Enola Game Cover
Starting at $1.43Buy now

"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.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews
story16 positive mentions
gameplay6 negative mentions
  • The game features a powerful and emotionally charged story that tackles difficult themes such as trauma and revenge, providing a unique narrative experience.
  • The atmosphere and level design are well-crafted, creating a creepy and immersive environment that enhances the horror elements.
  • The voice acting is generally well-received, with some performances adding depth to the characters and their emotional struggles.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including glitches that can disrupt gameplay and make it frustrating.
  • Gameplay mechanics are often criticized for being janky and unpolished, with some puzzles feeling tedious or poorly designed.
  • The lack of clear direction and objectives can lead to confusion, making it difficult for players to progress without external guides.
  • story71 mentions

    The story of "Enola" is a complex and dark exploration of psychological themes, focusing on the protagonist's search for her lost lover amidst traumatic memories. While some players found the narrative compelling and emotionally resonant, others criticized its execution, citing vague storytelling and disjointed plot elements that detracted from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many reviewers acknowledged the game's potential for a powerful narrative, highlighting the importance of its themes and the immersive atmosphere it creates.

    • “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.”
    • “It has such an important story that needs to be experienced by more people; it's really eye-opening and makes you think about a lot of things after you've finished it.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “I played the game for around 20 minutes, wandering around aimlessly... gave up after realizing I didn't care one bit about the story or characters.”
    • “The story is morbid and interesting, but was poorly written with typos galore.”
  • gameplay28 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its reliance on exploration and puzzle-solving, but criticizing it for being simplistic, buggy, and at times unengaging. While some appreciate the memorable level design and the integration of story elements, others find the mechanics lacking, with obtuse puzzles and a lack of direction detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as passable but overshadowed by a stronger narrative focus.

    • “Mechanics are mostly exploration and item finding.”
    • “The gameplay is mainly driven through first-person exploration and puzzle solving.”
    • “For an indie game, and clocking in at over six hours of gameplay, it is well worth the price point.”
    • “The gameplay was a mixed bag.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game but the interesting concept is stretched out too thin by the bad gameplay mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and doesn't give the player any sense of purpose or direction.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    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 old-school aesthetic, others find the visuals poor and inconsistent, with glitches and bugs detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a weak point, not likely to leave a lasting impression.

    • “The graphics and art are magnificent.”
    • “I love the old school graphics, even though I have the feeling that it can't really decide if it wants to be super good or classic.”
    • “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.”
    • “The art work really sucks and needs a lot of work.”
    • “If Enola had been released in 2005, then the graphics, controls, and level design still would have been subpar.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its creepy, tense, and immersive qualities, effectively reflecting psychological despair and enhancing the horror experience. While some players noted issues with excessive darkness and certain challenging puzzles, the overall ambiance, sound design, and attention to detail contribute significantly to the game's unsettling and engaging environment. The combination of mature themes, intelligent symbolism, and well-crafted settings creates a compelling backdrop that keeps players on edge throughout their exploration.

    • “The atmosphere was on point, and there was just enough interesting backdrop to make a little exploration fun.”
    • “Great attention to detail and a lot of the story is definitely told through the environments and supporting atmosphere.”
    • “The level design instilled a creepy atmosphere, though there were frequent scenes where it was impossibly dark (even with the brightness adjusted).”
    • “There are few bad things, like the really dark tone (the view, not the atmosphere) and that some puzzles seem rather weird / quite difficult to even find out what's to 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.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The game effectively tackles the delicate subject of sexual violence, delivering an emotionally powerful experience that resonates deeply with players. While it has the potential for a more profound exploration of coping with trauma, its storytelling is both heart-wrenching and impactful, enhanced by strong voice acting and evocative imagery. However, some players found the gameplay mechanics frustrating, which detracted from the overall emotional engagement.

    • “It does what few games have been able to do well, that is, tackle a very delicate subject (sexual violence) in a way that is both emotionally powerful and subtle, without falling to the lure of either shock value for its own sake or vapid rhetoric.”
    • “It's cruel, disturbing, unsettling, emotionally involving, and brave in its choice of subject matter.”
    • “Story-wise, not gonna lie, super heart-breaking and heavy and not just in the story itself, but also with how it's told. Some of the scenes really hit performance-wise (the voice acting is great) but also in terms of imagery and metaphors used, and you can really tell that whoever made this game went through some pretty horrible experiences, which makes it hit even harder.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, creating a dark and spooky ambiance that complements the gameplay. The musical score effectively builds tension, making players feel as though they are being pursued, while the music boxes serve as both save points and integral elements of the experience. Overall, the combination of haunting melodies and jump scares contributes significantly to the game's immersive quality.

    • “Nice mix of a dark atmosphere, spooky music, and jump scares.”
    • “The storyline is alright; it goes well with the gameplay and the music is very well done.”
    • “The musical score at times makes you think you are being chased by a bad guy or that he is behind you.”
    • “You can only save at designated spots denoted by music boxes.”
    • “The game has a save feature, where you interact with music boxes to save.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game exhibits significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, which can detract from the overall experience. However, players note that these technical problems do not completely hinder gameplay, allowing for a playable experience despite the instability.

    • “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.”
    • “- Buggy at certain points of the game, but you can still play through without coming across them.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization is mixed; while some users report smooth performance, others highlight poor optimization issues. Despite these technical concerns, the emotional depth and storytelling are praised, suggesting that the game's impact may overshadow its optimization flaws.

    • “The game runs smoothly.”
    • “The voice acting is great, and the imagery and metaphors used really enhance the experience.”
    • “The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
    • “Despite its potential, the optimization is lacking, making it nearly unplayable on mid-range systems.”
    • “I was disappointed with the optimization; it feels like the developers rushed the release without proper testing.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it often complements the story, it can become tedious due to repetitive tasks like trying multiple doors or backtracking. This can lead to moments of frustration, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

    • “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.”
    • “Works great in conjunction with the story most of the time, but it can also get pretty tedious and annoying at times.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers multiple endings, enhancing its replayability and encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes.

    • “There are multiple endings you can achieve, so the replay value is quite high.”
    • “The game offers a variety of choices that significantly change the outcome, making each playthrough feel fresh.”
    • “With different character paths and storylines to explore, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its unexpected and lighthearted approach, with players finding it amusing that it can help them confront serious issues like fear.

    • “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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Enola

Play time

5hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
1-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games