Lumber Island - That Special Place
- October 1, 2015
- DeanForge
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamLumber Island - That Special Place is a horror-adventure game set on a seemingly abandoned island. The player must navigate through dense forests, desolate beaches, and eerie buildings while avoiding or confronting the island's mysterious and hostile inhabitants. The game features a variety of puzzles and challenges that must be overcome to uncover the truth behind the island's dark past.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a creepy atmosphere with solid graphics and sound design, enhancing the horror experience.
- Many players found the story intriguing and appreciated the creative elements, despite some confusion.
- The game includes genuine jump scares and moments that effectively create tension and fear.
- Gameplay mechanics are flawed, with many players frustrated by convoluted puzzles and a lack of clear objectives.
- The game is often too dark, making it difficult to navigate, and lacks essential features like a gamma slider or save points.
- The story is convoluted and poorly translated, leaving players confused about the plot and character motivations.
- story16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed reception for the game's story, with some praising its depth and atmosphere while others criticize it as convoluted and confusing. Many players found the narrative vague or poorly executed, often struggling to understand the plot due to broken English and unclear storytelling. Overall, the story seems to evoke a range of reactions, from intrigue to frustration, impacting the overall gameplay experience.
“One of the best indie horror games, deep plot, scary enough, atmospheric.”
“The story is fun and makes you constantly wonder what will happen next.”
“I will however say the ending and the story the game tries to tell is pretty interesting and I've still not entirely figured out what it all means but I probably won't play the game again to find out, which is a shame.”
“The story is a confusing mess.”
“No problem there, but the story is so convoluted and confusing that you don't actually know what's happening.”
“I felt the story made little sense and most of the written clues were in broken English.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, featuring creepy visuals, effective background music, and solid jump scares that enhance the horror experience. However, some players noted that while the atmosphere is strong, it is occasionally undermined by vague storytelling, limited content, and technical issues, which detracted from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a notable entry in the indie horror genre.
“The atmosphere and the background music are awesome and creepy; there are a few jump scares that actually made me jump. The puzzles aren't too hard; in short, it was really enjoyable to play.”
“The scares are great, and the atmosphere of the game is just downright creepy.”
“Furthermore, it has a creepy atmosphere with solid jump scares and a twisted plot.”
“The atmosphere was solidly spooky, so I'm really disappointed that there didn't seem to be much more to this game.”
“Furthermore, it has a creepy atmosphere with solid jumpscares and a 'twisted' plot.”
“This game really shows you horror, from the awesome scary atmosphere to the headless guy with an axe.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of stealth and hiding mechanics, leading to a repetitive experience where players simply run away until the game arbitrarily stops the chase. While the game boasts impressive visuals and smooth mechanics, the overall gameplay is considered flawed and unenjoyable by many users.
“It is honestly just insane how good the game looks, how smooth the mechanics are, and how much detail there is.”
“The main monster, while creepy and it did get me a few times, makes it easy to escape with the hiding mechanic.”
“There is no stealth mechanics or hiding mechanics, just run away until the game decides for dumb reasons that he isn't chasing you anymore.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay and mechanics are very flawed to be an enjoyable game to play.”
“Gameplay is lackluster and repetitive.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for creating an atmospheric and creepy backdrop that enhances the experience, with some players enjoying the effective use of silence and changes in the score. However, the repetitive nature of the background music, which consists of a limited loop, detracts from the overall enjoyment for some, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, while the sound design is well-presented, the music could benefit from greater variety.
“The atmosphere and the background music are awesome and creepy; there are a few jumpscares that actually made me jump. The puzzles aren't too hard; in short, it was really enjoyable to play.”
“To keep this short and sweet, it's very well presented, with good graphics, good sound, and music.”
“The background music was the same 2-3 minute loop over and over again for the entire game, and it got really old fast. The few times there was a bit of silence or a change in the music were amazing.”
“The background music was the same 2-3 minute loop over and over again for the entire game, and it got really old fast. The few times there was a bit of silence or a change in the music were amazing.”
“Music gets trivial.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their quality and presentation, contributing to a strong horror atmosphere alongside the story. Overall, players appreciate the visual and auditory elements, noting that they enhance the overall experience.
“The graphics, story (even though overly vague), and horror atmosphere are really nice.”
“To keep this short and sweet, it's very well presented, with good graphics, sound, and music.”
