Lost Cartridge: Cold Read

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 49 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Lost Cartridge: Cold Read Game Cover
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In "Lost Cartridge: Cold Read," players uncover the mysteries of a forgotten game cartridge filled with unsettling minigames. As they explore, they'll encounter strange characters and hidden secrets, all while trying to piece together the chilling narrative. With its unique blend of nostalgia and horror, this game offers a thrilling experience for adventure and puzzle fans alike.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews
story7 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a highly engaging and spooky atmosphere, reminiscent of classic RPG Maker horror games, with clever puzzles and a compelling story.
  • Players appreciate the unique death scenes and the thrill of exploring multiple endings, which adds to the replay value.
  • The art style and soundtrack effectively enhance the creepy ambiance, making for an enjoyable horror experience.
  • The game suffers from various bugs and glitches, including crashes and issues with animations, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Some players find the random monster encounters and limited hiding spots frustrating, leading to repetitive gameplay during chases.
  • A few puzzles are criticized for their unclear logic, making them feel obtuse and potentially frustrating for players.
  • story10 mentions

    The game's story is widely praised for its intriguing narrative and well-developed character, Mitch, which keeps players engaged throughout. Reviewers highlight the effective integration of storytelling with gameplay elements, creating a tense atmosphere complemented by a strong soundtrack and unique monster designs. While some puzzles may be challenging and technical issues like crashes are noted, the overall experience is described as captivating and immersive.

    • “I totally recommend this game; it has a great soundtrack that creates a creepy ambiance, a good art style, and an interesting story.”
    • “The story is very interesting, and Mitch as a character was fun to play and hear about.”
    • “The way the story and themes are conveyed is very mysterious, and it seems to tempt you into revealing more under its surface.”
  • graphics5 mentions

    The graphics of the game are described as excessively graphic and visceral, with a beautiful art style that evokes nostalgia for DOS-era adventure games. While some users note occasional amateurishness and bugs, the overall aesthetic, particularly in death scenes, is praised for its creepiness and charm, making it a compelling experience for fans of similar titles.

    • “I totally recommend this game, it has a great soundtrack that creates a creepy ambiance, a good art style, and an interesting story.”
    • “Really neat and ominous game, and I really adore the aesthetics and art for the death scenes. I absolutely recommend it to anyone that's a fan of games like Mad Father or The Witch's House.”
    • “The art style is beautiful and reminiscent of DOS-era adventure games, not in a derivative way at all.”
    • “A consequential albeit sometimes amateurish and buggy/glitchy experience that is nonetheless excessively graphic, visceral, and earnest in its premise.”
    • “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games, making the overall experience less immersive.”
    • “While the art style has potential, the execution falls flat with inconsistent quality and distracting visual glitches.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while many praise the soundtrack for enhancing the creepy atmosphere and overall experience, some find the extreme bitcrushing effects grating and difficult to endure over time. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its quality, but its presentation may not appeal to all players.

    • “I totally recommend this game; it has a great soundtrack that creates a creepy ambiance, a good art style, and an interesting story.”
    • “From storytelling, ambiance, and puzzles to secrets, characters, and music, this game excels at them all!”
    • “Another great game! Please make an art book, soundtrack, or something so I can throw more money at you.”
    • “The music can be incredibly grating and hard to listen to after a while due to the extreme bitcrushing; the songs themselves are fine, though.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized for being buggy and glitchy, with users reporting significant issues such as hardlocks and memory leaks, particularly after prolonged play. Despite these technical shortcomings, the game is noted for its graphic intensity and earnest premise.

    • “A consequential albeit sometimes amateurish and buggy/glitchy experience that is nonetheless excessively graphic, visceral, and earnest in its premise.”
    • “Very buggy.”
    • “There are a number of unfortunate glitches and bugs as well, the worst being what I assume to be a memory leak that causes the game to hardlock when changing maps after extended play.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a perfectly unsettling tension that evokes a sense of dread, appealing to players who favor psychological horror over jump-scares. While the setting contributes significantly to the overall experience, some players felt that other issues detracted from their enjoyment.

    • “I prefer more atmospheric dread than jump scares.”
    • “The setting and atmosphere are perfectly unsettling, and I was legitimately tense.”
    • “It has a good atmosphere and some interesting puzzles.”
  • gameplay3 mentions

    The gameplay is engaging and solid, with players feeling invested in the story throughout. However, some users noted a lack of clarity regarding movement mechanics due to the use of different colored tiles, which can lead to confusion compared to similar games. The core gameplay loop draws comparisons to titles like Clock Tower.

    • “This game was quite fun; I was invested in the story the whole way through, and I felt that the gameplay was quite solid.”
    • “The core gameplay loop reminds me of Clock Tower a lot.”
    • “Unlike in other games I can think of that have a similar mechanic, here it is far less clear where one can stand, because different color tiles are used without a lot of indication of which can be moved across.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The game's humor is derived from its quirky and engaging elements found throughout a vast library, where players encounter a mix of funny, interesting, and even sad observations, reminiscent of the classic Shadowgate-style puzzle experience.

    • “This game is a Shadowgate-style puzzle box where you wander around a suspiciously huge library and encounter funny, interesting, and sad things.”
    • “The humor in this game is cleverly woven into the dialogue and scenarios, making every interaction a delightful surprise.”
    • “I found myself laughing out loud at the quirky characters and their hilarious antics throughout the game.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers a short experience with some replay value, making it a worthwhile purchase for those looking for a brief yet engaging playthrough.

    • “Being a short offering with some replay value, it's well worth the price of admission, taking just a few hours to complete.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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