Miasmata

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"Miasmata is a single-player Horror Role Playing game with an intriguing story, stellar gameplay, and good graphics. As Robert Hughes, a plague-stricken scientist, you explore a mysterious island to discover a cure while avoiding a deadly creature. With an atmospheric soundtrack and challenging gameplay, Miasmata offers a unique and sensational experience, despite some bugs and grinding."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 784 reviews

gameplay66 positive mentions

stability33 negative mentions

Unique cartography system that requires triangulation to map the island, enhancing the exploration experience.
Immersive atmosphere with beautiful environments and a strong sense of isolation and survival.
Engaging gameplay focused on collecting plants and synthesizing medicines to combat the protagonist's illness.

Clunky movement mechanics that can lead to frequent falls and frustration while navigating the terrain.
Limited inventory system that restricts the number of plants and items the player can carry, making resource management tedious.
The creature that stalks the player can become more of an annoyance than a genuine threat, reducing the tension over time.

gameplay
253 mentions
26 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Miasmata is centered around exploration and a unique cartography mechanic that requires players to triangulate their position using landmarks, creating a deeply immersive experience. While the game features interesting mechanics such as realistic movement and resource management, many players find the controls clunky and the gameplay can feel tedious at times. Overall, Miasmata offers a distinctive exploration experience that may appeal to those who appreciate innovative mechanics, despite its technical shortcomings.
- “Exploration is at the core of Miasmata, relying on an initially empty map, a clever triangulation mechanic, and making the simple act of walking around a possible danger.”
- “Miasmata stands out by making charting and traversing its world the core gameplay.”
- “The cartography mechanic is genius; mapping the island feels like a real accomplishment.”
- “The actual gameplay is just brutal.”
- “A rather tedious walking simulator with unintuitive mechanics, extremely clunky controls, and irritating time sinks.”
- “The mechanics are broken, the gameplay is frustrating as f@ck, the controls are clunky, you will grow to hate it in no time...”
graphics
180 mentions
30 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many players noting that while they may appear dated and occasionally glitchy, they still possess a certain charm and artistic quality that enhances the overall experience. Some beautiful environmental visuals, particularly during sunset and sunrise, stand out, but issues like pop-in textures and clunky animations detract from the immersion. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate for an indie title developed by a small team, with many players appreciating the unique atmosphere despite the technical shortcomings.
- “I fell in love with the graphics, the theme, and the artwork.”
- “The visuals are beautifully charming, and even though I've played it nearly a decade after its release, the visuals still hold up remarkably well, due to their nostalgic nature, which is difficult to pull off in 3D games, combined with the incredible detail in the flora and fauna, if not in graphical fidelity then in artistic vision.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning and it very well does so seem like a survivalistic gameplay.”
- “The graphics aren't great by modern standards, but keep in mind that this entire game was made by two brothers from the ground up, engine and all, in 2012.”
- “The graphics are obviously outdated, which is expected from most indie games, so there is nothing too special or interesting about the island, and all of the ruins I came across appeared to be completely abandoned props with nothing to do.”
- “The graphics, particularly the textures, are very dated in places.”
story
180 mentions
28 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally praised for its intriguing and mysterious elements, delivered through scattered notes and environmental storytelling that encourage exploration. While some players find the narrative engaging and well-integrated with gameplay mechanics, others feel it lacks depth and can be confusing or underwhelming. Overall, the story serves as a compelling backdrop for survival and exploration, though its vagueness and reliance on player discovery may not appeal to everyone.
- “The story is really interesting and is very well implemented into the game mechanics.”
- “The story is quite well thought out but purposefully vague.”
- “The story is interesting enough to keep me playing, the world is varied and intriguing, and the whole thing is very open for the player to explore.”
- “The story doesn't make you care one bit about the character because in all honesty there is no character, it's just you, the island, its flowers and the beast.”
- “I did not find all the notes, but the ones I did offered a pretty lackluster story that evoked more 'oh... okay then' rather than 'wow, I wanna find all the notes and figure out what is going on.'”
- “The graphics, the story, and the gameplay are all quite lackluster.”
atmosphere
75 mentions
65 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively blending elements of exploration, survival, and tension. Players appreciate the stunning landscapes, realistic sound design, and the sense of being watched by unpredictable creatures, which enhances the overall experience. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics and controls, the game's ability to create a captivating and eerie environment is consistently highlighted as a standout feature.
- “The atmosphere pulls you in and keeps you in a survivor's mindset as you work your way across a lush island.”
- “Miasmata excels in creating a haunting atmosphere that is at once peaceful and tense.”
- “The game is ridiculously atmospheric and immersive, and it completely sucks you in.”
- “I don't know anything about cool concepts or atmosphere in the game because the clunky controls and horrible spelling in game text ruined my experience right from the start.”
- “But... visually everything is just a little too clunky, obtuse and unrefined to keep the atmosphere going.”
- “While the soundtrack is reasonable, the audio atmosphere is lacking most of the time and there are plenty of sound effects missing.”
music
42 mentions
29 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the exploration experience with soothing soundtracks that play during key moments, such as discovering new locations. While some players note that the music is sparse and primarily serves specific events, its quality and fitting nature contribute significantly to the overall ambiance. Despite minor criticisms regarding the frequency of music and occasional audio issues, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that complements the game's visuals and narrative effectively.
- “The music fills you with such a calm and relaxed feeling as you discover new outposts and hear its unique discovery music for the first time.”
- “The soundtrack is outstanding—you’ll really feel as if you are on a deserted island, complete with the cries of seagulls and the soothing sound of the surf as you jog along the beach.”
- “There's a soft ambient soundtrack that underlines the experience, making exploring the island strangely calming, despite the need for survival.”
- “While the game has almost no music, it more than makes up for it by the aforementioned.”
- “It lacks true ambience, and the music only comes up in the menu.”
- “The soundtrack is reasonable, but the audio atmosphere is lacking most of the time and there are plenty of sound effects missing.”
stability
35 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly impact gameplay. While some players find the experience enjoyable despite these issues, many describe it as "buggy," "janky," and at times "unplayable," with specific problems like character freezing, graphical errors, and unreliable core mechanics. Overall, while the game has a strong core and unique atmosphere, its stability issues detract from the experience for many players.
- “The game runs great for me on max settings, with the occasional resource loading pause.”
- “The game is not very buggy, but I did experience an occasional crash, and its lighting at night and landmark recognition were a bit quirky at times.”
- “The game's a buggy mess; things seem to break at random. My favorite time was when game-saving actions caused the game to crash. I have no idea what I did to fix it, or if the game graciously allowed me to play again. Some achievements won't work unless you install an unofficial patch.”
- “It's buggy as hell, but there are patches and a collection system available in the community to help you along. The game is fantastic, but is plagued with bugs, glitches, and crashes.”
- “Buggy to the point of being pretty much unplayable.”
grinding
24 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being poorly implemented and excessively tedious, with players noting frustrating mechanics, clunky controls, and time-consuming tasks that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the potential for rewarding exploration, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game feels like a chore, with many elements—such as cartography and journal navigation—becoming monotonous and detracting from the enjoyment of the unique ideas presented. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a significant flaw that hampers the game's potential.
- “However, the game being extremely tedious to play for 80% of its playtime just ruins it all...”
- “The idea of a quest/storyline is great, but it's so tedious and slow to get flowers that I feel it falls very short of its potential benefit.”
- “All in all, with the plodding movement, the first hour I played just felt laborious and tedious, when it should've been an exciting exploration adventure.”
emotional
11 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players describe the game as an emotionally gripping experience that evokes a strong sense of immersion and tension, comparable to titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. While it may not be the most overtly emotional game, its mysterious elements and beautiful landscapes, paired with a subtle soundtrack, create moments of profound emotional connection and reflection. Overall, it successfully elicits feelings of fear, wonder, and nostalgia throughout the gameplay.
- “The only game I’ve ever played that truly made me feel lost.”
- “Much like Dark Souls/Bloodborne, this gives great weight to in-game accomplishments and creates a strong sense of emotional connection.”
- “This game was such an emotional ride that I nominated it for the 'I'm not crying, there's something in my eye' award.”
optimization
10 mentions
10 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to poor performance, stuttering, and crashes, particularly on older hardware. While the developers are responsive to feedback and may improve the situation, the current state of optimization detracts from the overall experience. Graphics quality and animations have also been criticized, contributing to a lackluster visual presentation.
- “There are a very few rough edges, and optimization needs to get better, but it will. These guys answer almost every post on the forums and are just freaking rock stars.”
- “However, the game is extremely poorly optimized and doesn't even look particularly good.”
- “The performance of Miasmata is pretty poor, and older hardware will have a tough time running it.”
- “Performance issues can bring the entire world to a complete standstill for several seconds at a time, and you'll eventually realize that the only thing that 'no loading screens' really means is that loading can get you killed.”
humor
9 mentions
89 % positive mentions
-22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its awkward physics and animations, with players finding amusement in the protagonist's clumsy movements and the occasional comedic glitches. While some moments, like slipping off cliffs or experiencing bizarre animations, elicit laughter, the overall experience can become frustrating and repetitive, leading to mixed feelings about the humor's effectiveness. Despite its potential for humor, many players feel that the game's bugs and awkwardness detract from the enjoyment.
- “I couldn't always go the way I wanted, and I would have some occasional falls, but they either made me laugh or reminded me of the situation the protagonist is in.”
- “At the start of your adventure, you slide around like you're a wet block of soap trying to reach your goal, and end up slipping off a cliff and ultimately die or get hurt, which is kind of funny if you ask me, but also somewhat annoying.”
- “Pretty funny physics where you stumble and roll (and sometimes die) if you go too fast down a hill.”
- “Not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the humor was stale.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking after the initial playthrough, others suggest that returning after a break or attempting speed-runs can provide additional challenges. Many agree that familiarity with the game diminishes replay value, but there are still elements that can keep veteran players engaged.
- “Definitely replayable after enough time has passed so that you've forgotten where everything is.”
- “Replayability is probably diminishing if you get to the point where you are very well familiarized with the entire island, but that should take a very long playtime; plus it's possible to try a speed-run for the achievements, which adds another degree of challenge to veteran players.”
- “While I do believe and feel that this game still feels like it's in early access and should be polished up more, I will not deny that this game offers replayability and numerous content for players to enjoy.”
- “Not much replay value either, this game can give you 30 hours of fun tops.”
- “Once the game is done, there is no replay value which saddens me a lot.”
- “Replayability is probably diminishing if you get to the point where you are very well familiarized with the entire island, but that should take a very long playtime.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect is criticized for being misleading, as the appealing advertising does not reflect the game's poor controls and lackluster gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from its visual appeal.
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend money that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see that progress is heavily gated behind paywalls, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
- “The in-game purchases are overpriced and offer little value, leading to a sense of disappointment and frustration.”