Left-Hand Path

Conjure your way through unspeakable evils.

Starting at $29.99Buy now

In "Left-Hand Path," a challenging VR RPG inspired by Dark Souls, you'll awaken in a mysterious castle and learn arcane gestures to cast powerful spells. Master a complex ritual magic system, battle dangerous creatures, and delve into the Well Of All Rewards. This immersive game offers a vast world to explore and many hours of gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features an immersive and innovative spellcasting system that allows players to draw runes in the air, enhancing the feeling of being a powerful wizard.
The atmosphere is dark and creepy, effectively creating tension and fear, making it a thrilling experience for horror fans.
The developer is highly engaged with the community, actively responding to feedback and making improvements, which shows a commitment to enhancing the game.

The game suffers from a lack of polish, with issues such as clunky controls, poor enemy AI, and occasional bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
The graphics and overall aesthetics feel dated, which can detract from the immersive experience, especially compared to newer VR titles.
The difficulty can be frustrating, with many players feeling overwhelmed by the fast-moving enemies and unclear progression paths, leading to a steep learning curve.

gameplay
50 mentions
40 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Left-Hand Path" is characterized by its immersive spellcasting mechanics and a challenging combat system reminiscent of Dark Souls, providing a unique experience in VR. While the game has some rough edges, such as clunky item pickup and less polished graphics, players appreciate the engaging atmosphere and the thrill of navigating its dark world. Overall, the mechanics encourage different playstyles and strategies, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy RPGs with a focus on magic and exploration.
- “The mechanics work great, and if you like a challenge with a little scare to it, this is for you.”
- “Gameplay feels solid, and the world is very immersive.”
- “The game's core mechanic is fun, and I love that I can actually read the text.”
- “Again, if this is something you get into, I can see it being fantastic, and I wish I could get into it because I saw gameplay of it back before I got my headset, and it looked great. But it just doesn't hold up as well as other games have, and it's a shame we won't be able to see it being the best it could.”
- “That's what I'm hoping for, and so the only reason I'm not requesting a refund, but the spell mechanic is really clunky to actually fight with, and the staff doesn't seem to actually do a whole lot except act like a pointer.”
- “It is a charming indie game with plenty of bugs and limits in gameplay, art, and level design.”
story
26 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and dark, with a mix of horror and fantasy elements that draw players in through exploration and lore found in books and notes. While some players appreciate the depth and atmosphere, others find the storytelling hindered by a lack of interactivity and frustrating gameplay mechanics. Overall, the narrative is seen as a strong aspect of the game, though it could benefit from improvements in presentation and accessibility.
- “This game is an impressive entry into VR, with a unique feel and intense story.”
- “It's a dark, disturbing world with a cryptic and engaging story.”
- “The story-line is fun and scary, addictive to follow and provides a challenge for anyone that likes fantasy games.”
- “I finally gave up when the story put me at the bottom of a pit of endless spiders, and I've tried every spell and can't get past a magical barrier.”
- “The game really tries to pull you in with the horror and light storytelling, but neither are really what I am looking for (and neither are very good here either...).”
- “Starting the game out in a dungeon makes the game feel small; it would have been a much better setting to be on a quest and have some kind of introduction, any kind of narrative at all outside of the lore books laying around.”
atmosphere
23 mentions
52 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, enhanced by effective lighting and sound design that create a tense, Lovecraftian horror experience. While some graphics may lack detail, the overall ambiance, combined with engaging gameplay elements like spellcasting and exploration, keeps players on edge and deeply engaged. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine fear and curiosity, making it a standout in atmospheric gaming.
- “The horror element of the game kind of has three components to it: firstly, the environments themselves are spooky, and very well done at creating a tense atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, lighting, and sounds create a very foreboding, creepy environment that kept me on edge the entire time.”
- “The thing that makes it worth it is the atmosphere and challenge; the game doesn't look the best, but the atmosphere and gameplay make up for all of its shortcomings. It is the first time I have been terrified in the Vive and wanted to continue, driving me to explore the dark and unknown, which is an amazing feeling.”
- “The atmosphere is genuinely creepy.”
graphics
22 mentions
45 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the dark, gothic aesthetic and atmospheric lighting, while others criticize the overall visual quality as lacking detail and being crude. Despite these shortcomings, many agree that the graphics serve the gameplay well, contributing to an engaging experience, particularly in VR. Overall, while the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they are generally considered adequate for the game's style and mechanics.
- “That said, I find the game quite aesthetically pleasing with a good creepy atmosphere.”
- “I was lured in by its enchanting graphics and fantasy lore that just blends in so well with the story.”
- “It's the scariest game I have ever played and the graphics and sound are excellent.”
- “Overall, the game shows good promise and is playable now, but could be much improved graphically.”
- “The graphics are crude, the sound is okay, but the story is good so far and the dev added achievements, which I enjoy.”
- “Visuals are very poor, the game is overly dark for no good reason (even after the first patch).”
optimization
5 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users noting significant issues such as immersion-breaking stuttering and inadequate support for major VR platforms like Oculus and Vive. While some players have enjoyed smooth gameplay and effective teleportation mechanics, others feel that the game was released prematurely without proper optimization, particularly for complex actions like ritual casting. Overall, the optimization appears to be a critical area needing improvement to enhance the overall experience.
- “Made me jump a couple of times, runs smoothly, teleportation works well.”
- “With only a front-facing setup, you will most likely not be able to experience the room-scale environment and will frequently run into immersion-breaking stuttering.”
- “You can't release the full version if you have not optimized for at least the two biggest VR platforms on the market, Oculus and Vive.”
- “I manage to cast rituals on certain tries, but if you are going to require me to cast two rituals in one go and you haven't optimized ritual casting for Oculus when I'm clearly doing the right thing, it shows that you released the game too early with the confidence of an overcocky investment trader on steroids.”
music
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by ambient soundscapes rather than traditional melodies, featuring eerie drones that effectively enhance the overall mood and atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack is not overtly musical but rather more ambient pieces that set the mood with eerie drones and the like.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game currently experiences some glitches and bugs, typical for an early access title, but players find it worth the price due to its potential and engaging mechanics.
- “It's not without its glitches at the moment, since it is still in early access, but it is definitely worth the price.”
- “While still slightly buggy, it has great potential.”
- “The game experiences frequent crashes and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the emotional experience of the game, feeling disconnected from the fantasy of being a powerful wizard. Instead, they describe a sense of helplessness and confusion, as they struggle to understand the mechanics while facing relentless and unforgiving enemies.
replayability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
While some users acknowledge that certain features contribute to replayability, there is a consensus that the game could benefit from additional polish to enhance this aspect further.
- “Sure, one could argue these add replay value, but it does feel like there's still some more polish to be done here.”
- “After completing the game, I found little incentive to go back and play through it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game stems from the chaotic and frantic nature of casting spells, which often leads to amusing situations and challenges.
- “Trying to cast spells in a terrified frenzy is both challenging and hilarious.”
- “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud.”
- “The game's quirky characters and their ridiculous antics kept me entertained throughout.”