HorrorVale

About

"HorrorVale" is a single-player Horror Role Playing game with an ingenious story and good gameplay, offering a massive world to explore, filled with mysterious lore, wacky characters, and unique monsters. Join Alice on her quest to save her dog, battling hundreds of enemies in this spooktacular, highly emotional adventure, with a demo containing the entire first act available now.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews

story23 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

HorrorVale is a charming RPG filled with humor, creative characters, and a delightful Halloween theme that keeps players engaged.
The game features a vast array of unique and well-designed party members, allowing for diverse gameplay strategies and team compositions.
The soundtrack is exceptional, enhancing the overall experience with catchy tunes that fit the spooky atmosphere perfectly.

Some players have noted that the final chapter features repetitive combat and an overstuffed ending that feels drawn out and cheesy.
Certain puzzles and mechanics can be unintuitive, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
There are occasional bugs and performance issues that can disrupt the experience, although the developers are actively working on fixes.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
70%
3%
The story of the game is praised for its charm, depth, and engaging twists, featuring a simple yet captivating plot centered around a witch's quest to find her missing dog. Players appreciate the well-developed characters, each with unique personalities and backstories, which enhance the overall narrative experience. While some critiques mention pacing issues and the occasional lack of character involvement in quests, the majority find the storytelling to be heartfelt, humorous, and filled with intriguing lore that keeps them invested throughout the gameplay.
- “The story, characters, and world are all very charming, and the game is packed with content.”
- “The story is intriguing with many twists and turns, some strong character moments, and just lots and lots of fun.”
- “The story is incredibly well crafted and very heartfelt when it needs to be.”
- “Gameplay mechanics would be underbaked in favor of a large empty world, a long plot that drags out in an attempt to feel grandiose.”
- “As it stands, we have this very diverse cast of good characters, and alas, many of them often have nothing to add or say during quests or even the main story, unless the quests directly involve them.”
- “In a vacuum, the story is rather simple and generic.”
music
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
32%
5%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its catchy and diverse soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players have highlighted the standout battle themes, atmospheric tracks, and memorable melodies that contribute to the game's charm and emotional depth. While a few noted minor issues, such as the absence of volume control options, the consensus is that the soundtrack is a major highlight, making it a must-listen for RPG fans.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, the art style is adorable, the writing is hilarious; this may genuinely be one of my favorite RPGs on the market now.”
- “The music is fantastic from beginning to end; no, not just fantastic, but eargasmic.”
- “The music kicks ass, the jokes are great, and the characters look awesome.”
- “While I didn't hate the Act 3 final dungeon, it features far too many fights to just have 0 music for.”
- “I like the creepy ambiance, but man, I missed the battle music for that segment so much... please keep in mind, this one is entirely a personal opinion, and definitely isn't a negative for everyone.”
- “My only issue was with the music; I really wish there were in-game options to either change the background music volume or to turn it off completely.”
humor
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Horrorvale is praised for its sharp and witty humor, blending lightheartedness with dark themes through clever writing and charming characters. Players appreciate the abundance of pop culture references, puns, and unexpected comedic moments that enhance the gameplay experience. The humor is described as both delightful and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Horrorvale is full of super sharp and funny writing, charming characters, and a really great battle system.”
- “The comedy is absolutely on point, and made me laugh out loud more times than I could count.”
- “The humor is delightful, from puns to pop culture references (which are everywhere). I got very strong Earthbound/Mother 3 vibes.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay is a blend of enjoyable RPG mechanics and a diverse cast of characters, which enhances replayability and keeps the experience engaging. While some players found the initial hours slow and the world somewhat empty, the introduction of new dynamics and party member interactions ultimately won them over. Overall, the game is accessible and fun, with a charming mix of combat and exploration, though some mechanics could benefit from further development.
- “Honestly, after the first few hours of gameplay, I was wondering if the game was not for me, but as the game went on and introduced more characters, more gameplay dynamics, and more of the story, it really grew on me.”
- “The gameplay is really fun—challenging but not unfair—and the variety in party members was extremely charming!”
- “Additionally, the party member variety in terms of gameplay and character definitely makes replays of the game feel quite unique, with some fluff dialogue being sprinkled in if it makes sense for the party member you have with you.”
- “Gameplay mechanics would be underbaked in favor of a large empty world, a long plot that drags out in an attempt to feel grandiose.”
- “Making a single potion in the quick brew menu before getting ejected back to the main potion menu can get obnoxious, and led to me not fiddling with their crafting mechanics all too much.”
- “In terms of gameplay, there are some aspects that need improvement, like the big empty areas, the pacing of the story, and sometimes animations or segments cut really fast.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
38%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and endearing art style, which complements the quirky characters and spooky elements perfectly. Reviewers appreciate the vibrant color palette and the expressive cartoon visuals that enhance the storytelling and humor. While some minor issues with hitboxes were noted, the overall aesthetic and artistic direction contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The artwork is also incredibly endearing.”
- “Charming art style, from the quirky main characters to fun and occasionally freaky enemies you're guaranteed to have a favorite.”
- “It's such a cute, funny, and memorable story with adorable graphics and wonderful characters.”
- “The only real problems I had with the game were more so with graphics having weird hitboxes, a problem native to almost any RPG Maker VX Ace game, especially one on this caliber.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating blend of charming characters, whimsical and spooky soundtracks, and strong worldbuilding, reminiscent of indie classics like "Ib" and "Undertale." Reviewers highlight the effective use of ambiance to create an engaging and sometimes unnerving experience, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The game's writing and atmosphere make up for most of its shortcomings, and anyone who's a fan of Halloween or horror in general, this one's an easy recommendation.”
- “Really nails the atmosphere and worldbuilding I look for in an indie RPG, and brought me the same feeling that I felt when I played games like Ib and Undertale for the first time.”
- “The dialogue and characters are charming and the atmosphere in some areas is straight up mesmerizing.”
- “The dialogue and characters are charming, but the atmosphere in some areas feels flat and uninspired.”
- “While the game has its moments, the overall atmosphere lacks the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
- “The atmosphere tries to evoke a sense of dread, but it often falls short, leaving me feeling disconnected from the experience.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its well-crafted, heartfelt story that culminates in a satisfying and resonant ending, filled with touching moments and humor. Players appreciate the blend of fun sidequests and a cozy atmosphere, making it a memorable experience, despite some technical issues. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, from joy to nostalgia, particularly through its unique art style and character-driven narrative.
- “The ending is satisfying with predictable but good twists, questions answered, and in my opinion a really touching moment at the end.”
- “The story is incredibly well crafted, and very heartfelt when it needs to be.”
- “The story, without spoiling much, escalates in a natural way with a deeply emotionally resonant ending about moving on.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players appreciate the absence of grinding in the game, highlighting a flat party level system that allows for diverse character choices without the need for tedious leveling. The gameplay is described as enjoyable and engaging, complemented by beautiful environments and a captivating soundtrack, making the experience feel rewarding without the grind. Optional farming mechanics add to the fun without imposing any grinding requirements.
- “The gameplay is also fun because grinding is fully obsolete thanks to the gift that is party level instead of individual ones; I want this everywhere.”
- “Features a (very basic admittedly) farming mechanic that is also optional.”
- “With a ton of potential party members, you can really make the game play the way you want it to, and it uses a flat party level system so you don't need to worry about grinding to catch one character up.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is a significant focus in the game, featuring well-written narratives that enhance the experience and offer meaningful rewards. The character design and style are praised for their strong horror-themed aesthetic, contributing to an engaging atmosphere.
- “It takes up quite a huge chunk of the game, but it is not a bad thing at all as they are very well written and often even used for character development with very worthwhile rewards.”
- “This game screams Halloween and a love of horror from the art and character design to the music you’ll be bopping your head to.”
- “I love the character design and style!”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game offers high replayability through its diverse cast of characters, allowing for various playstyles and customization options. However, some players feel that the overwhelming number of characters limits their ability to fully utilize all available strategies.
- “The game features a completely loaded cast of characters, allowing you to customize your playstyle. While it can be overwhelming at times, this variety definitely adds to the game's replayability.”
- “With multiple story paths and character choices, each playthrough feels unique, enhancing the overall replayability of the game.”
- “The dynamic gameplay mechanics and diverse character interactions ensure that no two playthroughs are the same, making it highly replayable.”
- “The game has a completely loaded cast of characters allowing you to customize the way you play, but the issue is that you can't properly use them in all the ways you want to due to the sheer amount, which limits its replayability.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back. The story doesn't change much, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
- “While the game offers multiple paths, the lack of meaningful choices makes replaying it feel more like a chore than an adventure.”