Fade to Silence

49%
Game Brain Score Based on 501 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Fade to Silence Game Cover
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.
Starting at €29.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store

"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.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

49%
Audience ScoreBased on 501 reviews
story37 positive mentions
optimization12 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautifully designed winter environment that enhances the atmosphere.
  • The survival mechanics, including resource management and crafting, provide a challenging experience.
  • The concept of having finite lives adds tension and encourages careful decision-making.
  • The combat system is clunky and can feel unresponsive, leading to frustrating encounters.
  • There are numerous bugs and performance issues that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and glitches.
  • The story presentation is weak, with little context provided for the player's actions and motivations.
  • story156 mentions

    The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and dark, while others criticize it as confusing, poorly presented, and lacking depth. Many appreciate the character backstories and the atmospheric elements, but feel that the narrative is fragmented and often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. Overall, while there are elements of a compelling story, its execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a sense of disconnection for players seeking a more cohesive narrative experience.

    • “The story has some really dark themes; each survivor has their own soul-rending backstory, and the inner voice constantly tells you it's hopeless, which adds a unique emotional layer to the experience.”
    • “The story presentation was very fitting for the game; you don't get spoon-fed, and I really felt lost in the post-apocalyptic world, having to find my own way forward.”
    • “The story is interesting and keeps you wanting to know more, with a unique narrative style that unfolds in bits and pieces.”
    • “The story is non-existent; in fact, the writing is just universally awful.”
    • “The story had a confusing presentation and felt utterly pointless from start to finish.”
    • “The game has an awesome winter setting and ability to use wolves, but the rest is just boring: kill this enemy that is dumb as hell, go get resources, repeat... do this for about 40 hours as you work your way to the end, which was just slapped on and never finished; there is really no story.”
  • gameplay128 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and clunky combat mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While the permadeath mechanic adds a layer of consequence to actions, the combat often feels formulaic and lacks depth, leading to frustration during encounters. Despite its potential and engaging survival elements, the game suffers from bugs and a lack of polish, making it feel unfinished and hindering enjoyment.

    • “The permadeath mechanic drew me in and made me stay even though it does not really feel like it comes into play, but it is a nice way to make things feel more consequential at least.”
    • “I love games where you go out, find resources, bring them back to a location and use them to construct a base; Fade to Silence uses this basically as its main gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay has some interesting features that I want to explore more, including a skill tree that is currently locked and 'coming soon'.”
    • “Fights are pretty boring, just block-kick-block-kick, no interesting mechanics, skills system, magic, or something like this.”
    • “At this point, I can already see that the gameplay loop isn't going to change in any significant way. Different areas require better gear, but the loop remains the same, which is a huge problem with the game—it's too repetitive and doesn't introduce cool elements that make you want to play it more.”
    • “The combat was weird and clunky, and I got a feel of Souls-like combat but underwhelming. In the Dark Souls series, the combat is punishing but it feels right; in this game, it's mildly punishing but not fun, and it grows to become an annoyance as you encounter the same creature over and over.”
  • graphics74 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design, particularly in winter landscapes and monster aesthetics, while others criticize the optimization and quality, describing them as outdated or glitchy. Many users note that the graphics can be impressive on high-end systems, but performance issues and low-resolution textures detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game shows potential in its visual presentation, it struggles with technical execution and optimization across various hardware configurations.

    • “Post-apocalyptic scenario, winter landscape, Lovecraftian horrors, medieval combat, and beautiful visuals.”
    • “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.”
    • “Graphically stunning in UHD, I absolutely love playing this game.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization58 mentions

    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 overall consensus is that the game still requires substantial optimization to enhance stability and performance. Players recommend waiting for further updates before fully engaging with the game, especially for those with less powerful hardware.

    • “What I want to point out most is the fact that the performance issues in early access have been fixed entirely.”
    • “Optimization not best but very good compared to early access.”
    • “I feel that so far the game has been heavily optimized as it runs much better now.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized and the frame rate is a real issue.”
    • “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.”
    • “The optimization is terrible; loading the game caused me to hang the program, and I don't recommend it.”
  • stability49 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting it as extremely buggy and unfinished, leading to frequent crashes, glitches, and frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players note that certain issues have been addressed, many still encounter significant problems that detract from overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is considered a "buggy mess," and potential players are advised to wait for further updates before purchasing.

    • “I've noticed no glitches in the game yet after 2 hours.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay feels; it enhances the overall experience.”
    • “One of the many games abandoned or never fully finished and buggy as all hell.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess and despite having a very limited amount of content available, several key issues have yet to be addressed.”
    • “Dying in this game is easier than farts, and when the controls and physics are at their most terrible, dying seems like a beautiful end and a quick 'alt+f4' response, but then when you press alt+f4, instead of terminating the game, it freezes your computer and forces you to use task manager to close it properly.”
  • atmosphere37 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, effectively conveying a sense of dread and despair within a beautifully rendered winter landscape. Players appreciate the balance between the harsh environmental challenges and the motivation to explore and survive, with many noting the Lovecraftian elements that enhance the overall experience. Despite some technical issues, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature, drawing players into its chilling and captivating world.

    • “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.”
    • “Which is what the atmosphere was going for, I guess, but that isn't fun.”
    • “The atmosphere is a bit turning into an adventure-thriller/horror experience.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the crafting and base-building systems provide a sense of accomplishment, the grinding aspect can become tedious and irritating over time. Players appreciate the unique elements and progression mechanics, but many find the resource gathering and combat repetitive, leading to a sense of chore-like gameplay after several hours. Overall, the game offers enjoyable exploration and base management, but the grinding can detract from the overall experience.

    • “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.”
    • “I just find sitting down to the campfire then realizing I don't have the right material and then having to get out of the campfire and go into the chest right behind me and then go back into the campfire is just tedious and time-consuming.”
    • “Resources get used up pretty fast so it ends up feeling very tedious as I'm constantly going back and forth resupplying my base.”
    • “After 5 or 6 hours everything will become a tedious chore.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its amusing bugs and glitches, such as trees launching into the air and loot bags scattering across the map, which players find both hilarious and slightly inconvenient. While the game has a serious survival theme, moments like wounded deer getting stuck in terrain and the absurdity of the recommended system requirements add a comedic touch that lightens the overall experience. Despite some negative reviews, many players appreciate the humor woven into the gameplay, making it a fun choice, especially when purchased on sale.

    • “Take it with an open mind; every game has bugs, this one just has hilarious, if not slightly inconvenient, ones.”
    • “Trees will launch into 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 terrain features to die, their corpses laughing at me from inside a cliff as my hungry tummy rumbled.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game effectively enhances the post-apocalyptic atmosphere, with horror themes that contribute to a chilling ambiance, particularly during blizzards. While the sound design is praised for its immersive qualities, some players feel that the combat music could use improvement. Overall, the soundtrack is a highlight, setting the tone for the game's desolate landscapes.

    • “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.”
    • “Nice atmosphere and music.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with players noting that while it offers engaging resource management and survival elements, it can be completed relatively quickly. Some users suggest that replaying is necessary for unlocking major benefits, but many feel that once the game is finished, there isn't much incentive to return.

    • “Replayability: 10/10 (because you have to replay the game for major benefits to happen haha)”
    • “I think this game will be a keeper; 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 fast it can be completed and the lack of replay value if you never permanently died in your first run and get to the end.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game appears to be lacking, with users noting insufficient advertising and promotion efforts from the publisher, THQ. There is a suggestion that enhancing the game with features like ray-tracing could attract more players, particularly those with high-end graphics cards, without significant additional marketing costs. Overall, the game's visibility and potential sales seem hindered by its current promotional approach.

    • “I am not a developer, so I don't know if this is very hard for you guys, but if you can add ray tracing (this game did a lot of work on lighting, I can see that), you will easily get some attention without costing too much on promotion and advertisement. Players with RTX series graphic cards would definitely buy this game since there are fewer games supporting ray tracing, and none of them is a survival game. This could be a gimmick, but once they notice this game has potential, it will be well-known.”
    • “Very few survivors despite being a core advertisement feature.”
    • “By the way, I can see that your publisher THQ literally put less effort into advertisement and promotion.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game features an emotional core primarily through the player's daughter, who offers insights into community needs, but the overall emotional impact is diminished by unengaging NPCs and a lack of player agency in crafting. While the story and survival elements are acceptable, they do not significantly enhance the 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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

42% average critic score

Buy Fade to Silence

Play time

5hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
2-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News