Inmates
- October 5, 2017
- Davit Andreasyan
- 4h median play time
Inmates had ambitious intentions and a few good ideas, but these were not executed well at all. Fear and thrills were extinguished by the questionable ‘shaking head’ effect and the game’s puzzles remained overly simplistic and did not feel challenging or rewarding to complete. In addition, I encountered a number of bugs that stopped me from progressing, at points. While this game may be attractively short for some, I cannot recommend the experience.
Get on Steam"Inmates is a single-player horror simulation game with a good plot and unique atmosphere, built using Unreal Engine 4. You play as Jonathan, awakening in a seedy prison cell with no memory of how you got there. Interact with the environment to uncover disturbing imagery and truths, and solve intense, mind-bending puzzles in this frightening and high-quality game. Controller support included."
PC
Reviews
- The game has a decent atmosphere and some interesting story elements that keep players engaged.
- Puzzles are simple and not overly complex, making it accessible for players who prefer a lighter challenge.
- For a low-cost indie game, it offers a unique experience with a psychological horror theme.
- The walking speed is painfully slow, which can lead to frustration during gameplay.
- The graphics and overall presentation are subpar, with many textures appearing muddy and poorly rendered.
- The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including glitches that can disrupt progress and immersion.
- story57 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it predictable and poorly executed, while others appreciate its intriguing concepts and emotional depth. Many critiques highlight issues such as disjointed narrative, clumsy exposition, and lackluster dialogue, though a few commend the story's potential and surprising twists. Overall, while the story has moments of interest, it often falls short of delivering a compelling experience.
“The story literally caught me off guard.”
“But, as the story unfolded and when it came together at the end I was inspired.”
“The story is...actually, it's pretty good, and definitely one of the game's strongest suits.”
“I fail to see what any of it has to do with the story, though.”
“Most of the dialogue just falls flat or is bizarrely dumb, and the plot itself is conveyed with such clumsy, banal exposition that even if it were incredibly original (it's not), you'd still cringe with how the information is delivered.”
“If the story was salvageable, the shallow gameplay would be acceptable, but it's more of the same tried-and-true 'amnesiac with a predictable plot twist' scenario.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while there are some decent visuals, they are often marred by grainy filters, poor lighting, and a lack of graphical options. Some users express disappointment, stating that the graphics do not live up to the promises made in promotional materials, and overall, the visual quality is described as subpar, with character models and technical performance being particularly criticized. Despite a few positive remarks about the atmosphere and performance on lower settings, the consensus leans towards the graphics being a significant drawback.
“There is a gloomy, menacing atmosphere in the game, and the graphics and sound effects enhance it remarkably.”
“Graphically speaking, my humble laptop was able to give me an enjoyable scary playground on the lowest setting.”
“Good graphics performance.”
“Unfortunately, in reality, it looks a bit different and the game can't actually keep any of its promises such as intense and mind-bending puzzles, suffocating setting, disturbing imagery, or high-quality graphics.”
“The graphics are hideous; poor Unreal Engine 4 is maimed beyond recognition.”
“Don't be too fooled by the graphics in the screenshots and trailers on the store page; they're not as spectacular as they may seem.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by strong graphics and sound effects that create a gloomy, menacing environment. While many players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and psychological horror elements, some critique the lack of real danger and engaging gameplay, suggesting that the atmosphere alone may not be enough to sustain interest. Overall, it is recognized as a compelling experience for those seeking a short, atmospheric game, despite some gameplay shortcomings.
“The atmosphere had me engrossed in the world.”
“There is a gloomy, menacing atmosphere in the game, and the graphics and sound effects enhance it remarkably.”
“It becomes painfully obvious that despite all the atmosphere of dread, you are in no physical danger whatsoever, and a menacing atmosphere means nothing if there's no bite to it.”
“It's a nice little walking simulator with an eerie atmosphere.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a short, walking simulator experience that often feels aimless and lacks engaging mechanics, with players primarily wandering and solving overly simplistic puzzles. While the atmosphere is praised, many reviewers express disappointment in the lack of challenge and depth, noting that the gameplay feels uninspired and could benefit from more polish and variety. Overall, it may appeal to those seeking a strong atmosphere, but the gameplay mechanics leave much to be desired.
“Short but awesome story and gameplay.”
“After finishing the game, I must admit, it was a well-spent 3.5 hours of gameplay and sometimes aimlessly walking around, but it was fun!”
“Well worth it if you're after atmosphere, and if you're not overly critical about some imperfect gameplay mechanics, given that this was developed by an extremely small team and delivers a great experience nonetheless.”
“Except for one chase sequence in a maze (almost at the conclusion), you will find yourself just wandering around picking up books (which you can't interact with beyond looking at the covers), solving very light puzzles (most of which are painfully obvious) and opening doors. It becomes painfully obvious that despite all the atmosphere of dread, you are in no physical danger whatsoever, and a menacing atmosphere means nothing if there's no bite to it.”
“It's really just disappointing, because this had some potential, and it just squandered it with uninspired, toothless gameplay, and lackluster writing.”
“Armed with extremely slow movement, some stick matches, and relatively no mechanics at all, you, yourself, not your character, die of boredom in real life.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as decent but unremarkable, with some users finding it to be overly chaotic or not particularly memorable. While it contributes to the atmosphere, it does not stand out compared to other titles, such as "The Fidelio Incident," which is noted for its superior soundtrack and storytelling.
“Nice music and atmosphere.”
“If you want a 'find the pages' game with a better story, great usage of the UE4 engine and a far better soundtrack, pick up a copy of The Fidelio Incident.”
“The ambience and soundtrack feel like a 'sorting algorithm earrape' for 2 hours.”
“If you're looking for a 'find the pages' game with a better story, great usage of the UE4 engine, and a far better soundtrack, pick up a copy of The Fidelio Incident.”
“Decent music.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization is praised for its excellent performance, particularly in graphics, despite some technical inconsistencies. However, the menu design and character models are criticized, with the latter described as unattractive and the voice acting deemed mediocre.
“For what it's worth, the optimization is excellent, although the menu could use a bit of sprucing up as well.”
“Good graphics performance”
“The voice acting is mediocre at best; the graphics are a long way from anything to write home about; the technical performance is a bit wonky considering how underwhelming the graphics are; and the character models are ugly in the extreme (and not always in a deliberate way).”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely criticized, with many users finding it unfunny and poorly executed, rather than amusingly bad. Overall, it fails to deliver any comedic value, leaving players disappointed.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have several bugs, indicating issues with stability that may affect the overall gameplay experience.
“The game was also a bit buggy.”
“I experienced frequent crashes that made it unplayable.”
“There were numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
Critic Reviews
Inmates Review
Inmates had ambitious intentions and a few good ideas, but these were not executed well at all. Fear and thrills were extinguished by the questionable ‘shaking head’ effect and the game’s puzzles remained overly simplistic and did not feel challenging or rewarding to complete. In addition, I encountered a number of bugs that stopped me from progressing, at points. While this game may be attractively short for some, I cannot recommend the experience.
30%Horror That Doesn’t Go the Distance
60%Inmates Review – Better Served as a Movie Adaptation
55%
