Father's Day

About

Father's Day is a single player survival simulation game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by EMIKA_GAMES and was released on October 22, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

"Father's Day" is a prequel and spin-off to "Find Yourself", classified as a psychological thriller. Players control three characters in alternating turns as they explore a narrative with a runtime of approximately 180 minutes. The game contains flashing lights and images, which may trigger seizures in certain individuals.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 427 reviews

story76 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Father's Day offers a compelling narrative that explores themes of grief and obsession, providing a strong emotional backbone to the gameplay.
The game excels in atmosphere, with excellent sound design and visuals that create a haunting and immersive experience.
The incorporation of multiple perspectives adds depth to the storytelling, allowing players to piece together the narrative in a unique way.

Some gameplay mechanics, particularly the stealth and chase sequences, feel unpolished and can disrupt immersion.
The story can be confusing at times, with abrupt transitions and a lack of clarity in certain plot points.
The pacing may feel slow for players expecting more action-driven gameplay, as it heavily emphasizes exploration and narrative over dynamic interactions.

story
215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The story of "Father's Day" centers on Phil, a scientist grappling with the profound loss of his family, and unfolds through multiple character perspectives, enhancing its emotional depth. While the narrative is praised for its psychological themes and atmospheric storytelling, it is also critiqued for being convoluted and at times difficult to follow, particularly for those unfamiliar with its predecessor, "Find Yourself." Overall, the game offers a haunting exploration of grief and obsession, appealing to fans of psychological horror despite its narrative flaws.
- “The story dives deep into themes of guilt, grief, and redemption, told through an intricately woven narrative that feels personal and immersive.”
- “The decision to let players experience the story through multiple characters adds texture to the narrative, offering different emotional lenses and reinforcing the sense that no single viewpoint fully captures the tragedy at the heart of the game.”
- “This psychological thriller explores the haunting journey of Phil, a man who loses everything to grief, driving him to the brink of obsession in his quest to bring back his lost family.”
- “The narrative jumps between perspectives—Phil, the police, and a family member—and while that structure can make the story a bit difficult to follow at times, it ultimately fits well with the game’s themes and ties meaningfully into its role as a prequel to another title.”
- “A jumbled story that boils down to a 'spooky' walking simulator with the cliché 'mental illness made me do it' storyline and a ton of marketplace assets that, in my opinion, haven't been utilized to their full potential.”
- “The story was a bit half-baked and hard to follow.”
atmosphere
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The atmosphere in "Father's Day" is widely praised as one of its standout features, characterized by a deeply immersive and unsettling mood enhanced by exceptional lighting and sound design. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a creepy, tension-filled environment that effectively supports its narrative, despite some criticism regarding repetitive gameplay and occasional forced scares. Overall, the game successfully leverages its atmospheric elements to deliver a compelling psychological horror experience.
- “Father's Day, developed and published by emika_games, is a compact yet emotionally charged psychological horror experience that leans heavily into atmosphere, narrative tension, and thematic weight rather than mechanical complexity.”
- “The lighting and audio design deserve special praise for how well they enhance the atmosphere.”
- “Emika games has crafted a thick atmosphere with enhanced lighting and sound design that pulls players deeper into the story.”
- “It's great to see that the creator is seemingly concentrating on using atmosphere, tension, and the player's own imagination to deliver that 'edge of your seat' feeling; sadly, it never struck a chord with myself.”
- “This game is more about atmosphere, but it's so repetitive that it really becomes stale an hour in.”
- “It dragged me out of the game world's creepy atmosphere, and I didn't like that.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
The gameplay of "Father's Day" is primarily a walking simulator that emphasizes exploration and narrative over complex mechanics, appealing to fans of slow-burn horror. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling, others criticize the simplistic and occasionally repetitive gameplay, with certain mechanics lacking polish. Overall, the game offers a compact experience that balances exploration and puzzle-solving, though it may not satisfy those seeking more dynamic interactions.
- “Gameplay-wise, Father's Day balances exploration and puzzle-solving seamlessly.”
- “Combination of Locked Up's photo-taking system making a comeback along with a mixture of the use of flashlight and night vision makes the gameplay varied enough for the expanded length of around 2 hours, and the way the story unfolds makes every minute of it interesting, despite the reuse of some previous scenarios/environments.”
- “In terms of gameplay, Father's Day firmly occupies the walking simulator space, emphasizing exploration and observation over interaction-heavy mechanics.”
- “Some transitions between scenes can feel abrupt, and certain mechanics—particularly stealth or chase moments—lack the polish found in larger-budget horror titles.”
- “Gameplay is painfully simple and bland, while the English localization leaves much to be desired.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
25%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise, with many reviewers highlighting their stunning quality, especially for an indie title. Players appreciate the detailed environments and eerie atmosphere, which enhance the overall horror experience. However, some users noted issues with graphics settings resetting and the use of common asset packages, but overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game.
- “Excellent graphics and smooth gameplay.”
- “Technically, the game runs smoothly, and the visuals are stunning for an indie title.”
- “The visuals are stunning for an indie title, with detailed environments that feel eerily alive.”
- “Except for the fact that every time the game saves automatically or a new act starts, my video and graphics settings reset to default, this horror game is really good!”
- “Adjusting resolution, music volume, graphics, etc. every act was tedious and, quite frankly, a big downfall to playing this game on stream.”
- “Played on Linux using Proton Experimental, it's an okay game if you don't mind assets everywhere including the maps. The only big problem I have with this game is the stealth clown level this dev has used before on one of his other games; graphics/textures are just okay.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
48%
13%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the immersive soundtrack that enhances the narrative and creates a spooky atmosphere, particularly highlighting the impressive ending track. However, there are concerns regarding the use of uncredited music assets and the lack of proper attribution to the original creators. Overall, while the sound design and certain tracks are well-received, issues with crediting and asset usage have raised eyebrows among players.
- “Special mention to the ending soundtrack, which is fantastic and left a strong impression.”
- “The inclusion of a soundtrack that immerses you further into the narrative is a welcome addition.”
- “I love the music, the graphics, and the gameplay.”
- “There's also a hanging doll trio asset that's been clearly ripped off from Alice: Madness Returns (and I really doubt EA would give permission to a random indie developer to use their assets when they won't even let the original dev make a third game with his own title.) Then there's an issue with the credits for sound effects/music only referring to the websites used, not the creators of the music.”
- “Org, there's usually a requirement to provide proper credit format - stuff like the name of the creator and license of each song being used.”
- “Adjusting resolution, music volume, graphics, etc. every act was tedious and, quite frankly, a big downfall to playing this game on stream.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Father's Day" is a deeply emotional psychological horror game that excels in atmospheric storytelling and thematic depth, exploring sorrow, denial, and moral ambiguity through multiple character perspectives. Its masterful execution of emotional weight, conveyed through voice lines, visual storytelling, and environmental clues, creates a haunting experience that resonates long after playing. The game stands out for its rare emotional depth in the horror genre, making it a memorable journey that intertwines psychological tension with heartfelt narratives.
- “Father's Day, developed and published by emika_games, is a compact yet emotionally charged psychological horror experience that leans heavily into atmosphere, narrative tension, and thematic weight rather than mechanical complexity.”
- “The emotional weight of the game stands out, blending psychological tension with a touching tale that sticks with you long after the credits roll.”
- “The emotional depth is rare in horror games, and it’s executed masterfully here.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
12%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while many players praise its smooth performance and stunning visuals, some report significant optimization issues. Despite these concerns, the game's high-quality graphics and sound contribute to a generally positive experience.
- “Technically, the game runs smoothly, and the visuals are stunning for an indie title.”
- “The game is well optimized, looks great and has a creepy atmosphere.”
- “Visuals and performance were good and I didn't have any issues; I was able to finish the game in less than 2 hours.”
- “But really bad optimization.”
- “Good game, but it's not optimized at all!!!!”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting significant bugs and performance issues, such as freezing and frame rate problems, while others have experienced only minor glitches. Despite these issues, some users express optimism that future updates will address the stability concerns. Overall, the game's performance varies widely among players, with a notable divide between those who encounter severe problems and those who find it acceptable for the price.
- “It's so beyond buggy that I had to keep dying just to get it to work, where I wouldn't get spawn camped.”
- “More of the 'scares' from previous games made by this developer are just weird faces blinking in and out of existence with overly loud noises, buggy gameplay, and while it runs fine, I can't even record the game because the frame rate is insane and I can't get it to cap, so it lags out OBS.”
- “I encountered some bugs in my playthrough (the load a saved game freezes my whole PC), but I believe in the next few updates everything will be fixed.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly noting the need for constant adjustments and the monotonous tasks required to progress. This detracts from immersion and enjoyment, especially in the later acts where the gameplay feels drawn out and confusing.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game started out promising, but quickly became tedious and I couldn't get immersed like I did with previous titles.”
- “There's still a few drawbacks, like the final act being tedious, finding the flashlight on each new scene being repetitive, or the story being a little bit confusing.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding jumpscares amusing and the clown character eliciting laughter, albeit unintentionally. While the atmosphere generally supports the horror theme, it often becomes humorous during its less effective moments, contributing to a unique blend of fear and comedy.
- “Jumpscares are nice; some of them are a bit funny. To be fair, I love when I laugh in horror games too.”
- “The clown was hilarious (not in a good way).”
- “+ Funny clown honk.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Users highlight that the game offers infinite replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy it multiple times without losing interest. This aspect contributes significantly to its long-term appeal and engagement.
- “The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
- “Every decision I make leads to different outcomes, making me want to replay it over and over.”
- “The variety of paths and choices ensures that no two playthroughs are ever the same.”
- “Once you finish the main story, there's little incentive to play again. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “The game offers very little in terms of different outcomes or paths, which severely limits its replayability.”
- “After completing the game, I found that the side quests and collectibles didn't add enough variety to make me want to go through it all again.”