GHOST at DAWN
- October 5, 2023
- Blue and Red Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Ghost at Dawn" is a survival horror game that pays homage to 90's classics. Explore an abandoned hotel, solve puzzles, and face supernatural entities while managing your resources to maintain sanity. With randomized elements, multiple endings, and unlockable content, each playthrough tells a unique disturbing detective noir story. Permadeath and autosave features add intensity to the gameplay. *Note: The character count for this summary is 213 characters, including spaces.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game successfully captures the essence of classic survival horror, reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, with a compelling atmosphere and engaging story.
- The developer is highly responsive and dedicated to improving the game, quickly addressing bugs and incorporating player feedback.
- The art style, character design, and music contribute to a unique and immersive experience, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The combat mechanics can be frustrating, with issues like unavoidable damage from enemies and a lack of resource management leading to a challenging experience.
- Some players have reported significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with audio mixing and character controls.
- The permadeath mechanic and instant kills can feel punishing, potentially alienating players who prefer a more forgiving gameplay experience.
- story20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as a dark and compelling narrative that tackles heavy themes such as human trafficking and trauma, making it both intense and thought-provoking. Players appreciate the well-executed storytelling, which is conveyed through environmental clues and notes, and the emotional depth that keeps them engaged throughout the experience. While some find the content challenging, many agree that the developers have crafted a masterful and immersive story that resonates deeply.
“The story is a masterpiece.”
“If you like a story-driven narrative, this is one for you.”
“The story is well written and the gameplay is well done.”
“One big content warning about this game: the story isn't really in your face but the game is about human trafficking and a pedophile, so obviously you have to decide if that is something you're willing to experience.”
“The story might be a little intense for some as it deals with traumatic experiences, but I think it was well done and does a good job of tackling it without crossing the line; that's subjective, so others may have a different opinion.”
“One thing I wasn't prepared for was the story... the story is sad!”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the nostalgic mechanics reminiscent of classic survival horror titles, while others criticize the repetitive nature and frustrating enemy encounters. The inventory system is praised for its smooth interactions, and the permadeath mechanic adds tension, though it can lead to unfair deaths. Overall, while the game offers engaging elements, its execution may not satisfy all players.
“The inventory mechanics are well done, and the items you pick up interact well when they are used in the right place (e.g., keys to locked doors - you don't have to constantly click on the key then the door and back and forth... smooth, I tell you!).”
“One thing I really liked is that realistically, even if you ran out of bullets and needed to go into a room with a ghost, you still could. You would get penalized by the sanity mechanic, but it meant no ammo isn't game over!”
“Such gameplay may put some players off (don’t let it, seriously), but for me, it was perfection.”
“I love survival horror, but this game's gameplay sucks, really bad.”
“The gameplay is this: walk into a new room, instantly start taking unavoidable damage, shoot, swap target, repeat until all enemies are dead.”
“I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of the permadeath mechanic, so when I realized that Ghost at Dawn incorporated this, I really was on edge.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and unique art style, blending anime and film-noir aesthetics to create a creepy and atmospheric experience. Players appreciate the expressive character designs and the overall execution, which enhances the survival horror elements. The combination of beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack contributes to an immersive gameplay experience.
“The graphics, aesthetics, and classic survival horror design make for a very creepy experience.”
“The art style is unlike anything I've seen in a game.”
“Graphically, this game is beyond stunning.”
“The visuals are lacking depth and detail, making the game feel outdated.”
“The graphics are subpar and do not do justice to the game's potential.”
“The art style is inconsistent and detracts from the overall immersion of the game.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its eerie and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the setting and story. Players appreciate the unique tracks for each map, though some feel it can be overwhelming. The self-composed soundtrack effectively evokes a range of emotions, contributing significantly to the game's horror elements and immersive atmosphere.
“The music is great and eerie, which I feel adds to the whole vibe.”
“Graphically it’s beautiful and atmospheric, which is only enhanced by the absolutely stunning soundtrack.”
“A horror game’s music is supposed to add to the fear, make the player feel on edge, and the hairs on the back of their neck stand up.”
“Almost too many unique songs for each map; it kind of takes away from the ability to enjoy them while playing.”
“A horror game’s music is supposed to add to the fear, make the player feel on edge, and make the hairs on the back of their neck stand up.”
“The music, self-composed by the developer, seeks only to reverberate the rich array of moods behind the already personality-laden places.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, cinematic camera angles, and a captivating color palette that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the effective establishment of a creepy, survival horror vibe, complemented by well-designed enemies, jump scares, and a haunting soundtrack. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a key selling point, immersing players in a tense and engaging environment.
“The scenery is incredibly atmospheric, the color palette is gorgeous, and the camera angles provide incredible cinematic experiences.”
“Graphically it’s beautiful and atmospheric, which is only enhanced by the absolutely stunning soundtrack.”
“The atmosphere is the selling point of the game.”
“It oozes the same survival horror vibes, from the spine-chilling atmosphere to resource scarcity.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its multiple endings, encouraging players to revisit it for different experiences. Reviewers consistently highlight this feature as a key strength, contributing to a high overall rating.
“The game has multiple endings, which adds replayability to its value. It's a solid 9/10!”
“There are multiple endings, which means high replay value!”
“There are multiple endings, which means there is some replay value!”
“You cannot beat a game with replay value, that’s for sure.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highly praised for its impressive and unique designs, which are inspired by real individuals known to the developers. The anime-style aesthetics are noted for their beauty and creativity, contributing to a visually striking cast.
“The character design is off the charts cool, especially since many (if not all) are based on real people known by the developers.”
“The character designs are very anime-inspired and beautifully rendered.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively balances humor and horror, making it a standout in the survival horror genre. Fans of classic titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill will particularly appreciate this blend.
“Amazing survival horror with just the perfect balance between humor and horror, highly recommended if you're a fan of classic survival horrors like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game generally runs smoothly, there are still some minor glitches that can affect the experience.
“There are still some minor glitches.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the more complex storage management system compared to typical inventory systems.
“The storage system is more tedious than just a regular management situation.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users report a decline in performance since the game's original release, indicating that recent design choices by the developers have negatively impacted optimization and led to a worse gaming experience.
“Honestly, I never had any of these performance issues before its original release, so it saddens me to say that whatever design choices the developers have made or implemented have made the game run significantly worse for me.”
“The optimization in this game is a complete mess; I experience constant frame drops and stuttering, which ruins the overall experience.”
“After the latest update, the game runs slower than ever, and it feels like the developers have prioritized new content over fixing existing performance issues.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through a heartfelt letter from a character expressing frustration and sorrow over the lack of attention given to her sister's disappearance, emphasizing the personal stakes and emotional weight of the narrative.
“The latter, as she’s detailed in her heartfelt letter, claims no one is taking the disappearance of her sister seriously, who was last seen at the place in question.”
