IMSCARED
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Get on itch.io Store"Imscared is a single-player horror action game with a good story, humor, and a splendid atmosphere. It features high-quality graphics and unique game mechanics, but can be very grinding and emotionally intense. The game contains heavy themes, including suicide and loneliness, and recommends player discretion. Players are encouraged to visit the game's website or Discord server for support."
Windows
Reviews
- IMSCARED is a unique horror game that effectively uses meta elements, such as creating files on your desktop, to enhance the gameplay experience.
- The atmosphere and sound design are exceptional, creating a genuinely creepy and unsettling environment that keeps players on edge.
- The puzzles are clever and require players to think outside the box, making for an engaging and immersive experience.
- The game can be frustrating due to frequent crashes and the requirement to restart Steam, which disrupts the flow of gameplay.
- Some puzzles can be overly cryptic or tedious, leading to moments of confusion and frustration for players.
- The reliance on jump scares can detract from the overall horror experience, making it feel less original over time.
- story132 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mix of engaging and cryptic elements, often requiring players to piece together the narrative through exploration and unconventional gameplay mechanics. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and unique storytelling approach, some find the plot confusing and lacking in clarity, leading to varied interpretations. Overall, the story is seen as a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its atmosphere and player experience, despite some criticisms regarding its coherence and replay value.
“I really adore this game; it's a very neat experience with a nice story to back it.”
“The story is deep and actually well written, and it doesn't feel like every other indie horror game out there where the story is just about a haunting.”
“It combines interesting storytelling and very tricky puzzles to create an experience that you (hopefully) won't soon forget.”
“The story isn't all that interesting because it's just another cryptic, obscure, dead people storyline that you've seen in every other horror game, but you don't play this for the story.”
“The only small complaint that I have is the fact that the story is way too open for interpretation and there are very few hints as to what is actually going on, but some players may find this aspect good too.”
“I have no clue what actually happened in the story and the ending felt highly inconclusive.”
- gameplay101 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Imscared" is highly praised for its originality and unique mechanics, particularly its use of fourth-wall breaks and file manipulation, which create an immersive and unsettling experience. Players appreciate the clever puzzles that require thinking outside the game, although some find the gameplay can be frustrating at times due to its abstract nature. Overall, the game is recognized for its engaging atmosphere, innovative design, and the ability to keep players on their toes with unexpected gameplay elements.
“It's one of, if not the original 'pixelated style' horror games, and one of the first I ever saw to utilize fourth-wall breaks and file management as a major gameplay mechanic.”
“Amazing psychological horror with fun and interesting mechanics and surprising jump scares that keep you engaged and terrified.”
“The game has a habit of adding files onto your computer (in its own folder, don't worry) and even utilizes them for gameplay and to add to the immersion.”
“The gameplay puzzles in these sections also don't work well, and between the headache from puzzling about abstract ways to continue, from having to stare at the awful graphics and listen to the grating sounds, it's hard to find any reason to even continue.”
“I really tried to like this game, in fact, I loved it up until the middle when even though I had 'solved' a puzzle, the mechanics of the game made it almost impossible to pass. I got to this point of the game without a walkthrough and to be driven to the point where I had to look up a walkthrough to make sure I was playing the game right, and to find out I was, infuriates me.”
“The full release version of a free game that surfaced on the internet in 2012 called 'Imscared: A Pixelated Nightmare', Imscared's Steam version contains 2-3 hours of start-stop gameplay in which it repeatedly crashes, 'ends', or cheats in some way to force you out of the game and restart it.”
- atmosphere89 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to create a deeply unsettling and immersive horror experience, enhanced by effective sound design and retro pixel graphics. Many reviewers highlight the game's unique blend of tension, creepiness, and innovative mechanics, which contribute to a sense of dread that lingers throughout gameplay. While some mention the overuse of jump scares, the overall consensus is that the atmospheric elements are what truly elevate the game, making it a standout in the horror genre.
“This game is atmospheric horror done to perfection.”
“The atmosphere is absolutely amazing and the art is just as good.”
“The atmosphere is good, the story is good, the ending is amazing (took me a few minutes to realize where everything went).”
“The atmosphere of the game is incredibly effective at creating a sense of unease and fear.”
“It seems alright at first, and kind of reminds me of the atmosphere of games like Ghoul's Forest, due to the ominous darkness in the game, but I don't think it provides a satisfying or believable setting in its visual design.”
“Unfortunately, that atmosphere was ruined multiple times for me as I died to frustrating/annoying things like getting caught on walls, not understanding puzzles with time components, etc.”
- graphics88 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Imscared" are characterized by a simplistic, pixelated art style that evokes a retro aesthetic reminiscent of old PS1 games. While some players appreciate the unique and atmospheric qualities of the visuals, others criticize them for being poorly executed and difficult to interpret, which can detract from gameplay. Overall, the graphics effectively contribute to the game's unsettling atmosphere, demonstrating that impactful horror can be achieved without high-end visuals.
“Imscared stands out in its sound design, art style, and gameplay even more than a decade later.”
“The graphics and audio are used well to maintain a spooky environment, and there isn't much to criticize this game for.”
“The pixelated graphics really lend to this (I love pixel horror) since it skews with your head a little bit and plays with your imagination; a red, blotchy room making 'squish squish' noises when I walk in it is far more effective to me than just straight gore.”
“Many people consider graphics to be the selling point of a game, and if that's you, steer clear of this title.”
“The graphics aren't just bad, they're terribly done, to the point that it's really hard to read things, or to even figure out what some of the things you're looking at even are.”
“That would be fine except that the visuals are nauseatingly blurry and pixelated and the movement is super janky.”
- music30 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere and contributing to its unsettling vibe, with many reviewers noting its effectiveness in creating a spooky experience despite the minimal soundtrack. However, the music box segment received significant criticism for detracting from the overall mood. Overall, the sound design, including ambient sounds and subtle musical moments, is highlighted as a key element that elevates the game's horror elements.
“The sound effects and music are really good and really support that unsettling vibe.”
“The few music tracks you hear throughout the game added to the atmosphere of the game very well.”
“The atmosphere is menacing, the scares are terrifying, the music is creepy and fitting, and the ending is unforgettable.”
“Imscared doesn't really have music.”
“The damn music ruins the mood sometimes.”
“There's creepy music and the scares are almost exclusively just things jumping out at you in-game while you try to solve tedious puzzles.”
- humor21 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- -10 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny and enjoyable, particularly through quirky characters and absurd scenarios. However, others criticize the humor as forced or annoying, especially when it disrupts gameplay. Overall, while many appreciate the comedic elements, there are notable frustrations that detract from the experience for some players.
“Cool scareware game that includes a funny ghost girl that activates players' neurons.”
“The people I meet in this game almost always create a funny scene I would never see in any other game. The gameplay is fun, it's balanced in its own way, and the characters are so good that I think of them every day in some sort of situation that fits their psychotic personality.”
“Funny pixel face guy helps me cope with my abandonment issues and question my life. 10/10.”
“Making my game close when I die is not impressive, not funny, not amusing; it's just simply annoying. I don't want to reopen this garbage 10 times.”
“The attempts at humor feel forced and fall flat, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“I expected some lighthearted moments, but instead, the jokes were stale and often missed the mark entirely.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players who describe it as a profound journey that elicits a range of feelings, from fear to deep sadness, often leading to tears. Many reviewers note the game's ability to create an unnerving atmosphere while also delivering emotionally raw endings that resonate long after playing. However, some critiques mention that the plot can be confusing and may not effectively align with the emotional responses it seeks to evoke.
“It always felt to me like an emotional journey, with more to the story than just scares.”
“I won't go into the endings, but they are very emotionally raw, and I think the build-up throughout the game was done well.”
“It's one of the scariest games I've ever played, but it's also an emotional masterpiece, up there with the greatest movies and books.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the requirement to complete all achievements for the ending, which disrupts the game's momentum. Many reviews highlight that the puzzles are often boring and not rewarding enough, leading to a lackluster experience that feels more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I was liking it until the 'get all achievements to unlock the ending' part, absolutely killed the momentum and was overall tedious.”
“The puzzles in here are painfully boring and tedious: because it's simply not worth racking your brain for a 2 euro indie game that by the end will give you a 'thanks for playing'.”
“But this game is an absolute mess, just tedious, frustrating, and annoying.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, as many players feel it is designed for a single, impactful experience rather than multiple playthroughs. While some enjoy revisiting the game for its puzzles or narrative nuances, the strong ties between its endings and the immersive experience often diminish the incentive to replay.
“Puzzles can be tricky, but once you get the hang of it, the game is very fun and easily replayable.”
“It has plenty of replayability value, at least for me.”
“I still love this game and the ambiguity in how it tells the story; the meta elements feel original and have good replay value that's made me avoid the bad ending 7 times now.”
“There isn't much replay value being a sort of 'gimmicky' narrative-driven game, so once you've experienced the full game and story once, there isn't much reason to go back.”
“I'm not too sure about replayability, since this game feels to be made to be enjoyed once, and everything after that is for fun.”
“It may shock and fascinate you on the first playthrough more than many other games, though its replayability factor is quite low.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with numerous users reporting significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some glitches are intentionally designed to enhance the game's psychological elements, many players encounter frustrating issues like screen freezes and awkward movement. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, impacting its enjoyment and playability.
“There are a lot of fun and clever things about this game, but I can't recommend it simply based on the number of glitches and headaches.”
“Unfortunately, this game is buggy: it shows as 'running' in Steam even after it closes.”
“The game is buggy, which is a problem since you are meant to be deceived by bugs, but some of the bugs are genuine bugs and you may spend a while trying to see the 'metahorror' in them before you check a walkthrough and realize that actually it's bad programming.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is effectively conveyed through the design of the "evil entities," which enhances the game's atmosphere and contributes to the overall sense of fear. The subtle jumpscares and immersive environments further support the emotional depth of the characters, creating a compelling experience for players.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way throughout the game.”
“The characters seem to be mere stereotypes, and their development is so minimal that it detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game has received a recent optimization update that enhances its performance, making it an ideal time to play, especially with the Halloween season approaching.
“The game recently came out with a small optimization/remaster update, and with Halloween around the corner, now's a good time to play it.”
