DREADTOME

About

DREADTOME is a single player shooter game. It was developed by Tinfoil Rats and was released on June 12, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

DREADTOME is a single-player action-adventure FPS set in a dense, hostile library where you must extract forbidden knowledge. Utilize a repulser, firearm, and environmental hazards to defeat corrupted creatures while solving mental trials to upgrade your tools. Explore the labyrinthine environment to gather resources and uncover the story behind the library’s dark past.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Impressive atmosphere and visuals, creating an engaging and immersive experience.
Fun and creative gameplay mechanics, particularly the use of environmental hazards and the repulsor ability.
Great potential for expansion into a full game, with many players expressing a desire for more content.

The game is very short, typically taking around 30-60 minutes to complete, leaving players wanting more.
Combat can feel unbalanced, with some players finding the gunplay underwhelming and the enemies lacking variety.
Some technical issues, such as performance drops and control sensitivity problems, detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
43%
9%
The gameplay is generally praised for its enjoyable mechanics, engaging combat, and innovative features like portal mechanics and gravity flips, making it fun and immersive despite its short duration of around 30-45 minutes. While many players appreciate the unique ideas and visuals, some express disappointment over the brevity and lack of depth in the story, suggesting it feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized game. Overall, the gameplay is considered solid, with some reviewers noting it surpasses that of certain AAA titles, but many desire more content and longer playtime.
- “Amazing system of gameplay.”
- “Great gameplay, super fun and engaging.”
- “The no-bs gameplay, the visuals, the otherworldly atmosphere, movement and shooting/repel stuff or enemies all hit the spot pretty well.”
- “I enjoyed the game, don't get me wrong, however it has less than an hour of gameplay. I get that the game is still being worked on, but this isn't even really a game, more like a tech demo. For now, I will not recommend the game until there is way more gameplay time in it. Also, the story just doesn't really make sense; it gives you a little intro, but the rest of the story is absent, making it feel like you're just there to be there with no real reason.”
- “This makes up for the mid textures, muddy gameplay, and lack of polish.”
- “The only downside I have is that I wanted more; it was too short and I wanted more gameplay, more upgrades, and more monsters and guns.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The game's story is minimal yet intriguing, primarily conveyed through scattered logs and notes that provide glimpses into the world and its history. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the opportunity to piece together the narrative, others find the overall plot lacking depth and coherence, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, with potential for expansion in future updates.
- “It has a nice little story that wraps itself up well, alongside multiple scattered logs that are well-written and show glimpses into the world you are exploring.”
- “An absolutely stunning game with perfect visuals, an immersive world and story, spectacular gameplay and captivating sounds!”
- “The collectibles are actually worthwhile since they give snippets of the story.”
- “Yes, this game is short, but what it packs into this short story, or lack thereof, is what really got me with this game.”
- “You play an unknown character with no backstory, and it's really up to you to piece together what happened and who you are.”
- “For now, I will not recommend the game until there is way more gameplay time in it; also, the story just doesn't really make sense. It gives you a little intro, but the rest of the story is absent, making it feel like you're just there to be there with no real reason.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
19%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining effective music, rich lore, and visually striking elements that create a tense and engaging experience. Many players appreciate the dark and spooky ambiance, although some note minor issues with repetitive sound effects. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the gameplay, drawing players into its otherworldly setting.
- “Loved the spooky atmosphere, would recommend giving it a try: it's free!”
- “This experience pulled me in right away with its tense atmosphere and rich lore.”
- “The music is cool and the atmosphere is dark and dreadful, and I got quite invested in some of the lore.”
- “The game world is a bit confusing, especially the portals, but I really liked the visuals and overall atmosphere.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
23%
23%
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere, often compared favorably to those of AAA titles. While the aesthetics and overall design are captivating, some users noted minor graphical glitches and issues potentially related to the use of Unreal Engine 5. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's engaging experience, enhancing both gameplay and storytelling.
- “The no-bs gameplay, the visuals, the otherworldly atmosphere, movement and shooting/repel stuff or enemies all hit the spot pretty well.”
- “Graphics are as good as anything you pay for now from AAA studios.”
- “An absolutely stunning game with perfect visuals, an immersive world and story, spectacular gameplay and captivating sounds!”
- “The aesthetics are something Games Workshop might sue you for.”
- “Some minor graphical glitches here and there.”
- “The game world is a bit confusing, especially the portals, but I really liked the visuals and overall atmosphere.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with many users noting its ability to set the right mood and complement the overall experience. While some describe the music as decent, others highlight its effectiveness in creating a dark and immersive environment that deepens engagement with the game's lore. Overall, the combination of music and sound design contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Loved the music, the atmosphere, I loved it all.”
- “The environment and music were perfect.”
- “The music is decent.”
- “I love the atmosphere and the few bits of music set the mood right.”
- “Everything from the atmosphere, story, sound design, music, and gameplay.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring fun jokes, amusing easter eggs, and entertaining secrets that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the comedic elements, although some minor gameplay issues are noted, such as map clipping and a lack of interaction with certain props. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “I'd love to know more about the one book I read about the 'elevator entity,' because I'm fairly sure it referenced issues while developing the game surrounding the elevators, and if so, that is hilarious!”
- “Great models, gameplay, and a funny easter egg.”
- “The game also has some funny secrets which I enjoyed, and it was an overall fun experience.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues even on capable hardware, requiring them to lower settings for smoother gameplay. While a few users noted occasional framerate drops, others reported a generally smooth experience after completing the game. Overall, optimization appears to be a concern that could benefit from further improvements.
- “Some performance issues but a good time regardless.”
- “The only thing I'd maybe work on is the performance - I've played the game on a 75Hz monitor, and while it seemingly never went below 60 FPS, at times there were noticeable drops in framerate when looking in certain directions.”
- “Finished the full game — runs smoothly and feels much more intuitive than the demo.”
- “The game is horribly optimized. Even on a 3050 8GB, I had to turn down settings to low. I beat the game in under 15 minutes on my first run. There are short games, and there are games that are demos of what a short game could be... this was the latter.”
- “The only thing I'd maybe work on is the performance. I've played the game on a 75Hz monitor, and while it seemingly never went below 60 FPS, at times there were noticeable drops in framerate when looking in certain directions.”
- “The game runs a bit choppy for me; maybe it's due to optimization, or maybe it's my PC.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players reporting no significant issues during gameplay. While a few minor glitches, such as mobs passing through walls and occasional graphical hiccups, have been noted, they do not detract from the overall experience.
- “Had a few glitches with mobs going through walls when shooting them, but if you put that aside, it's safe to say it's a good game.”
- “Besides some small glitches that don't really affect the gameplay, there's barely anything negative to say about the game.”
- “Some minor graphical glitches here and there.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily through an unlockable special mode and varying difficulty settings; however, players note that there are no significant changes between playthroughs.
- “The game has some slight replayability due to an unlockable special mode and difficulty settings it offers, but nothing changes between playthroughs.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back; the experience remains largely the same.”
- “Despite a few unlockable features, the core gameplay doesn't evolve, making multiple playthroughs feel redundant.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express a desire for deeper emotional storytelling, particularly through poignant elements like letters from characters to their loved ones, which could enhance the game's emotional impact. While some feel a lack of these heartfelt moments is a missed opportunity, they acknowledge that no game can achieve perfection in this regard.
- “I am a little disappointed, though, that there was no sad letter on any corpse addressed to loved ones with some heartbreaking cliché lines about 'one last job before retirement,' but I understand no game can be perfect.”