It Lurks in the Woods

About

In "It Lurks in the Woods," players embark on a harrowing journey through 17th century New France, based on French Canadian folklore and the works of Honoré Beaugrand. As a man traveling through treacherous woods to save his dying brother, players must fend off unnatural forces and uncover the mysterious secrets of the forest before nightfall. This atmospheric horror game brings to life the unique and chilling stories of French Canadian folklore.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features good graphics and a creepy atmosphere, making it visually appealing for a free title.
It offers a short, engaging experience that can provide some mild scares and suspense.
The sound design is effective, contributing to the overall eerie ambiance of the game.

The game is very short, typically completed in under 30 minutes, which may leave players wanting more.
There are significant performance issues and bugs, including low frame rates and graphical glitches.
The gameplay can feel clunky and disorienting, with a lack of clear direction and no save option.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their appealing aesthetic and atmospheric qualities, utilizing a mix of sepia tones and effective lighting effects. However, some players noted performance issues, such as lag and graphical bugs, particularly in areas with heavy foliage, which can detract from the experience. While the visuals are considered good for a short game, there are concerns about the reliance on asset store materials and the need for higher specifications to avoid performance drops.
- “The graphical scenery is very appealing, using a mix of sepia tones alongside shadows and fire/sunlight effects. The sound effects are simple yet effective for the stages of the gameplay, and the music sets a good tone.”
- “The graphics are really nice, and the atmosphere is spooky.”
- “I thought that the graphics looked great, and I found it was easy to become immersed in the creepy environment.”
- “The game graphics look better than you might expect, but that's just because it looks like some or all of them are 'borrowed' from asset stores or wherever.”
- “It didn't run particularly well even on medium settings, though I suspect a lot of this is due to the heavy foliage being a major graphical drain.”
- “I found a few small graphical bugs in the game where textures were missing.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The story is inspired by a French Canadian folklore tale, featuring a simplistic narrative focused on retrieving a remedy to aid a brother's journey. While some players appreciate the atmospheric music and voice acting, many find the storyline to be minimal and somewhat generic, suggesting it could benefit from a more expansive development. Overall, the game offers a brief, story-driven experience that leaves players wanting more depth.
- “The story is based on a French Canadian folklore tale, and the opening screen starts off with violin music that sets an eerie tone.”
- “Voice over, in my opinion, greatly adds to the game's story and appeal, rather than just reading scripts or notes.”
- “It's a (quite) short story-driven adventure that leaves me wanting to know what else happens.”
- “Overall, this is a reasonably short indie title with minimal actions, minimal scares, and a simplistic storyline of retrieving the remedy and rushing to the exit to, supposedly, continue the father's travels to save his brother.”
- “Oh well, another generic short scary story, painfully indie, quite boring, not much to see here.”
- “The story is quite slight, though realistically this is to be expected given the short runtime.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The gameplay features appealing graphics with effective sound and music, but it may not provide a satisfying experience for everyone, particularly those seeking depth or challenge. While some players may enjoy the quickplay nature and minimal effort required, others find it lacking and struggle to engage with it fully. Overall, the gameplay is described as brief, lasting around 20-30 minutes, with navigation sometimes being a challenge.
- “The graphical scenery is very appealing using a mix of sepia tones alongside shadows and fire/sunlight effects. The sound effects are simple yet effective for the stages of the gameplay, and the music sets a good tone.”
- “And still around a solid 20-30 minutes of gameplay, sometimes where you need to go takes a while to find.”
- “For me, I struggled playing this and got very little enjoyment out of the gameplay, but if you enjoy quickplay games with minimal effort and can meet or exceed the specs asked, then you may enjoy this experience.”
- “The written narration during gameplay was hard to read due to font choice.”
- “The gameplay, unfortunately, is not.”
- “And still around a solid 20-30 minutes of gameplay (sometimes where you need to go takes a while to find).”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The atmosphere in "It Lurks in the Woods" is widely praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, effectively creating a creepy environment that enhances the horror experience. While not groundbreaking, the game's atmospheric design is considered commendable, making it a worthwhile try for fans of horror and adventure genres. Overall, players appreciate the slow-burn tension and the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of unease.
- “The dev did a great job building the atmosphere, and you really feel it in the game.”
- “The graphics are really nice, and the atmosphere is spooky.”
- “The atmosphere, on the whole, is really quite applaudable.”
- “Try it if you like creepy exploration games with atmosphere.”
- “It Lurks in the Woods is an interesting adventure horror game with a creepy atmosphere.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game is visually appealing but suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues and minor bugs. While players appreciate its quality, many feel that improvements in optimization are necessary for a smoother experience. Overall, the game's free status somewhat mitigates complaints about its optimization shortcomings.
- “This game was really good, but it does need some optimization.”
- “There are some performance issues and small bugs that could be fixed, but for free, it's hard to complain.”
- “It's pretty but could use some optimization.”
- “There are some performance issues and small bugs that could be fixed, but for free it's hard to complain.”
- “But the optimization is bad.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The music in the game is praised for effectively setting the tone and enhancing the overall experience, alongside simple yet impactful sound effects. Reviewers highlight its importance, suggesting that the game's quality would significantly diminish without the strong musical and auditory elements. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's appeal, complementing its graphics and story.
- “The graphical scenery is very appealing, using a mix of sepia tones alongside shadows and fire/sunlight effects. The sound effects are simple yet effective for the stages of gameplay, and the music sets a good tone.”
- “As far as short free games go, it's made pretty well with good music, story, and graphics.”
- “I think music and sound are the most crucial aspects of the game; if they were worse, the game would be much worse overall.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
- “The sound effects are poorly designed and often clash with the music, creating a jarring experience.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been noted for its bugs and clunky elements, particularly in the menu and note-reading features, but these issues are not considered overly frustrating by players. Overall, while improvements are needed, the stability is deemed acceptable.
- “This game may be buggy and have a lot of areas that need improvement, but I still think it's okay.”
- “The menu is buggy.”
- “Some aspects are clunky, like reading notes, but nothing too irritating or buggy.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”