Father's Day
- October 21, 2022
- EMIKA_GAMES
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Father's Day" is a prequel and spin-off to "Find Yourself", classified as a psychological thriller. Players control three characters in an alternating manner, as they search for the perfect present. The game contains flashing lights and images that may cause seizures in certain individuals.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a creepy atmosphere and effective sound design that enhances the horror experience.
- The story provides an intriguing backstory that connects well with previous titles, adding depth to the narrative.
- There are well-timed jump scares that can genuinely catch players off guard, contributing to the overall tension.
- The English translation is poor, making it difficult to follow the story and diminishing immersion.
- Finding items can be frustrating due to their small size and blending into the environment, leading to tedious gameplay.
- The pacing suffers from excessive backtracking and loading screens, which disrupts the flow of the game.
- story177 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Father's Day" is a complex and haunting exploration of grief and obsession, centered around the character Phil, whose journey is both intriguing and emotionally charged. While many players appreciate the depth and connections to previous titles, some find the narrative convoluted and the pacing uneven, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, the game offers a rich atmosphere and engaging storytelling, though it may require patience to fully appreciate its intricacies.
“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 story draws you in and you are taken on this crazy twisted ride through the mind of a mad man.”
“The interconnection of each of the original story threads with new ones in Father's Day is really what sold this game to me.”
“Nonsensical story, and dragged on way too long.”
“The story was a bit convoluted but maybe that's because things got lost in translation due to a language barrier from Russian to English.”
“The storyline was a little disjointed in some places so it didn't flow.”
- atmosphere51 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, enhanced by exceptional lighting and sound design that effectively draw players into the narrative. Many reviewers highlight the balance between atmospheric tension and jump scares, noting that while the scares are well-executed, the true strength lies in the game's ability to create a haunting environment that keeps players engaged. Overall, the atmosphere is described as superb, with a mix of eerie settings and effective storytelling that contributes to a memorable horror experience.
“Emika Games has crafted a thick atmosphere with enhanced lighting and sound design that pulls players deeper into the story.”
“The atmosphere, sound design, and lighting are all impeccable.”
“The atmosphere that the game creates is superb and the jump scares are not too bad either, even if not highly original.”
“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 me.”
“This game is more about atmosphere, but it's so repetitive that it really becomes stale an hour in.”
“The atmosphere dragged me out of the game world's creepy vibe, and I didn't like that.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Father's Day* has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging storyline and varied mechanics, such as the photo-taking system and flashlight use, while others criticize its simplicity and reliance on recycled elements from other horror games. Despite some bugs and localization issues, many players found the experience enjoyable, particularly for its atmosphere and jump scares, though it may not meet the expectations of those seeking a more complex horror experience. Overall, the game offers a short but entertaining experience, lasting around 2-4 hours.
“I found the game to have a compelling storyline and an enjoyable back-and-forth gameplay.”
“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.”
“Good story, good gameplay, good scares, and good atmosphere.”
“Gameplay is painfully simple and bland, while the English localization leaves much to be desired.”
“I find it so hard to believe that someone can create such a great horror setting and atmosphere, but then it just ruins it all with dull gameplay that is totally out of touch with horror and mystery.”
“I was slightly disappointed; it was not my favorite game by the developer and had a lot of recycled gameplay and assets from the previous game 'Find Yourself'.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in the game received positive feedback, with many users praising the high-quality visuals and immersive art style that enhance the spooky atmosphere. However, some players noted issues with automatic resets of graphics settings and the use of common asset packages, which detracted from the uniqueness of the experience. Despite these concerns, the graphics were generally considered impressive, contributing to a solid horror gaming experience.
“The graphics are great, and all in all, I say it's a 10/10 for me.”
“Visuals are great, and sounds are just fantastic!”
“The graphics on ultra were really amazing, and the game ran well.”
“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 graphics/textures are just okay.”
- music19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the immersive experience, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to create a spooky atmosphere and complement the narrative effectively. The soundtrack, particularly the ending theme, is noted as exceptional, while the sound design overall contributes significantly to the game's suspense and terror. However, some players prefer minimal music, suggesting that a subtle audio atmosphere can be more effective in certain contexts.
“The inclusion of a soundtrack that immerses you further into the narrative is a welcome addition.”
“Very creepy atmosphere and amazing soundtrack.”
“I love the music, the graphics, and the gameplay.”
“Of course elements like creepy atmosphere and locations, nice graphics, subtle audio atmosphere, preferably no music.”
“Adjusting resolution, music volume, graphics, etc every act was tedious and, quite frankly, a big downfall to playing this game on stream.”
“☑️little to no music”
- optimization7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance and high-quality graphics, while others criticized it for poor optimization overall. Despite these discrepancies, many users noted that they experienced good performance without significant issues during gameplay.
“The game is well optimized, looks great, and has a creepy atmosphere.”
“I still give it a thumbs up; the performance was great, and the graphics and sounds were very high quality.”
“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!!!!”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and performance issues, such as freezing and frame rate problems, while others report 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.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, such as repetitive tasks and tedious sequences, to be significant drawbacks that detract from immersion and enjoyment. Adjusting settings frequently and navigating through confusing story elements further contribute to a sense of monotony, particularly in the final act and chase sequences.
“The game started out promising, but quickly became tedious and I couldn't get immersed like I did with previous titles.”
“Without giving anything away, the final 'chase' sequence is a bit tedious, but otherwise a great indie horror game!”
“There's still a few drawbacks, like the final act was tedious, finding the flashlight on each new scene was repetitive or the story was a little bit confusing.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the jumpscares amusing and the clown character eliciting laughter, albeit unintentionally. While the atmosphere generally supports the horror theme, it occasionally veers into humor, particularly during moments of failure. Overall, the blend of horror and humor adds a unique twist to the experience.
“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.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively immerses players in a complex narrative through its three interchangeable characters, each contributing to a rich emotional experience. The compelling ending track enhances the emotional weight of the story, particularly highlighting the journey of the scientist, Phil. Overall, the game is praised for its depth and the emotional tension it creates throughout.
“With three interchangeable characters—police sergeant Henry, scientist Phil, and the missing child’s relative, Jonathan—the game immerses players in a complex narrative filled with emotional depth and tension.”
“The game features a compelling ending track that leaves a lasting impression, emphasizing the emotional weight of Phil's story.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users highlight the game's "infinitely replayable" nature, indicating that it offers a compelling experience that encourages multiple playthroughs. This suggests a strong variety in gameplay elements or outcomes that keep players engaged over time.
“The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
“Every run feels fresh and exciting, making me want to dive back in again and again.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two playthroughs are ever the same.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel like a chore rather than an adventure.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels repetitive and dull.”
