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.

63%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

optimization, stability

63% User Score Based on 607 reviews

Critic Score 42%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $29.99

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About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+18

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 607 reviews

story49 positive mentions

optimization12 negative mentions

The game has a captivating atmosphere with beautiful graphics and immersive weather effects.
The survival mechanics are engaging, requiring players to manage resources carefully.
The concept of permadeath adds a layer of tension and strategy to gameplay.

The combat system is clunky and can feel unresponsive, leading to frustrating encounters.
There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and AI issues.
The story presentation is weak, with fragmented narrative elements that can be confusing.

story
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
11%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, while others criticize it for being poorly executed and confusing. Many appreciate the dark themes and character backstories, but feel that the fragmented storytelling, primarily delivered through dream sequences, lacks depth and clarity. Overall, while the premise shows potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a sense of disconnection from the narrative.
- “The setting is great, the story is interesting, and most mechanics, though not polished, are fun and make you want to play 'just a bit longer.'”
- “The story is made up of fragmented memories you have when you sleep that are short and lackluster.”
- “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 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.”
- “You start the game in an empty room with no story or cutscenes, and the only thing you are greeted with is a small basic tutorial before being thrown into an open world that will never explain anything to you.”
gameplay
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
63%
11%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of resource gathering, base building, and survival mechanics, which some players find engaging despite its repetitive nature. While the atmosphere and story elements are praised, many reviews highlight issues with clunky combat mechanics, bugs, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience. The permadeath mechanic adds a layer of tension, but its execution often leads to frustration rather than meaningful challenge, leaving players divided on the game's potential and 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.”
- “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, kingdom, so on; Fade to Silence uses this basically as its main gameplay loop.”
- “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... it's too repetitive, and doesn't introduce cool elements that make you want to play it more.”
- “The game is just a linear game with light elements of survival, full of bugs and messy mechanics.”
graphics
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful visuals and atmospheric design, particularly in snowy environments, while others criticize the overall quality as outdated or poorly optimized. Many players note that while the aesthetic is appealing, technical issues such as frame rate drops and graphical glitches detract from the experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point for some, but not universally appreciated, with calls for improvements and optimizations to enhance gameplay.
- “Aesthetically, it's wonderful.”
- “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.”
- “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
10%
71%
19%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and stuttering, even on high-end systems. While some users note improvements since early access, the consensus is that the game still requires substantial optimization and bug fixes to enhance playability. Overall, players recommend waiting for further updates before fully engaging with the game due to its current performance shortcomings.
- “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
3%
97%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting it as "extremely buggy" and "unfinished," leading to a frustrating experience filled with glitches, crashes, and gameplay issues. While some players find enjoyment in the game despite these problems, many recommend waiting for significant updates and fixes before diving in. Overall, the consensus is that the game is a rough, unstable experience that detracts from its potential fun.
- “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
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
31%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, effectively conveying a sense of dread and survival in a harsh, wintery landscape. Players appreciate the combination of environmental details, such as blizzards and creepy monsters, which enhance the feeling of danger and exploration. While some note that the atmosphere can be overwhelming at times, it ultimately serves as a strong draw for the game, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric survival titles.
- “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.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the sense of accomplishment from upgrades and the unique crafting system, many criticize the repetitive and tedious nature of resource gathering and base building, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. The combat and exploration elements are often described as clunky and unoriginal, leading to a sense of monotony after several hours of play.
- “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 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
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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, it also features moments that evoke laughter, like wounded deer getting stuck in terrain, adding a lighthearted touch to the experience. Overall, players appreciate the comedic elements amidst the survival challenges, making it a fun, albeit quirky, adventure.
- “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.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
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 and chilling soundscapes. While some players appreciate the overall sound design, including the starting screen music, there are mixed feelings about the combat engagement music and occasional lack of music in certain areas. Overall, the music 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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with players noting that while it offers engaging resource management and survival elements, it can become repetitive once the main objectives are completed. Some players appreciate the need to replay for significant benefits, but many express concerns about the lack of long-term replay value, especially if players succeed in their initial runs.
- “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 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 die in your first run and reach the end.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its ineffective advertising, which does not accurately represent the final product. Users suggest that enhancing the game with features like ray-tracing could attract more players and improve visibility without significant promotional costs. Overall, there is a sentiment that the game's potential is not being fully realized due to inadequate marketing efforts.
- “In my opinion, the ads for the game do not depict well the final product.”
- “I can see that your publisher THQ literally put less effort into advertisement and promotion.”
- “Very few survivors despite being a core advertisement feature.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features an emotional core primarily through the player's daughter, who offers insights into the community's needs. However, the emotional impact is undermined by unengaging NPCs and a crafting system that feels frustratingly dependent on them. Overall, while there are elements of emotional depth, they are overshadowed by gameplay limitations.
- “Your daughter is there to provide you with helpful summaries of your community's needs, and to give the game an emotional core.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
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 each character.”
- “I love how the story intertwines with character growth, making every decision feel impactful.”
- “The open world enhances character development, providing opportunities for meaningful interactions and personal growth.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the characters remain one-dimensional and fail to evolve as the story progresses.”