OK/NORMAL

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 395 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.

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Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 395 reviews
graphics54 positive mentions
gameplay14 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and trippy experience with a strong PS1 aesthetic that evokes nostalgia.
  • The sound design and atmosphere are well-crafted, creating an unsettling and immersive environment.
  • It's a short game that can be completed in about an hour, making it a quick and interesting experience for fans of experimental horror.
  • The gameplay can be tedious, especially during the key-finding and maze sections, which may frustrate players.
  • There is little to no coherent story, leaving players feeling lost and confused about the game's purpose.
  • Controls can be awkward and unresponsive, detracting from the overall experience.
  • graphics151 mentions

    The graphics of the game are heavily inspired by the PS1 aesthetic, featuring low-poly models and surreal, psychedelic visuals that evoke a sense of nostalgia and unease. Many reviewers appreciate the unique blend of vaporwave and retro horror elements, describing the visuals as both charming and unsettling, effectively contributing to the game's atmosphere. However, some critiques point out that while the graphics are visually interesting, they can also be harsh on the eyes and may not compensate for the game's lack of engaging gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “The game uses its low-poly graphics and warping textures very well, making the experience that much better and creepier.”
    • “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 attempts at horror amount to dark visuals and the game saying toothless, cryptic remarks like 'make it stop'.”
    • “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.”
  • gameplay72 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 artistic elements, 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 challenges or depth.

    • “Ok/normal is an atmospheric abstract exploring game; while quite linear and short, it still pays homage to those old PlayStation 1/PlayStation 2 games, capturing a unique gameplay experience reminiscent of 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.”
    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay is very minimalist, the basic gist being you collect a bunch of items (ranging from food, water, and also what looks to be drugs) before moving onto the next stage.”
    • “The game would be better with an actual gameplay loop or no gameplay loop at all, but the really basic walking and collecting over the whole playtime left me hoping for a twist on the mechanics that never came.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay in a few sections towards the end ruined the experience for me.”
  • story47 mentions

    The story in the game is largely criticized for being vague, underdeveloped, and lacking depth, leaving many players confused or unsatisfied. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and the potential for personal interpretation, the overall consensus is that the narrative fails to engage or provide a meaningful experience. Many reviewers note that the gameplay detracts from the storytelling, resulting in a game that feels directionless and unfulfilling.

    • “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.”
  • atmosphere44 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, effectively utilizing low-poly graphics, unique color palettes, and 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 atmospheric experience, particularly in later levels where navigation becomes tedious. Overall, the game's ability to create a dense and engaging atmosphere is seen as its strongest feature, often overshadowing its gameplay mechanics.

    • “The dev made excellent use of lighting and sound design to really immerse you into the tense atmosphere this game lives in.”
    • “Jumpscares and spooky monsters will get you a scream or two, but it’s the atmosphere of dread and anticipation that truly captivates people.”
    • “I love the way this game feels in terms of atmosphere, the old graphics and the weird nature of what happens in the game give it a very 'lost game' feel.”
    • “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.”
  • music25 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its cohesive vaporwave 90s sound and atmospheric qualities that enhance the surreal experience. However, some players find it repetitive and occasionally annoying, particularly in later sections, where it can become more of a background element than an engaging feature. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its uniqueness and style, it may not sustain interest throughout the entire gameplay.

    • “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) at the point that it just became frustrating and boring at the same time.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, with players expressing frustration over the slow traversal and repetitive tasks required to progress. Many reviews note that while the game may intentionally incorporate this tedium as part of its theme, it ultimately detracts from the overall experience, making gameplay feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. Despite some appreciation for the game's atmosphere and visuals, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback.

    • “However, this was a very tedious and time-consuming experience.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game varies significantly among players, with some experiencing profound feelings of dread, nostalgia, and even tears, while others find it lacking in depth. Many reviewers appreciate how the game effectively conveys complex emotions like anxiety and despair through its gameplay mechanics, creating a unique and immersive experience. Overall, it elicits a range of emotional responses, from discomfort to deep reflection.

    • “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.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with some players finding it short and lacking in value for multiple playthroughs. While a few see potential for replay value, many recommend experiencing it at a discount due to its brevity and absence of engaging content for repeated plays.

    • “It's a pretty short game, but I see a lot of replay value in it.”
    • “The game offers a lot of replayability and engaging gameplay.”
    • “There's really no replayability in my opinion.”
    • “I recommend the experience, but suggest getting it on discount due to the short length and lack of replay value.”
    • “By the way, it's not that long; it's a pretty short game, but I see a lot of replay value in it.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by clever trolling elements, such as misleading save options and self-referential gameplay that plays with player expectations. While some players found the potential for humorous metacommentary in the design choices, others felt let down by the execution, wishing for more engaging and funny interactions. Overall, the humor is hit-or-miss, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by missed opportunities.

    • “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 experience, especially since 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, totally in line with the game's apparent themes.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Reviewers praise the game's optimization as exceptional, contributing positively to its aesthetic and atmosphere, although they note that the story lacks clarity.

    • “The aesthetic and atmosphere are spot on; the optimization is incredible, making for a smooth gameplay experience.”
    • “The game runs flawlessly on my system, showcasing excellent optimization that enhances the overall enjoyment.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by how well-optimized the game is, allowing for seamless transitions and minimal loading times.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, though players have reported minor glitches related to the camera 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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