveness, particularly on gamepads, leading to a frustrating experience. While some aspects of the game are praised, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial optimization to enhance gameplay stability and performance.
“Performance: smooth enough to keep the chills running down your spine without turning into a full-blown technical meltdown.”
“A fun throwback to old horror games, specifically Fatal Frame, albeit with some performance issues thanks to the 'lovely' Unity engine.”
“Great design, horrifying atmosphere, scary sound; all of these could cover the lack of good UI and bad engine optimizations.”
“The game suffers significantly from stuttery performance, frustrating pushback mechanics, and extremely punishing combat mechanics.”
“The problem is the poor performance, with such graphics causing FPS drops to 20 often enough and 10-15 occasionally.”
“But hey, they got my money, so who cares? I'm shocked people are giving positive reviews for a game that's so poorly optimized.”
- humor51 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of strange, quirky, and sometimes unintentional comedy, with many players finding the animations and character interactions amusing. While some aspects, like glitches and clunky mechanics, detract from immersion, they often add to the overall hilarity, making the game a blend of creepy and funny moments. Overall, players appreciate the humor, even if it sometimes feels reminiscent of older, less polished games.
“Love the strange humor in it.”
“Little clunky in terms of mechanics in parts, but overall a really funny and creepy game.”
“It has weird bits of comedy that made me laugh pretty hard every time I saw them and almost every enemy is pretty scary.”
“The game is not funny... not scary... not a game.”
- emotional32 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a range of feelings, from nostalgia and tension to fear and investment in the characters. While some players found it lacking in genuine scares, many appreciated the emotional engagement with the protagonist and her friends, leading to a sense of care for their fates. Overall, the game successfully evokes emotions, even if it struggles with technical execution and horror elements.
“This game made me feel emotions again.”
“I really loved main protagonist Linda Meilinda, and despite them not being all that developed, I also came to care for her friends, making me emotionally invested in the outcome of the story.”
“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.'”
- replayability28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while it offers some secrets and collectibles that encourage multiple playthroughs, many players feel that the overall content is limited, making it less engaging after the initial experiences. Achievements and alternate costumes provide additional incentives, but the game’s short length and lack of depth leave it feeling somewhat empty for extended replay. Overall, it may appeal to genre fans, but its replay value is not particularly high.
“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.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with repetitive tasks and slow combat contributing to a lack of immersion. Many reviewers note that the need for extensive grinding can feel overwhelming, often requiring significant time investment for minimal progress, particularly during challenging boss battles. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a major drawback that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“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 development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of depth and insufficient time to connect with the characters, leading to confusion about the storyline. However, the character and ghost designs are praised for their aesthetic appeal and effectiveness in creating a scary atmosphere.
“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 is going on.”
“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 is going on.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for being a blatant cash grab, with users noting its poor coding and animation quality, despite some humor in the advertisements and environment.
“It's a poorly coded, horribly animated cash grab.”
