Noch
- October 1, 2023
- Fair Games Studio
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Noch" is a horror action game that can be played by yourself or with another player in a co-op or multiplayer setting, including massively multiplayer. In the game, you must survive in a dark, ever-changing reality after the world has been destroyed by Lisa. With its intriguing story, awesome visuals, and compelling atmosphere, players will be drawn into this nightmare as they face the challenges of an uncertain world.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a uniquely bizarre story that combines elements of horror, puzzles, and absurdity, providing an interesting experience.
- Puzzles are generally logical and offer multiple solutions, allowing for creative problem-solving and flexibility in gameplay.
- The atmosphere and graphics are praised for their quality, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences and hinder progression.
- The story can be convoluted and difficult to follow, with unclear plot points and excessive cutscenes that detract from the overall experience.
- Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel awkward, with enemy behavior often leading to unengaging encounters.
- story82 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as a convoluted mix of bizarre elements reminiscent of David Lynch and M. Night Shyamalan, often leaving players confused yet intrigued. While it features an interesting and unique narrative with a drug-themed backdrop, many reviewers noted issues with clarity and coherence, making it challenging to follow at times. Despite its flaws, the story's oddness and atmosphere, combined with engaging gameplay mechanics, contribute to a memorable experience that some players find worth exploring.
“An extraordinary story, eye-pleasing graphics, interesting game mechanics, smooth gameplay and the opportunity to go through all this beauty with a friend.”
“I've been enjoying the story and the unique mechanics of the game as I have a hard time comparing it to any other horror game I've played so far (and I've played a lot of horror games).”
“The game will please you with its unusual visual style, great sound accompaniment and the possibility to learn the story in cooperative mode, which makes the game even more unique and mysterious.”
“The bad part is that the writing is convoluted yet somehow not subtle at all; characters are chatterboxes who bombard you with cutscenes, but their words say nothing to give the plot away, so you take the piss on them because that's all you're left with.”
“The story was clearly not originally written in English; translation is an art form, and some artists are simply better than others.”
“Due to how wonky the story is, 'logical' puzzles at the start of the game are quickly replaced with whatever the developer thought was deep and metaphorical in his head in the later chapters.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the art style and overall aesthetic, describing it as beautiful and eye-pleasing. However, some critiques point to inconsistencies in quality, particularly in cutscenes and detailed elements, leading to a general consensus that while the graphics are good, they may not be exceptional. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and storytelling, though some players feel they fall short in engaging gameplay.
“An extraordinary story, eye-pleasing graphics, interesting game mechanics, smooth gameplay and the opportunity to go through all this beauty with a friend.”
“Graphic is beautiful.”
“Great graphics and sound.”
“Graphics -> c tier.”
“Sadly it's not, yeah the graphics are okay and do the job, sound is okay, but something about this game makes me hate it. I'm not sure if it's the small play area per level, the clunky melee controls, or the fact that the video looks like a big open maps shoot everything game, which it's not. I'm not sure what the game is, some sort of weird adventure game with wolves that attack you and you end up using a baseball bat because you know, not enough ammo to use the nice shotgun. I'm not a lover of running around and backtracking all over the place even on tiny levels. I mean you need to find object 'A' to get object 'B' which is then used to get object 'C' and it just goes on and on like this just to get the one object you might really need to move on, and don't get me started with that telephone booth.”
“Graphics -> c tier.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it confusing and lacking engagement, particularly in puzzle design. While it may not be the standout feature of the game, many appreciate its serviceable mechanics and unique elements that complement the overall experience. Overall, it offers a decent experience for those seeking an interesting narrative rather than complex gameplay challenges.
“An extraordinary story, eye-pleasing graphics, interesting game mechanics, smooth gameplay and the opportunity to go through all this beauty with a friend.”
“A very nice game with an interesting plot, janky yet serviceable gameplay and amazing music.”
“The graphics, the gameplay, the soundtrack, the voice acting, everything pleasantly surprised me.”
“I think it being confusing works against it, and it misguides you so you can't even tell what's going on and why exactly you're doing things, which impacts the gameplay too because you have to solve puzzles about it.”
“If you think you can spring for a weird plot and can put up with some generally bizarre gameplay decisions, you could do a lot worse than this.”
“The gameplay is nothing special, but does its job good enough.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its mesmerizing and immersive qualities, featuring beautifully designed environments, a compelling soundtrack, and effective voice acting. Reviewers highlight the blend of horror and engaging storytelling, noting that the atmosphere can evoke feelings of fear, especially when played alone. Overall, the game's aesthetic and atmospheric elements contribute significantly to the overall experience, making it a standout in its genre.
“A mesmerizing game with its amazing atmosphere.”
“Great soundtrack, beautifully atmospheric environments, and satisfying (if simple) combat.”
“Very atmospheric, and in the deep night is even scary.”
- music16 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its quality and atmospheric contribution to the gameplay, while some feel it doesn't always align with the visuals. Overall, the soundtrack is described as phenomenal and immersive, enhancing the experience despite a few criticisms regarding its appropriateness and occasional cringe factor.
“A very nice game with an interesting plot, janky yet serviceable gameplay, and amazing music.”
“There are some minor bugs but the story is very interesting, the soundtrack is phenomenal, and I like the puzzles.”
“Great soundtrack, beautifully atmospheric environments, and satisfying (if simple) combat.”
“The music doesn't match the visuals.”
“The music doesn't match the visuals.”
“The music doesn't match the visuals.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, low frame rates (5-10 fps), and texture glitches, which can also affect external applications like Discord. While some players report a decent overall experience despite these bugs, the instability, particularly during online co-op, detracts from the gameplay.
“The game crashes frequently, has low FPS, and even freezes Discord voice.”
“It's either 5-10 FPS or mesh textures and glitches.”
“I encountered some weird glitches during online co-op.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, particularly for older systems, where performance issues are prevalent. Players with weaker PCs are advised to wait for future patches, as developers are actively working on improvements. Overall, while there are significant optimization concerns, a more stable experience may be on the horizon.
“At this stage, people with weak PCs are better off not playing and waiting for fixes, as the developers regularly patch the game. Normal optimization is not far off.”
“Not optimized at all for older systems.”
“At this stage, people with weak PCs are better off not playing and waiting for fixes - since the developers regularly patch the game - normal optimization is not far off.”
“The only gripes I've had with this game is that the inventory is too small (there are a lot of items in the game, and you need to carry a few of them with you through chapters for some secret collectibles) and that optimization sometimes sucked.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find humor in the stark contrast between the native audio dub and the English version, noting that the English dub is significantly funnier. This discrepancy adds an unexpected layer of comedy to the experience.
“The funny moment when the native audio dub is much worse than its English counterpart.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players generally report feeling mild frustration while engaging with the game, indicating that it may evoke some emotional responses, though not overwhelmingly intense.
