Drowning Cross

About

Drowning Cross is a single player action game with horror, drama, mystery, comedy and others themes. It was developed by origamihero and was released on June 7, 2019. It received very positive reviews from players.

Find your boyfriend before the night takes him away forever. It's all your fault, after all! Just like always.

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews

story38 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Emotional and heartfelt story with well-written, witty dialogue and strong character development, especially the realistic portrayal of a gay couple without stereotypes.
Engaging point-and-click gameplay with nostalgic retro pixel art style and atmospheric music that enhances the mystery and mood.
Free to play with a decent length for a free game, multiple endings, and thoughtful puzzles that encourage exploration and lateral thinking.

Some puzzles are illogical or obtuse, requiring trial-and-error or walkthroughs, and the progression can feel disjointed or under-explained, especially in the second half.
Navigation and gameplay mechanics can be clunky, with slow movement, lack of faster travel options, a single save slot, and sometimes repetitive or unhelpful dialogue.
Inconsistent tone and storytelling, with some players feeling frustrated by heavy-handed social commentary and a shift towards supernatural elements that are not well integrated.

story
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The story is a heartfelt, concise narrative blending themes of grief, addiction, and relationship struggles with subtle LGBTQ representation, delivered through expressive pixel art and emotional writing. While praised for its engaging and moving plot, some find the pacing uneven and puzzle-driven progression occasionally illogical, with moments where supernatural elements feel disconnected from the main narrative. Overall, it offers a touching, bittersweet experience that resonates especially with fans of short, story-driven point-and-click adventures.
- “The grounded main story about grief, addiction and struggling within a relationship is what makes the game stand out, and if you are a classic adventure game fan looking for a short narrative experience about those themes, I'd absolutely recommend it.”
- “The plot deepens near the end, getting a little trippy, and then hits you right in the feels.”
- “Wow, what a beautiful little gem of a game this is; the music, the graphics, and the story all come together to make a heart-string pulling experience.”
- “What I hated during my playthrough of this game is that the decisions you make to progress the story seem to have little to no logic at all.”
- “The story is okay, doesn't really explain much about the character you play as or even specific elements that it introduces later.”
- “The story moves way too fast and explains far too little.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The game's graphics feature a charming, nostalgic pixel art style that many players find visually appealing and atmospheric, effectively complementing the eerie and calming mood. While some criticize the pixel visuals as lazy or less polished compared to modern 3D graphics, the cohesive blend of artwork and music is widely praised for enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the graphics succeed in creating a memorable, immersive aesthetic that resonates well with fans of retro-style games.
- “Kudos to the artist(s): the game looks gorgeous, and the pixel art style in both the cutscenes and the game itself is lovely to look at.”
- “Very generous for a free game: the artwork is astounding; love the way the characters move around the space making the rooms seem much bigger than they actually are. Small game tidbits add character, and I never once felt disconnected from the pixel art.”
- “Wow, what a beautiful little gem of a game this is—the music, the graphics, and the story all come together to make a heart-string pulling experience.”
- “This features really godawful, lazy pixelcrap "art" instead of real graphics.”
- “It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to do the job of creating 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter.”
- “The story is okay, the visuals could have been dark and less cartoonish to make it fit; the soundscape contributes to a lonesome atmosphere but gets repetitive quite soon.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
37%
16%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric, evocative quality that enhances the calming, mysterious, and sometimes eerie mood. It blends seamlessly with the pixel art style to create a memorable and immersive experience, though some criticize occasional discordant layering or lack of complexity. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's charm and emotional impact.
- “Sure, the gameplay gets a bit tedious after a while, but the art style and the music really add to the calming, mysterious atmosphere of walking alone aimlessly at night.”
- “Other than that, the music and artwork are gorgeous and atmospheric, and really sell the feel of the locations.”
- “I love how the music and artwork blend together in this game; it creates a great atmosphere that will keep you wanting to play all the way to the end.”
- “The only place where this game fell short was the music.”
- “And there's a time where two different songs play over each other, which is a bit discordant, and not in a good way.”
- “- The music is evocative and the pacing is slow, but builds like an episode of Twin Peaks.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a heartfelt and emotionally layered experience, featuring a touching and wholesome love story with LGBTQ themes that resonate deeply with many players. While praised for its emotional depth and thought-provoking narrative, some found the emotional impact uneven, particularly in the absence of strong conflict or in less impactful endings. Overall, it offers a warm, sincere journey that balances humor and poignancy effectively.
- “No surprise, this game is an emotional journey.”
- “I’ve noticed that visual novels with LGBTQ themes often deliver the most heartfelt, thought-provoking stories — and this is no exception.”
- “It comes with the traditional frustrations that seem to be inherent to the point-and-click genre, but an incredibly heartfelt story that's shockingly deep for a free game.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally charming and occasionally funny, with some internal dialogues standing out as witty or heartwarming. However, opinions vary, with some finding the humor flat or out of touch, while others appreciate its retro and enjoyable style. Overall, it contributes positively to the game's unique and engaging narrative.
- “Funny retro point and click!”
- “I do like some (internal) dialogues of the main character and some of them are actually pretty funny albeit sometimes self-derogatory.”
- “A funny and moving story with non-stereotypical characters.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay is generally described as standard point-and-click with a focus on a calm, mysterious atmosphere enhanced by art and music. Unique mechanics, like using ideas as inventory objects and multiple endings, add depth and engagement, though some find the gameplay less compelling or a bit tedious over time. Achievements and exploration elements further extend the experience.
- “One of the most touching beautiful stories with a great gameplay feel and multiple ending mechanism that doesn't disappoint.”
- “I enjoyed how ideas are treated as usable objects in the inventory—that was a fun little touch that makes the game stand out and feel a bit unique in its mechanics.”
- “Achievements extend the gameplay and exploration nicely.”
- “Sure, the gameplay gets a bit tedious after a while, but the art style and the music really add to the calming, mysterious atmosphere of walking alone aimlessly at night.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's just a standard point and click.”
- “But there's no quick gameplay possibility.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its calming, mysterious, and lonesome mood, effectively enhanced by beautiful artwork and a fitting music score. While some find the visuals slightly cartoonish and the soundscape repetitive, overall the blend of music and art creates an engaging and immersive experience that complements the story well.
- “Other than that, the music and artwork are gorgeous and atmospheric, and really sell the feel of the locations.”
- “I love how the music and artwork blend together in this game; it creates a great atmosphere that will keep you wanting to play all the way to the end.”
- “The story is okay, the visuals could have been darker and less cartoonish to make it fit. The soundscape contributes to a lonesome atmosphere but gets repetitive quite soon.”
- “While the art is not stylized in any particular way, the work is quite solid and conveys enough mood to create a vaguely lonely atmosphere.”
- “Sure, the gameplay gets a bit tedious after a while, but the art style and the music really add to the calming, mysterious atmosphere of walking alone aimlessly at night.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game can become tedious over time, but the calming art style and music help create an engaging, mysterious atmosphere that makes repetitive gameplay more enjoyable.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, resulting in subpar performance and potential technical issues.
- “Poorly optimized.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is widely viewed as a weak point, with particular disappointment in the minimal growth of key characters Leo and Jeremy.
- “Possibly the most disappointing is the lack of character development of Leo and Jeremy.”