Homeless
- August 3, 2024
- DarkPhobia Games
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Homeless" is a single-player adventure/psychological horror game set in 1990s New York City, built with the Unreal Engine 5 for sensational graphics. As night shift security guard Albert, you'll uncover the crimes of a strange, Tall homeless man lurking in the subway, facing handwritten notes that challenge your beliefs and sanity. Uncovering his identity promises a shocking revelation.
Reviews
- The game has a fantastic atmosphere and graphics, creating a genuinely creepy experience.
- It effectively builds tension without overusing jump scares, making for a more immersive horror experience.
- Despite its short length, the game is engaging and leaves players wanting more, with a strong recommendation for fans of indie horror.
- The game is very short, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied and wanting more content.
- There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with weapon functionality and progression blocks.
- The story feels underdeveloped, with a lack of clear narrative and character depth, making it feel more like a walking simulator than a fully realized game.
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, with many players noting the strong visuals and sound design that contribute to a gritty, oppressive environment. While some found the atmosphere to be genuinely scary and engaging, others felt it lacked tension due to a lack of significant events. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, with potential for further development in future releases.
“Atmosphere is amazing and scary.”
“For what it's worth, the game does atmosphere quite well - there were several moments I felt genuinely unsettled slowly walking into the lion's den (or I suppose I should say vulture's nest).”
“Very nice graphics, atmosphere, and was spooky enough to keep me engaged.”
“Oppressive atmosphere and sound design.”
“The game wasn't scary but it had a decent atmosphere, some weird vocal sound effects, and a maze-like setting.”
“The atmosphere was terrifying.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their photorealistic quality and impressive art design, creating a captivating atmosphere reminiscent of a grim Gotham City. Many players appreciate the combination of cyberpunk and horror elements, which enhance the overall visual experience, although some noted minor bugs and inconsistencies that detracted from immersion. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's engaging narrative and spooky ambiance.
“Very nice art design and graphics, it's like watching a movie.”
“Photo-realistic graphics.”
“It combines cyberpunk and horror which blend together perfectly with the photorealistic graphics and amazingly designed levels.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the story, with some players enjoying the narrative and graphics despite its brevity, while others criticize it for being poorly developed, lacking depth, and suffering from bad translations. Many feel that the story is minimal and often overshadowed by cheap jump scares, leading to a perception of it being more of a walking simulator than a narrative-driven experience. Overall, there is a consensus that the story requires significant improvement.
“It was a short game, but I enjoyed the story.”
“Love the story and graphics.”
“I'd like to know how the story continues.”
“Badly translated dialogues, almost zero story, even less gameplay elements and cheap scares.”
“The writing is incredibly basic for what little story there is here and it is plagued by the usual jumpscares that are the cheapest way to get a fright.”
“The story is basically non-existent and the selling points are close to lies.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for its lack of depth, featuring poorly translated dialogues, minimal story, and few gameplay elements, resulting in a scripted experience with no significant mechanics like flashlight or crouch. Overall, it feels more like a basic prototype than a polished game.
“I'd put the mechanics, gameplay, and functionality above that of a free itch.”
“Badly translated dialogues, almost zero story, even fewer gameplay elements, and cheap scares.”
“There is no flashlight or crouch mechanic.”
“No real gameplay, just a script.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, including frustrating glitches that can prevent players from progressing, such as being unable to exit rooms. While the graphics are appreciated, the overall experience is marred by these bugs, necessitating frequent resets.
“I truly like the game, but I hated how I had to press F9 to reset the level because of door glitches that prevented me from leaving a room.”
“The graphics are nice, but the game is buggy.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment, with some describing it as tedious, especially towards the end. However, it is possible to complete the game in a few extended sessions.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The end was a bit tedious, but I managed to finish in 3 sittings.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers acknowledge the game's strong atmospheric elements that evoke emotion, but criticize its lack of cohesive flow and unsatisfactory conclusion, leading to a disappointing overall experience. The sentiment suggests that while there are moments of potential, they are overshadowed by the game's shortcomings.
“The dev team has a great talent for creating atmosphere; with a bit of refinement, they could craft some truly unsettling walking simulators. There are moments of brilliance throughout this release, but the overall flow and conclusion leave much to be desired.”
“This game evokes a deep emotional response, making players reflect on their own experiences and feelings.”
“The narrative struck a chord with me, leaving me feeling a mix of sadness and hope as I navigated through the story.”
