OK/NORMAL

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 790 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
OK/NORMAL Game Cover
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OK/NORMAL is a single-player Horror Adventure game that boasts impressive graphics and music, while also featuring grinding elements and a dense, emotional atmosphere. The game is designed to look and feel like a PS1 game, complete with 90's-style 3D models, affine texture mapping, and a fixed 60fps frame rate. The linear, 30-60 minute experience follows a dreamlike narrative and is best played in one sitting, with save points between levels. OK/NORMAL is available on Steam.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 790 reviews
graphics108 positive mentions
gameplay28 negative mentions
  • Unique and trippy visuals that effectively capture the PS1 aesthetic.
  • Creates a strong atmosphere of unease and surrealism, reminiscent of classic horror games.
  • Short experience that evokes a range of emotions, making it memorable for players who appreciate experimental art.
  • Gameplay can be tedious and frustrating, especially during maze-like levels that lack clear direction.
  • Limited narrative and character development, leaving players with more questions than answers.
  • Controls are clunky and can detract from the overall experience, making navigation difficult.
  • graphics302 mentions

    The graphics of "ok/normal" are characterized by a nostalgic PS1 aesthetic, blending low-poly models and surreal visuals that evoke a sense of both charm and unease. Many reviewers appreciate the game's ability to create a haunting atmosphere through its retro design, likening it to a "vaporwave nightmare" or a psychedelic experience. While the visuals are often praised for their creativity and effectiveness in enhancing the game's eerie tone, some players note that the gameplay itself can feel tedious and lacks depth beyond the aesthetic appeal.

    • “The visuals are an interesting and effective mixture of PSX-era graphics and vaporwave, supporting what starts as a simple game that quickly turns into an unsettling experience.”
    • “It's an amazing feat to recreate broken and trippy PS1 visuals with this kind of fidelity.”
    • “The graphics are low poly, PSX style and it totally compliments the atmosphere in which this game was going for.”
    • “The visuals just feel like bland level design covered up by thick filters.”
    • “And honestly, as much as I love the old CRT PS1-style graphics, they make finding your way in the more garish levels far too difficult, and might even start hurting your eyes before you reach the conclusion.”
  • gameplay144 mentions

    The gameplay of "Ok/Normal" is characterized as minimalist and often tedious, primarily revolving around item collection in a linear, walking simulator format. While some players appreciate its atmospheric and aesthetic qualities, many criticize the controls and lack of engaging mechanics, leading to a repetitive and frustrating experience. Overall, the game is seen more as an abstract art piece than a traditional gaming experience, with gameplay that fails to provide meaningful engagement.

    • “Ok/normal is an atmospheric abstract exploring game; while quite linear and short, it still gives a promising homage and vibes to those old PlayStation 1 / PlayStation 2 games where very few would capture such gameplay, like LSD Dream Emulator.”
    • “Through unnerving psychedelic visuals and interesting, sometimes frustrating shifts in movement mechanics and level structure, ok/normal explores the haunting side of vaporwave, simultaneously nostalgic, futuristic, and stuck in time.”
    • “The visuals are superb, and the gameplay starts off slow... it gets better, as the innocent collectathon mood changes into something much darker the further you get.”
    • “Bad controls, bad gameplay, just all around a terrible experience.”
    • “The gameplay was really the weakest point.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay in a few sections towards the end ruined the experience for me.”
  • story94 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being vague, underdeveloped, and lacking substance, leaving players confused and unsatisfied. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and the potential for personal interpretation, many feel that the narrative fails to engage or provide a coherent experience. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a weak point, with players often suggesting that it does not warrant the time spent playing.

    • “It was one hell of an adventure; the story is weird yet simple to understand.”
    • “The story has good pacing and makes you think about the story as a whole.”
    • “The story and the utter weirdness of the game makes it absolutely worth it, and I think very few games give a similar experience.”
    • “Painful to play and doesn't deliver its story well at all.”
    • “I have no clue what story this game was trying to tell or if there even was one to be told.”
    • “The story consists of a few cliché lines ('it hurts', 'make it stop', what video games call 'psychological horror' basically) and not much more, and as a final insult the game's last level just lets you wander around without an objective for five minutes before waking up and rolling the credits.”
  • atmosphere88 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, effectively utilizing low-poly graphics, unique color palettes, and atmospheric sound design to evoke feelings of dread and nostalgia reminiscent of early PS1 titles. While some players appreciate the abstract and surreal environments, others note that the gameplay can detract from the overall experience, particularly in later levels where navigation becomes tedious. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, capable of carrying the experience despite its gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The dev made excellent use of lighting and sound design to really immerse you into the tense atmosphere this game lives in.”
    • “It understands that what makes good horror isn't jumpscares but unsettling atmosphere.”
    • “Jumpscares and spooky monsters will get you a scream or two, but it’s the atmosphere of dread and anticipation that truly captivates people.”
    • “Intentionally terrible mechanics do not create any sort of meaningful atmosphere.”
    • “Instead of being immersed in the atmosphere, you just get annoyed trying to find the needle in a haystack.”
    • “The atmosphere might suggest a broken or even haunted video game, but the plot, if there even is one, gives no indication of that at all.”
  • music50 mentions

    The music in the game has been described as a cohesive blend of vaporwave and 90s sounds, featuring contributions from seven musicians that create an immersive atmosphere. While the soundtrack is initially engaging and complements the game's surreal visuals, it tends to become repetitive and droning, leading to frustration in later sections. Overall, the music enhances the game's unique style but may not sustain interest throughout the entire experience.

    • “The soundtrack is tight too, with the main menu theme and the actual theme itself being highlighted, though I haven’t seen anything in terms of playlists or compilations for this game.”
    • “I haven’t even heard of the musicians before, but what I can say is that the seven musicians that contributed to the game created a cohesive vaporwave 90s sound that I love.”
    • “You can enjoy experimenting with the abstract and surreal environments with a bunch of lovely atmospheric soundtracks.”
    • “Moreover, a subtle but ever-present droning soundtrack adds a touch of dread to things.”
    • “I do appreciate how it does have that very familiar compression that was something PS1 games used to have, but honestly a lot of the music is just droning noises which do get annoying, especially in the final sections of the game, where you will likely be stuck for a bit figuring out your footing.”
    • “But it is really repetitive (gameplay and soundtrack) to the point that it just became frustrating and boring at the same time.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, with players often feeling that the gameplay consists of aimless navigation through large, dark environments in search of easily missed collectibles. While some reviewers suggest that the tedium may be intentional as part of the game's theme, many find it detracts significantly from the overall experience, making it feel longer and more frustrating than necessary. Despite its interesting visuals and atmosphere, the gameplay is described as punishingly dull, leading to a lack of engagement and enjoyment.

    • “You have to traverse very slowly through an extremely large, open, and dark environment to collect a few keys that can easily be missed, which is exactly as tedious as it sounds.”
    • “Most damningly, it is excruciating to play, with the player interaction being so hair-thin and meaningless that each level becomes an increasingly tedious chore, navigating ugly mazes for pointless collectibles.”
    • “This game is tedious and outright boring, demanding you to run around for upwards of a quarter of an hour aimlessly on duplicate textures with nothing to look forward to other than finding more macguffins to get a screen further into disappointment.”
  • emotional18 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is polarizing, with some players expressing profound feelings of dread, anxiety, and nostalgia, while others find it lacking in depth. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotions through its gameplay mechanics, making them confront feelings of despair and discomfort in a unique way. Overall, it appears to resonate deeply with some, while leaving others feeling underwhelmed.

    • “Still, I'll contradict myself right now and say that if I had to define how it made me feel the last time I played it, I'd say it felt like living the poem 'Dark Night of the Soul.'”
    • “A short experience that made me feel a lot of things.”
    • “Rather than simply touching on dark and mature themes, this piece of software is one of the few I have ever encountered that actually makes the player experience what it’s like to be burdened with crushing anxiety, crippling despair, boredom, curiosity, and frustration via its gameplay mechanics - rather than by means of simple exposition.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game has mixed opinions on replayability; some players find it lacking due to its short length and limited content, while others see potential for replay value despite its brevity. Many recommend experiencing it at a discount, especially if players are seeking a more substantial gameplay experience or engaging storyline.

    • “It's a pretty short game, but I see a lot of replay value in it.”
    • “This game offers a significant amount of replayability, making it enjoyable to revisit.”
    • “The replayability factor keeps me coming back for more, even after finishing the game.”
    • “There's really no replayability in my opinion.”
    • “I recommend for the experience but suggest you get it on discount due to the short length and lack of replay value.”
    • “It's a pretty short game, and I don't see much replay value in it.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by clever trolling elements, such as the misleading save option and the absurdity of the gameplay mechanics, which some players found amusing. However, there is a sense of disappointment that the potential for deeper comedic commentary, like frustrating players with a lack of direction, was not fully realized. Overall, the humor is appreciated but could have been more effectively integrated into the gameplay experience.

    • “This isn’t a real option as it says you have no save in your memory card; it’s a bit of a funny troll. This game is honestly more of a 'play it once' kind of game, along with the fact that it ties into the game corrupting itself.”
    • “Hilarious!”
    • “Only placing five keys on the map and letting the player wander around aimlessly until they grew frustrated enough to jump into the void would have been a brilliant and hilarious bit of metacommentary (and totally in line with the game's apparent themes).”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Reviewers consistently praise the game's optimization, describing it as "insane," which enhances the overall aesthetic and atmosphere. However, they note that the story lacks clarity and depth.

    • “The aesthetic and atmosphere are spot on, the optimization is insane.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game's stability is generally solid, but players have reported occasional camera glitches and pacing issues in a specific level midway through.

    • “The only issue with the current version of the game is some glitches with the camera and pacing issues regarding a particular level halfway through the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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