FREAKHUNTER
- January 26, 2024
- goop lord
FREAKHUNTER is a grid-based dungeon-crawler-rail-shooter game, inspired by early FPS classics like Silent Debuggers and Shadow Over Innsmouth. Players navigate 24 levels, obliterating freakish enemies with four unique weapons across four distinct worlds. The game boasts smooth movement, special items, and a slightly blurry 640x480 upscale, with reviews praising its intensity and originality, but warning of potential motion sickness. Completion takes under two hours, making it a compact yet immersive experience for those with a strong stomach.
Reviews
- Unique and captivating concept that blends dungeon crawling with FPS mechanics, providing a fresh experience.
- Challenging gameplay that rewards skill and memorization, with creative level designs and a haunting soundtrack.
- Great value for the price, with a nostalgic aesthetic and engaging mechanics that keep players coming back.
- Controls can feel outdated and frustrating, leading to confusion and difficulty in navigation.
- Some levels rely heavily on trial and error, which can detract from the overall enjoyment and lead to player fatigue.
- Inconsistent level design, particularly in later stages, can result in tedious gameplay and a steep difficulty spike.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a gradual learning curve that becomes engaging as players master the mechanics, though it suffers from a sudden difficulty spike after the initial levels, which may frustrate some. While the game features intuitive controls and strategic elements, the simplicity of certain mechanics can lead to tedious moments. Overall, it offers a unique and immersive experience that may appeal to those who enjoy slower-paced dungeon-crawling gameplay, despite its potential drawbacks.
“Overall, I can recommend this game, since it captivated me for its unique aesthetics and kept me engaged with the immersive gameplay experience, but I wouldn't say this is a game for everyone because of the problems previously mentioned.”
“Hella fun, intuitive gameplay and great level design with the right amount of challenge.”
“Smooth and surprisingly strategic gameplay.”
“I found it quite boring at the beginning, but as the mechanics were learned, the game started to ramp up. However, I must say I found the 'stealth' mechanic quite frustrating, which was supposed to be a tutorial for the 'purple mechanic.'”
“The very first levels do respect the concept of introducing you slowly to the brand new enemies and mechanics, but after the 4th level, a massive difficulty spike makes its presence felt.”
“In a nutshell, a sudden and unexpected spike in what was a nice difficulty curve, combined with the counterproductive simplicity of its gameplay that makes some loops unbearably tedious, could scare away some players.”
- music5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its haunting and immersive quality, effectively enhancing the player's experience as they navigate through creatively designed levels. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as a perfect accompaniment to the game's atmospheric environments, contributing to a sense of travel through a monster-infested world. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, elevating the game's overall immersion.
“If you can get past that, there are some creative level designs (considering how simplistic it is) and the soundtrack is pretty awesome.”
“The way the immersion is achieved in this game is one I haven't seen in a while, with shockingly good and well-designed backgrounds and layouts that make you feel like a traveler going around an infested land of monsters, and some haunting and ominous ambient music that waves upon your ears like the perfect soundtrack for these liminal spaces.”
“10/10... the haunting soundtrack just beckons you to dive into the game.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story is generally viewed as lacking depth and meaning, with some missions criticized for being poorly designed and unengaging. However, there is potential for a more developed narrative, as the core gameplay elements are solid and could support a more substantial storyline in a future iteration.
“A very neat almost-proof-of-concept, would certainly make for a great full-length video game with a little bit of story and more stuff thrown in: the core of what's here is already super solid.”
“The story is really nothing and meaningless to me.”
“The missions that introduce all the items you can use are some of the worst missions in the game.”
“A very neat almost-proof-of-concept; it would certainly make for a great full-length video game with a little bit of story and more content thrown in.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a low poly aesthetic, appealing to those who appreciate retro-style visuals, such as 640x480 resolution. The inclusion of dynamic elements like blood sprays and punch shooting enhances the overall visual experience, making it a noteworthy aspect for fans of this style.
“I liked the low-poly graphics.”
“And if the visuals speak to you, definitely throw your support behind the dev.”
“Do you like 640x480 resolution graphics with good blood sprays and punch shooting?”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“Character models look flat and lifeless, making it hard to get immersed in the game.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, with repetitive textures that detract from the overall experience.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that the grinding aspect of the game becomes increasingly tedious, particularly in the later stages where difficulty spikes and labyrinthine level designs can lead to frustrating gameplay. While some appreciate the unique challenges and pacing breaks, others feel that the extended grind and sudden complexity may deter players, making the experience feel unnecessarily prolonged and punishing.
“In a nutshell, a sudden and unexpected spike in what was a nice difficulty curve, combined with the counterproductive simplicity of its gameplay that makes some loops unbearably tedious, could scare away some players. However, if you manage to get through this particular but not soul-crushing aspect of the late game, you'll find a unique experience with a combination of concepts that will captivate you thanks to its smoothness and easy-to-learn ways.”
“Otherwise, it's a neat idea and it works for a while, but the developer only really escalates it near the end with some mean tricks (e.g., turning the lights off, and enemies that are floor traps that can hold you still) and by making levels longer and more tedious.”
“Another thing that makes the very next world haunting is the even bigger increase in difficulty, taking things further by now adding a timer to each stage (except for the penultimate one, which features a really strange maze puzzle, a very welcome pace breaker after all the grinding) and even more labyrinthine and monster-filled claustrophobic corridors where you'll end up getting overwhelmed.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its inspiring and well-crafted design, featuring iconic and unique character designs that enhance the overall experience.
“Truly inspiring, and the atmosphere is well crafted.”
“Incredible atmosphere and iconic freak designs.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing enemy designs and clever map challenges, which contribute to an engaging and varied gameplay experience. Players appreciate the thoughtful environmental details that enhance the overall comedic tone.
“The humor in the game is top-notch, with enemies that make me laugh out loud and clever dialogue that keeps the experience light-hearted.”
“Each map presents a unique challenge, but it's the funny interactions and quirky characters that really make the game memorable.”
“The combination of engaging gameplay and hilarious moments creates a delightful experience that keeps me coming back for more.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to the unpredictable movement patterns of enemies, which keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging.
“The game has great replay value due to the unpredictability of how enemies move through the maps.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, thanks to the dynamic elements that keep you guessing.”
“I love how every run can be completely different, making me want to dive back in for more.”