Gnarly Hike
- January 19, 2024
- Wildcard Games
Get on SteamGnarly Hike is a first-person psychological horror game that takes place in an eerie forest, where you will explore various locations to uncover a disturbing story. The game is challenging, combining investigation, combat, puzzles, and jump scares, and is not for the faint of heart due to its intense and frightening nature. It is important to be aware that the game may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy and depicts unsettling religious imagery. Player discretion is advised.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a captivating atmosphere with beautiful graphics and immersive sound design, enhancing the horror experience.
- Players enjoy the suspenseful gameplay, with well-executed jump scares and engaging puzzles that keep them on edge.
- Despite its flaws, many find the game to be a fun and entertaining low-budget horror experience, reminiscent of classic horror games.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including clunky mechanics, a confusing checkpoint/save system, and some frustrating puzzles with little guidance.
- The story is poorly written and lacks depth, leaving players feeling disconnected from the narrative.
- Many players feel that the combat mechanics are ineffective, and the game relies too heavily on predictable jump scares.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of puzzles, stealth mechanics, and combat, but it often feels clunky and overly challenging, particularly in encounters with enemies like the wendigo. While the environments and jump scares are well-designed, the effectiveness of hiding mechanics is questioned, and the overall experience can feel stretched and unfair. Despite these issues, some players find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, likening it to a walking simulator with occasional action elements.
“There are puzzles to solve, a few sections with hide/sneak mechanics, and a basic story that kind of pieces it together.”
“The gameplay is challenging and unfair, but the environments are beautifully designed.”
“Fun gameplay, maybe needs a little polish but actually kind of scary and fun at the same time.”
“Despite the hiding mechanics being pointless midway through the game.”
“Additionally, the game's combat mechanics can feel a bit clunky at times, making it difficult to kill the wendigo.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's almost a walking simulator with puzzles and jump scares here and there, but then you have small sections where you use a pistol and a shotgun.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Gnarly Hike" is described as haunting and immersive, effectively blending beauty and terror within a chilling forest setting. Players experience a thick tension that enhances the fear of being hunted, with top-notch graphics and sound design amplifying the impact of jump scares. Overall, the game is highly recommended for those seeking a genuinely terrifying psychological horror experience.
“Gnarly hike weaves a haunting tapestry of beauty and terror in an atmospheric forest, where the fear of being hunted transforms each step into a spine-chilling dance with the unknown.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, and the graphics are top-notch, making every jump scare and eerie sound feel all the more terrifying.”
“Gnarly hike immerses players in a chilling first-person psychological horror experience, navigating through an atmospheric forest.”
“The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the jump scares are genuinely terrifying.”
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story is generally criticized for being poorly written and lacking depth, with weak character development and little logical coherence. While it features some puzzles and stealth mechanics, the narrative feels shallow and underdeveloped, leaving players guessing without a satisfying resolution. Overall, the storytelling aspect is seen as a significant weakness of the game.
“There are puzzles to solve, a few sections with hide/sneak mechanics, and a basic story that kind of pieces it together.”
“The story is not well-written at all, but it keeps you guessing until the end, which is very weird and shallow.”
“The story is very poorly written, with no reasoning or logic.”
“The story is non-existent, and the character development is lacking.”
“The story is not well-written at all, but it keeps you guessing until the end, which feels very weird and shallow.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their beauty and immersive quality, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and overall experience. While some users feel that a bit more polish could enhance the visuals, the consensus highlights impressive graphics paired with excellent sound design that elevates the gameplay.
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, and the graphics are top-notch, making every jump scare and eerie sound feel all the more terrifying.”
“The graphics are impressive, and the sound design is excellent.”
“The graphics are beautiful, and the sound design is top-notch.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with players reporting a range of issues from minor bugs to severe glitches and crashes that can disrupt gameplay.
“It's full of issues ranging from mildly amusing bugs to game-breaking glitches and crashes.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I encountered numerous stability issues that ruined my overall experience.”
