Golgotha

About

Golgotha is a single player and multiplayer open world simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Craig Lawrence and was released on February 21, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Dare to explore the most haunted vicinity in all of England? You will leave no stone unturned as you walk along the eerie grounds of the Black Waters Station and uncover the horror that lies within.

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 537 reviews

atmosphere87 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Exceptional atmosphere and sound design that build a creepy and tense environment.
Free and short experience that is well optimized and polished for a one-person developer.
The game avoids cheap jump scares, relying instead on psychological horror and immersive storytelling.

Very short gameplay duration, typically around 20-30 minutes, leaving players wanting more content.
Lacks interactivity and player engagement, feeling more like a walking simulator with minimal puzzles.
Some technical issues and awkward controls, including bugs with the lantern and jarring cutscenes that break immersion.

atmosphere
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
29%
2%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dense, immersive, and spine-chilling horror ambiance, achieved through excellent sound design, eerie visuals, and subtle tension rather than relying on cheap jumpscares. Players consistently highlight the creepy, unsettling environment of the abandoned subway setting that sustains unease throughout the short experience, making it a standout atmospheric horror walking simulator. Despite its brevity, the atmosphere leaves a lasting impression, drawing players deeply into its unnerving and well-crafted world.
- “This is a masterclass in atmospheric horror - this is the future of horror.”
- “Seriously, this guy made a bite-sized horror game with more atmosphere and dread than many AAA or top-shelf indie developed releases.”
- “The atmosphere and sounds in the game really cause paranoia and anxiety to arise for the player, really making the best out of the game components.”
- “I felt like the steps sound effect was too loud, it really took away from the atmosphere but other than that it was a pretty enjoyable experience.”
- “Like the atmosphere but I won't recommend it.”
- “I didn't appreciate the one sudden loud noise because it felt like a rather cheap audio-jumpscare but besides that I'm really glad this went all for story, atmosphere, worldbuilding and tense audio cues instead of stealth-, hunting- or action-passages.”
story
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The story is generally praised for its atmospheric, emotional, and impactful narrative centered around a spooky, claustrophobic setting with WWII backstory, though many feel it is brief and leaves unanswered questions. Players appreciate the immersive environmental storytelling and sound design that heightens tension, but some desire more depth, background details, and player interaction. Overall, it is a well-crafted short story that effectively complements the game's horror ambiance, though expansion would enhance the experience.
- “Now it’s like time, the story is really good like many free spooky horror games like this, someone goes into a spooky place to check it out and spooky stuff happens, but the maker of this game actually does something unique with the story that really puts things into perspective and felt like a real gut punch.”
- “The game's backstory about the World War II gas attack in the tunnels, coupled with the claustrophobic level design (especially the tiled, foggy corridors), created a feeling of dread unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a game.”
- “The game's setting in an abandoned underground station, with its tragic backstory and dark secrets, is brought to life through incredible sound design and immersive visuals that build an unsettling sense of paranoia as you explore.”
- “There were a few photos and newspaper articles that told part of the story, but not enough to get a full idea of it.”
- “Story-wise, it would also be appreciated if you get a little itty bitty more background of who you are and/or why are you there.”
- “Story makes little to no sense, you have to want it to make sense for it to make sense, and it just wasn't a game that I would recommend.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
15%
9%
The graphics are generally praised for their immersive, atmospheric, and haunting visuals that effectively enhance the horror mood, with many highlighting the well-executed use of colors, shading, and environments. While some find the visuals impressive and fitting for the game's short length, a few note occasional graininess or unremarkable design, but overall, the graphics are considered a strong point that complements the sound design and atmosphere.
- “The graphics are very good with a nice use of colors, designs, and shadings that really set the mood.”
- “Great atmosphere, great sound design, amazing graphics for being a free game.”
- “The game's setting in an abandoned underground station, with its tragic backstory and dark secrets, is brought to life through incredible sound design and immersive visuals that build an unsettling sense of paranoia as you explore.”
- “The graphics are bad, the gameplay is boring, and it only lasted 30 minutes until I finished the game.”
- “Graphics were poor and grainy despite me having a top-notch gaming rig.”
- “The graphics are okay, but it was the sounds that were good, though at times seemed to feel weird (like I couldn't figure out what I was hearing).”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
60%
15%
The gameplay in Golgotha is generally sparse and simple, focusing mainly on walking, exploring, and occasional item interaction with minimal complexity. While it supports the game's atmospheric horror and tense ambiance, many find the mechanics underdeveloped or lacking meaningful engagement, making it feel more like a walking simulator than a traditional horror game. Some players hope for future expansions to enrich the gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is okay; you simply walk around, explore, and find little items to progress. Nothing too complicated.”
- “So if with that all finished, Golgotha is a good atmospheric horror game. It has a really good story, okay gameplay, and a very good atmosphere.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and the atmosphere is right.”
- “The gameplay itself is very sparse - even more sparse than their other game, Cassiculus.”
- “Oh man.. I went into this reading all the positive reviews but, unless you enjoy walking simulators this isn't for you, and as many have stated there is an option to fire in the keybindings which had my hopes up for some kind of gameplay but nope... never got to see a gun, pick up a key card, pick up a key, game over... honestly felt like I wasted my time.”
- “Golgotha is a somewhat interesting visual and auditory experience combined with tedious gameplay: walk around, peer into the gloom your lantern and the station lights can't penetrate, check everything to find the handful of things with an interact prompt, then walk some more.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The music in the game is generally praised for creating a tense and creepy atmosphere, effectively enhancing the horror experience and delivering moments of genuine suspense. However, some users found the ambient soundtrack repetitive, occasionally mismatched with the setting, or relying too heavily on jump scare cues, though it remains impactful overall despite the game's short length.
- “The music and sound effects are very good; they help set the atmosphere of this game.”
- “At only 30 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome, and the developer's use of music and audio is masterful—it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.”
- “The soundtrack and the dark ambient manage to deliver a tense and creepy atmosphere.”
- “Like the poorly used radio jump scare and the music ramping up a few times just because.”
- “No music is in this at all.”
- “The ambient music is overdone, and does not fit an abandoned subway system.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional response, combining a deeply eerie and unsettling atmosphere with moments that are both scary and heartfelt, even moving some players to tears. While praised for its intense and immersive emotional impact, some found the audio experience overwhelmingly disturbing. Overall, it delivers a memorable and emotionally charged experience despite its short length.
- “What a scary game, scary atmosphere... everything is good and it made me feel uncomfortable, really good job.”
- “I tried to write something heartfelt but I suck at coming up with stuff so I'll just say this game is amazing. It's short but that's okay because I could just feel a sense of dread just from looking into the darkness. It was a great experience and I hope that you will make another.”
- “It was great, I got scared and the ending kinda made me cry a bit.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game is highly praised for its excellent optimization, contributing to a smooth and enjoyable experience. Users appreciate that, unlike many poorly optimized cheap or asset-flip games, this title runs well and feels polished.
- “Sound design, level design, optimization, and just overall vibe was such an 11/10.”
- “The game is well optimized.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in Golgotha is considered tedious and overly time-consuming, requiring repetitive exploration and interaction with limited objects, which detracts from the overall experience despite its interesting visuals and sound design.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Golgotha is a somewhat interesting visual and auditory experience combined with tedious gameplay: walk around, peer into the gloom your lantern and the station lights can't penetrate, check everything to find the handful of things with an interact prompt, then walk some more.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some stability issues, including occasional glitches and buggy behavior, which may affect the overall experience. Additionally, the default keybindings are considered odd, potentially impacting usability.
- “The default keybindings are strange and the game seems a little buggy.”
- “And few glitches are present too.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability but provides a solid and enjoyable horror experience worth trying.