Enola

About

"Enola" is a single-player Horror Simulation game with a gripping story and perfect atmosphere, immersing players in the tortured memories of Angelica. The game features frighteningly calculated death-traps and multiple endings, decided by the player's actions, all without relying on paranormal elements. The suspenseful experience offers a chilling in-depth look into Angelica's broken mind and traumatic past.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 107 reviews

story26 positive mentions

gameplay9 negative mentions

The game features a compelling and emotionally charged story that tackles sensitive topics with depth and nuance.
The atmosphere is well-crafted, with strong sound design and voice acting that enhance the overall experience.
The game offers a unique exploration of psychological horror, with multiple endings based on player choices, adding to its replay value.

The gameplay suffers from technical issues, including bugs, poor controls, and a lack of polish that detracts from the experience.
The puzzles can be obscure and frustrating, often requiring external guides to progress, which disrupts immersion.
The graphics and overall presentation feel outdated, making it hard to engage with the game on a visual level.

story
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
72%
5%
The story of the game is a central focus, featuring a dark and intricate narrative that explores sensitive themes such as trauma, love, and revenge. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and compelling atmosphere, criticisms arise regarding the confusing and sometimes disjointed storytelling, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the narrative is often described as powerful and thought-provoking, making it a significant aspect of the game that resonates with many players.
- “I especially like the story and how it doesn't shy away from sensitive topics.”
- “The story follows a girl, the titular Enola, searching for her lost lover Angelica throughout a world conjured up from the traumatic memories of her past, dealing with violence, revenge, love, and forgiveness.”
- “The story is dark and honest, and I found myself getting pulled deeper and deeper into the devastating and yet oddly hopeful world the developers created.”
- “However, the way the story unfolds is extremely confusing and nonsensical.”
- “You can get a general idea of what's going on, but I don't think it's possible for anyone to actually piece together the whole story and keep all the people, events, and chronology straight.”
- “There was such potential for an in-depth exploration of coping and the emotional turmoil a person can struggle with years after the fact, but the game bit off more than it could chew and story-wise, it could have been stronger.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
71%
21%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it slow, clunky, and at times tedious, often overshadowed by a stronger narrative and atmosphere. Common criticisms include buggy mechanics, uninteresting puzzles, and a lack of cohesive design, while some players appreciated the exploration and level design despite its flaws. Overall, while the gameplay may not be the highlight, it serves as a vehicle for the story rather than a compelling experience on its own.
- “The gameplay is mainly driven through first-person exploration and puzzle solving.”
- “Control mechanics are simple, mouse to examine/use, shift to sprint, etc.”
- “For an indie game, and clocking in at over six hours of gameplay, it is well worth the price point.”
- “The thing that carried this game for me personally was the story and atmosphere; the gameplay at times was kind of a chore.”
- “The gameplay is boring and doesn't give the player any sense of purpose or direction.”
- “Now some will say that this is not your average video game, it is the joyous thing called an 'experience', and to a point they would be correct, but sadly the developers decided to add gameplay to this 'experience', and what they added is nothing short of dull, tedious, and instantly forgettable.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
73%
12%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a steampunk influence but criticizing them as outdated and clunky, particularly the character models. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and find certain visuals appealing, others feel the overall quality is below average, especially for a game utilizing the Unreal Engine 3. Despite these graphical shortcomings, some players suggest that the engaging story and gameplay can compensate for the visual flaws.
- “The graphics and art are magnificent.”
- “The team has come a long way with their game and everything from the factory yet natural type environments, to the atmospheric and downright spooky sounds and visuals, really play into the experience you get with Enola.”
- “Regardless of the many bugs and some strange stuff with the graphics, Enola is an indie horror game that shines.”
- “For the most part, I didn't mind the graphics, but some elements of the surroundings looked dated (especially the characters) and quite clunky, even for the year.”
- “Outdated graphics.”
- “If Enola had been released in 2005, then the graphics, controls, and level design still would have been subpar.”
atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
43%
11%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its detailed environments, effective sound design, and ability to evoke tension and psychological despair. Reviewers highlight the game's capacity to create a creepy, immersive experience that enhances the storytelling, with mature themes and unsettling imagery that contribute to a sense of vulnerability. While some aspects, like darkness and puzzle difficulty, are noted as drawbacks, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature that keeps players engaged and on edge.
- “Great attention to detail and a lot of the story is definitely told through the environments and supporting atmosphere.”
- “While it never reaches Silent Hill levels of terror, it also knows how to create a scary, tense atmosphere, how to startle you and, most importantly, how to make you feel vulnerable, cornered, and in danger, which is what a horror game should do.”
- “The team has come a long way with their game and everything from the factory yet natural type environments, to the atmospheric and downright spooky sounds and visuals, really play into the experience you get with Enola.”
- “The level design instilled a creepy atmosphere, though there were frequent scenes where it was impossibly dark (even with the brightness adjusted).”
- “While it never reaches Silent Hill levels of terror, it also knows how to create a scary, tense atmosphere, how to startle you and, most importantly, how to make you feel vulnerable, cornered and in danger, which is what a horror game should do.”
- “Enola is a story-driven game with an intricate plot that needs to be pieced together in a non-linear fashion by navigating a dark, tense atmosphere reflecting psychological despair.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as both heart-breaking and heavy, effectively tackling delicate subjects like sexual violence with a blend of powerful imagery and metaphors. While some players appreciate the depth and bravery in its storytelling, others feel the execution falls short, citing poor writing and voice acting that detracts from the intended emotional impact. Overall, the game is recognized for pushing emotional boundaries, immersing players in a surreal and tormented world that reflects the protagonist's struggles.
- “The game does what few others have managed to achieve: it tackles a very delicate subject (sexual violence) in a way that is both emotionally powerful and subtle, without resorting to shock value or empty rhetoric.”
- “In addressing such a difficult topic, the developers did a brilliant job; I've never seen a movie or game discuss this subject so brutally and realistically.”
- “This game pushes the emotional boundaries of the player, making them feel desolated and isolated in an already surreal and tormented world.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, creating a mix of suspense and creepiness that complements the gameplay. The use of music boxes as save points adds a unique touch, while the overall sound design, including ambient sounds, is noted for its quality and variety. Players appreciate how the musical score effectively evokes feelings of tension and fear throughout the experience.
- “Nice mix of a dark atmosphere, spooky music, and jump scares.”
- “Great sound design overall, music and ambient sounds are varied and well done.”
- “The musical score at times makes you think you are being chased by a bad guy or that he is behind you.”
- “There are times of music, but it's in the background, and definitely comes off with a creepy vibe.”
- “You can only save at designated spots denoted by music boxes.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits notable stability issues, including frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in the early stages. However, many players find that these problems do not render the game unplayable, and some minor issues persist without significantly affecting the overall experience.
- “There are a lot of glitches, but I will not cover them here as they are generally well-covered in other reviews as well as the community guide.”
- “But omg, buggy as hell.”
- “Some minor issues remain as of the time of writing, like the awkward crouch mechanics and glitches with the sound/brightness volume suddenly resetting.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's optimization is generally poor, but it runs smoothly overall. While the voice acting and emotional storytelling are commendable, some performance issues detract from the experience.
- “The game runs smoothly.”
- “The voice acting is good and particularly the performance later in the game is great.”
- “The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “Despite its potential, the optimization is lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the gameplay experience.”
- “I was disappointed with the optimization; it feels like the game wasn't properly tested on various hardware.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed bag; while it often complements the story, it can become tedious and repetitive, particularly when navigating through numerous doors and revisiting areas. Many reviewers feel that the gameplay elements detract from the overall experience, labeling them as dull and forgettable.
- “There were also certain areas where you had to continually try each and every door or circle back to other points, which quickly became tedious.”
- “Conclusion: between the lamps, the keys, the letters, and the crystals on higher difficulty, this game really is a one trick pony and it gets tedious fast.”
- “Now some will say that this is not your average video game; it is the joyous thing called an 'experience.' To a point, they would be correct, but sadly the developers decided to add gameplay to this 'experience,' and what they added is nothing short of dull, tedious, and instantly forgettable.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game offers strong replayability due to multiple endings and a lengthy gameplay experience that varies based on puzzle-solving skills. Additionally, ongoing updates from the developer promise to enhance replay value further by introducing more endings and content.
- “There are multiple endings you can achieve, so the replay value is quite good.”
- “Enola is surprisingly long for an indie adventure game (it mostly depends on how good you are at solving puzzles), and the developer is working on adding more endings and content, which will increase the replay value even further.”
- “Enola is surprisingly long for an indie adventure game (depends mostly on how good you are at solving puzzles), and the developer is working on adding more endings and content, so there will be even more replay value.”
- “Once you finish the game, there isn't much incentive to play it again since the story doesn't change significantly with different choices.”
- “The lack of varied gameplay mechanics means that after the first playthrough, the experience feels repetitive and lacks the motivation to replay.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate concerns about the monetization strategy, suggesting that the game's quality resembles that of asset flips or cash grabs, raising doubts about its value despite a lack of concrete evidence. This perception could negatively impact player trust and overall reception.
- “There's no evidence, so we need to give the benefit of the doubt... regardless, asset flip or not, the quality here is indistinguishable from many asset flip/cash grab scams, and that's a problem in itself.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is noted for its unexpected and lighthearted approach, with players finding it amusing that it helped them confront their fears.
- “This game helped me to overcome my fears, funny, huh?”
- “The humor in this game is so clever; I found myself laughing out loud at the unexpected jokes.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious moments that keep me entertained.”