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It Lurks in the Woods

71%Game Brain Score
graphics, story
optimization, stability
71% User Score Based on 98 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows

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.

It Lurks in the Woods screenshot
It Lurks in the Woods screenshot

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 98 reviews
graphics10 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions

  • The game features good graphics and a creepy atmosphere, especially for a free title.
  • It offers a short, engaging experience that can be completed in about 30 minutes, making it a decent time-waster.
  • The sound design is effective, contributing to the overall unsettling ambiance of the game.
  • The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to lag and performance issues even on higher-end machines.
  • It is very short and lacks depth, with minimal gameplay and a simplistic storyline.
  • There are significant issues with bugs and clunky mechanics, such as automatic note reading that obstructs the player's view.
  • graphics
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are generally praised for their appealing aesthetic, featuring a mix of sepia tones and effective lighting effects that enhance the spooky atmosphere. However, some players noted performance issues, such as lag and graphical bugs, particularly when running on lower settings or in areas with heavy foliage. Additionally, there are concerns about the originality of the assets, with suggestions that some graphics may have been sourced from asset stores.

    • “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
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is inspired by a French Canadian folklore tale, featuring a simplistic plot centered around retrieving a remedy to aid a father's quest to save his brother. While the narrative is brief and somewhat generic, it is enhanced by good music and voice acting, which add depth to the experience. Reviewers express a desire for a more developed storyline, indicating that the current version, though engaging, feels incomplete and could benefit from expansion.

    • “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.”
    • “It's a (quite) short story-driven adventure.”
    • “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
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay features appealing graphical scenery with effective sound and music, but some players found it lacking in enjoyment and depth, particularly those seeking more engaging experiences. While it offers around 20-30 minutes of playtime, navigation can be challenging, and issues like hard-to-read narration detract from the overall experience. It may appeal to fans of quickplay games with minimal effort.

    • “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.”
    • “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
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "It Lurks in the Woods" is widely praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the horror and exploration experience. While not groundbreaking, the game's graphics and slow-burn tension contribute to a commendable ambiance that resonates well with fans of atmospheric and adventure games. Overall, players recommend it for those seeking a brief yet engaging atmospheric experience.

    • “The graphics are really nice and the atmosphere is spooky.”
    • “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
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is visually appealing but suffers from notable optimization issues, including performance problems and minor bugs. While players appreciate its aesthetics, many feel that improvements are necessary for a smoother experience. However, given that the game is free, some users are more forgiving of these 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.”
    • “There are some performance issues and small bugs that could be fixed, but for free it's hard to complain.”
  • music
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is highly praised for effectively setting the tone and enhancing the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its importance alongside sound effects and graphics. Overall, the combination of good music, story, and visuals contributes to a well-crafted short free game.

    • “The music sets a good tone for the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “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.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is reported to have several bugs and clunky elements, particularly in the menu and note-reading features, but these issues are not considered overly frustrating by players. Overall, while stability could be improved, many users still find the game acceptable despite its flaws.

    • “This game may be buggy and have a lot of stuff it needs to improve, but I still think it's okay.”
    • “- buggy menu”
    • “Some aspects are clunky, like reading notes, but nothing too irritating or buggy.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express that grinding in the game is so demanding that it feels like it requires an additional life to manage effectively.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”

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