Edge of Sanity
- September 13, 2024
- Vixa Games
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Edge of Sanity" is a psychological survival horror game set in the wilderness of Alaska, inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. After a resupply mission goes wrong, you must explore caves, mines, and laboratories to uncover the truth. Manage your camp, scavenge for supplies, and make wise decisions to ensure survival in this hand-crafted 2D art style game.
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and art style, especially for fans of Lovecraftian horror.
- Engaging gameplay that combines survival, resource management, and stealth elements.
- Strong voice acting and an interesting story that keeps players invested.
- Controls can be confusing and poorly documented, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- Repetitive gameplay and lack of variety in missions can make the experience feel tedious.
- Some players found the story predictable and lacking in depth, with a short overall playtime.
- story35 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, particularly appreciating its Lovecraftian elements and unexpected twists. However, others criticize it for being predictable, dull, and lacking depth, with repetitive gameplay that detracts from the narrative experience. Overall, while the story has its moments, it often feels typical and fails to fully engage all players.
“Its a good game, interesting story, awesome art and fun game loop.”
“The story is interesting, the setting is the thing with a mix of Lovecraft/cosmic horror and SCP or Umbrella Corp vibes.”
“Because the writing, music, voice acting, and story are excellent.”
“But this game also fails on a storytelling level.”
“The plot is boring and predictable, the enemies are just worms, and the characters are cut and paste archetypes.”
“The game batters you over the head with your character being possessed by some demon and being in a loop or something constantly then acts like you're too dumb to figure it out by having the one plot NPC talk behind your back about it like you have no idea what's going on.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a blend of resource management, stealth mechanics, and survival elements, reminiscent of games like Darkest Dungeon. While some players found the initial gameplay loop repetitive, later acts introduced more engaging mechanics and a satisfying progression system. The game features a strong Lovecraftian atmosphere, with a focus on managing stress and inventory, and offers multiple strategies for dealing with enemy encounters, making for a creative and immersive experience.
“However, it's a good ride if you enjoy the setting and gameplay.”
“A perfect mix of Lovecraftian horror and survival/resource management-based gameplay, that's all right up my alley.”
“The gameplay loop is very reminiscent of the games I mentioned above: stress and resource management, with an upgradable base to keep resources coming in and stress levels low; scouting/scavenging, weapon durability, and stealth are also major mechanics here; there are multiple ways to dispatch or avoid enemy encounters, with each enemy type having exploitable weaknesses and strengths, making for fun and creative survival gameplay.”
“Gameplay is where it falls apart for me.”
“Of note: the dash mechanic of this game needs improvement.”
“For me, the act 1 gameplay loop was kind of repetitive and boring after the story missions, but then act 2 was a lot more fun and I felt like I got a good grip on things.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its Lovecraftian elements, effectively creating a creepy and immersive experience that enhances the storytelling. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric graphics, foreboding music, and engaging mechanics, although some find repetitive gameplay in later levels frustrating. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that captivates players and supports the indie development effort.
“Great atmosphere; if you like Lovecraft, you are going to enjoy this short but sweet little indie.”
“The atmosphere is great, and the story is interesting.”
“The music is also, as I said, satisfactorily foreboding and adds a lot to the atmosphere.”
“Creepy atmosphere combined with some retro sci-fi.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many praising the detailed, multi-layered 2D environments and the overall art style, which draws inspiration from Lovecraftian themes and resembles that of Darkest Dungeon. While some reviewers note that the graphics are not high-budget or particularly original, they still contribute to a captivating atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. Overall, the combination of good graphics, sound design, and voice acting creates an engaging visual and auditory experience.
“Nice atmosphere and graphics, it got me hooked :)”
“The graphics are neat and the soundscape is great.”
“The art style is fantastic, with detailed multi-layered 2D environments.”
“This game only took inspiration from Lovecraft lore and the art style of Darkest Dungeon.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and lack any real depth or personality.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some players noting that the ability to save different survivors with unique skill sets encourages multiple playthroughs. However, others criticize the game for its linear structure, arguing that it lacks significant replay value beyond minor variations in survivor selection, as the overall story remains unchanged regardless of choices made.
“I haven't finished the game yet, but I know that replayability is a given, considering that you can save different survivors with different skill sets.”
“It assumes replayability and multiple playthroughs.”
“The only flimsy excuse he gave was this: 'This game has zero replayability.' This is a story-based linear game, and I personally find nothing wrong with it.”
“This is entirely linear, and there's no replayability or variety.”
“So there's not that much replay value, except maybe in getting different survivors (you can't get all of them in one playthrough unless a couple die off, and they don't affect the ending anyways).”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its foreboding and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the Lovecraftian theme. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as dynamic and excellent, contributing significantly to the overall experience, despite the game's lower budget and lack of originality.
“The soundtrack is terrific and dynamic, and is one of my favorite elements of this game.”
“Because the writing, music, voice acting, and story are excellent.”
“The introductory scene involves the moon suddenly being replaced by a gigantic eye while a stressful musical 'sting' plays.”
“It's supposed to be a survival affair, but it's really a bad game of musical chairs.”
“The music is also, as I said, satisfactorily foreboding and adds a lot to the atmosphere.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and inelegant, often feeling more like a chore than an engaging experience. Despite the repetitive nature of grinding for resources and upgrades, some players appreciate the overarching story that helps maintain a minimal level of investment. However, the environments can detract from immersion, with illogical design choices that frustrate players further.
“It's inelegant, tedious, and not frightening in the least.”
“After spending an hour grinding metal and wood and upgrading my food and water stations, I got one bad event that destroyed my food stockpile, another that poisoned my water, another where some survivors were thieves and punishing them ruins morale, and finally one that destroyed my upgrade to water and food stations.”
“Act 3 requires more repetitive grinding, so that's not exactly the most fun, but the overarching story helps keep you marginally invested.”
