Locked Up
- April 23, 2020
- EMIKA_GAMES
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Locked Up" is a narrative-driven psychological thriller game where you play as Emika, a detective investigating a series of mysterious disappearances. The game features a unique choice-based conversation system, with multiple endings determined by your decisions. Explore the dark and challenging mind of a kidnapper, and uncover the truth behind the sinister events unfolding in the small town.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and sound design that keeps players on edge.
- Effective jump scares that enhance the horror experience.
- Interesting story that unfolds gradually, encouraging exploration.
- Repetitive gameplay with excessive backtracking that can become tedious.
- Confusing mechanics at times, leading to frustration in progression.
- Short playtime that may not justify the full price for some players.
- story234 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmosphere and intriguing elements, while others found it confusing and poorly structured. Many noted that the narrative unfolds through environmental cues and requires patience to piece together, leading to a sense of satisfaction for some, but frustration for others. Overall, while the story has its moments of depth and engagement, it often suffers from clichés and a lack of coherence, leaving players divided on its effectiveness.
“I would highly recommend this to someone who wants a story-driven horror game that you can enjoy over the course of an evening.”
“The atmosphere and storyline (which were both bloody brilliant) had me gripped from the moment I pressed play.”
“The story was intriguing too.”
“The story made no sense; the different locations had no relation to each other, any sort of puzzle element was severely disappointing, and the scares were entirely predictable.”
“The story is incredibly difficult to follow, and it felt like the backstory for this haunted place was a sort of jumbled mess of various things but nothing was cohesive.”
“The story is where I felt the game has its biggest downside.”
- atmosphere105 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and tension throughout the experience. Many players highlight the combination of sound design, lighting, and level aesthetics as key elements that enhance the overall spooky vibe, although some note that the gameplay can become repetitive, detracting from the initial intensity. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for horror enthusiasts.
“This game immerses you in an atmosphere thick with dread.”
“The atmosphere haunts you and with every step it grows heavier and heavier.”
“Immersive, tight, and atmospheric environments create a sense of unease as the player walks the dimly lit corridors.”
“The atmosphere will be thick and oppressive.”
“The contrast between the assumingly bought assets and character models is really off-putting and ruins the atmosphere.”
“The constant search for the next trigger even works against the purpose of the game - creating atmosphere or some sort of threat is killed by stumbling in the same 5 square meters for 5-10 minutes in each 'level'.”
- graphics82 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the impressive visuals, atmospheric design, and effective use of retro aesthetics that enhance the horror experience. While some noted that character models could be less polished, the overall art style and environmental graphics were often described as stunning and immersive, contributing significantly to the game's unsettling atmosphere. However, a few reviews pointed out frustrations with certain visual effects and repetitive gameplay that detracted from the overall experience.
“The graphics were great and I absolutely love the use of the camera to create the different scenes throughout the time periods.”
“The aesthetic of the game from beginning to end is spine-tingling and the aesthetics are hauntingly beautiful.”
“The graphics are very polished and the sound is moody and creepy.”
“[b]Graphics/visual design:[/b] 2/10 - there is nothing remarkable in this game, and like everything else it is wildly overdone.”
“The models are blocky and don't really fit in with the overall graphics.”
“I ended up growing numb and losing my immersion because of the overdone audio and visuals, so most of the time you just feel like the game itself is screaming at you (to put it out of its misery?).”
- gameplay76 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a slow-paced, walking simulator style that often feels repetitive and lacks engaging mechanics, with players primarily interacting with scripted events rather than solving puzzles. While the audio-visual elements create an immersive atmosphere, many reviewers found the gameplay tedious and frustrating, with some mechanics leading to confusion and extended periods of aimless wandering. Overall, the game offers a mix of effective scares and atmospheric tension, but suffers from a lack of depth and variety in its gameplay design.
“The gameplay here is linear, and it's your job to wander around and find the triggers that cause progression and spooky events to happen.”
“The environment graphics are stunning, the gameplay is very smooth, and the atmosphere is extremely well put together.”
“I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed this game and I love this style of gameplay.”
“The pacing is terribly slow, the gameplay is mindbogglingly boring, and the English translations barely make any sense in the 'big reveal' at the end.”
“Not badly made on a technical level, but the gameplay is extremely repetitive and reactive; you walk around waiting for things to happen to you, not because of you a lot of the time, and the spooks are often beyond cliché.”
“Almost everything of the gameplay is nothing more than going from A to B to A to B again until you find something to click on, which opens a door or plays a playlist of knocking sounds.”
- music22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the eerie atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its effectiveness in creating suspense and contributing to jump scares. While some tracks evoke nostalgic 80s horror vibes, others are described as creepy and immersive, though a few players found certain loops repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong element that complements the game's horror experience.
“Great story that unfolds as you play, plenty of jumpscares, fantastic music and atmosphere.”
“Things I enjoyed most from 'Locked Up' were the soundtrack (I loved the 80's horror vibes from some of the tracks), graphics, effective use of light and shadow, atmosphere, and the retro VHS style of some parts of the game.”
“The atmosphere is great with its eerie ominous soundtrack.”
“In fact, he ran from the room with his hands covering his ears so he could not hear the 'creepy music.'”
“Very quiet; I even hear the ambient music go on a loop, and it's just not well done.”
“The music cues and stings are suited for a mainstream audience.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- -14 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly in the early levels, which detracts from the overall experience. Players noted that the slow pace and the need for numerous back-and-forth trips made gameplay feel frustrating and drawn out, leading to a lack of engagement. While some found later levels improved, the initial grind significantly impacted their enjoyment.
“The grinding aspect of the game can be quite extensive, requiring 60 to 100 hours to fully experience everything it has to offer.”
“While the grind can be time-consuming, it adds a rewarding layer to the gameplay that keeps you engaged.”
“I appreciate how the grinding mechanics encourage exploration and mastery of the game, making every hour spent feel worthwhile.”
“This game was tedious to get through.”
“The scariest thing was how slow you move and the tediousness of the tasks.”
“The game forces you to go back and forth into rooms and corridors so many times -- making it way too repetitive and tedious.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as unintentional, with players finding themselves laughing at the awkward animations and repetitive jump scares rather than feeling scared. While some enjoyed the comedic elements, others felt that the lack of genuine scares made the experience more amusing than thrilling. Overall, the humor seems to stem from the game's shortcomings in horror execution.
“I was laughing at the end.”
“After a while it's not even scary anymore, it is actually funny.”
“I found myself laughing at most of them.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting it as very buggy, comparable to titles like Cyberpunk and Saints Row Reboot, while others experienced a mostly solid performance with only minor, non-game-breaking glitches. Overall, while there are some issues, many players found the game to be largely bug-free.
“The game is completely bug-free, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
“I haven't encountered any issues; the stability is impressive.”
“The game runs flawlessly without any crashes or glitches.”
“Very buggy, like Cyberpunk or Saints Row reboot.”
“If it was a buggy mess, then yes, refund it.”
“For instance, most of the time you will see a person or shadow, walk over to it until the camera glitches it away, and then carry on.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional response to the game, highlighting feelings of confusion and frustration while exploring the environment, as well as intense fear and vulnerability during encounters with frightening characters. The combination of suspenseful elements and unsettling atmospheres evokes genuine fear and emotional turmoil, leading to moments of crying and heightened anxiety.
“Moving in the house without a purpose and touching everything.”
“Locked up made me cry many, many times; it was scary, and the lady is so tall and frightening. Also, what's up with all the candles?”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While some users expressed a desire for more character development, they still found the overall experience of the game to be impressive.
“The character development in this game is truly remarkable, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I was impressed by how the characters evolved throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The depth of character development added layers to the narrative, making every decision feel impactful.”
“I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development, but the overall effect of the game was really awesome.”
