Oakwood

About

Oakwood is a single player survival action adventure game with horror and violence themes. It was developed by Breaking Dimensions and was released on December 4, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Welcome to Oakwood, a long abandoned campground nestled in the forests of British Columbia. Explore the woods, caves, and a dilapidated lodge in search of your friends, while surviving the prehistoric horrors that now haunt the grounds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%Audience ScoreBased on 367 reviews

story22 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Atmospheric and tense dinosaur horror game with effective sound design and jump scares.
Fun, short, and well-paced experience that scratches the dinosaur survival horror itch.
Good value for the price with nostalgic nods to Jurassic Park and solid indie production.

Very short gameplay length with limited replayability and a lackluster ending.
Linear and heavily scripted gameplay with frustrating trial-and-error stealth and chase segments.
Technical issues including glitches, inconsistent AI, poor flashlight mechanics, and subpar graphics.

story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
56%
11%
The story in the game is generally considered short, linear, and somewhat underdeveloped, with much of the lore conveyed through scattered notes rather than direct narrative. While some players found the premise and atmosphere intriguing, many wished for a longer, more complex, and better-explained storyline with deeper immersion. Overall, it offers an interesting foundation but lacks depth and cohesion, leaving room for improvement in future installments.
- “First off this game has excellent atmosphere. The music is actually creepy and unsettling and fits the tone of this game. The lore and story are told mostly well and interestingly enough to where you definitely want to know more. I found myself motivated to go back and find more of the secrets.”
- “Good story, and great atmosphere the whole way through, and at a very reasonable price.”
- “The story that I was piecing together from the notes left around was interesting enough.”
- “The story got needlessly convoluted, the secret was lackluster for the backtracking most people will have to do to get it, and the later chapters didn't feel nearly as spooky or frightening as the second one.”
- “The story in this game is basically non-existent; the only slight part resembling a story is that you were going camping with some friends, but all your friends go missing with no explanation.”
- “There is pretty much no story-line, controls are iffy and I experienced many glitches where dinos got stuck in walls, I teleported and the list goes on.”
atmosphere
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
29%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, suspenseful, and immersive qualities, effectively creating tension and dread through sound design, music, and environmental details. Despite some criticisms of limited gameplay variety and occasionally subpar graphics or animations, players consistently highlight the game's creepy vibes and engaging, horror-driven setting as major strengths. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that keeps players on edge and deeply involved in the game's world.
- “The graphics aren't fantastic, the animations are a little wonky and the gameplay is formulaic, however it also has an incredibly eerie and unsettling atmosphere, a story which doesn't hold your hand and some incredibly tense moments.”
- “Oakwood is a game consisting of an immersive atmosphere and amazing sound design, which, let's be real, is a major part of indie horror.”
- “I was so sure when I started and saw the forest graphics that I would end up having a good laugh at the dinosaurs or that I wouldn't find them scary, but because of the absolutely fantastic atmosphere and build-up of the tension, I was so terrified.”
- “It has decent atmosphere, but too little happens.”
- “Your typical horror walking simulator with Unity assets/model jank/cheesiness (heavily scripted) but had me on edge a couple times with the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere consists of the bog standard darkness that is somehow just enough to see even when there is no light source nearby, a single, continuously droning note as an excuse for music, amongst other spooky background noises, and cheap jumpscare animations.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
The gameplay is generally described as short, linear, and largely focused on stealth and running away rather than action, with some frustrating trial-and-error elements. While it delivers tense and eerie moments bolstered by good atmosphere and sound design, many find the mechanics simplistic, occasionally inconsistent, and the overall experience lacking depth and meaningful interaction. Despite its flaws, it is regarded as a decent effort for a low-budget indie game, with potential for improvement in future installments.
- “The game has trial-and-error based gameplay, which can get frustrating when you just want to get back to where you were.”
- “That’s never fun and the style of gameplay kills the small amount of tension.”
- “You go against raptors that's basically hide with some clever mechanics into it, a dilophosaur that was supposed to be scary but easily avoidable, and a trex that is basically run away simulator.”
- “Do not buy; it's only 107 minutes of gameplay.”
- “Bad gameplay, awful and lazy level design, the story is delivered through notes, non-existent monster AI.”
- “Unfortunately it's pretty short, completely beaten in around an hour, and the gameplay is more "run from place to place" than action-styled, so it's unlikely to be something anyone would replay over and over again in quick succession.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The graphics in the game are generally considered simple, retro, and somewhat dated, with uneven optimization and occasional janky animations, but they effectively contribute to a creepy and nostalgic atmosphere. While not cutting-edge or highly detailed, the visuals align well with the horror theme and dinosaur models, earning appreciation for their aesthetic rather than technical prowess. Overall, the graphics may not impress modern standards yet do not detract significantly from the enjoyable, tense gameplay experience.
- “I liked the oldie-vintage style graphics; I found them to be pleasant and perfectly aligned with the storyline and characters.”
- “I was so sure when I started and saw the forest graphics that I would end up laughing at the dinosaurs or not find them scary, but because of the absolutely fantastic atmosphere and build-up of tension, I was terrified.”
- “The graphics in this game were actually pretty good. I enjoyed the aesthetic which had a retro vibe, reminiscent of games from the time dinosaurs became popular with Jurassic Park. The dirty feel of the environments really brought some bad vibes (in a good way). Interestingly, bad graphics can work to a horror game's advantage because of the uncanny valley.”
- “Had to repeatedly mess with graphics settings because it was very unoptimized; for a game from 2018, I should be able to run it easily, but I had to fight it.”
- “The only real problem I have with this game is the graphics. Now, I'm not usually a big graphics guy - hell, I love playing old school FPS games, but the old Unity asset flip look is just really ugly to me.”
- “Poor graphics, poor optimisation, environment too dark, whoever designed leaning should be fired.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its creepy, atmospheric, and mood-enhancing qualities, significantly contributing to the horror experience. While some users note issues with looping and minimal variety, the soundtrack and sound design are generally considered standout features that effectively create tension and a sense of dread.
- “First off this game has excellent atmosphere; the music is actually creepy and unsettling, fitting the tone of the game perfectly. It motivated me to explore more of the secrets.”
- “Also, the music really gives this game its atmosphere, making the forest environment a creepy place to be alone, evoking feelings of dread, fear, and isolation.”
- “The graphics are simple, but the sound effects and mood music are on point, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “The music loop is poorly done.”
- “The atmosphere consists of the bog standard darkness that is somehow just enough to see even when there is no light source nearby, a single, continuously droning note as an excuse for music, amongst other spooky background noises, and cheap jumpscare animations.”
- “Oh, and a quick request I'd like to throw in the direction of the devs: soundtrack, please!”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game suffers from inconsistent optimization, with some users experiencing significant performance issues and needing to frequently adjust graphics settings, resulting in notably low frame rates. However, some indie titles like Oakwood are mentioned as better optimized in comparison. Overall, optimization appears to be a common drawback impacting gameplay smoothness and user experience.
- “Oakwood is definitely one of the better running cheap indie titles out there, and the only improvement that could be suggested for performance and settings is the inclusion of subtitles; the few included grainy, distorted voiceovers were difficult to make out, and much of the dialogue gets lost.”
- “Had to repeatedly mess with graphics settings because it was very unoptimized; for a game from 2018, I should be able to run it easily, but I had to fight it.”
- “I really wanted to give this game a chance and I believe in supporting small indie game makers, but it appears to be poorly optimized and I can barely get 19 frames per second from it.”
- “Final verdict: scary, atmospheric, tasteful Jurassic Park easter eggs but also a bit short, questionable ending and a bit of performance hiccup in the intro.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game offers limited replayability, with minor variations in paths, hidden secrets, and occasional events adding some incentive. However, once completed, most players may find little reason to replay unless pursuing achievements or enjoying the game's atmosphere.
- “There are some slight variations in paths and object locations between playthroughs, adding a little replay value, which is appreciated.”
- “There are hidden totems and a secret area that offer some replay value.”
- “After completing the game once, replay value mainly comes from trying to get all the achievements or if you just generally like the look of the game.”
- “Not a huge amount of replay value, to be honest, though I do wish I could have played the Halloween event - looks fun.”
- “That being said, once you've gone through the game once, there's not much replay value unless you want to get all the achievements or just generally like the look of the game.”
- “⇾⇾⇾ Replayable?”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some minor stability issues such as occasional glitches, getting stuck on terrain, and dinos clipping through walls, especially when exploring off the main path. However, loading times are fast, frame rates remain stable at 60 fps with v-sync, and crashes are rare, making it generally stable for a short horror experience.
- “It's a little wonky with a couple of glitches at points, especially if you try to explore off the normal path; I got stuck on terrain or objects briefly a few times.”
- “There were a few glitches and very few scares.”
- “There is pretty much no story-line, controls are iffy, and I experienced many glitches where dinos got stuck in walls, I teleported, and the list goes on.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is notably demanding, often requiring extensive time and effort, to the point where players feel they need an additional life to keep up.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight a strong emotional connection to the game, evoking immersive and memorable experiences comparable to iconic Jurassic Park scenes, making it highly impactful and worth the cost.
- “It made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park, 10/10.”
- “Made me feel like I was playing the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park, which is worth the cost of admission on its own.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is characterized by exaggerated, cartoony animations, such as the head bobbing multiple times per step, creating a playful and amusing experience reminiscent of a comical cartoon character.