Drowning Cross

About

Drowning Cross is a single player action game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by origamihero and was released on May 25, 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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 138 reviews

story36 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Drowning Cross features a heartfelt story that explores themes of grief, addiction, and LGBTQ representation, making it a touching experience.
The pixel art and music create a charming atmosphere, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
As a free title, it offers a nostalgic point-and-click adventure experience with engaging puzzles and witty dialogue.

Some puzzles can be illogical or require trial and error, leading to frustration and the need for walkthroughs.
The story's pacing and coherence suffer in the latter half, with supernatural elements that may feel disconnected from the initial narrative.
The game lacks a main menu and has limited save options, which can detract from the overall user experience.

story
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The game's story is a heartfelt exploration of themes such as grief, addiction, and relationships, presented through a colorful pixel art style. While it features a mix of comedy and drama, some players found the narrative pacing inconsistent, with certain plot elements feeling rushed or disconnected. Overall, the story is engaging and touching, particularly for those interested in LGBTQ+ representation, though it may leave some threads unresolved.
- “The grounded main story about grief, addiction, and struggling within a relationship is what makes the game stand out. If you are a classic adventure game fan looking for a short narrative experience about those themes, I'd absolutely recommend it.”
- “I really enjoyed interacting with everything and the amazing, heartfelt story.”
- “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 moves way too fast and explains far too little.”
- “You're dropped in the middle of a relationship with no backstory, and no serious conflict to become emotionally invested in despite the author's efforts.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
49%
10%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players praising the charming pixel art style and vibrant colors that evoke nostalgia, while others criticize it as "lazy pixelcrap" lacking depth. Many appreciate the atmospheric integration of visuals and music, which enhances the overall experience, though some feel the graphics could have been improved to better match the game's tone. Overall, the artwork is often described as gorgeous and engaging, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
- “Other than that, the music and artwork is gorgeous and atmospheric, and really sells the feel of the locations.”
- “Kudos to the artist(s), the game looks gorgeous; the pixel art style in both the cutscenes and the game itself are both lovely to look at.”
- “Wow, what a beautiful little gem of a game this is; the music, the graphics, the story all come together to make a heart-string pulling experience.”
- “This feature is really godawful, lazy pixel crap 'art' instead of real graphics.”
- “It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to create 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter.”
- “Games like Terraria and Stardew Valley succeeded despite the bad graphics, not because of them.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its charm and evocative nature. However, some criticism arises regarding a lack of variety and instances of discordant layering during transitions. Overall, the combination of music and artwork is highlighted as a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's immersive feel.
- “Other than that, the music and artwork is gorgeous and atmospheric, and really sells the feel of the locations.”
- “Wow, what a beautiful little gem of a game this is, the music, the graphics, the story all come together to make a heart-string pulling experience.”
- “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 2 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
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt and wholesome love story, particularly resonating with players who appreciate LGBTQ themes. While many found the narrative touching and layered, some felt that the lack of backstory and serious conflict limited emotional investment, especially in the bad ending. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with poignant moments, creating a memorable experience despite some narrative shortcomings.
- “I’ve noticed that visual novels with LGBTQ themes often deliver the most heartfelt, thought-provoking stories — and this is no exception.”
- “I really enjoyed interacting with everything and the amazing, heartfelt story.”
- “I liked the story a lot, also the message the whole game carries is lovely and touching.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it funny and heartwarming, particularly in the dialogue and character interactions, while others describe it as flat or out of touch. Overall, the game features a blend of charming characters and varying comedic styles, appealing to different tastes in humor.
- “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
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The gameplay is primarily a standard point-and-click experience, featuring unique mechanics such as treating ideas as usable inventory objects, which adds a distinctive touch. While some players found the gameplay compelling and engaging, others felt it lacked excitement and quick pacing. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic art style and multiple endings that enhance exploration and replayability.
- “One of the most touching, beautiful stories with a great gameplay feel and multiple ending mechanisms that don'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.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's just a standard point-and-click.”
- “But there's no quick gameplay possibility.”
- “The story and gameplay were alright.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful music and artwork, which effectively enhance the emotional depth of the locations. While some players feel the visuals could benefit from a darker tone and the soundscape may become repetitive, the overall mood successfully conveys a sense of loneliness and immersion that keeps players engaged throughout the experience.
- “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.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is criticized for being poorly optimized, leading to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “I experienced significant lag and long loading times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- “Despite having a high-end PC, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate due to its lack of optimization.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development of Leo and Jeremy has been noted as a significant disappointment, with reviewers expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of depth and growth in their arcs.
- “Possibly the most disappointing aspect is the lack of character development for Leo and Jeremy.”