Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Noctem is a single-player Horror Action game that offers a phenomenal atmosphere, immersing you in a psychological horror experience with elements of real-life experiences. Set in the eerie, foggy town of Dry Creek, Alaska, within the infamous Alaska Triangle, Amelia Hudson investigates her family's disappearance amidst whispers of strange happenings and countless unexplained vanishings."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a great atmosphere and immersive environment that enhances the horror experience.
- There are interesting puzzles that keep players engaged and add depth to the gameplay.
- The game is a commendable effort from a small indie team, showcasing quality voice acting and attention to detail.
- The enemy AI is poorly designed, often breaking immersion and leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Puzzles can feel tedious and disconnected from the story, making progress feel like a chore.
- The game suffers from a lack of clear instructions and guidance, leaving players confused and unmotivated.
- story21 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story of "Noctem" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its environmental storytelling and immersive atmosphere, while others find it incomplete and disjointed. The narrative, primarily conveyed through notes and character commentary, lacks clarity and depth, leading to frustration over its abrupt ending and repetitive themes. Overall, while the game offers an interesting premise and engaging puzzles, many feel that the story fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion.
“I really enjoyed exploring the home and every room had a story to tell.”
“Set in Dry Creek, Alaska, Noctem is a first-person psychological horror game depicting the story of Amelia and the horror she discovers upon her return to her childhood home.”
“The story is told in a mixture of notes scattered throughout the house, the various commentary made by Amelia, tape recordings made by her father, and the worrisome deranged scribbles on the walls.”
“No clear instructions on anything; the monster was lackluster as well as the story. The ending made no sense, and most of the notes were all saying the same thing.”
“Most disappointing of all, the game ending is abrupt and the story feels inconclusive.”
“I truly wanted to like the story, but it feels incomplete, and the atmosphere is destroyed upon the introduction of the enemy monster.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its gripping and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the creepy environment, effective sound design, and a sense of tension that keeps players on edge. However, some noted that the introduction of enemy encounters can disrupt this atmosphere, detracting from the initial suspense and immersion. Overall, the game successfully evokes a haunting vibe reminiscent of titles like "Visage" and "Stranger Things," making it a standout feature despite some gameplay flaws.
“The environment is amazing and the atmosphere is sure to intimidate anyone who dares investigate the secrets that hide within these walls.”
“Very tense atmosphere, very interesting puzzles to complete, fear of having to be chased by big monsters, it makes this game exciting.”
“Great story, excellent atmosphere, good puzzles to keep you occupied for a fair amount of time.”
“I truly wanted to like the story, but it feels incomplete, and the atmosphere is destroyed upon the introduction of the enemy monster.”
“Initially, the atmosphere was creepy, and the ambient sounds elicited paranoia in me.”
“This has always been my problem with stalker-like enemies in horror games since over-exposure to them might lead to them breaking the atmosphere rather than adding to it.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by a mix of exploration and stealth mechanics, set in a dual-world environment reminiscent of "Stranger Things." However, players find the objectives tedious, often involving repetitive tasks like searching for objects, and criticize the AI behavior for being unrealistic. While the asthma mechanic adds an interesting layer, the overall experience can feel slow and frustrating.
“The main gameplay consists of exploring the real world inside Amelia’s home and a grotesque parallel version of it, reminding me of the 'upside down' from Stranger Things.”
“The asthma mechanic is smart and keeps you going.”
“The game advises using 'sneak' mechanics, but honestly, if you want to progress without dying, it takes somewhat longer to go through the whole house sneaking the entire time.”
“And now assuming the monster is blind, it still doesn't make sense if you walk on the complete opposite side of the house and it hears you from there and charges at you. The game advises using 'sneak' mechanics, but honestly, if you want to progress without dying, it takes much longer to sneak through the whole house.”
“Additionally, the alien mechanic needs work.”
“The objectives are tedious, consisting of searching for sets of objects like toy pieces to complete a dollhouse or trying to find the next key in cabinets to unlock another locked door, which is not exactly riveting gameplay.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, with repetitive objectives such as searching for objects and solving puzzles that lack a sense of progress. While the game starts with an intriguing atmosphere, it ultimately becomes a mediocre experience due to the monotonous tasks and poor enemy AI.
“The game started out being kind of interesting and creepy, but it ended up feeling tedious and mediocre.”
“And simply put, the reason being that it's extremely tedious and time-consuming, without you feeling that you're making any kind of progress.”
“The objectives are tedious, consisting of searching for sets of objects like toy pieces to complete a dollhouse or trying to find the next key in cabinets to unlock another locked door, which is not exactly riveting gameplay.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their excellent quality, creating a creepy and intimidating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Despite being developed by a small team, the graphical assets and sound design are noted as superb, contributing to a visually engaging world. However, some players experienced technical issues, particularly with enemy AI, which detracted from the immersive atmosphere.
“The game was created by a very small team (four people, including the studio lead) and boasts some excellent graphical assets and superb sound design.”
“The designs and general aesthetic of the world are creepy and intimidating.”
“Gorgeous graphics and interesting story!”
“The graphics are underwhelming and lack detail, making the world feel less immersive.”
“There are noticeable graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience.”
“The character models look outdated and do not match the quality of modern games.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is solid, with stable performance at 60 FPS and minimal bugs, aside from occasional clipping issues. However, players noted significant drawbacks, such as poor enemy AI pathfinding and persistent encounters that detract from the atmosphere, alongside tedious puzzles and a disjointed story.
“Performance-wise, the framerate stayed at a stable 60, and besides the monster often clipping through the walls, I didn’t unearth any game-breaking bugs.”
“Good performance.”
“The general aesthetic of the world, and the monsters are intimidating.”
“Performance-wise, the framerate stayed at a stable 60, but the monsters often clip through the walls, which can be quite distracting.”
“The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent stuttering and long loading times.”
“Despite the visually appealing graphics, the optimization is lacking, resulting in a less smooth gameplay experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its attention to detail, contributing significantly to the overall immersive experience and enhancing the engaging story and level design.
“The music is incredibly immersive, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.”
“There's so much attention to detail in the music, which perfectly complements the engaging story and level design.”
“The soundtrack beautifully captures the essence of the game, making every moment feel more impactful.”
