Irony Of Nightmare

About

Irony Of Nightmare is a single player action game. It was developed by Steppe Hare Studio and was released on December 12, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

In the Irony of Nightmare things aren't always as they seem. Those who decide to solve all puzzles of the game, not only will unravel true secret of house, but also will open completely different ending of the story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 215 reviews

story11 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Irony of Nightmare offers a unique holiday horror experience with a creepy atmosphere and effective jump scares.
The game is short but engaging, with puzzles that encourage exploration and attention to detail, making it a fun play for its low price.
Despite its simplicity, the game successfully creates tension and unease, making it a memorable quick horror experience.

The game suffers from clunky mechanics, such as difficult door interactions and bugs that can hinder progress.
Many players found the story to be lacking depth and coherence, with some puzzles being frustratingly vague or broken.
While the game is cheap, its brevity and reliance on predictable jump scares may leave some players feeling unsatisfied.

story
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal or incoherent, relying heavily on environmental storytelling and mood rather than a substantial narrative. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the potential for varied endings, many find the plot lacking depth and coherence, with simplistic puzzles and a reliance on familiar horror tropes. Overall, the experience is described as short and unsatisfying for those seeking a rich narrative, though it may appeal to fans of indie horror games looking for a brief, atmospheric experience.
- “Ultimately, the irony of nightmare succeeds as a small, atmospheric horror story built around unease, mystery, and emotional contrast.”
- “There's a creepy story behind it all, with varied endings.”
- “This game is short but has a great story; I loved playing the game.”
- “But overall the puzzles felt simple, most of the scares and the 'antagonist' if you could call it that, felt cheap and the storyline just wasn't there.”
- “The story is basically nonexistent.”
- “There's no continuation in what little story there is, and that just makes the entire experience rather pointless.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
15%
9%
The atmosphere in "Irony of Nightmare" is widely praised for its effective use of sound, lighting, and environmental details to create a sense of unease and tension, particularly through the contrast of festive décor with horror elements. While some players noted that the game lacks depth in gameplay and scares, many found the atmospheric experience to be memorable and engaging, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of short psychological horror games. Overall, the game excels in crafting a chilling ambiance that enhances its holiday horror theme.
- “As you take your first steps through the halls, the game relies not on gore or violence, but on atmosphere: the creak of floorboards, the flicker of lights, the sense that the house itself is watching.”
- “Ultimately, Irony of Nightmare succeeds as a small, atmospheric horror story built around unease, mystery, and emotional contrast.”
- “The lighting effects also play a central role in maintaining the creepy atmosphere, and the fireworks display at the end really convinced me of its symbolism as a bittersweet reward.”
- “This 2017 horror game fails to deliver on any real scares or atmosphere.”
- “It kinda ruins the atmosphere when something happens in every room!”
- “The initially positive (call it festive) atmosphere quickly turns to nightmare.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The gameplay of "Irony of Nightmare" is characterized by clunky movement and a reliance on jump scares, creating a focused yet modest horror experience. While it features some puzzle-solving elements and unique mechanics, the overall depth and variety are lacking, leading to a short playtime of around 30 minutes to an hour. Despite its atmospheric strengths, many players feel the gameplay falls short, resembling a student project with limited engagement.
- “Gameplay consists of puzzle solving and along the way you are presented with jumpscares and you also get the opportunity to see some gory stuff.”
- “Gameplay is great.”
- “This game turns clunky movement, jump scares, and 'was that supposed to happen?' moments into the core gameplay loop.”
- “While the atmosphere is the game’s strongest component, the irony of nightmare is intentionally modest in its gameplay ambitions.”
- “Gameplay is glitchy; there is a backstory but it is not depicted or explored in depth at all, it's like 'random b*llsh*t go!'.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
22%
14%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the beautiful visuals and effective use of Unreal Engine 4, contributing to an immersive and spooky atmosphere. However, some players noted occasional graphical glitches and compared the visuals to other indie horror titles. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “Great visuals, very cool monster design, great soundtrack (peep that Mr. Ballen theme) and a great time!”
- “Immersive, great graphics.”
- “10/10 for graphics, realistic and the game has some good scares, different possible endings also. Highly recommend and hope the creators of the game release more games!”
- “The only thing that annoyed me a little bit is that I had a graphical glitch every time I looked up and down.”
- “Has its graphical glitches.”
- “In terms of graphics, Irony of Nightmare is as basic as most of these indie horror games get.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's music is characterized by a minimalist approach that enhances the atmosphere of isolation and tension, effectively complementing the eerie visuals and creature design. While some players appreciate the chilling soundtrack and specific themes, others criticize the lack of audio controls, making it difficult to manage background music. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's unsettling ambiance, despite some limitations in sound effects and voice acting.
- “Instead of orchestral stings or overbearing music cues, the audio design relies on minimalism, heightening the player’s sensitivity to their surroundings and reinforcing the feeling of isolation.”
- “Great visuals, very cool monster design, great soundtrack (peep that Mr. Ballen theme) and a great time!”
- “It has jump scares throughout the game and conveys the feeling of tension when moving throughout the house with music cues to bolster the feeling of tension while playing.”
- “Bewilderingly, the game doesn't include proper audio controls, so you can't turn off the annoying background music; you'll need to alt+tab out and stop the music using the Windows sound mixer.”
- “The sound of the Christmas music in the background added to the uneasy feeling.”
- “No voice acting and a limited selection of sound effects, but at least the soundtrack was just as chilling as the rest of the story.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, delivering good performance without any noticeable instability or glitches. Reviewers highlight its polished nature and effective atmosphere, contributing to an overall solid experience.
- “The performance is good.”
- “Outside of that, as I said, it was pretty well polished, with good performance, an uneasy atmosphere, and solid jumpscares.”
- “The performance never showed signs of instability or any form of glitches.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some encountered occasional graphical glitches and specific issues like characters getting stuck, the game's performance generally remained stable without significant instability.
- “I encountered some weird glitches, namely with the uninvited guest being stuck inside a door, then he appears right in front of you and you die.”
- “It has graphical glitches.”
- “The performance never showed signs of instability or any form of glitches.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find grinding in games to be excessively time-consuming, with some titles requiring an almost insurmountable investment of effort that can lead to tedium and boredom, ultimately detracting from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, really bad games can't find their stride and wind up becoming tedious and boring, sapping whatever momentum and energy they had just built up to that point.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being a cash grab, with accusations of plagiarism due to the lack of credit given to original artists and developers. Players feel misled by the positive reviews, describing the game as soulless and exploitative, particularly in its use of the early access model.
- “The developers here didn't credit any of the artists and real, actual game developers who created the assets, so this is plagiarism as well as a cash grab.”
- “I got this game because of the high percentage of positive reviews, but I should have known better. It's just another soulless, cheap cash grab that misuses the early access flag.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting both the depth of the characters and their fantastic design, which adds a unique and engaging element to the overall experience.
- “Great character development.”
- “Character design: fantastic!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers generally find the game's replayability lacking, citing simple puzzles and a minimal story that do not encourage players to revisit the experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers little incentive for repeated playthroughs.
- “The puzzles are simple, the story is nearly non-existent, and there's no replayability.”
- “The replay value didn't really feel like it was there.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features self-deprecating humor that effectively breaks the fourth wall, providing players with amusing easter eggs that enhance the overall experience. Many users find the humor engaging and enjoyable, adding a lighthearted touch to the gameplay.
- “If you're good with the puzzles (I'm an idiot and I figured it out, so you should too), you'll uncover an easter egg where they smash the 4th wall down with self-deprecating humor.”
- “It's funny :)”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Irony of Nightmare" is highlighted as a compelling blend of unease and mystery, creating a small yet impactful horror story that effectively contrasts different emotional states.
- “Ultimately, the irony of nightmare succeeds as a small, atmospheric horror story built around unease, mystery, and emotional contrast.”