Motherland

About

Motherland is a single player open world simulation game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Andreev Worlds and was released on November 11, 2021. It received negative reviews from players.

Motherland (A sad fairytale for adults) is an indie-game that allows you to immerse in the atmosphere of a provincial town during the epidemic.

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37%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

atmosphere11 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Strong atmospheric and immersive experience with a somber, introspective mood capturing isolation and routine.
Authentic depiction of a provincial Russian town during an epidemic with detailed worldbuilding and environment design.
Good soundtrack and sound design that complement the game's tone and enhance immersion.

Gameplay is minimal, repetitive, and unengaging, mainly involving slow walking and searching for switches with no clear guidance or meaningful interaction.
Technical issues including poor optimization, numerous bugs, clunky controls, and problematic sound mixing.
Lack of plot, narrative structure, and direction, making the game feel aimless and frustrating for many players.

atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
Motherland delivers a deeply atmospheric and emotionally resonant experience, emphasizing mood, authenticity, and a unique Russian/Soviet aesthetic over traditional gameplay. The game's quiet, introspective tone combined with a fitting soundtrack and haunting environments creates a soulful, immersive atmosphere that stands out in the indie adventure genre.
- “Motherland is a quiet, introspective first-person adventure that deliberately steps away from traditional game design in favor of mood, observation, and emotional atmosphere.”
- “Rather than striving for visual spectacle, the art direction emphasizes authenticity and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great; I love the Russian aesthetic and the music is a phenomenal fit.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The story in Motherland is minimalistic and non-linear, presented through fragmented, subdued storytelling that encourages player interpretation. While some players appreciate its contemplative, slow-paced exploration and atmospheric narrative, others find the lack of clear plot, direction, and an expansive but empty world frustrating. Overall, it suits those who enjoy open-world experiences with abstract, grounded storytelling rather than a traditional, structured plot.
- “Narratively, Motherland unfolds through fragments rather than structured storytelling.”
- “This restrained storytelling allows players to project their own interpretations onto the events unfolding around them.”
- “Motherland is a good, atmospheric indie game with an interesting non-linear story, open world, and good voice acting.”
- “The game has almost zero plot and story, with no direction on what to do or where to go, and a huge—and I mean huge—open map/world that is empty as hell, filled only with random people chasing you.”
- “Lack of plot and logic.”
- “No plot or story to follow.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay in Motherland is largely focused on exploration and interaction, emphasizing atmosphere over action, but it is widely criticized for being dull, with lifeless NPCs and repetitive tasks that fail to engage. Despite strong worldbuilding, the gameplay is seen as wasted potential and notably unenjoyable.
- “The gameplay structure revolves primarily around exploration and interaction.”
- “Great worldbuilding, but wasted gameplay potential.”
- “From the outset, it becomes clear that Motherland is less concerned with action or mechanical challenge and more focused on capturing the quiet weight of isolation, routine, and subdued human connection.”
- “The NPCs are lifeless and very janky, and the gameplay is just wandering around looking for switches.”
- “Unfortunately, gameplay is very boring or rather almost non-existent.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's music and sound design are widely praised for creating a great atmosphere, with a phenomenal soundtrack that complements the Russian aesthetic. However, some users report issues with sound options not working properly, leading to overlapping audio.
- “The soundtrack is also very cool, and creates a great atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great, I love the Russian aesthetic and the music is a phenomenal fit.”
- “Amazing music kit”
- “The sound options do not work, so eventually you have music and a dozen people talking all at once and in Russian.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Motherland delivers a deeply atmospheric and introspective emotional experience, emphasizing mood, observation, and subtlety over traditional gameplay. Its sparse, understated interactions reflect themes of displacement and loneliness, creating a realistic yet sometimes monotonous emotional tone that prioritizes resonance over entertainment.
- “Motherland is a quiet, introspective first-person adventure that deliberately steps away from traditional game design in favor of mood, observation, and emotional atmosphere.”
- “The sense of being an outsider—both culturally and emotionally—is ever-present, reinforcing themes of displacement, loneliness, and quiet resilience.”
- “Overall, Motherland is a deeply atmospheric and unconventional experience that prioritizes emotional resonance over entertainment in the traditional sense.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game is consistently criticized for poor optimization, resulting in clunky controls and overall performance issues that detract from the experience.
- “It seems to serve no real purpose or goal, the audio is terrible, the controls are clunky, it's an unoptimized POS.”
- “Also, the game is horribly optimized.”
- “I would also like to point out a minus: the game has problems with optimization.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics feature a muted, bleak aesthetic that effectively supports its theme, creating a strong atmospheric experience. While some find the visuals somewhat clunky, the Russian-inspired style and accompanying music are praised for enhancing the overall mood.
- “Visually, the game adopts a muted, almost bleak aesthetic that serves its thematic goals well.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great, I love the Russian aesthetic and the music is a phenomenal fit.”
- “Very clunky and not a nice game, but the graphics are okay.”