Noctem

About

Noctem is a single player action adventure game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by DreamTaleStudio and was released on July 1, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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62%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

story5 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game has a great atmosphere and immersive setting, reminiscent of 'Stranger Things'.
The environmental storytelling and attention to detail in the level design are commendable.
The voice acting is decent and adds to the overall experience.

The gameplay is tedious, often revolving around repetitive fetch quests with little guidance.
The monster's AI is poorly designed, leading to frustrating encounters that detract from the horror experience.
The story feels incomplete and the ending is abrupt, leaving players unsatisfied.

story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The story of "Noctem" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the environmental storytelling and immersive atmosphere, while others criticize its abruptness and lack of clarity. Many found the narrative disjointed, particularly with the protagonist's repetitive focus on her father, leading to frustration and a sense of incompleteness. Overall, while the game offers intriguing elements and a unique setting, the execution of the story leaves much to be desired.
- “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.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepiness and immersive qualities, with many players noting the effective use of environmental storytelling and sound design that elicits tension and paranoia. However, some reviewers feel that the introduction of enemy encounters can disrupt this atmosphere, particularly when they become overly persistent or poorly executed. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating and tense ambiance, reminiscent of "Stranger Things," though it struggles to maintain that intensity throughout.
- “Although there are some annoyances that may put your pace to a halt, the environmental storytelling and atmosphere of Noctem make up for it.”
- “Very nice atmosphere and fantastic sound design.”
- “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.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and time-consuming, with many expressing that the puzzles and objectives feel repetitive and unengaging. While some enjoyed the challenge of the puzzles, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration due to a lack of meaningful progress and the monotonous nature of tasks like searching for objects.
- “The game started out being kind of interesting and creepy, but it ended up feeling tedious and mediocre.”
- “And simply put, the reason is 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.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Gameplay is criticized for its inconsistent mechanics, particularly regarding enemy detection, which can feel unrealistic and frustrating. Players find the exploration of Amelia's home and its grotesque parallel version tedious, with objectives often revolving around repetitive tasks like searching for objects, detracting from the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “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.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The graphics are praised for their immersive atmosphere and intimidating monster designs, contributing to a strong aesthetic experience. However, technical issues such as poor enemy AI pathfinding and persistent encounters detract from the overall immersion. Players report good performance on high-end hardware, enhancing the visual experience.
- “The general aesthetic of the world, and the monsters are intimidating.”
- “Great atmosphere at the beginning.”
- “The designs and general aesthetic of the world are creepy and intimidating.”
- “Enemy AI pathfinding is terrible.”
- “Persistent enemy encounters ruin the atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
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 in enemy AI pathfinding and persistent encounters that detract from the immersive atmosphere. Additionally, some found the puzzles tedious and the story disjointed, impacting the overall experience.
- “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.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music in the game is highly praised for its attention to detail, contributing significantly to the immersive atmosphere and engaging storytelling. Reviewers note that it enhances the overall experience, drawing players deeper into the game's world.
- “The music is incredibly immersive, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “The attention to detail in the music complements the level design and story beautifully.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly captures the mood, making every moment feel more engaging.”