my eyes deceive

About

"My Eyes Deceive" is a first-person psychological horror game set in a basement shelter, where you play as a girl living there for her entire life while the outside world is affected by a deadly disease. You must take disease-preventive pills daily, which make you tired, and question when you can leave. The game contains sensitive and distressing subject matter, including possible triggers of sexual assault, and may be deeply unsettling to some players. Please proceed with caution.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 340 reviews

story25 positive mentions

gameplay13 negative mentions

The game effectively tells a haunting and impactful story based on real-life events, leaving a lasting emotional impression.
The atmosphere and sound design contribute to a deeply unsettling experience, enhancing the horror elements without relying on cheap jump scares.
It's a free game that tackles sensitive topics with a level of depth and seriousness that is commendable, making it a unique entry in the horror genre.

The gameplay is often described as tedious and repetitive, with slow movement and long wait times that detract from the overall experience.
Many players feel that the game relies too heavily on shock value without providing meaningful commentary on its serious subject matter.
The endings are seen as predictable and lacking in resolution, leaving players feeling unsatisfied after the emotional buildup.

story
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
9%
The game's story is a dark and haunting exploration of sensitive themes, particularly surrounding childhood trauma and abuse, which resonates deeply with some players while feeling poorly executed to others. While many appreciate the emotional weight and symbolism, others criticize the lack of depth and respect in handling its serious subject matter, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. Despite its narrative strengths, the gameplay often detracts from the storytelling experience, leaving some players bored and disengaged.
- “An amazing game and an extremely sad story.”
- “The storyline aspect of the game was really well put together.”
- “This game had an amazing storyline, and the entirety of it just had me speechless.”
- “There's no twist, as the plot is obvious 1 minute in, and it's taken nowhere.”
- “It just feels like it's using its sensitive material for a shock factor and not a story driver, if that makes any sense.”
- “The story is very lacking in detail on what actually ends up happening and it's just a matter of assuming what happens after.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
52%
39%
The gameplay has been widely criticized for its repetitiveness and monotony, often described as tedious and lacking engagement, which detracts from the otherwise interesting story. While some players appreciate the slow pace as a deliberate choice that enhances the narrative experience, many feel that the gameplay fails to effectively interact with the themes presented, leading to a disjointed and unsatisfying overall experience. Despite its short duration, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the potential impact of the story.
- “This game isn't terrifying because of its gameplay, or its graphics, or its music, but because it's real.”
- “There isn't much gameplay, but I don't think the game needs it; it simply wants to tell its story.”
- “The gameplay, for how simple it is, is amazing, even though the good or bad ending depends only on choosing a page, but it's better than doing incredible secret stuff; games usually make the good ending something that is so hard to find and to do.”
- “It's kind of a useless and predictable game that lasts 45 minutes with repetitive gameplay meant to trigger people, and it's obvious what's going on in the undertones. The ending is unsatisfying.”
- “Gameplay is very monotonous, and the 'twist' (if you can call it that) is bloody obvious.”
- “The execution is lacking, with a disjointed narrative and painfully slow, boring gameplay.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, eliciting strong reactions ranging from heartbreak and disgust to deep empathy for the characters. Many players reported crying and feeling a lingering emotional weight, particularly due to the heavy themes and poignant endings. While some found the story lacking, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to evoke intense feelings and provoke reflection on its darker elements.
- “Her natural maternal instinct is endearing, but also heart-wrenching given she is expected to have these qualities at such a young age.”
- “This game was amazing, but Jesus, it was heartbreaking... it also doesn't leave my head, the ending... I got the good one, but I searched up what happens in the bad one and it got to me, man.”
- “A very emotional game, triggered my PTSD.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro, VHS aesthetic and pixelated style that enhances the horror atmosphere, while others criticize the quality as cheap and disorienting. Despite the low graphical fidelity, many agree that it effectively contributes to the overall suspense and vibe of the game. Overall, the graphics are seen as a stylistic choice that aligns well with the game's themes, even if they lack technical polish.
- “This game isn't terrifying because of its gameplay, or its graphics, or its music, but because it's real.”
- “I also found the dream sequences very well done, and the whole vibe (the pixelated graphics) fits the story very well (as if one can't quite remember everything precisely, which is a trauma in itself).”
- “The soundtrack and PSX-like graphics really help to convey them.”
- “The graphics are so poorly done that they move like you're drunk, which makes me feel dizzy.”
- “You may look at the graphics and say, 'Ah yes, another game that was made in 20 minutes with no effort.' In fact, the graphics aren't good but somehow make the gameplay feel more alive, more horror, and give more suspense.”
- “The game has that retro PlayStation graphics feel, but I really feel like the player is owed a more definitive ending on the possible good ending since we get a pretty definitive bad ending.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, effectively responding to the character's state and the game's tension. Despite having a limited number of tracks, the soundtrack is well-composed and complements the gameplay, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Reviewers note that the music plays a crucial role in creating suspense and a dreamlike quality, making it a standout aspect of this indie title.
- “Regarding the game itself: it has a very good atmosphere, and I also find the musical accompaniment very good.”
- “Some good things about it were the soundtrack in the background along with the tension that the game puts you in certain instances such as the dream-like levels or when it was dark at one point with no noise so you expect something to jump out at you.”
- “For what little sound design the game has (I think only, like, three soundtracks), it fits perfectly.”
- “This game isn't terrifying because of its gameplay, its graphics, or its music, but because it's real.”
- “If you don't notice, the narrow doorways, the mundane repetitive tasks on purpose... and the blurring of the screen when fatigued, the careful sweet choice of words for your character from a loving girl's perspective, the fact that your character's movement and even the pacing of her speed of movement, and how her thoughts and dialogue appear on screen is directly corresponding to how tired your character actually is, how the background music stops and plays depending on how your character feels... all this in a small 1-hour indie title.”
- “The soundtrack and PSX-like graphics really help to convey them.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with players forced to engage in monotonous tasks that detract from the overall experience. This lack of engaging content leads to boredom and a diminished interest in the story, making the grind feel more like a chore than a meaningful part of the gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Gameplay consists of repeating the same small tasks in the same order while waiting for a bar to fill up after each interaction. It's really tedious to the point where you'll get bored and lose interest in the story, as there is nothing else to engage or interest the player. When you have moments where you need to 'wait for father,' you basically have nothing to do every day.”
- “The repetition of days is so slow and tedious; why would you want to go through it all again to reach the second ending?”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
The game's atmosphere is described as heavy and realistic, effectively evoking empathy and fear without resorting to gratuitous depictions. The musical accompaniment enhances the immersive experience, although some players feel that the overall engagement may falter due to a misleading narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its ability to create tension and emotional depth, particularly highlighted by a shocking reveal at the end.
- “The atmospheres are extremely heavy and realistic.”
- “They give a clear trigger warning, and avoid any tasteless or gratuitous depictions; it's scary, atmospheric, and invites you to empathize with the plight of the silenced.”
- “This game's atmosphere was amazing and the reveal at the end was terrifying.”
- “The atmosphere feels overwhelmingly oppressive and lacks any sense of immersion.”
- “The game fails to create a believable atmosphere, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The environments are dull and uninspired, resulting in a lifeless atmosphere.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely criticized, with one user expressing that they would have preferred a more engaging experience, suggesting that the comedic elements fell flat and lacked value.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with players noting that revisiting it to achieve different endings feels tedious and highlights the time-wasting elements of gameplay.
- “Following the 'made for YouTube' mold, the game has no replay value. Playing it again to get the good ending made me realize how much time is wasted in this game, including the effort to achieve the other ending.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again. The story doesn't change significantly, and the gameplay feels repetitive on a second run.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. I found myself skipping through dialogue just to get to the end.”