Inmates

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.

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"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

46%

Audience ScoreBased on 177 reviews

story41 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

The game has an interesting concept and a dark, twisting story that explores psychological themes.
The atmosphere is engaging, with creepy levels and a sense of dread that enhances the experience.
For a short game, it provides a decent narrative and can be enjoyable if purchased on sale.

The gameplay is marred by slow movement speed, making exploration tedious and frustrating.
Puzzles are overly simplistic and lack challenge, leading to a lack of engagement.
The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including poor voice acting and graphical polish.

story
116 mentions
35 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and original, particularly praising its psychological themes and unexpected twists. However, many criticize it for being predictable, poorly executed, and filled with clumsy dialogue, leading to a lack of immersion. Overall, while there are elements of a compelling narrative, execution issues detract from the overall experience.
- “The story literally caught me off guard.”
- “But, as the story unfolded and when it came together at the end I was inspired.”
- “Beyond impressed on the story with Jonathan's nightmare unfolding into a series of memories.”
- “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.”
- “While the idea here was executed a bit poorly (disjointed storyline, irrelevant rooms/items/messages, poor plot reveal, iffy dialogue), the concept itself of a prison representing the mind of a person with dissociative identity disorder has great potential!”
- “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.”
graphics
41 mentions
20 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they fall short of expectations set by promotional materials. Common criticisms include poor visual quality, excessive darkness, and a grainy filter that detracts from the overall experience. While some users found the graphics acceptable, others described them as dismal and lacking polish, suggesting that a significant overhaul could enhance the game's visual appeal.
- “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.”
- “Graphics are great as well.”
- “The graphics are hideous; poor Unreal Engine 4 is maimed beyond recognition.”
- “The graphics are pretty dismal even at max settings with Unreal Engine.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
32 mentions
50 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is frequently praised for its immersive and gloomy qualities, enhanced by effective graphics and sound design, creating a sense of dread. However, some players feel that the lack of real danger undermines the menacing atmosphere, leading to a perception of the gameplay as dull despite its atmospheric strengths. Overall, it is considered a solid choice for those seeking a short, atmospheric experience, particularly in the psychological horror genre.
- “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.”
- “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. This wouldn't be a bad thing (it is a walking simulator after all) except that 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.”
- “Well worth it if you're after atmosphere, and if you're not overly sensitive about some imperfect gameplay mechanics (matches are super annoying), given that this was developed by an extremely small team, and delivers a great experience nonetheless.”
gameplay
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a walking simulator with minimal interaction, featuring light puzzles and slow movement that can lead to a sense of boredom. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements, many criticize the lack of challenge and depth, noting that the gameplay feels uninspired and lacks polish. Overall, it offers a short experience that may appeal to those seeking atmosphere over engaging mechanics.
- “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 sensitive about some imperfect gameplay mechanics (matches are super annoying), 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. This wouldn't be a bad thing (it is a walking simulator after all) except that 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.”
music
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as decent but not particularly memorable, with some users noting it creates a nice atmosphere despite being likened to "sorting algorithm earrape." Overall, while the soundtrack is serviceable, it falls short compared to other titles like "The Fidelio Incident," which offers a more engaging musical experience.
- “Nice music and atmosphere.”
- “Decent music.”
- “Ambience/soundtrack is 'sorting algorithm earrape version 2 hours'.”
- “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.”
optimization
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally praised as excellent, providing good graphics performance despite some technical inconsistencies. However, the overall visual quality, including character models, is criticized as subpar, and the menu design could benefit from improvement.
- “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).”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely criticized, with many users finding it not just unfunny, but genuinely bad. Overall, it fails to deliver any comedic value, leaving players disappointed.
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have stability issues, with multiple users noting that it is somewhat buggy.
- “The game was also a bit buggy.”