Murder House

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"Murder House" is a survival horror game that simulates a 5th gen survival horror experience with tank controls, third-person cinematic camera angles, and a low poly graphical style reminiscent of the PS1 era. Players become part of a news crew investigating an abandoned home with a dark past, facing the possibility of being stalked by a notorious serial killer. The game is fully voice acted and features a retro synth soundtrack, gore, bloody murders, and multiple camera modes. Savings are manual and limited, increasing the tension and challenge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,267 reviews

graphics75 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

Beautifully tense and immersive atmosphere that captures the essence of 80s slasher films.
Incredible voice acting and retro graphics that enhance the nostalgic experience.
Short playtime that prevents the game from overstaying its welcome, making it a fun, quick horror experience.

Very short game length, which may not justify the price for some players.
Clunky controls and camera angles that can be frustrating during gameplay.
Some puzzles can be unintuitive, leading to confusion and extended playtime without clear direction.

graphics
223 mentions
34 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a nostalgic homage to the PS1 era, featuring low-poly visuals and a VHS aesthetic that effectively enhance the horror experience. While some players appreciate the retro charm and atmospheric design, others find the graphics mediocre and the controls janky. Overall, the game's visuals are praised for their ability to evoke the feel of classic survival horror games, making it a unique experience for fans of the genre.
- “The graphics and old school presentation really enhance the fear and creepiness of this intimate farmhouse setting.”
- “The classic low-poly graphics are incredibly charming, and in combination with the brilliant sound design make for an experience unrivaled by many of the more popular horror games you'll ever play.”
- “The 80's VHS aesthetic just enhances the experience and legitimately does not feel like a gimmick.”
- “The graphics are mediocre, the controls are janky, and the plot was decent up until the ending where it was impossible to kill the final boss.”
- “There are a few graphical bugs present such as half of some textures disappearing like windows and things.”
- “The one large immersion issue that Murder House had was graphical glitching - some walls and floors liked to clip in and out of existence.”
story
190 mentions
40 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a nostalgic homage to 80s slasher films, featuring a news crew investigating a haunted house linked to a serial killer known as the Easter Ripper. While the plot is often described as predictable and simple, it effectively captures the campy horror vibe, complete with engaging twists and a chilling atmosphere. Overall, players appreciate the blend of humor and horror, though some critique the execution and pacing of the narrative.
- “Great storytelling, perfect music, and it really captures the polygon PlayStation/CRT days beautifully.”
- “The story follows a classic slasher movie plot where you'll be slowly hunted by a mysterious easter bunny killer, who picks off your news crew one-by-one as you attempt to film a documentary about the haunted house where the killer resides.”
- “Murder House is a love letter to the slasher movies of the 1970s and 1980s and the PS1 era of survival horror games, combined with a good story, deadly killer, and fun gameplay.”
- “Everything story-wise is really predictable, and the gameplay doesn't do anything to make up for it with puzzles that are simultaneously really obtuse and simple.”
- “The story is bad.”
- “There's a lot of good in this game, but man that story is just... not good.”
music
122 mentions
54 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its ability to create a chilling atmosphere, effectively enhancing the horror experience with a nostalgic 80s slasher vibe. Reviewers noted the soundtrack's excellent use of synth-heavy compositions and ambient sound design, which contribute to the game's suspense and tension, often evoking comparisons to classic horror films and games. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, significantly elevating the game's immersive qualities.
- “The soundtrack enhances the visuals by adding tension, suspense, and invokes fear into the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The music is perfect and plays a big role in building suspense.”
- “Absolutely love the 80s throwback element, the whole VHS feel, creepy 80s horror music and sound effects.”
- “The annoying scary music...”
- “Other than that, I found some of the soundtrack to be too annoying at the start of the game.”
- “One of the puzzles in the mall took me way longer than it should have simply because the background music in the room that I needed to be in was giving me a headache.”
gameplay
121 mentions
20 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Murder House" is a nostalgic homage to classic survival horror titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, featuring fixed camera angles, tank controls, and a mix of exploration and puzzle-solving. While some players appreciate its retro aesthetic and atmosphere, others criticize its clunky mechanics, predictability, and short length, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many find the game engaging and effective in creating tension, particularly through its evasion mechanics and chilling ambiance.
- “Terrific gameplay inside an amazing atmosphere; I've played it over and over, sitting on the edge of my seat each time.”
- “The gameplay is exactly like the old PS1 games, with fixed cameras, key-based puzzles, and wonky character movement.”
- “The soundtrack, story, visuals, and gameplay all work so well together to make a terrifying experience.”
- “Everything story-wise is really predictable, and the gameplay doesn't do anything to make up for it with puzzles that are simultaneously really obtuse and simple.”
- “They pad out the gameplay with a bunch of busywork to try and get you past the refund window.”
- “The gameplay is basically a mix of Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Clock Tower, and you get the classic tank controls and static camera views.”
atmosphere
107 mentions
60 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke tension and fear, effectively utilizing retro graphics, sound design, and music reminiscent of 80s horror films. Reviewers highlight the game's creepy ambiance, engaging puzzles, and the successful implementation of fixed camera angles that enhance the overall horror experience. Despite some minor gameplay issues, the atmospheric elements create a chilling and immersive experience that resonates with fans of classic survival horror.
- “Incredible atmosphere, beautiful and horrifying music, a simple yet great storyline, vague yet easy puzzles, an overall extremely solid game.”
- “The atmosphere is phenomenal, the soundtrack is great, everything about this feels like a retro game in modern time.”
- “What this game nails is atmosphere; it's downright creepy.”
- “Weak on plot - strong on scares, Murder House succeeds thanks to its sinister atmosphere and antiquated design.”
- “The atmosphere is bone chilling and legitimately scary.”
- “The atmosphere builds up very well and makes me too scared to progress.”
humor
36 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending intentionally cheesy dialogue and campy character interactions reminiscent of 80s slasher films with genuinely funny moments. Players appreciate the balance between horror and humor, noting that the voice acting and ludicrous story add a lighthearted touch to an otherwise terrifying experience. Overall, the game successfully combines scares with comedic elements, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “They nailed the atmosphere, and it's still quite hilarious and cheesy at the same time, which in my opinion is hard to pull off.”
- “Genuinely liked it, and in addition to the scares, there were quite a few humorous situations thrown in for flavor, which added a bit of brevity to what was otherwise a terrifying game.”
- “Ludicrous story and a great combination of humor and horror; I was pleasantly surprised by this one.”
stability
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs that lead to lost progress, game freezes, and frustrating control issues, particularly with the camera system. While some users noted minor graphical glitches that added to the horror experience, the overall consensus highlights a troubling level of instability that detracts from gameplay enjoyment.
- “Also, this game is extremely buggy and made me lose most of my progress.”
- “I had a lot of glitches that caused me to lose progress and redo a few parts of the game, which was really frustrating - game freezes, doors would get stuck and I couldn't pass through, and the camera jumps around so wildly sometimes it's dizzying - the final boss is a real exercise in frustration due to the controls and camera.”
- “I can't open doors, my screen goes black, I can't interact with the characters, I can't bring up the inventory screen, and the game freezes!!!!”
replayability
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short length of around 3 hours and lack of additional content such as multiple endings. While players appreciate the nostalgic experience and engaging gameplay, many feel that once completed, there is little incentive to replay it, making it a better choice for fans of the genre who are willing to play through it once. Some reviewers suggest that the game could benefit from more content to enhance its replay value.
- “I think this is a nice buff to replayability (I will definitely be replaying this game!!)”
- “Bite-sized adventures where the replay value lies mostly in just wanting to play it again is a great direction for the genre, and I hope other indie developers take note.”
- “Multiple endings could've been nice for some extra replayability.”
- “No replay value other than to marvel at the scenery.”
- “It is a short game, and once complete, I'm not sure if there is much replay value.”
- “The first time you play it, it will be fun and scary, but sadly there's no replayability; also very short for the price.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game has a tense atmosphere and shows care in its design, the grinding elements can feel tedious and directionless, leading to frustration and a desire to finish quickly. Some players find the gameplay overly repetitive, which detracts from their overall enjoyment.
- “Well made and clear the creator really cares, however I did find much of the gameplay tedious and by the end I just wanted to be done.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I am not a huge fan of Puppet Combo; I think a lot of his games have some good ideas behind them, but they are sometimes so tedious to play that I don't care to finish them.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally impactful, with some expressing genuine fear and even tears during gameplay. While it may falter towards the end, the intense stress and nostalgic, cheesy horror elements contribute to a memorable experience that many recommend. The soundtrack and voice-over enhance the emotional engagement, reminiscent of classic Italian horror films.
- “This game made me cry.”
- “It kind of stumbles a bit towards the end, but honestly the stress the game made me feel while playing makes it really easy to recommend despite that.”
- “One of the few horror games that actually made me feel scared playing, also 100% the achievements because I enjoyed it very much.”
optimization
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, "Rewind or Die" offers a better atmospheric experience, while "Deadly Night" improves on the exploration format. Although the third-person dolly-camera can be cumbersome, players can switch to a first-person view, though the graphics may not be fully optimized for this perspective. Fortunately, there are no significant performance issues reported.
- “The game runs smoothly without any performance issues.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the gameplay is.”
- “The optimization really enhances the overall experience.”
- “Rewind or Die has a better atmosphere; Deadly Night treats the whole format (going around a house finding things to find other things to get to the way out) a bit better; and, god, the third-person dolly-camera thing is a pain, but thankfully you can permanently set it to first-person view (which I did) even though the graphics/rendering clearly isn't optimized for it.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express nostalgia for a time when games were less focused on monetization and more on quality, suggesting that the game in question deserves greater recognition and promotion. The absence of aggressive advertising is noted, indicating a preference for genuine gaming experiences over cash grab tactics.
- “It's a surprise this game hasn't had a big advertisement campaign, because it definitely deserves to be more known.”
- “So rad... it really takes you back to the time when games weren't copy-paste cash grabs... man, I miss those times.”