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 a sense of dread and tension.
- It features multiple endings and well-thought-out puzzles that encourage exploration and replayability.
- The pixel art style, while simple, adds to the eerie aesthetic and complements the horror elements of the game.
- The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, with many areas consisting of locked doors and fetch quests.
- Some puzzles are poorly explained or frustrating, leading to confusion and potential reliance on walkthroughs.
- The lack of a save system and only having one save file makes it cumbersome to go back for different endings.
- atmosphere62 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 5 % 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.”
“The atmosphere is very, very well done and manages to be subtle, which is something sorely lacking in other titles like Outlast.”
“The atmosphere in this game is dark, tense, and dreadful.”
“The atmosphere is tense as fuck, so even though the sprites aren't that scary on their own, you'll still get some spooky moments from the combination.”
“Despite being made in Unity engine, the environment is eerie and well set up, with a chilling and foreboding atmosphere.”
“While short and not terribly developed, the game has a gloomy and dark atmosphere and uses this to its advantage.”
- story60 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 find it lacking depth and coherence. Hand-drawn cinematics and scattered notes contribute to the narrative, but many feel the overall plot is underdeveloped or formulaic. Despite its flaws, the story's creepiness and the effective use of sound design create a memorable experience for horror enthusiasts.
“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.”
“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.”
- graphics54 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist pixelated art style that effectively contributes to its eerie atmosphere, with a unique black, white, and red color scheme. While some players appreciate the charm and mood set by the visuals, others criticize the lack of detail and the clash between in-game graphics and cutscenes. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some finding them effective for horror, while others view them as a drawback.
“Aesthetically, the game pulls off the minimalist pixelated look using only shades of monochrome and a blood red color.”
“Good psychological horror title with retro 'build-like' 2.5D graphics that manages to be extremely eerie and unnerving.”
“So much atmosphere and feeling packed into minimalist visuals.”
“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.”
“It also happens to be easy, and doesn't need any proper talent in terms of game development or graphic artists. That's why reviewers are faced with so many of these terrible games with confrontingly bad graphics.”
“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 pants, and it would probably have been improved by a more detailed environment.”
- music29 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a well-crafted soundtrack that complements the eerie and tense moments throughout. Reviewers highlight the chilling and emotionally stirring tracks, which effectively contribute to the game's horror elements and immersive experience. Overall, the sound design is considered a standout feature, elevating the gameplay and narrative.
“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.”
“The atmosphere is also genuinely well done, with terrific audio, solid music, and creepy details that really stand out.”
“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 a chaotic situation.”
“Every story-based indie game has to have a stupid pretentious story that makes no goddamn sense and tries to challenge your perspective on 'how video games should be played!!!' it's complete and utter bullshit and, to quote a favorite YouTuber of mine, 'reminds me of the pretentiousness of the indie music scene, right down to the corporatization.'”
- gameplay25 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 add replay value. 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 include the lack of gameplay options that limit you to just 'running away' when confronted; you can't exactly hide or react accordingly to avoid an encounter.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability due to its multiple endings and unlockable extras, which encourage players to revisit it for a fuller experience. However, once all endings are achieved, some players feel that replay value diminishes significantly. Overall, while the game provides a decent incentive to replay, its longevity may be limited after exploring all content.
“I'm cool with having multiple endings as they do give this game some replay value.”
“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.”
“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.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game offers a deeply emotional experience, enhanced by its stirring soundtrack and the haunting sounds of the ghosts. The subtle movement of the screen adds to the immersive atmosphere, making it particularly impactful for those who resonate with its themes. The heartfelt acknowledgment of contributions in the credits further enriches the emotional connection.
“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.”
- grinding2 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, though some note 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.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by a particularly funny ending, with many users praising "Into the Gloom" as one of the most hilarious games they've ever experienced.
“The funny ending is truly hilarious.”
“Into the Gloom is perhaps the most hilarious game I've ever played in my entire life.”
