Lamentum

About

Lamentum is a single player survival role playing game with horror, fantasy, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Obscure Tales and was released on August 27, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Lamentum is a pixel art survival-horror game set in New England in the mid-nineteenth century. To solve the dark secret at the heart of Grau Hill Mansion, you will have to immerse yourself in a nightmare world full of terrible creatures.Choose well in whom to trust, every decision you make may alter the course of the story.Will you survive?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 159 reviews

story28 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Lamentum offers a captivating atmosphere with its dark, creepy visuals and engaging sound design, reminiscent of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
The game features well-structured puzzles and exploration mechanics that encourage players to think critically and pay attention to their surroundings.
The story is intriguing, with multiple endings that provide replayability and a sense of agency in shaping the narrative.

The combat system can feel clunky and inconsistent, with issues related to hitboxes and enemy AI that can lead to frustrating encounters.
Inventory management can become tedious, especially with missable items that are crucial for achieving certain endings, leading to potential confusion and backtracking.
Some players may find the pacing uneven, particularly in the latter half of the game, where the need for backtracking and vague objectives can detract from the overall experience.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The story of "Lamentum" is engaging and steeped in mystery, drawing comparisons to classic horror titles like "Silent Hill" and "Resident Evil," with a Lovecraftian influence. While many players appreciate its twists and immersive narrative, some criticize it for being predictable and derivative, lacking depth in certain areas. Overall, the storytelling is enhanced by collectible notes that provide context and encourage replayability, making it a compelling experience for horror enthusiasts.
- “The story is even better when you play it a second time and start picking up on all the subtlety and things you missed from the first playthrough.”
- “Rich and immersive storytelling: the game's narrative is steeped in mystery and psychological horror, with a well-crafted plot that keeps players engaged and curious about the dark secrets that unfold.”
- “The story is good; there's so much that you can do and that you will definitely overlook on your first playthrough.”
- “Its plot is entirely derivative of Silent Hill 2, and misses much about what made that plot work.”
- “The story is also painfully predictable, layered in every trope of the genre you can think of.”
- “I had hoped that the story would kind of make sense in the end, but after playing it I know as much as I knew after 2 hours of playtime.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
61%
8%
The gameplay of "Lamentum" is a blend of classic survival horror elements reminiscent of "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill," featuring puzzles, exploration, and combat within a beautifully crafted 2D art style. While many players appreciate the nostalgic mechanics and atmosphere, some criticize the gameplay for being repetitive, clunky, and occasionally frustrating, with a steep difficulty curve that may deter casual players. Overall, it offers a solid experience for fans of the genre, though opinions on its depth and engagement vary.
- “The gameplay is very good; it feels like Resident Evil meets Silent Hill. You're stuck in a big mansion with limited ammo like Resident Evil, but you also have melee weapons like Silent Hill while the whole mansion is crawling with monsters and puzzles you need to solve. It was a good balance of both franchises mixed into one.”
- “Lamentum is an awesome top-down, 2D style survival horror largely inspired by the pace and gameplay of the first Resident Evil and Silent Hill games.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic, the art style is pretty good, and the minute-to-minute gameplay is well-rounded, stressful fun I'd expect from any old school survival horror game.”
- “If this is the difficulty/gameplay it has to offer, then meh.”
- “The mechanics for fighting and the experience itself was terrible, and led to frustration a few times.”
- “Kinda boring, you grab one item from one room and bring it to another room to 'solve' a puzzle and then rinse and repeat for the next one.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
39%
8%
The graphics of "Lamentum" are widely praised for their beautiful 2D pixel art style, which effectively captures the atmospheric horror reminiscent of classic survival games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The intricate designs, vibrant colors, and gothic aesthetics contribute to a haunting and immersive experience, although some critiques mention that cutscenes and character images lack the same quality as the rest of the game. Overall, the game's visuals, combined with its eerie atmosphere and creature designs, create a compelling environment for horror enthusiasts.
- “Lamentum is a really good horror action game that captures the feeling of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, all wrapped up in a beautiful 2D art style.”
- “The pixel graphic art style is really good with very good detail, designs, and backgrounds, and its good use of colors, especially how it used the color red.”
- “Graphically, the game looks great with its well-done pixel style of art.”
- “My only complaint about the graphics is the cut scenes and character pictures which don't have the same quality as the rest of the game.”
- “Visually there's a plethora of enemies, but in many cases the variety is merely aesthetic.”
- “Despite these shortcomings, it manages to keep you entertained with its fitting art style, cosmic horror atmosphere, and swift pacing, but the graphics could use improvement.”
atmosphere
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
25%
9%
The atmosphere in Lamentum is widely praised for its chilling and immersive qualities, effectively combining eerie sound design, haunting visuals, and a sense of isolation to create a deeply unsettling experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of dread and vulnerability, reminiscent of classic survival horror titles, while the intricate art style and music further enhance the overall ambiance. Despite some criticisms regarding backtracking and combat, the atmospheric elements are consistently highlighted as a standout feature that captivates and engages players throughout their journey.
- “Lamentum is a chilling and atmospheric horror adventure that plunges players into a nightmarish and macabre world filled with dark secrets and unfathomable horrors.”
- “Eerie and evocative art style: Lamentum's hand-drawn, pixel art visuals create a haunting and atmospheric world that draws players into the depths of its disturbing and unsettling environment.”
- “Above everything else, I loved how the game creates an eerie, unsettling atmosphere throughout.”
- “While they do fit into the overall theme of the game and make the overall atmosphere more chilling, they somewhat suddenly only show up in the later stages of the game, their solution required some non-obvious backtracking, and they didn't seem to have any larger payoff.”
- “Occasional backtracking: some players may find certain segments of backtracking to be a bit tedious, although it contributes to the atmosphere of exploration and vulnerability.”
- “The atmosphere made being in the swamp abyss even more terrifying, but I couldn't stop playing.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
24%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its haunting melodies and effective sound design that complements the game's brooding environment. Tracks are noted for fitting well with different parts of the game, particularly the memorable save room theme, contributing to a distinctive and immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, elevating the game's emotional and atmospheric impact.
- “The environment is brooding and gloomy with an ever-raging thunderstorm, and the lush pixel art and arresting soundtrack aptly pull you in.”
- “The music was good, with each part of the game having a nice track that fits quite well.”
- “The environments are beautifully detailed, and the music sets the game's tone well; the save room theme is particularly haunting!”
- “I can't really remember any music from the game other than the sad piano music.”
- “I can't really remember any music from the game other than the sad piano music.”
- “Combat is a bit lame, but the atmosphere, puzzles, and music are great.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game offers significant replayability through multiple endings and player choices that influence the narrative, encouraging exploration of branching quest lines and hidden secrets. However, some players feel that the fundamental gameplay lacks entertainment value, leading to a perception of artificial replayability, as the core experience remains largely unchanged despite different endings. Overall, while there is potential for replay value, opinions vary on its effectiveness and enjoyment.
- “Multiple endings and choices: players' decisions throughout the game influence the outcome, offering replayability and a sense of agency in shaping the narrative.”
- “Tons of replayability due to branching quest lines, obscure secrets, and multiple endings.”
- “There is a lot of replayability for this game and you will have to be very thorough to find everything.”
- “Considering the replayability and specifically going for the different endings, I do not think I will return to this nightmare soon.”
- “I don't quite understand the reason for having so many endings when the replayability of the game is so low. As far as I could tell, dialogue choices changed nothing regarding where items, puzzles, or enemies were found, so you would be playing the exact same game with no variation for a repeat playthrough.”
- “There is a lot of replayability for this game, and you will have to be very thorough to find everything.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to excessive backtracking and cumbersome inventory management. While some elements contribute to the atmosphere, the requirement to complete a frustrating collectible hunt for certain endings is seen as unnecessary. Overall, the experience is mixed, with some enjoyment overshadowed by the repetitive nature of these tasks.
- “The ending, which requires the player to complete a troublesome collectible hunt, is merely a curiosity and should not be locked behind such a tedious side quest.”
- “Lamentum is a ¾ full ¼ empty experience that takes some wrong lessons from its genre roots like overly tedious inventory management, bad map, and braindead characters while showing some development faux-pas as you play along, hinting at the inexperience of its creators.”
- “Edit: still gets a thumbs up but it gets overly tedious towards the end.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with comparisons made to a more serious version of "Yuppie Psycho." Players express frustration over the inclusion of backer signatures, which detracts from the intended horror atmosphere.
- “The humor in this game is surprisingly clever, making even the darkest moments feel lighthearted.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations throughout the game.”
- “The comedic elements are perfectly timed, adding a refreshing twist to the typical horror experience.”