Kraven Manor
- September 25, 2014
- Demon Wagon Studios
Get on SteamKraven Manor is a first-person puzzle-based horror adventure game. Players explore a creepy manor, piecing together the story of its mysterious past. The game features a unique mechanic where the manor physically rearranges itself based on the player's actions, creating a dynamic and immersive experience. The atmosphere is ominous and tense, with intricate puzzles that will challenge and engage players.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and sound design that effectively creates tension and unease.
- Innovative gameplay mechanic of building the map by arranging scale models of rooms adds a unique twist to the horror experience.
- Despite its short length, the game delivers genuine scares and a memorable experience.
- The game is very short, typically taking around an hour to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Technical issues such as crashes and poor optimization detract from the overall experience.
- Limited replay value and a lack of depth in the story and gameplay mechanics leave players wanting more.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay features innovative mechanics, such as the puzzle/room interactions and the unique library book system, which add depth and creativity to the experience. However, some players feel that the mechanics do not fully utilize their potential, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and a lack of story progression. Overall, while the atmosphere and graphics are praised, the gameplay can feel limited and linear, resembling a haunted house experience rather than a fully immersive adventure.
“The puzzle/room mechanic I thought was really cool.”
“The mechanic that allows you to interact with miniature rooms in order to gain entrance to the same rooms in the manor is innovative and brings a fresh breath to the genre.”
“The graphics are great, the game mechanics are sound; it's a game that had an obvious amount of love invested in it.”
“Well, the biggest issue I had was the fact that the mannequin is indeed lethal, but there are mechanics that just didn't seem to agree with me.”
“It's a really clever idea that lends itself well to an exciting scope of gameplay possibilities... or at least it could, it never really gets used to its full potential here.”
“The antagonist is effectively creepy until you figure out the mechanic behind the attacks and how to stay safe... and at that point, the game suddenly begins to feel like a rail haunted house ride.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, particularly appealing to fans of horror experiences. Reviewers highlight the tense sound design and the ability to evoke a sense of dread, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a captivating and spooky environment. Overall, the atmosphere enhances the gameplay, contributing to its replay value and engaging players in a thrilling experience.
“If you're the kind of person that likes first-person, atmospheric experiences (especially horror ones), obviously you'll like this.”
“Great eerie atmosphere and sound design, easy puzzles but have a great potential for replay value.”
“What makes this game an absolute must-have in your library is the dark and creepy atmosphere and the general feeling that there is someone, something behind you the whole time.”
“The game conveys an atmosphere of horror.”
“I feel spooked by the creepy atmosphere; it lures you into wanting to survive.”
“What makes this game an absolute must-have in your library is the dark and creepy atmosphere, along with the general feeling that there is someone or something behind you the whole time.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as sparse and lacking depth, with some reviewers noting its interesting elements and creepy atmosphere. While it offers a fun experience and a satisfying ending, many feel that the narrative is underdeveloped and too linear, leading to a short overall experience. Despite its engaging level design, the limited backstory and brevity of the plot detract from its overall impact.
“Fun game, nice story, good ending, it's all there.”
“Ominous, with a very interesting storyline.”
“The game is creepy, well orchestrated, has some neat layout mechanics, and gives a nice feeling of unease throughout the story.”
“At first, this game feels like it wants to be Amnesia, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was originally a custom story.”
“The story is sparse, and the graphics are passable.”
“The reason I don't recommend this game is that it is a terribly short experience with a threadbare story and few real action pieces.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many users praising the high-quality visuals, detailed textures, and effective use of particle effects. While some reviews noted that the graphics are merely passable, the majority highlighted the impressive audiovisual experience, especially considering the game's indie origins. The combination of well-designed environments and a creepy atmosphere contributes to an engaging visual experience.
“The graphics are extremely good (the game from a pile of students so they did a good job) and the audio is nice.”
“The graphics are great, the game mechanics are sound, it's a game that had an obvious amount of love invested in it.”
“A very beautiful game with gorgeous graphics that will make you forget it's an indie one.”
“The story is sparse, and the graphics are passable.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and suitability to the settings, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted that background sounds remain unchanged when adjusting music or sound effect sliders, which could detract from the immersive experience.
“Great music.”
“Good music matches well with the settings.”
“The music does a good job.”
“The background sounds are not affected when you turn down the music or sound effects sliders.”
“The music and background noises are poorly balanced.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited due to its short length and minimal content, making it more suitable for a one-time experience rather than a permanent addition to a library. While the eerie atmosphere and sound design are praised, they do not significantly enhance the game's replay value.
“Great eerie atmosphere and sound design, easy puzzles but have a great potential for replay value.”
“However, the game does not have that much content and has probably limited replay value, so it is debatable just how valuable it is to hold onto in a permanent library.”
“This is a really well done, very short game with relatively little replay value... it would be a rental if such things still existed.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the immersive mechanics, such as cranking the flashlight, but find the grinding aspect tedious due to the excessive damage taken from enemies while trying to progress.
“I liked the immersion factor of cranking the flashlight, but the amount of damage you take from the wood puppets as you try to figure out what to do next gets tedious fast.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate significant frustration with the game's optimization, with players attributing performance issues to poor development rather than hardware limitations.
“No devs, it is not my gaming rig; it is your poor optimization.”
“The game runs like a snail on my high-end PC, clearly indicating a lack of proper optimization.”
“I can't believe how many performance issues there are; the optimization feels like an afterthought.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing several glitches that affect gameplay stability, including instances where enemies become permanently frozen, hindering progress. While some may view these glitches as advantageous, they ultimately disrupt the intended game mechanics.
“Secondly, there are a few glitches. On more than one occasion, I had a particular enemy permanently freeze on me, which might almost sound like a 'good' or opportunistic thing, but is decidedly less so when you require said enemy to cause damage to something in order for you to progress.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience without constant interruptions.”
“I encountered several bugs that caused the game to freeze, forcing me to restart my console multiple times.”
