For Mother Matron

About

Lizzy lives in the secluded derelict town known as The Boarding, The mysterious yet revered leader, known as the Mother Matron, tasks her with exploring endless tunnels beneath, known as The Crepuscule. Navigate life-or-death situations in a horror story about a terrible place and the horrors below.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews

story20 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating and imaginative story that explores deep philosophical themes, leaving players with a sense of introspection.
The art style is unique and visually striking, effectively enhancing the game's eerie atmosphere and complementing its horror elements.
Despite its flaws, the game is praised for its emotional impact and ability to engage players, making it a memorable experience for fans of psychological horror.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including typos, inconsistent voice acting, and poorly timed choices that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Many players found the pacing uneven, with a slow start that can make it difficult to stay engaged, especially during lengthy exposition.
The story leaves many loose ends and unanswered questions, which can be disappointing for players seeking a more cohesive narrative.

story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
5%
The game's story is a blend of creativity and philosophical themes, set in a dark and atmospheric world that captivates players despite some pacing issues and loose ends. While many appreciate the intriguing narrative and character development, some feel it lacks depth and clarity, particularly towards the end. Overall, the story is engaging and thought-provoking, with potential for expansion, but it may leave players wanting more in terms of resolution and polish.
- “The atmosphere is intriguing and the story is interesting, almost philosophical.”
- “The story is so captivating and written so well that it takes you into the story and makes you feel as if you're there with the characters.”
- “It has a wonderful atmosphere and storybuilding that rivals some AAA titles nowadays.”
- “Started strong, but fizzled out towards the end when the story went bonkers.”
- “Good for a free game, but underdeveloped story with lots of loose ends.”
- “The story's pacing is slow and unwieldy, only picking up in the last quarter of the playtime, and much of the dialogue could be smoothed or eliminated.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
16%
16%
The game's graphics are praised for their unique and diverse art styles, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the story. While some users noted inconsistencies in the UI and art style, the disturbing imagery and thematic depth were highlighted as strong points, contributing to a compelling visual experience. Overall, the visuals are described as appealing and fitting for the game's psychological and horror elements, with a mix of grotesque and artistic designs that resonate well with the narrative.
- “The mix of art styles throughout the game is very cool too.”
- “The art style is super creepy and grotesque, matched the story perfectly.”
- “The art style and backgrounds are visually appealing and the monsters are best described as 'traumacore' offshoots, which I love.”
- “But this game doesn’t scare with its graphics; it scares with something more than that.”
- “The game certainly is strong in disturbing imagery and graphics with the monsters and even darker lore, as well as tackling some heavy themes; so it is important to take the warnings at the beginning and the game information seriously if you're disturbed easily by certain topics or imagery.”
- “A gritty, well-acted visual novel with the art style of Remigiusz Michalski of The Cat Lady/Downfall/Lorelai, mixed with some real body horror and visceral gore flashes of another world.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
21%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intriguing and immersive qualities, blending philosophical themes with a sense of impending doom. Players appreciate the deep emotional impact, creepy moments, and the overall aesthetic that creates a beautifully unsettling experience. While some aspects, like the art style and soundtrack, may not be perfect, they effectively contribute to the game's unique indie atmosphere and compelling world-building.
- “The atmosphere is intriguing and the story is interesting, almost philosophical.”
- “I thoroughly enjoyed this game; the story and its buildup were amazing. The sense of impending doom and the atmosphere conveyed with its art style were great.”
- “It has a wonderful atmosphere and story building that rivals some AAA titles nowadays.”
- “Not only does it have incredibly deep meaning, but the atmosphere and world this game builds sucks you right in.”
- “I would definitely pay if someday this game had a makeover with an extended story, more revealed information, full voice acting, fixation of small mistakes, etc. because to me there are so many amazing elements, such as the overall aesthetic and atmosphere, the world where the story takes place, the creepy moments, and that feeling of despair transmitted to the player. It really left me with this empty feeling after playing for the first time.”
- “Maybe the visual part, including body horror, isn't the best in the world, but it creates a special indie atmosphere.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmospheric tension and emotional depth, effectively complementing the horror elements and narrative. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack, while not the best they've heard, successfully creates an oppressive and unnerving experience, with clever references to other songs adding an extra layer of engagement. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and art design contributes significantly to the immersive quality of the game.
- “I will say that in my experience of playing, it intertwines both the psychological and gory aspects of the horror genre mixed in with an unsettling storyline. The voice acting, as well as the OST/music, really reflects the temperament of the game and helps illustrate the intensity of scenes, making you feel dread in crucial moments.”
- “The soundtrack is very good, and the art, music, and voice acting do a great job of immersing you in the world.”
- “For 'Mother Matron' is an interactive horror visual novel that comes with amazing writing, a soundtrack that reminds me a bit of Silent Hill and always seems to fit the situation, great voice acting, and beautifully horrifying art design.”
- “The soundtrack, even though it wasn't the best I've heard, worked well with the atmosphere and created an oppressive world during my first playthrough, leading to an unnerving journey into the unknown.”
- “In my experience, the game intertwines both the psychological and gory aspects of the horror genre, with an unsettling storyline and music that reflects the game's temperament, illustrating the intensity of scenes and evoking dread in crucial moments.”
- “I doubt I spotted them all, but I noticed so many music references throughout the game.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Gameplay is characterized by a mix of trial-and-error mechanics, timed choices, and quick-time events that enhance the narrative's urgency. While some players found the trial-and-error frustrating, the overall experience aligns with typical visual novel expectations, with the engaging story compensating for any perceived shortcomings in gameplay depth.
- “What this game did was shatter every single expectation narratively, and the gameplay mechanics of quick time events were quite good. I liked it; it had a sense of urgency and quick thinking that fit the narrative whenever it happened.”
- “It has a simple but interesting cosmic horror story with some timed choice puzzles to add a bit of gameplay and tension.”
- “All in all, on the gameplay front, this is exactly what you'd expect from a visual novel, but with me recommending it, you can be sure that the story shines enough to make up for any 'missing' gameplay.”
- “There was also this long section of annoying trial-and-error gameplay made worse by a very fast timer.”
- “All in all on the gameplay front, this is exactly what you'd expect from a visual novel, but with me recommending it, you can be sure that the story shines enough to make up for any 'missing' gameplay.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a profound emotional experience, particularly in its final moments, leaving players deeply moved by its well-crafted narrative. Many reviewers highlight the strong emotional connection to the characters and the lasting impact of the story, emphasizing that it evokes a range of feelings throughout the gameplay. Overall, players express that the game effectively makes them feel a wide array of emotions.
- “The final portion of the game was a powerhouse of an emotional experience, to put it lightly.”
- “I just cannot describe how well it is written; it made me feel like these creatures are the only ones that actually live there.”
- “This game made me feel things.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is noted for its intriguing visual differentiation between "normal" characters and the "chosen ones," which some players find adds depth to the narrative, despite some complaints about the confusing design style.
- “I've seen some people complain about the confusing character design style, but that actually is an interesting detail to me. I quite like the visual difference between 'normal' people and the 'chosen ones'; it adds a nice touch in my opinion.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's strong replayability, particularly highlighting the three-hour playtime and the fast-forwarding feature, which enhances the experience while pursuing achievements.
- “Everything about it was great, and the replay value, especially for 3 hours, was enhanced by the fast-forwarding feature, which made my experience a lot better while getting the achievements!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, users report minor glitches and typos in the game, but many express appreciation for its stability given that it is free.
- “There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs that make it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered several stability issues that caused me to lose progress.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as surreal and creepy, often blending unsettling elements with comedic moments that elicit genuine laughter.
- “Surreal, creepy, and even pretty funny.”