Light in the dark

About

Light in the dark is a single player role playing game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by TaleHammer and was released on August 23, 2019. It received very positive reviews from players.

Light In The Dark is a short story about a girl who lives with her abusive mother. The girl finds out some dark secrets about her mother, and she has to find a way to escape the house.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

story11 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a touching and impactful story that resonates with players, addressing themes of mental health and parental abuse.
The art style and music create a haunting atmosphere that enhances the emotional experience of the narrative.
Gameplay is simple and intuitive, allowing players to focus on the story without being bogged down by complex mechanics.

The game is very short, with a playtime of around 30-40 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players found the gameplay too simplistic, lacking challenging puzzles or meaningful choices.
There are occasional control issues and minor frustrations with interaction mechanics that can detract from the overall experience.

story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The game's story is a short yet impactful narrative that explores themes of parental abuse and emotional resilience, featuring a well-paced progression and engaging characters. While some players find it predictable and lacking in depth, many appreciate its dark yet hopeful tone, effective use of color and music, and the emotional weight it carries despite its brevity. Overall, it offers a compelling experience for those who resonate with its themes, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its straightforward nature and limited replayability.
- “The story keeps the players' attention and maintains a nice pace throughout.”
- “A sad but surprisingly wholesome story about the impacts of parental abuse on a child and getting help and support afterwards.”
- “Despite being made in under two weeks for the indie game making contest of 2017, this RPG Maker game features a well-written story, humorous characterization, and an important message.”
- “Requires no thinking or skill, and has a lazy cheesy story.”
- “The story is fairly straightforward with only a single ending, and there aren’t any achievements or ways in which you can challenge yourself to play through a little differently the next time.”
- “This same story could have been two or three times longer and would have made the few moments of tension carry more weight.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The gameplay is characterized as simple and intuitive, primarily featuring point-and-click mechanics that create an interactive movie experience. While it lacks complexity and depth, it effectively conveys a narrative focused on mental health and the consequences of abuse, making it a straightforward yet engaging option for a casual gaming session.
- “Gameplay is simple and intuitive.”
- “A short, horror-themed title that uses point-and-click style mechanics, with an amazing message regarding mental health; including the psychological effects of long-term abuse, and the disastrous consequences of religious extremism.”
- “This is basically an interactive movie with extremely light puzzle/investigative gameplay.”
- “Although it isn't vastly profound, scary, or complex with its gameplay, this title does offer up a decent little narrative to fill the void on a slow evening.”
- “The gameplay was very straightforward, especially with the contrast in aesthetics that made it easier to navigate.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
18%
9%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the dark theme and create an immersive atmosphere, with haunting piano melodies effectively setting a sense of unease. Reviewers note the superb quality and strategic placement of the soundtrack and sound effects, which contribute to the emotional storytelling and urgency throughout the gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that complements the game's narrative and art style.
- “The soundtracks are nice and add well to the dark theme.”
- “+ Haunting piano music is a fantastic environment setter and creates a sense of unease when you realize it’s all played by ‘mother’: she’s always there, in the background.”
- “The music and sounds were very well placed and gave a sense of urgency throughout the game.”
- “While color is used to cue the player in on the emotional state of Perdita, the music is used to cue the player in on the emotional state of 'Mother'.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game features a fun and simplistic art style, primarily in black and white, which enhances navigation and interaction. Users appreciate the aesthetic contrast and how it complements the straightforward gameplay, contributing to an engaging overall experience.
- “The art style is fun, and the music complements it well, creating an engaging atmosphere.”
- “I appreciated the contrast in aesthetics, which made navigation straightforward and enjoyable.”
- “The black and white graphics, with vibrant interactables, added a unique touch to the overall visual experience.”
- “Black and white graphics except for interactables?”
- “The gameplay was very straightforward, especially with the contrast in aesthetics that made it easier to navigate.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game presents a poignant narrative that explores the effects of parental abuse on a child, emphasizing themes of support and healing. Its impactful storytelling is complemented by a grayscale aesthetic that reflects the protagonist's emotional state, with color highlighting interactive elements, while the music further enhances the emotional depth of the characters. Overall, players find the experience both sad and unexpectedly wholesome.
- “A sad but surprisingly wholesome story about the impacts of parental abuse on a child and getting help and support afterwards.”
- “The story is well written and has emotional impact, despite being pretty short.”
- “Most of the game is in grayscale to fit the emotional state of the main character, Perdita, with only the objects you can interact with in color.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is occasionally disrupted by the writing, particularly during Perdita's self-dialogue, which introduces a comedic tone that contrasts with the intended mood.
- “The writing, especially when Perdita is talking to herself, sometimes ruins the atmosphere by being slightly comedic.”
- “The overall ambiance feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere often feels disjointed and fails to evoke the intended emotions.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers minimal replayability, with a short playtime of around 25 minutes and a lack of additional content or features to encourage multiple playthroughs. Many users feel that the experience does not justify its price due to this limited replay value.
- “There isn’t really any replay value.”
- “Between the short length (25 minutes tops), lack of replay value, and less than polished controls, $2 is about twice what I personally would be willing to pay for the game.”
- “This is a really short little story; it took me 25 minutes to play through, and I don't expect there's much or any replayability.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features well-crafted humor through its characterization and storytelling, effectively delivering an important message despite being developed in a short timeframe for an indie contest.
- “Despite being made in under two weeks for the indie game making contest of 2017, this RPG Maker game features a well-written story, humorous characterization, and an important message.”