In Woods

About

In Woods is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Vision Party and was released on November 23, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

In Woods is a psychological horror adventure game where you play as Esther, a woman searching for her missing son in a mysterious forest. The forest holds many supernatural secrets and a dark past that you will need to uncover. As Esther, you will face challenging puzzles, make difficult decisions, and confront your deepest fears in order to find your son and escape the woods.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and addictive gameplay loop with a variety of characters and unique abilities, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
Crafting and resource gathering add depth to the gameplay, enhancing the survival experience and providing a rewarding progression system.
The low-poly art style and vibrant environments create an immersive atmosphere, complemented by engaging combat mechanics.

The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to crashes and performance drops, especially on higher settings.
There are major balance problems, particularly in the later levels, where difficulty spikes can feel unfair and frustrating.
The English translations and item descriptions are often unclear, making it difficult for players to understand mechanics and upgrades.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of fast-paced action and slower progression, with players enjoying the engaging combat loop and unique mechanics like permanent upgrades. However, some users noted issues with movement speed, unclear item descriptions, and a lack of balance, particularly regarding difficulty spikes and resource management. Overall, while the gameplay is fun and visually appealing, it could benefit from refinements to enhance clarity and pacing.
- “Really fun simple gameplay loop, unique character designs, & enjoyable mechanics such as permanent upgrades & bonus stat values.”
- “After sinking several hours into this game, I’m hooked, and here’s why: the gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, with a satisfying loop of fighting monsters, leveling up, and choosing magic items that meaningfully impact your build.”
- “The simple and solid gameplay is the soul of the game.”
- “Progression is slow, movement is slow, the mechanic of switching between melee and ranged is weird.”
- “You gather wood for upgrades but in the course of the 20 minute rounds it's incredibly easy to just harvest all of it and not be able to upgrade at the last couple of upgrade screens (maybe it could use some sort of regrowth or interest mechanic?) The base game sound is incredibly loud (I'm at like 3% and 8% volume sliders.) The item descriptions are not always clear or well explained (what's final critical vs. critical?) The 'survivor rank' score screen has to fully animate before you can skip it, and it doesn't actually seem to matter for progression.”
- “It seems there are regular updates, so I hope some attention is paid to evening out some of the bumps, glitches, and unexplained mechanics in coming patches.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
12%
25%
The graphics feature a consistent low-poly art style that is both clean and charming, enhancing the immersive atmosphere of the game. While many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and overall aesthetic, some have reported performance issues, including overheating and crashes. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, especially with diverse character designs and engaging environments.
- “The low-poly art style is clean and charming, and the vibrant grasslands create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The low poly 3D aesthetic is nice, and with 5 very different characters, 3 increasingly difficult maps, a lot of permanent upgrades and a solid variety on the field, this one is certainly a grower.”
- “Very fun indie game with nice graphics, proper stage design and solid gameplay.”
- “The art style is consistent, but if you are not a fan of polygons, then you won't enjoy this simple approach.”
- “I don't know what it is with this low-poly graphics set, but it overheats my computer like crazy.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
The game's stability is criticized for being unoptimized, leading to frequent crashes and glitches, especially during higher levels of play and after matches. While users report numerous bugs, there is hope for improvement with regular updates addressing these issues. Overall, the game runs well but suffers from significant stability problems.
- “Not a terrible game; it runs great and is simple to understand.”
- “The game is incredibly stable, with no crashes or bugs during my playtime.”
- “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
- “However, it is terribly unoptimized, which means crashes and freezes on higher levels of play.”
- “It seems there are regular updates, so I hope some attention is paid to evening out some of the bumps, glitches, and unexplained mechanics in coming patches.”
- “The game is buggy, particularly at the end of a match after you die and how it impacts the menu.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during higher levels of play. Even with player effects turned off, performance remains problematic, indicating a need for substantial improvements.
- “The game requires optimization; even with player effects disabled, it can struggle.”
- “While the gameplay is engaging, it suffers from optimization issues that lead to crashes and freezes at higher levels.”
- “However, it is terribly unoptimized, which means crashes and freezes on higher levels of play.”
- “Needs optimization; even with player effects disabled, it can struggle.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere is characterized by a blend of gloomy pixel art that enhances tension through relentless enemy pressure, while the clean low-poly art style and vibrant grasslands contribute to an immersive and charming environment.
- “The low-poly art style is clean and charming, and the vibrant grasslands create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The pixel art gives the world a gloomy atmosphere, and the constant pressure of enemies keeps the pace quick and tense.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating, as the effort required to gather resources and earn upgrades often results in minimal improvements to gameplay. The imbalance in upgrades leads to a sense of dissatisfaction, with many feeling that the small benefits gained do not justify the time spent grinding.
- “But the balance is horrid; upgrades feel like nothing despite being a bit grindy to obtain. It's a horrible feeling leveling up and seeing available upgrades all decrease your damage for small benefits. What's the point in that?”
- “Grinding feels tedious and unfulfilling, as the rewards often don't match the effort put in.”
- “The grind is relentless, making it hard to enjoy the game when you're constantly stuck in repetitive tasks.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised, described as amazing and complementing the lovely art and smooth gameplay.
- “The art was lovely, the music amazing, and the gameplay smooth.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is highlighted through unique character designs and a fun gameplay loop that incorporates permanent upgrades and bonus stat values, enhancing the overall experience and engagement with the characters.
- “The character development is incredibly engaging, with unique designs and a gameplay loop that keeps you coming back for more.”
- “I love how the permanent upgrades and bonus stat values enhance the characters, making each playthrough feel fresh and rewarding.”
- “The mechanics of character progression are enjoyable, allowing for a deep connection with the characters as they evolve throughout the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game boasts high replayability due to its 16 unique characters, each with their own distinct melee and ranged attacks, encouraging players to experiment with different playstyles.
- “The variety of 16 unique characters, from gravity mages to assassins, adds tons of replayability, as each offers distinct melee and ranged attacks.”
- “Every playthrough feels fresh due to the different character abilities and playstyles, making me want to dive back in for more.”
- “The dynamic environments and random events ensure that no two games are ever the same, keeping the experience exciting and engaging.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling consistently positive and trusting in the developer's decisions, which are perceived as fair, honest, and thoughtful. This trust enhances their overall gaming experience, fostering a sense of satisfaction and loyalty.
- “Playing this game consistently made me feel good, and I never regretted my total trust in the decisions made for it, knowing they would always be fair, honest, and thoughtful.”