Lamentum
- August 27, 2021
- Obscure Tales
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Lamentum" is a single-player Horror Role Playing game set in a pixel art survival-horror universe, featuring an intriguing story and awesome gameplay. Immerse yourself in a nightmarish world inspired by classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, as you uncover the dark secrets of Grau Hill Mansion to save your beloved wife. Every decision you make may alter the course of the story, and the unique atmosphere, amazing graphics, and exceptional music will keep you on the edge of your seat. Will you survive the horrors that await you?
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Gorgeous pixel art design that enhances the atmospheric horror experience.
- Engaging story with emotional depth, exploring themes of love and loss.
- Challenging puzzles that require exploration and critical thinking, keeping players invested.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and repetitive, leading to frustration during encounters.
- The save system can be punishing, with limited resources and potential for losing progress.
- Some plot elements and endings feel vague or unsatisfying, leaving players with unanswered questions.
- story110 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of *Lamentum* revolves around a man's desperate quest to save his ailing wife, drawing heavy inspiration from *Silent Hill 2* and *Amnesia: The Dark Descent*. While the narrative is engaging and features emotional depth, it is often criticized for predictability and a lack of clarity in its conclusion. The game excels in world-building and atmosphere, with optional side quests and notes that enrich the storytelling, though some players feel the plot could benefit from more originality and coherence.
“The story is engaging, interesting, and honestly a bit tearworthy.”
“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 kept me pushing on, wanting to see how it unfolds, and I gotta say it's one of the strongest stories I've played in a good while.”
“The 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.”
- gameplay59 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Lamentum is a blend of classic survival horror mechanics reminiscent of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, featuring exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat within a mansion setting. While many players appreciate the atmospheric design and engaging story, some criticize the clunky controls, steep difficulty curve, and tedious mechanics that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic yet challenging experience for fans of the genre, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more casual gameplay style.
“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 and environment are incredibly well thought out and designed, the story is engaging and interesting, and the gameplay itself is brilliant.”
“On the front of gameplay, I feel the actual combat is pretty annoying to deal with.”
“Well, there are instant-death traps that you wouldn't know until you trip them, and that sets you back 30+ minutes of gameplay.”
“Only real gripe is design probably went too far in old style mechanics; there were times when I died due to clunky controls and having set save points meant quite a few repeats that got old quick.”
- atmosphere52 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, immersive quality, effectively blending haunting visuals, well-composed music, and a sense of dread that enhances the horror experience. Players appreciate the thick, unsettling ambiance reminiscent of classic survival horror titles, which draws them into a nightmarish world filled with dark secrets and challenges. While some find the pacing slow and certain gameplay elements tedious, the overall atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates and maintains player interest throughout the experience.
“Lamentum is a chilling and atmospheric horror adventure that plunges players into a nightmarish and macabre world filled with dark secrets and unfathomable horrors.”
“The art, music, sound design, and overall atmosphere are superb: dark and spooky, but without the continual 'nope!' factor that prevents me from getting into Amnesia: Dark Descent.”
“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.”
“Its this dreary atmosphere of hopelessness throughout that really rounds this game out.”
“Another thing that the game manages to nail down surprisingly well is atmosphere which it achieves via music, sounds, the feeling of isolation as well as uncertainty as you never quite know what to expect around the next corner.”
- graphics52 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Lamentum" are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, which effectively captures the game's haunting atmosphere and Victorian gothic aesthetics. Reviewers highlight the intricate creature designs and the overall visual detail, noting that the art enhances the immersive horror experience. While some mention minor inconsistencies in cutscenes, the overall consensus is that the game's visuals are a standout feature, appealing especially to fans of retro and indie horror games.
“The art style is beautiful and fits the aesthetic really well.”
“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.”
“With its haunting art style and well-crafted narrative, it immerses players in a nightmarish world where terror lurks at every turn.”
“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.”
“At first glance, these two categories seem ill-suited for each other, yet Lamentum is more haunting because it’s not trying to scare you with photo-realistic ray-traced graphics.”
- music28 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its composition and ability to enhance the atmospheric experience, with many reviewers highlighting the haunting safe room themes and chill piano melodies. The soundtrack effectively complements the game's dark and brooding environment, contributing to a sense of isolation and tension. Overall, the sound design and music are considered standout elements, elevating the game's emotional impact despite some criticisms of other gameplay aspects.
“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!”
“On the other side, music that does not seem as such and just haphazard noise.”
“I can't really remember any music from the game other than the sad piano music.”
“Though there is no voice acting, the ambience invokes despair through music and sound design, the dark heart of the game.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it features multiple endings and choices that can influence the narrative, some players feel that the lack of significant gameplay variation diminishes the overall replay value. Many appreciate the branching quest lines and secrets that encourage thorough exploration, but others find the experience repetitive, leading to a sense of artificial replayability. Overall, the presence of multiple endings offers some incentive to replay, but the enjoyment may vary based on individual expectations of gameplay diversity.
“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.”
“Multiple missable endings probably don't belong in a game with no replay value.”
“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 with regards to where items/puzzles/enemies were found, so you would be playing the exact same game with no variation for a repeat playthrough).”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with complaints about backtracking and cumbersome inventory management detracting from the overall experience. Some feel that certain collectibles and side quests are unnecessarily burdensome, while features like infinite ink can help alleviate some of the frustration. Overall, while the game has its merits, the grinding elements can lead to a frustrating experience, especially for those with busy schedules.
“Gameplay can be tedious.”
“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.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely criticized, with players finding it lacking and comparing it unfavorably to other titles. The presence of backer signatures in a serious setting is seen as an unwelcome attempt at humor that detracts from the overall atmosphere.
“The humor in this game is a delightful surprise, adding a lighthearted twist to the otherwise intense atmosphere.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the clever dialogue and absurd situations that unfolded throughout the game.”
“The quirky characters and their hilarious interactions made my experience truly enjoyable and memorable.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the emotional aspect of the game significantly impacts players, emphasizing that it affects not only physical health but also carries a substantial psychological burden.
“It goes beyond merely physical health; it takes as much an emotional toll as it is psychological in nature.”
