MOTHER

About

MOTHER is a single player survival shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Anya Segarane and was released on August 27, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Mother" is a first-person psychological horror game where you play as a grieving widow trying to protect her children amidst strange and frightening events. The game requires you to complete daily tasks and ensure your children's safety before allowing you to sleep, with the objective being to survive the nightly occurrences. With permadeath for your children and limited actions using a phone, gun, and objects, the game creates a tense atmosphere that takes around 3 hours to complete.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 376 reviews

story34 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and immersive horror experience with a captivating story and excellent atmosphere.
It effectively builds tension and suspense, with well-executed jump scares that keep players on edge.
For its low price, the game provides a surprising amount of content and a compelling narrative that resonates with players.

The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, especially in the later stages, leading to frustration.
There are technical issues, such as bugs that prevent the game from starting for some users, and clunky mechanics that hinder gameplay.
The final nights can feel overly difficult and drawn out, impacting the pacing and enjoyment of the overall experience.

story
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players praising its captivating narrative and well-executed cutscenes that keep them guessing, while others criticize its lack of depth and repetitive elements. Some found the storytelling through text messages engaging, though others felt it detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point, despite some execution flaws and a tendency to rely on jump scares rather than deeper narrative development.
- “This game achieves something truly extraordinary by seamlessly blending its captivating story with immersive gameplay mechanics.”
- “The story alone is a very strong point in it, the gameplay is unique in a good way and it all just ties together amazingly.”
- “The story and its delivery from beginning to end were phenomenal.”
- “The added story about random murders in the building felt unnecessary and out of place.”
- “The game extends itself beyond necessary; it starts off interesting but soon abuses jump scares, making the entire game a massive task where the story is left aside and the focus is on slow, tiring, and uninteresting gameplay.”
- “I have mixed feelings about that game—the story is, to be brutally honest, infantilely ridiculous.”
gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The gameplay is a blend of walking and parenting simulator elements, initially engaging but often criticized for becoming repetitive and tedious, particularly in the latter stages. While some players appreciate the integration of story and mechanics, others find the reliance on jump scares and clunky mechanics detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay offers a mix of traditional and modern mechanics, with moments of tension and challenge, but can feel drawn out and uninteresting at times.
- “This game achieves something truly extraordinary by seamlessly blending its captivating story with immersive gameplay mechanics.”
- “The gameplay mechanics skillfully intertwine with the protagonist's profound anxieties and fears of losing their children, pushing players to justify and perceive the character's seemingly psychotic deeds as the only viable solutions.”
- “The actual gameplay centers around your children, and how you protect them through the course of the game; saving them from danger and taking care of their wellbeing.”
- “The game is way too long for what it is and again, the gameplay is just boring.”
- “Bad story that didn't really make any sense, bad game mechanics, the scares were just based on hitting you with loud noises and flashes - repeatedly just the same jump scare image pretty much... at moments the game is very tedious for no reason, like in the scenes where you drink the tea, or when you're staining the wall.”
- “Moreover, the gameplay feels repetitive at some point and limited to traversing from point A to B.”
atmosphere
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
26%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its meticulous crafting, combining striking visuals, haunting sound design, and a palpable tension that immerses players in a creepy, survival-horror experience. Many reviewers highlight the effective buildup of suspense and the unique art style, although some note that the game's length can detract from the overall impact of the atmosphere. Overall, it creates a memorable and intense environment that lingers long after gameplay.
- “The meticulously crafted atmosphere, impeccable camera work, striking visual style, and haunting sound design all harmonize to create an immersive world that will linger in your thoughts long after you've finished playing.”
- “The atmosphere was beautifully executed and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout without a moment's respite.”
- “It absolutely nails the tense atmosphere and tells an original tale in the process.”
- “It's a shame, but this game is too tiring to make up for the horror visuals and atmosphere.”
- “Very rough looking game that only adds to the creepy atmosphere.”
- “The cozy, yet tense atmosphere with consistency have been accomplished.”
graphics
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their creative use of lo-fi PS1 aesthetics, effectively enhancing the horror atmosphere and evoking nostalgia for classic survival horror titles like Silent Hill. Many reviewers appreciate the art style's ability to create a sense of unease and paranoia, contributing significantly to the overall experience, despite some criticism regarding the gameplay. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, adding depth and tension to the game's narrative.
- “The graphics are very creative and overall great as they add to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “And the graphic style is the cherry on top, making you feel uncertain of what might be lurking in the dark, making your imagination and paranoia run wild.”
- “Very creepy, atmospheric survival-horror game that utilizes mid-90's graphics well.”
- “It's a shame, but this game is too tiring to make up for the horror visuals and atmosphere.”
- “The old PS1 graphic style, the sounds... the premise.”
- “Implementing an immediate sense of uneasiness based on the PS1-esque style of graphics alone.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to lengthy cutscenes and repetitive mechanics. While some moments are less tedious, many reviewers noted that certain tasks and sections, especially towards the end, detract from the overall experience. The game’s reliance on repetitive jump scares and drawn-out sequences contributes to a sense of annoyance rather than engagement.
- “Granted you don't die in one hit, but it gets extremely tedious and annoying.”
- “Cutscenes go on for way too long and I know it's trying to build tension, but it rather just becomes tedious and frustrating to a point.”
- “Bad story that didn't really make any sense, bad game mechanics, the scares were just based on hitting you with loud noises and flashes - repeatedly just the same jump scare image pretty much... at moments the game is very tedious for no reason, like in the scenes where you drink the tea, or when you're staining the wall.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in the game is characterized by unsettling noises that effectively build tension, contributing to a nightmarish yet oddly comforting atmosphere. The soundtrack, while simple, complements the clever gameplay mechanics and intriguing storyline, making it a strong recommendation for horror enthusiasts.
- “Accompanied by an interesting storyline and a simple soundtrack, I would happily recommend this game for any horror players out there.”
- “The soundtrack is basically just unsettling noises to build tension.”
- “The aesthetic and the soundtrack/audio combined with the clever mechanics (like opening your eyes while falling asleep) are brilliantly woven into one hell of a nightmarish quilt...that is oddly comfy.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a dark and twisted tone, blending elements of tragedy and comedy, particularly through the absurdity of the protagonist's situation and the macabre interactions with a ghostly husband. Players find the text messages to be both darkly funny and poignant, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
- “The text messages you receive are darkly funny and sad at the same time, and build up this short story nicely.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and inconsistencies that detract from the overall experience, transforming what began as an engaging strategy horror game into a frustrating ordeal.
- “What started off as an amazing strategy horror game quickly descended into an annoying, buggy, inconsistent mess.”