Noise
- October 13, 2019
- Talentplace
Get on Steam"Noise" is a narrative-driven game set in 1988 USSR, where you uncover terrifying secrets about a mysterious, uncharted signal. As a radio amateur, the radio is your main tool to navigate the game, choosing waves to contact people, understand what's happening, or listen to USSR radio. The game aims to tell a unique, non-faceless horror story.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has an interesting and enigmatic storyline with unique concepts, such as using radio for detection.
- Despite being an indie game, it runs without major performance issues and has a decent length for its price.
- Some players appreciated the atmosphere and found it reminiscent of other popular titles like STALKER.
- The game suffers from poor execution, including bad voice acting, buggy mechanics, and frustrating gameplay.
- Many players found the graphics to be subpar and the overall presentation lacking polish.
- The pacing is slow, with obtuse puzzles and a lack of clear direction, leading to a tedious experience.
- story20 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing and filled with interesting concepts, such as the use of radio waves for detection, but suffers from poor execution and pacing. While some players appreciate the wacky and enigmatic plot, many express frustration with the dialogue, voice acting, and overall gameplay experience, leading to a lack of motivation to continue. Overall, the story has potential but is marred by technical issues and a feeling of incompleteness.
“A short game with an interesting story that had a Half-Life-like feel to it (Soviet Half-Life 😊).”
“The plot is interesting and enigmatic, and it has some intriguing concepts like using the radio for detection.”
“The only positives for this game lie in the storyline - it was a very interesting concept that I was eager to play and learn about.”
“I can't say if there are jump scares because, between the horrible voice acting, uncomfortable controls, and impossible to advance plot, I couldn't bear with it for more than a little over 10 minutes.”
“Overall the game is a walking simulator with dialogue created to progress the story's core elements, which is noise.”
“The plot is unfinished (what happened with the employee that you talked with?)”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been widely criticized for its buggy mechanics, poor translation, and broken features, leading many players to uninstall the game before completion. The initial chapter serves as a basic introduction, but subsequent gameplay is described as boring, drawn out, and frustrating, particularly with the broken radio mechanics. Overall, the gameplay experience is deemed unsatisfactory and lacking in engagement.
“First and foremost, the first chapter serves as an introduction to the game mechanics.”
“Mechanics, voicing, gameplay was so bad that the game has become one of the very few I uninstalled before finishing.”
“Buggy, super annoying mechanics, poor translation, and broken achievements.”
“The mechanics and gameplay are boring and drawn out.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized, with users describing them as "ugly" and "garbage." Many reviewers noted that the visuals detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to engage with the game's intended atmosphere. Overall, the graphical quality is considered a significant drawback.
“A badass game but really messed up graphics.”
“Horrible, controls don't work, VR is the worst for this game, voice acting made my ears bleed and the game looks like garbage graphically.”
“The graphics are totally ugly.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, frustrating mechanics, and poor collision detection that can lead to players getting stuck or flying off unexpectedly. Many users report that the game feels barely playable due to these persistent problems, contributing to an overall negative experience.
“Buggy, super annoying mechanics, poor translation, and broken achievements.”
“If you bump into any surface like a box or small object, you can fly off or get stuck 90% of the time. Running is also buggy, and you can end up stuck in walls and the ground.”
“This game is another perfect example of a buggy, abandoned game.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback; while some users report no significant performance issues or game-breaking bugs, others express frustration with subpar performance that detracts from their experience.
“No performance issues, and I didn't encounter any game-breaking bugs (the monster glitched one time... he deserved it).”
“Performance is much lower than the standard, which actually makes me sick.”
“Performance is massively subpar; this could actually make me sick.”
- music3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game primarily features Russian music, which some players appreciate, while others express disappointment over the lack of variety, particularly the absence of jazz.
“Oh, and you get to listen to Russian music on the radio... yay!”
“There is no jazz, only 'ol Russian commie music on the radio.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players found the grinding aspect of the game to be initially manageable, likening it to a walking simulator. However, the introduction of a time monster significantly detracted from the experience, turning it into a tedious and frustrating endeavor.
“The game started off fine, but it quickly turned into a walking simulator. Once the time monster appeared, it went from barely playable to a horrible and tedious experience. The monster was annoying and felt completely unnecessary.”
“Grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment in the emotional aspect of the game, citing issues such as bugs, poor voice acting, and a lackluster story that detracts from any potential emotional engagement. Overall, these factors contribute to a frustrating experience that fails to resonate with players.
“The emotional depth of the story is overshadowed by bugs and poor voice acting.”
“I found the narrative to be boring, which made it hard to connect emotionally with the characters.”
“Despite the potential for an emotional journey, the execution fell flat, leaving me feeling disconnected.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with users expressing a positive appreciation for its immersive qualities.
