Last Days of Lazarus

About

"Last Days of Lazarus" is a narrative-driven, atmospheric horror game set in a small, isolated village. As the player, you'll uncover the dark secrets of the town and its inhabitants while trying to survive and escape the supernatural horrors that lurk. The game features a unique art style, puzzles, and a haunting soundtrack to immerse you in its chilling world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews

story32 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a beautifully crafted atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The story is engaging and offers a unique blend of horror, mystery, and religious themes, keeping players intrigued throughout.
Puzzles are generally straightforward and rewarding, with collectibles that encourage exploration and replayability.

The voice acting is often criticized for being subpar, which detracts from the immersion and emotional impact of the story.
The narrative can feel disjointed and confusing at times, with some plot points and character motivations lacking clarity.
Gameplay can be frustrating due to the lack of direction, with players sometimes wandering aimlessly or struggling to find interactable objects.

story
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging and original narrative that blends religious themes and emotional depth, while others criticize it for being confusing, disjointed, and at times, mediocre. Many reviewers noted that the story's pacing and coherence could be improved, as it often feels like a collection of ideas rather than a cohesive plot. Overall, while the visuals and atmosphere are frequently highlighted as strong points, the story's execution leaves room for improvement, with some players finding it compelling and others feeling it detracts from the overall experience.
- “However, playing and completing the game left me really impressed by the whole story and plot.”
- “The story is amazing.”
- “I highly recommend this to those who enjoy a twisting story that mixes a bit of mystery, horror, religious themes, and a man in search of the truth.”
- “The story is confusing and awfully told.”
- “The story is all over the place and hardly makes sense.”
- “Story-wise, this game is incredibly confused and appears to have been written in segments by separate groups without communication between any of them.”
graphics
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty, detail, and cinematic quality, with many reviewers highlighting the vibrant environments and atmospheric design. However, some critiques point out that while the visuals are impressive, they can overshadow other aspects of the game, such as the story and character animations, which are often described as mediocre or lacking depth. Overall, the graphics are seen as a standout feature, elevating the experience despite some technical and narrative shortcomings.
- “The graphics are brilliant and the story was very captivating.”
- “Superbly beautiful graphics, animation, and environments... so much to look at, and it's all so very detailed.”
- “The graphics are quite beautiful; it is clear a lot of time and effort went into creating this game, and this part comes off as the main focus of the project.”
- “For me, the 5 hours just felt like 80% frustration and confusion at what I was looking at, and a waste of the talent who did the visuals.”
- “Poorly coded, made PC fans run like crazy the entire time even though the graphics are nothing to write home about - they are vibrant, that's all, but people are not animated, they speak with their mouths shut, etc. The voice for the devil was funny because he was pronouncing everything with 'sh' instead of 's'.”
- “I'm sure the author had a solid story to tell; it's a shame the graphics team couldn't pull it off.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
52%
14%
The gameplay is generally described as fluid and unobtrusive, effectively complementing the narrative without overshadowing it. While some players noted an overabundance of unskippable cutscenes that disrupt the pacing, others appreciated the smooth mechanics and engaging puzzles that are not overly challenging. Overall, the gameplay is considered enjoyable, with a good balance of challenge and narrative progression, making it more engaging than typical walking simulators.
- “Fun and easy gameplay, good story (theologically incorrect though!, lol!)”
- “The gameplay was fluid and unobtrusive and I was able to keep the game’s events at the front of my mind, pondering their horror and wondering what would happen next.”
- “The gameplay propelled me forward nicely, complementing and never overshadowing the narrative’s momentum.”
- “The cutscenes in particular are overabundant and unskippable, meaning you're sitting there sometimes with a cutscene, a minute of gameplay, which is then followed by another cutscene.”
- “The gameplay doesn't have as much horror as it may originally seem, playing more like a first-person point-and-click adventure, only in 3D.”
- “Puzzles are mostly 'find and use' with a handful of mechanical exercises that were not too difficult.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
7%
13%
The atmosphere in these games is consistently praised for its stunning visual storytelling and immersive environments, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the captivating and haunting settings that encourage exploration and engagement with the story, often highlighting the impressive graphics and emotional depth. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature, making these games highly recommendable for fans of atmospheric storytelling and adventure.
- “Those games perfectly weave visual storytelling, beautiful environments, and fantastic atmosphere.”
- “Usually when I play first-person story games, I'm just racing to the end, but because the atmosphere and surroundings were so beautifully rendered, I enjoyed taking my time looking for items and objects to interact with.”
- “Interesting and immersive story, great atmosphere, it kept me glued to the screen till I finished it.”
- “As much as I enjoyed the game and the sinister, spooky atmosphere, I found myself in awe every time I was in a church, cathedral, or prayer booth.”
- “Really like the atmosphere in this game.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and haunting qualities, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the compelling storyline. Players appreciate the well-crafted soundtrack, particularly noting its emotional impact during key moments, such as the end credits song, which features a touching personal touch from the developer. Overall, the sound design contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere and narrative depth.
- “A good soundtrack and a surreal storyline.”
- “I found the story compelling, the music was beautiful, all in all a pleasant enough experience.”
- “The characters are intriguing and the scenery and soundtrack are beautifully crafted.”
- “The soundtrack isn't too bad.”
- “The incidental music is appropriate, and at times haunting.”
- “The developers stated on Facebook: 'We were moved by my mom's interpretation while recording the end credits song for Last Days of Lazarus.'”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and randomness, with moments that elicit laughter through bizarre elements like nonsensical droids and poorly animated characters. While the main plot is criticized for being lackluster, the quirky voice acting and unexpected occurrences provide a comedic charm that some players find entertaining. Overall, the humor is described as simplistic yet capable of generating genuine amusement through its goofiness.
- “They're some of the moments that are so absurd that it made me laugh.”
- “All of them appear at random and some just magically appear (you'll know what I mean if you play the game) causing a 'how the heck did you get here?' response, and it is hilariously goofy.”
- “It's almost hilarious how simplistic it is.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a poignant journey that blends sadness and upliftment, particularly through the struggles of Lazarus, who grapples with his family's needs while engaging in criminal activities abroad. The narrative features touching moments and shocking revelations that deepen the emotional impact, effectively tying together various story elements and character arcs.
- “It's sad, uplifting, and the journey from where you start to the end is very heartfelt.”
- “The eldest son Lazarus left the country and now does likely criminal work to support his family back home, but he seldom visits and doesn’t provide the emotional support his mother and sister need.”
- “I also liked how some parts of the story in the last days of Lazarus referenced the story of Gray Dawn to tie up some of the loose ends, and there are touching emotional moments in the game as well as horrifying reveals of the dark secrets some of the characters have hidden in their lives.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable, with optional puzzles for collectibles that enhance the experience rather than detract from it. However, some users note that certain cutscenes and dialogues can be frustratingly unclear, leading to moments of tedium when trying to figure out how to progress.
- “The grinding in this game is rewarding and feels purposeful, making each effort worthwhile.”
- “I appreciate how the grinding mechanics are balanced; they keep me engaged without feeling tedious.”
- “The optional puzzles and collectibles add depth to the grinding experience, making it enjoyable rather than a chore.”
- “Grinding feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
- “I often find myself stuck in a loop of grinding, which takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including bugs and scripting glitches that can hinder gameplay, such as items not appearing when needed and doors sealing unexpectedly. Overall, these problems detract from the overall experience.
- “Also buggy; the 'gore' looks like a post-Chipotle artwork.”
- “There are also some scripting glitches, like one where I hadn't seen an item I needed to take with me down to a basement area, and once I got down there, the door sealed behind me.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players appreciate the game's chapter-based structure, which enhances replayability by allowing them to easily revisit specific sections.
- “+ Divided into chapters for easy replayability.”
- “The game offers multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different choices.”
- “With various character builds and strategies, each playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
- “The game is divided into chapters, which makes it easy to replay specific sections.”
- “Once you finish the game, there isn't much incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for inconsistent performance, with players experiencing stuttering and lagging after an initially smooth start.
- “For some reason, the game just kept stuttering and lagging when I was able to play the first 3 hours without an issue.”