Keep the Lights On

About

Keep the Lights On is a single player action game. It was developed by Light the Lantern Studios and was released on June 30, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Keep the Lights On is an atmospheric horror game where you step in the shoes of Edmund Rosental, a private detective, who is tasked with investigating an old abbey and the mystery surrounding it. Will he be able to keep the lights on or will he succumb to the darkness

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 39 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Engaging horror atmosphere with effective sound design and music that enhances immersion.
Well-crafted story with emotional themes of grief and forgiveness, delivered through in-game notes and dialogue.
Challenging and varied puzzles along with interesting enemy designs and a satisfying final boss fight.

Presence of multiple bugs, including game-breaking ones that can cause softlocks, requiring restarts or reinstallations.
Clunky and occasionally frustrating controls, including issues with keyboard bindings and jump mechanics.
Font choice and readability issues that negatively affect player experience.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The story of "Keep the Lights On" offers a well-executed, atmospheric horror narrative centered on themes of loss and depression, delivered through immersive notes and puzzle-solving. While the plot is somewhat familiar and occasionally disjointed, it provides a satisfying backdrop to the gameplay and effectively builds intrigue as players piece together the lore. Overall, the story is engaging and enhances the mood, even if it doesn’t always deeply resonate or break new ground.
- “In addition to that, the way it delivered the game's story through notes, letters, and some clues made it easy to be immersed in this atmospheric horror game.”
- “I especially liked that you're putting the lore together as you progress through the story like it's a huge jigsaw puzzle.”
- “Alright then the likes, the story is pretty good with themes of depression and loss that are used and talked about very well, made even better with notes.”
- “The plot is dry and uninspired; you're an investigator exploring a haunted abbey.”
- “Overall, while the story has been done before and in some cases probably better, the execution of it was nice and I enjoyed my time with it.”
- “Also, the wife story seemed a bit shoehorned in; not that it wasn't good or anything, I just feel it was out of place and didn't add much.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
42%
The game excels in creating a solid, creepy, and immersive horror atmosphere, enhanced by pixel art, effective use of notes for storytelling, and well-designed sound effects like rain, creaking doors, and footsteps. The low-key instrumental music fits the mood perfectly, contributing to the overall spooky and cozy vibe. This combination delivers an engaging and atmospheric horror experience appreciated by players.
- “Coupled with the creepy atmosphere and the cozy vibes of the pixel art, it makes for a perfect little game to kick off fall!”
- “In addition to that, the way it delivered the game's story through notes, letters, and some clues made it easy to be immersed in this atmospheric horror game.”
- “Creaky doors and the pattering of footsteps add to the atmospheric part of the horror, as does the instrumental music in the background which is very lowkey but conveys the mood well.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring fun mechanics and puzzle-solving elements reminiscent of simplified Resident Evil or classic side-scrollers. Players appreciate the dark atmosphere and engaging combat with monsters, though some feel the mechanics could be slightly refined. Overall, the gameplay effectively complements the story and provides a satisfying experience.
- “Sweet, short, straight-to-the-point, it had some fun mechanics, and I really enjoyed the puzzles.”
- “The gameplay aspects could be a bit better; it’s a side scroller where you choose to go into different rooms and solve puzzles while also engaging in combat with evil spirits.”
- “The gameplay is okay, it's a bit like a more simplified version of Resident Evil where you're stuck in this big place and have to fight monsters and solve puzzles.”
- “The gameplay aspects could be a tad bit better; it’s a side scroller where you choose to go into different rooms and solve puzzles while also engaging in combat with evil spirits.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics are styled in a retro, pixel-art fashion reminiscent of 8-16 bit games, which some users appreciate for their nostalgic charm, color use, and detail. While some see the pixel graphics as a limitation or lack of development resources, others believe they contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and indie appeal. Overall, the pixel art is considered effective and well-executed within the game's horror adventure context.
- “The pixel graphics are very good with a good use of color and scenery and some very nice details, especially when it came to the church.”
- “Now with that all said Keep the Lights On is a pretty good horror adventure game, pretty good story, very good pixel graphics and very good enemies/monsters.”
- “As for the atmosphere and graphics, graphically this is definitely more in the line of those 8-16 bit titles of old but with that distinct indie flair that feels like an adaptation that one can tell the difference but not describe it well.”
- “This features really godawful pixelcrap 'art' instead of real graphics.”
- “It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to do the job of creating 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter.”
- “Games like Terraria and Stardew Valley succeeded despite the bad graphics, not because of them.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music is well-crafted and perfectly complements the game's spooky atmosphere, enhancing the horror mood with subtle, fitting instrumental tracks. It contributes significantly to the immersive experience, despite some unrelated game bugs mentioned.
- “The atmosphere was good, definitely pretty spooky at times. The music was pretty good and fits the game very well.”
- “The art style, in-game puzzles, story, music, and object interactions were all very nicely made.”
- “Creaky doors and the pattering of footsteps add to the atmospheric part of the horror, as does the instrumental music in the background which is very lowkey but conveys the mood well.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively delivers emotional themes through a creepy atmosphere and heartfelt storytelling, evoking feelings of vulnerability and bleakness. While some elements may feel tropey, the emotional impact resonates strongly with players.
- “While I don’t remember all the lines much, and as tropey as it kinda was, I’m weak for emotional themes and that was really nice.”
- “The game has a creepy atmosphere and an interesting concept with some heartfelt themes that I can plainly say works out.”
- “You’re in shambles emotionally and financially, and for Edmund the future is looking bleak.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has some stability issues and frustrating glitches, such as persistent inventory items and unresponsive interactions, but these bugs are minor given the game's short length and free availability.
- “There are some frustrating glitches: I didn't know how to do the first ritual and wasn't able to interact with it afterward. Also, if you try creating a new game, you still have everything in your inventory, and the first nun-ghost cannot attack you or be interacted with.”
- “Tiny bit buggy, but it's free and the game is short enough that it won't really bother you. Has a neat story and puzzles.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with players finding it neither particularly funny nor enjoyable, contributing to a generally negative impression.