It Lurks in the Woods

About

It Lurks in the Woods is a single player action game. It was developed by Olivier Leclair and was released on February 8, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

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

Skip User Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating atmosphere with impressive graphics and sound design that enhances the horror experience.
It offers a short but engaging storyline that keeps players on their toes, making it a decent time-waster for fans of mild horror.
As a free game, it provides a worthwhile experience, especially for those looking for a quick scare without any financial commitment.

The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to lag and performance issues even on higher-end machines.
Gameplay can be frustrating due to unclear objectives and illogical puzzles, which may deter some players.
Its short length and simplistic mechanics may leave players wanting more depth and content.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The game's graphics are generally well-received, featuring appealing scenery and a spooky atmosphere, though some users noted that they appear to be sourced from asset stores. While the visuals can be impressive, performance issues such as lag and graphical bugs were reported, particularly in areas with heavy foliage. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some technical drawbacks.
- “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%
58%
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, the overall consensus is that the storyline is minimal and somewhat generic, leaving players wanting a more developed and expansive plot. Despite its brevity, the story provides a meaningful backdrop for the gameplay, encouraging further exploration in future installments.
- “The story is based on a French Canadian folklore tale, and the opening screen starts off with violin playing that sounds eerily like how I would sound if I tried, so expect screeching for those with sensitive hearing.”
- “Voice over, in my opinion, greatly adds to the game's story and appeal, rather than reading scripts or notes.”
- “There's a vagueness to the storyline concerning the monster, which I can enjoy.”
- “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%
46%
27%
The gameplay features appealing graphics with effective sound design, but it may not provide a satisfying experience for all players, particularly those seeking depth or challenge. While some may enjoy the quickplay nature and minimal effort required, others found it lacking and struggled to engage with the mechanics. Overall, the gameplay offers a brief experience, typically lasting around 20-30 minutes, but can be hindered by readability issues in the narration.
- “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.”
- “Check out the gameplay for yourself.”
- “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 recommendation for fans of horror and adventure genres. Overall, players appreciate the slow-burn tension and the game's ability to evoke a sense of unease.
- “The dev did a great job building the atmosphere, and you really feel it in the game.”
- “It's a slow burn, which I appreciate, and the atmosphere is spot on.”
- “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 notable optimization issues, including performance problems and minor bugs. While players appreciate its quality, many feel that improvements in optimization are necessary for a smoother experience.
- “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 bad optimization”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
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 its strong musical 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 soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The music doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall 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 overall, players find it acceptable despite these stability issues.
- “This game may be buggy and have a lot of stuff it needs to improve on, but I still think it's okay.”
- “Buggy menu.”
- “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 additional lives to progress effectively.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it just wasn't rewarding.”