Martha's Dolls
- January 9, 2024
- AJB GAMES STUDIO
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Martha's Dolls" is a first-person horror game where you investigate an abandoned village plagued by a curse and haunted by the dolls of an old woman named Martha. The dolls, possessed by Martha's vengeful spirit, will stop at nothing to protect the village and its secrets. Explore the village, avoid the dolls, and uncover the truth behind the curse in this intense horror experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features impressive graphics and a creepy atmosphere reminiscent of Outlast and Dead Silence.
- Puzzles are engaging and require some thought, adding depth to the gameplay.
- The jump scares are effective and contribute to a fun horror experience, especially for a quick playthrough.
- The game feels rushed and lacks depth in its story, making it feel cheap and shallow.
- AI voice acting is jarring and detracts from the overall immersion of the game.
- The game is too short, with many areas lacking ambient sound and a cohesive environment.
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it shallow, confusing, and rushed, despite a promising premise. While some appreciated the character dynamics and atmosphere, others felt the narrative lacked depth and coherence, leading to a sense of disconnection from the plot. Overall, the storyline seems to be a weak point, with players expressing a desire for more development and clarity.
“The atmosphere, the story, and the puzzles were good.”
“The game is great and the story is awesome.”
“The premise of the story I thought was actually good, just felt it was too rushed and needed expanded upon.”
“The story is confusing; there are too many of the same jumpscares, the AI voice acting is a bit wonky, and the whole game itself seems rushed.”
“Overall: 3/5 just for its price, but the storyline is where I wasn't sold.”
“There wasn't a whole lot of story, but from what there was, it wasn't that bad—kind of bland. The characters were honestly my favorite part, but the ending made no sense to me.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for their quality, especially for an indie horror title, with smooth performance and appealing visuals. However, some users noted issues such as floating objects and disappearing items that detracted from the overall experience. While the graphics are considered good, the night vision feature of the camcorder received criticism for being ineffective.
“The game is very nice looking graphically.”
“The visuals are impressive; it ran better than many other indie horror games I've played, and I didn't have to adjust the graphics, which was nice.”
“The jump scares are really effective, and the theme is great. The sound effects and graphics are also really good for a game developed by one person.”
“Visuals ran better than many other indie horrors I've played, and I didn't have to adjust the graphics, which was nice. However, I ran into many spots with randomly floating objects and items completely disappearing.”
“Played on Linux using Proton Experimental. The graphics are okay, but the night vision of the camcorder is awful; I can see better without using it at all. The gameplay is mostly a walking sim with some codes to find and work out to open safes, but the overall experience feels lacking.”
“The graphics are just okay, and while the game tries its best to deliver jump scares, it only managed to catch me off guard once. For an hour of playtime, it might be a bit pricey, so it's best to wait for a sale.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the British detective's dialogue and quirky character interactions amusing, despite occasional awkward translations and glitches. While the voice acting is often criticized as poor, it adds an unintended comedic element that elicits laughter. Overall, the characters, particularly the dolls, provide entertaining moments that enhance the game's charm, even amidst its technical flaws.
“The English dialogue was a bit off at times, but it did bring a little humor to the game with the British detective.”
“There were so many bugs; the voice acting wasn't good, but it was amusing and had me laughing several times.”
“The English translation is a little shaky at times, and the AI voice acting is hilariously bad.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it too quiet and lacking in engagement, while others appreciate its creepy and immersive qualities, particularly noting that the full version enhances the atmospheric experience established in the demo. Overall, it seems to evoke a strong sense of ambiance that some players find compelling.
“The atmosphere, the story, and the puzzles were good.”
“I played the demo version, which I thought was great, and the full game kept the same creepy atmospheric feeling, if not better.”
“I will recommend the game as it does have a nice atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is lacking; it's just too quiet throughout the game.”
“I found the atmosphere to be dull and unengaging, making it hard to immerse myself.”
“The game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving it feeling empty and lifeless.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its simplicity and has garnered positive impressions, particularly following an engaging demo.
“I was really impressed by the demo gameplay a few months ago.”
“The gameplay is very simple.”
“The gameplay is very simplistic and lacks depth.”
“I found the gameplay to be repetitive and uninspired.”
“The mechanics feel clunky and unrefined, making it frustrating to play.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a smooth experience with no performance issues or bugs encountered during gameplay, indicating strong optimization.
“There were no performance issues or bugs during my playthrough.”
“The game runs smoothly without any noticeable lag or frame drops.”
“I was impressed by how well-optimized the game is; everything felt responsive and fluid.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only a couple of minor glitches reported, such as a floating object and a temporary issue with exiting after entering a code. These glitches are not game-breaking and are often viewed humorously by players.
“Only two very minor glitches occurred, such as a floating knife in the air, which I thought was hilarious. However, when I tried entering one of the codes and then exiting, it wouldn't let me, so I had to force close the game.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience without constant interruptions.”
“I encountered several stability issues, including random freezes and lag spikes that disrupted gameplay.”
