Is this Game Trying to Kill Me?
- November 12, 2024
- Stately Snail
Get on Steam"Is this Game Trying to Kill Me?" is a horror first-person puzzle game where you're trapped in a cabin and must play a computer game to gain freedom. The game's events and traps materialize in reality, and your actions in the cabin affect the computer game, with multiple endings and many ways to die. The game's unique feature is playing the game while you're playing the game.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features innovative mechanics that creatively blend a game within a game, providing a unique puzzle-solving experience.
- Puzzles are well-designed and engaging, offering a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult, complemented by a helpful hint system.
- The art style and atmosphere are charming, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game, making it a delightful experience for fans of escape room games.
- The game is relatively short, typically taking around 2-4 hours to complete, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- Certain puzzles can feel unintuitive or frustrating, particularly during boss fights, leading to repetitive gameplay when players die and have to restart sections.
- The narrative and lore are not fully fleshed out, leaving some players wanting more depth and clarity in the story.
- graphics46 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro-like 3D aesthetic and pixelated art style, which enhance the immersive atmosphere and overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the creative and cozy visuals, noting that they complement the engaging puzzles and add to the game's appeal. While some mention minor issues, such as color-dependent puzzles for colorblind players, the overall sentiment is that the graphics contribute significantly to the game's enjoyment.
“To add to your brain stimulation is a gorgeous retro-like 3D aesthetic.”
“The puzzles are actually witty and engaging, the atmosphere is quite great and immersive, and I simply adore the pixelated old-school 3D graphics look of the game.”
“What a wonderful art style, overall aesthetic for the game area, and experience.”
“Realistic graphics tend to make these types of games draining with the dark atmosphere.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its innovative mechanics that blend two layers of interaction between the game world and the real world, creating engaging puzzles and a unique experience reminiscent of titles like "Inscryption." While some boss battles may be frustrating due to unclear mechanics, the overall gameplay is solid, entertaining, and well-paced, making it a standout feature of the game. Players appreciate the clever design that keeps the gameplay fresh and rewarding without overstaying its welcome.
“Great game mechanics, the whole back and forth thing between what happens in-game and what happens in the main world is great.”
“I love the entire gimmick of playing a game within a game, with both levels of gameplay interacting with each other.”
“The puzzles were perfect, hard enough to feel good after completing them, but not so hard that gameplay became stagnant.”
“The 'boss battles' were a little annoying due to a certain mechanic that never really gets demonstrated or explained properly, but it's a minor hangup in an otherwise awesome game.”
“I can't say the game is too innovative in terms of gameplay, but the concept of two-layered quests certainly feels fresh.”
“This amount of gameplay should be at least 1/3 of the game.”
- story25 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as unclear or lacking depth, with some players expressing a desire for more lore and a satisfying conclusion. However, many reviewers appreciate the intriguing elements and hidden lore that complement the puzzle-solving experience, noting that the story does not detract from the gameplay. Overall, while the narrative may not be the main focus, it still manages to engage players with its art and multiple endings.
“Super fun puzzle horror game with a cool story and some hidden lore if you're into secrets or multiple endings.”
“Awesome art, quite intriguing story, nice music, multiple endings.... almost too much fun for such a small product to be real but hey!”
“I felt there was enough story tidbits to keep me interested, but not too much that it took away from the main point of the game (solving puzzles).”
“I just wish I could understand the lore or the full story—if there’s one intended.”
“Fun puzzles, innovative design, very cool visuals, but the endings are... well they don't really make me feel like the story has ended!”
“The 'story' wasn't very clear, even with finding all the collectibles, but in all honesty I didn't really care - I was there for the puzzles and for the most part they delivered.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as immersive and enjoyable, featuring a whimsical horror vibe that avoids genuine scares. Players appreciate the pixelated, old-school 3D graphics, which contribute to a charming and engaging environment, complementing the witty puzzles throughout the experience. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for being fun and well-suited to the game's style.
“The puzzles are actually witty and engaging, the atmosphere is quite great and immersive, and I simply adore the pixelated old-school 3D graphics look of the game.”
“Great game loaded with interesting riddles to solve, nice atmosphere too.”
“Wonderful style and atmosphere.”
“Realistic graphics tend to make these types of games draining with the dark atmosphere.”
“If anyone is worried about the 'horror' elements, I'd say it's purely a silly horror atmosphere; don't worry about any scares!”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability due to non-randomized puzzles and similar endings, making it less engaging for multiple playthroughs. However, it offers potential for speedrunning, which could foster a dedicated community and enhance replay value for those interested in mastering the game. Overall, while the core experience may not invite repeated plays, the speedrunning aspect could attract a niche audience.
“The game does not have much replayability, as the puzzles are not randomized, and the endings are pretty close to each other, although getting to them is not hard once puzzles are figured out in the first place.”
“I'll preface by saying this isn't an especially long game -- clocking in at only about 5 hours for me, and I don't consider myself particularly good at puzzle games -- and I'm not sure what the replay value would be.”
“I could see a massive amount of replay value, and once you've played through, you could very easily establish a speedrun community.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game, noting that each death serves as a learning opportunity, which prevents the experience from feeling tedious or artificially extended. However, some suggest that the grinding can be demanding enough to require significant time investment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised as nice and complements the overall experience, enhancing the intriguing story and engaging art. Players find it adds to the enjoyment, making the game feel more immersive despite its small scale.
“Awesome art, quite intriguing story, nice music, multiple endings... almost too much fun for such a small product to be real!”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised as hilarious and fun, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the experience.
“It's hilarious and fun.”
“It's hilarious and fun.”
