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Fade to Silence

Fade To Silence is a mess of ideas that don't come together well enough to be worth experiencing. There's plenty of potential here, but every idea is half-baked, undercooked, and buried by other systems.
Fade to Silence Game Cover
58%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
optimization, stability
64% User Score Based on 626 reviews
Critic Score 42%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
Fade to Silence Game Cover

About

Fade to Silence is a single player and multiplayer open world role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Black Forest Games and was released on April 30, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Fade to Silence" is a survival adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic, frozen wasteland. As the leader Ash, you must explore the harsh environment to gather resources and establish a refuge for survival. Beware of Eldritch monsters, the unforgiving winter, and the deadliest threat of all: blizzards. With limited resources, simple tasks require expeditions to scavenge for materials in this unforgiving world.

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64%
Audience ScoreBased on 626 reviews
story51 positive mentions
optimization12 negative mentions

  • Engaging atmosphere with beautiful graphics and strong visual mood.
  • Interesting premise with a unique survival and crafting system.
  • Challenging gameplay that encourages strategic decision-making.
  • Awful combat mechanics that feel clunky and unresponsive.
  • Numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and glitches.
  • Limited story development and character interactions that feel shallow.
  • story
    216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is often described as minimal and fragmented, primarily conveyed through dream sequences that can be confusing and disjointed, leading to a lack of engagement for many players. While some appreciate the dark themes and character backstories, others find the narrative weak and poorly executed, with abrupt endings and insufficient development. Overall, the story has potential but suffers from presentation issues and a lack of depth, leaving players wanting more clarity and coherence.

    • “The story and characters are immersive, and there is a consistent theme of moving on from loss and past mistakes.”
    • “The setting is great, the story is interesting, and most mechanics, although not polished, are fun and make you want to play 'just a bit longer.'”
    • “The story presentation was very fitting for the game; you don't get spoon-fed, and I really got the feeling of being lost in the post-apocalyptic world, having to find my own way forward.”
    • “The story finishes abruptly with a cutscene without any real final boss or showdown with the wraith, which I found disappointing.”
    • “The story is non-existent; in fact, the writing is just universally awful.”
    • “The story presentation was very fitting for the game, you don't get spoon-fed, and I really got the feeling of being lost in the post-apocalyptic world, having to find my own way forward.”
  • gameplay
    177 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the base building and resource management mechanics but criticizing the combat for being clunky and repetitive. While the permadeath mechanic adds a layer of tension, many find the overall gameplay loop to be grindy and lacking in variety, leading to a sense of frustration rather than engagement. Despite its potential and interesting setting, the game suffers from bugs and design issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The setting is great, the story is interesting, and most mechanics, even though not polished, are fun and make you want to play 'just a bit longer'.”
    • “Satisfying gameplay loop (a bit of a juggling act) between building up the refuge, recruiting companions, securing resources to ensure the survival of the settlement and its inhabitants, rushing back to defend from invasions and story progression-centric expeditions.”
    • “I love games where you go out, find resources, bring them back to a location, and use them to construct a base, town, or kingdom; Fade to Silence uses this basically as its main gameplay loop.”
    • “There's a conflict with how the story is given through dreams that you get during resting while the game mechanics pushing the player forward to get more resources as soon as possible disincentivize resting.”
    • “At this point I can already see that the gameplay loop isn't going to change in any significant way... it's too repetitive, and doesn't introduce cool elements that make you want to play it more.”
    • “Rest of the game is awful, the combat was weird and clunky, and I got a feel of soul-like combat but underwhelming... it's just one annoyance after one annoyance that completely kills the gameplay.”
  • graphics
    96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful visuals, atmospheric design, and unique aesthetic, particularly in the context of its cold, bleak world. However, some users criticize the graphics for being outdated or poorly optimized, leading to performance issues and glitches. Overall, while the art style and environmental details are often highlighted as strong points, there are significant concerns regarding technical execution and consistency across different hardware setups.

    • “Beautiful graphics and design.”
    • “Aesthetically, it's wonderful.”
    • “Graphics are amazing, comparable to the Shadow of War/Shadow of Mordor games, but the game runs incredibly smooth on an old i7 and a 1660.”
    • “A hideous presentation, ghastly almost all-white 'graphics' and a non-existent marketing campaign.”
    • “For an Unreal Engine game, the graphics are of exceptionally poor quality; oversharpened, low-res textures everywhere; just look closely at the store pictures.”
    • “Its badly optimized; it doesn't look anything like the trailer graphics-wise unless you have a £2000+ PC.”
  • optimization
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems. While some improvements have been noted since early access, the consensus is that the game still requires substantial optimization to achieve stable performance and enhance the overall experience. Players recommend waiting for further updates before fully engaging with the game.

    • “What I want to point out most is the fact that the performance issues in early access have been fixed entirely.”
    • “I feel that so far the game has been heavily optimized as it runs much better now.”
    • “The performance is way more stable than at the start.”
    • “The game is also not optimized yet, so you will experience frame drops occasionally and possibly crashes.”
    • “It is a good concept that is sadly riddled with bugs that range from annoying to almost game-breaking, as well as sub-par performance optimization.”
    • “As many reviews pointed out, the game is poorly optimized and the frame rate is a real issue.”
  • stability
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and unfinished elements that significantly detract from the experience. While some players find the game enjoyable despite its issues, many describe it as a "buggy mess" that feels incomplete and unpolished, often leading to frustrating gameplay moments. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements in stability before it can be fully recommended.

    • “I've noticed no glitches in the game yet after 2 hours.”
    • “As always, I can see the devs are trying to make progress and full props to them.”
    • “One of the many games abandoned or never fully finished and buggy as all hell.”
    • “Just a buggy mess, I tried so hard to keep going but this product needs polishing really badly.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess and despite having a very limited amount of content available, several key issues have yet to be addressed.”
  • atmosphere
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, effectively capturing a cold, bleak, and dangerous winter landscape that enhances the survival experience. Players appreciate the tension created by environmental challenges, such as blizzards and resource scarcity, which contribute to a sense of dread and urgency. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, drawing players into its haunting world despite some technical issues.

    • “The atmosphere of a frozen world is wonderful; blizzards and the cold are actually dangerous, and you feel motivated to explore for the resources you need to survive and slowly overcome.”
    • “While the combat could use some work, the atmosphere is truly magnificent; I constantly got reminded of 'At the Mountains of Madness' while playing this, which is hella good.”
    • “From the moment you step into this desolate landscape, the game envelops you in an atmosphere dripping with dread and despair.”
    • “The atmosphere is so intense, you can cut it into pieces.”
    • “The atmosphere is a bit turning into an adventure-thriller/horror experience.”
  • grinding
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the sense of accomplishment from upgrades and the unique crafting system, many find the resource gathering and combat tedious and repetitive. The game offers a balance between base-building and exploration, but the lack of variety in tasks and the clunky mechanics lead to a feeling of monotony over time. Overall, while not excessively grindy compared to other survival games, it can become a chore, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

    • “It's not too grindy, and it has some unique aspects that I've never seen before (such as the floating trash moon that drops stuff on you).”
    • “Not grindy like many other survival games, and it appeals to even casual players.”
    • “Resources get used up pretty fast so it ends up feeling very tedious as I'm constantly going back and forth resupplying my base.”
    • “The objectives and tasks the game gives you are unoriginal and feel tedious to complete.”
    • “I am keeping it installed so I can see when updates come out, in hopes they fix this brutal game mechanic that will actually make the game fun to play and not a grind more tedious than watching paint dry.”
  • humor
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its quirky bugs and glitches, such as trees launching into the air, loot being flung to unreachable spots, and the absurdity of taking damage during cutscenes. Players find these moments amusing, often viewing them as part of the game's charm rather than significant flaws. Overall, the combination of unexpected comedic scenarios and the game's survival elements creates a lighthearted experience, despite its technical issues.

    • “Take it with an open mind, every game has bugs; this one just has hilarious, if not slightly inconvenient, ones.”
    • “Trees will launch in the air after cutting them down (hilarious).”
    • “There are plenty of bugs, but in my short playtime, none were too troublesome or more annoying than wounded deer running inside of terrain features to die, their corpse laughing at me from inside a cliff as my hungry tummy rumbled.”
  • music
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a mystic and creepy atmosphere, enhancing the post-apocalyptic setting with horror themes that evoke strong emotions. While some players appreciate the ambient sound design, there are mixed feelings about the combat music, suggesting it could use improvement. Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience, despite some technical issues.

    • “On top of that, great music, and the few short 'dream cutscenes' are suitably mystic and creepy.”
    • “The game nails the ambience; you feel like you're in a freezing hellhole surrounded by eldritch monsters. The music has so many little horror themes running through it, and the way the wind almost screams at the onset of a blizzard repeatedly gave me chills.”
    • “I fell in love with it the moment I heard the starting screen music.”
    • “There is no music though, but it's ok.”
    • “Nice atmosphere and music but the game is way too buggy to be enjoyable such as deer disappearing into the ground after killing them for food.”
    • “Hmmm... the sound design itself has some neat aspects to it, but the 'combat engagement' music needs to change, I think.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with scores averaging around 6.5/10. While it offers engaging resource management and community interaction, many players feel that once the game is completed, there is little incentive to replay it, especially if players achieve permanent survival on their first run. Some players note that replaying is necessary for unlocking major benefits, but the general consensus is that the game may not hold long-term appeal for repeated playthroughs.

    • “Replayability: 10/10 (because you have to replay the game for major benefits to happen haha)”
    • “If you like games with resource management as a main focus but also want to be an actual member of the community, going out to get resources and scouting plots of harvestable land all while trying not to starve or die from the blistering cold, then this game is definitely worth a shot when it's on sale.”
    • “I think this game will be a keep; although, I'm not too entirely sure I see its direction as far as replayability in the future.”
    • “If you like games with resource management as a main focus but also want to be an actual member of the community, going out to get resources and scouting plots of harvestable land all while trying not to starve or die from the blistering cold, then this game is definitely worth a shot when it's on sale, but don't expect too much replayability.”
    • “I know this game was really good and I do recommend it to any survival players out there; it's just that the replayability is not there for me.”
    • “I would really like to recommend this game, but with how quickly it can be completed and the lack of replay value if you never permanently died in your first run and reached the end.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for inadequate advertising that does not accurately represent the final product, leading to a disconnect between expectations and reality. Additionally, there are suggestions for enhancing the game's appeal, such as incorporating ray-tracing technology, which could attract more players without significant promotional costs. Overall, the game's marketing efforts appear to lack depth and effectiveness.

    • “In my opinion, the ads for the game do not accurately depict the final product.”
    • “I can see that your publisher, THQ, has put very little effort into advertisement and promotion.”
    • “There are very few survivors despite being a core feature advertised.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers highlight that the game places a strong emphasis on character development, enhancing the overall narrative experience within an open-world setting. This focus allows for deeper engagement with characters and their growth throughout the story.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as the story unfolds.”
    • “I love how the game emphasizes character growth, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
    • “The open world enhances character development, providing opportunities for players to explore and understand each character's backstory.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth in the characters throughout the game.”
    • “The story had potential, but the character development was so weak that it undermined the overall experience.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the emotional core provided by the protagonist's daughter, who highlights community needs, but express frustration with the game's NPCs, describing them as emotionally broken and uninteresting. While the story and survival mechanics are deemed acceptable, the crafting system's reliance on unengaging NPCs detracts from the overall emotional experience.

    • “Your daughter is there to provide you with helpful summaries of your community's needs, and to give the game an emotional core.”
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8h Median play time
8h Average play time
2-14h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Fade to Silence is a open world role playing game with science fiction theme.

Fade to Silence is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Fade to Silence.

Fade to Silence was released on April 30, 2019.

Fade to Silence was developed by Black Forest Games.

Fade to Silence has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Fade to Silence is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include P.A.M.E.L.A, The Wild Eight, DESOLATE, Night of the Dead, Mist Survival and others.