Into The Gloom
- April 7, 2015
- Flying Interactive
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Into The Gloom" is a first-person puzzle solving horror game that uses only black, white, and red colors to create a suspenseful atmosphere. The game features 18 levels with dynamic puzzles and terrifying events as you try to escape from "The Shadow." With five possible endings, players must prepare for a cinematic horror experience with headphones recommended for a more immersive jump scare-filled adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a great atmosphere and sound design that effectively creates tension and dread.
- Multiple endings and well-thought-out puzzles add replay value and depth to the gameplay.
- The pixel art style, while simple, contributes to the eerie and unsettling mood of the game.
- The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, often relying on fetch quests and poorly explained puzzles.
- Navigation can be confusing due to the level design, leading to frustration when trying to progress.
- The story lacks depth and coherence, with some players finding it cliché and poorly executed.
- atmosphere124 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its tension and dread, effectively immersing players in a creepy and unsettling environment enhanced by excellent sound design and music. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke fear through atmosphere rather than relying solely on jump scares, creating a sense of isolation and foreboding. Overall, the combination of atmospheric visuals, sound, and storytelling contributes to a compelling horror experience that resonates with players.
“The atmosphere and sound design is really great, the story is subtly woven in but effective, with multiple endings, and there are some interesting puzzles that are fair but don't hold your hand.”
“Very unsettling; the atmosphere does a great job of instilling a sense of dread and of being watched by something menacing.”
“This game is damn good, very atmospheric and spot on in terms of nailing the claustrophobic effect of being totally isolated in a hospital searching for answers, an unraveling storyline and compelling musical score!”
“I found it too cliché and the puzzles were unrelated to the atmosphere.”
“Sure it throws in some instant deaths and jump scares to attempt to keep you afraid, but once you realize that the only penalty for death is an atmosphere obliterating cutscene, the game loses every bit of tension.”
“There are five endings and I unlocked only one as I did not like the depressing and horror atmosphere.”
- story120 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its intriguing atmosphere and multiple endings that enhance replay value, while others criticize it for being underdeveloped or unclear. Hand-drawn cinematics and scattered notes contribute to the narrative, but many feel the story lacks depth and coherence, overshadowed by gameplay elements. Overall, it offers a blend of creepy themes and engaging puzzles, though expectations should be tempered regarding its narrative strength.
“The atmosphere and sound design is really great, the story is subtly woven in but effective, with multiple endings, and there are some interesting puzzles that are fair but don't hold your hand.”
“The story is fascinating and well told, puzzles are fun and intuitive, I felt compelled to get every ending & would recommend this game to any horror lover.”
“To top it off, Into the Gloom offers a detailed and complex story, which can guide you in getting the game's 5 endings.”
“Notes are lying around, but the story they try to convey is unclear and not very interesting.”
“The story, what little there is, also feels rather formulaic and that it was written by a teenager (it reminds me a lot of what I used to write in my high school days).”
“The story seems to be poorly translated from another language and you would be better off spending your time and money on another indie pixel horror like Lone Survivor.”
- graphics108 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a minimalist pixelated art style that effectively contributes to its eerie atmosphere, utilizing a monochrome palette with splashes of red. While some players appreciate the unique aesthetic and find it enhances the horror experience, others criticize the graphics as basic or lacking detail, particularly in cutscenes. Overall, the visuals evoke a strong mood, though opinions vary on their execution and impact on gameplay.
“Aesthetically, the game pulls off the minimalist pixelated look using only shades of monochrome and a blood red color.”
“The simple art style lends itself well to horror, as it allows imagination to fill in the gaps in a way that's incredibly effective.”
“Good psychological horror title with retro 'build-like' 2.5D graphics that manages to be extremely eerie and unnerving.”
“Into the gloom is a fairly run-of-the-mill 'haunted hospital/house/apartment/asylum' horror jumpscare first-person adventure, with the specific differentiator here that the graphics are particularly terrible.”
“However, I really did not like the pixel graphics. I am not one to hold poor graphics against a game, but it does feel like it was a conscious decision to make it look a bit lackluster, and it would probably have been improved by a more detailed environment.”
“The worst issue for me is... the art style, not the in-game graphics. I found its red and grey aesthetic to be quite awesome, that it complemented the game's setting extremely well, but in a pretty jarring contrast - the artwork in the cutscenes was honestly awful and very painful to look at.”
- music58 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "Into the Gloom" is widely praised for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with a soundtrack that is described as tense, brooding, and perfectly suited to the horror elements. Reviewers appreciate the intricate sound design, which includes eerie noises and chilling ambient tracks that contribute to a sense of isolation and urgency. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that elevates the gaming experience, making it a memorable aspect of this indie horror title.
“Cool music tracks, soundscape elaborated with attention.”
“The eerie noises always make me be on alert and the soundtrack makes me feel like I'm either in despair or a chaotic situation.”
“Just having the right atmosphere, music, sounds, and situation makes this into one of the masterpieces of indie horror games.”
“A music puzzle ruined this game.”
“The eerie noises always make me be on alert, and the soundtrack makes me feel like I'm either in despair or in a chaotic situation.”
“Every story-based indie game has to have a stupid pretentious story that makes no sense and tries to challenge your perspective on 'how video games should be played!' It's complete and utter nonsense, and it reminds me of the pretentiousness of the indie music scene.”
- gameplay50 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it boring and lacking depth, while others appreciate its simplicity and engaging mechanics. Many noted that it features basic elements typical of indie horror games, such as puzzle-solving and running from enemies, but some enjoyed the optional content and multiple endings that enhance replayability. Overall, while the gameplay may not be groundbreaking, it effectively maintains player interest for several hours.
“Gameplay is great, the puzzles aren't that hard and the controls feel good.”
“Great gameplay, awesome story and many unlockables that will keep you hooked for a while.”
“Furthermore, there is a huge amount of gameplay with multiple endings for only $3.”
“The gameplay was mostly boring.”
“Interesting spooky atmosphere, but gameplay-wise it's barebones and boring.”
“The few gripes I've had, starting with the most minor: is the lack of gameplay options that limit you to just 'running away' when being confronted; you can't exactly hide nor react accordingly to avoid an encounter; just make a mad dash from point A to point B.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability primarily due to its multiple endings and unlockable extras, which encourage players to revisit it for a fuller experience. However, once all endings are achieved, replay value diminishes significantly, leaving some players feeling that the overall content could be expanded. Overall, while the game provides a decent incentive to replay, its longevity is limited after completing all available content.
“I will be replaying this game to get the other ending, giving this game great replay value.”
“The game also has multiple endings, so there's a bit of replay value, and for what they're charging, I think it's really worth it.”
“There are extras you can unlock to fill you in on backstory and also multiple endings to unlock, so the game does have replay value.”
“The downside is that the game has zero replay value once you've beaten all 5 endings.”
“The story is overshadowed by the gameplay and is mediocre at best, but it does add replay value with collectibles to unlock for further information.”
“It's a shame it's not a bit longer, but the game does have multiple endings so there is the option for replayability.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game delivers a deeply emotional experience, enhanced by its stirring soundtrack and the haunting sounds of the ghosts. The subtle visual movements and the heartfelt credits at the end contribute to a profound connection, making it particularly impactful for some gamers.
“This was one of my more emotional gaming experiences.”
“Everything from the moans and groans the ghosts make to the emotionally stirring soundtrack.”
“This hits me a little harder emotionally than it might for other gamers.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and somewhat boring, especially at the beginning. Despite recognizing the effort put into the game, many struggle to enjoy the grinding mechanics, although some suggest that it becomes more manageable with time.
“While I can tell a lot of work was put into this game and I really wanted to like it, I found it mostly boring and somewhat tedious.”
“It gets tedious and hard to get used to at first, but you'll get the hang of it.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Into the Gloom" is widely praised, with many players finding it to be exceptionally funny, particularly highlighting its amusing ending. Overall, it is considered one of the most hilarious games they have ever experienced.
“Into the Gloom is perhaps the most hilarious game I've ever played in my entire life.”
“Funny ending is pretty funny.”
