MOTHER
- August 2, 2020
- Irwin Segarane
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique and unsettling atmosphere, effectively using PS1-style graphics to enhance the horror experience.
- It offers a compelling story with engaging gameplay mechanics that keep players on edge, especially with the tension of protecting children from a lurking monster.
- For its low price, the game provides a surprisingly rich experience with plenty of content and genuine scares, making it a worthwhile purchase.
- The pacing can be slow and repetitive, especially in the later stages, leading to a feeling of tedium as the gameplay drags on.
- Some players experienced frustrating bugs and technical issues, including crashes and problems with game mechanics that detracted from the overall experience.
- The final nights can become overly difficult and chaotic, which may disrupt the flow and enjoyment of the horror elements established earlier in the game.
- story44 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its intrigue and immersive qualities, with many players finding it captivating and well-integrated with gameplay mechanics. However, some critiques highlight a lack of depth and repetitive elements, particularly in the latter parts of the game, which can detract from the overall experience. While the narrative features strong moments and clever twists, it also suffers from pacing issues and an over-reliance on jump scares, leading to mixed feelings among players.
“Great story and super well done cutscenes that leave you constantly guessing what will happen next or what is actually going on.”
“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.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of immersive mechanics and a compelling storyline, though opinions vary widely. While some players appreciate the cerebral and atmospheric elements, others find the gameplay repetitive and tedious, particularly in the latter stages where it relies heavily on jump scares. Overall, the game offers a mix of traditional and modern mechanics, with a focus on protecting children, but it can become frustrating and drawn out, detracting from the initial intrigue.
“Easily one of the scariest games I've played since Alien: Isolation, but this is far more cerebral while still having great cat-and-mouse gameplay.”
“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 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.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a lo-fi, PS1-inspired aesthetic that evokes a sense of nostalgia while effectively enhancing the horror atmosphere. While some players find the primitive visuals off-putting, many appreciate how the unique art style contributes to the game's tension and overall experience, likening it to classic horror titles like Silent Hill. Overall, the graphics are seen as a creative choice that complements the game's unsettling themes and immersive sound design.
“It uses the lo-fi PS1 style graphics that are so common in indie horror games these days, and they use it to good effect.”
“The graphics are very creative and overall great as they add to the atmosphere of the game.”
“Very creepy, atmospheric survival-horror game that utilizes mid-90's graphics well.”
“Lousy graphics.”
“It's a shame, but this game is too tiring to make up for the horror visuals and atmosphere.”
“Implementing an immediate sense of uneasiness based on the PS1-esque style of graphics alone.”
- atmosphere30 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, enhanced by effective sound design and unique visual styles. Many reviewers highlight the unsettling and haunting ambiance that keeps players engaged, despite some noting that primitive graphics can contribute to the overall creepiness. Overall, the game successfully creates a palpable sense of dread and tension, making it a memorable experience for horror enthusiasts.
“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.”
“I was gifted this game by a friend and viewer on Twitch and I must admit it's not normally something that I would go for, but this game dragged me in right from the beginning. It's simple but effective and genuinely does a brilliant job of creating a tense and dark atmosphere throughout the whole experience.”
“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.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to prolonged cutscenes and repetitive mechanics. While some moments, like protecting characters, are less tedious than expected, many still feel that certain tasks and sections, especially towards the end, drag on unnecessarily. Overall, the grinding experience detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“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.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by unsettling noises that effectively build tension, complementing the nightmarish aesthetic and clever mechanics. While the soundtrack is simple, it enhances the overall experience, making it a strong recommendation for horror enthusiasts.
“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.”
“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.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a dark and twisted tone, blending elements of tragedy and comedy, particularly through the use of ironic text messages and macabre scenarios, such as the haunting presence of a deceased spouse. This juxtaposition creates a unique, albeit unsettling, comedic experience that enhances the narrative.
“The text messages you receive are darkly funny and sad at the same time, and build up this short story nicely.”
“Funny parent murderer”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being plagued by bugs and inconsistencies, detracting from an otherwise promising strategy horror experience.
“What started off as an amazing strategy horror game quickly descended into an annoying, buggy, inconsistent mess.”
