OLDTV

About

OLDTV is a single player casual puzzle game with a horror theme. It was developed by Creability and was released on July 15, 2017. It received very positive reviews from players.

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,493 reviews

music267 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Simple yet addictive gameplay that challenges brain and reflexes.
Outstanding retro aesthetic and mesmerizing, fitting soundtrack.
Free to play with well-designed progression, achievements, and replayability.

Visual effects can cause eye strain, headaches, and are problematic for photosensitive players.
Confusing tutorial and unclear explanations for some mechanics.
Presence of racial stereotypes and offensive content in game text dampens experience for some players.

music
396 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
32%
1%
The music in this game is consistently praised as exceptional, with many highlighting its unique, immersive, and catchy soundtrack that perfectly complements the gameplay and visuals. Players often describe it as soothing, exciting, and addictive, making it a major draw and enhancing the overall experience. The soundtrack's high quality and memorable compositions have earned it top marks and a dedicated fanbase.
- “The soundtrack is absolutely sublime, and for an indie game, it's very simplistic and professional looking.”
- “The stunning soundtrack that changes throughout each level alongside the fast-paced glitchy effects creates a deep level of immersion unlike any other game I've ever played.”
- “One of the best soundtracks I've heard in a really long time; I highly recommend this even if you don't really care about the gameplay.”
- “The soundtrack is just.”
- “The soundtrack was alright, but I got to hear very little of it.”
- “The music is way too loud so I want to adjust the volume.”
gameplay
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The gameplay is praised for its simple yet addictive mechanics that require quick thinking and concentration, gradually introducing new twists to maintain challenge and engagement. Although straightforward to learn, the game offers a satisfying difficulty curve with fast-paced, reaction-based play enhanced by clever risk/reward elements. Some players note occasional frustration due to obscure mechanics or difficulty spikes, but overall it is regarded as fun, engaging, and well-balanced for a free title.
- “The gameplay has simple mechanics and is fast-paced, making for an addictive experience.”
- “The game introduces new mechanics progressively, such as upside down words, scrambled words, inverted controls, no switch traps, and signal losses, which keeps the gameplay challenging and fresh.”
- “The gameplay is very simple to learn but hard to master, involving quick right-or-wrong decisions, which tests your reaction times and keeps the game engaging and satisfying.”
- “After getting to Europe it throws some new mechanics in and doesn't tell you about it and I've no interest in playing the first 2 levels anymore.”
- “Overall it's a very well polished game and the mechanics and ways it tries to trick you are very clever, but in a skill-based game that relies on player speed the player should never fail because they were cheated, e.g. the game displayed information after the player had made a decision, or because the player was unaware of what was required to progress.”
- “But the gameplay is more annoying for me than it is addictive.”
graphics
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The game features a distinctive, glitchy, and aesthetically pleasing visual style often compared to retro CRT and vaporwave art, which many players find immersive and well-executed. While generally praised for its smooth, clean, and vibrant graphics that complement the gameplay and soundtrack, a few users note that some visuals can be overwhelming or cause discomfort over time. Overall, the graphics significantly enhance the game's unique atmosphere and addictiveness.
- “The concept, graphics, gameplay, music, replayability... everything is awesome.”
- “An incredibly well polished and responsive game with great aesthetic and sound.”
- “The music is wonderful, the visuals are astounding, the game is simple enough but also hard to master, and finally it's free.”
- “Headache-inducing visuals and racially insensitive content for some reason.”
- “Purposefully disorienting visuals made me queasy and stressed.”
- “But be warned the visuals can be hard on the eyes.”
humor
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The game's humor is generally well-received, with many players enjoying the witty and often hilarious achievements that add personality and charm. However, some jokes feel out of place or unfunny to certain players. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the experience, making gameplay more enjoyable and entertaining.
- “There is also a lot of personality within the achievements; it adds humor and flair to the game.”
- “The sense of humor (especially on the achievements) is a nice touch.”
- “[i]Vincent Van Grog:[/i] an artful mix of colours, music, gameplay and hilarious achievements.”
- “Never necessary and not funny despite the dev claiming to put it in for jokes.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
67%
14%
The game features a minimal and somewhat cryptic story that unfolds subtly, mainly revealed at the end and through small audio snippets, creating a mysterious atmosphere. While not extensive, the narrative adds intrigue and has prompted curiosity about characters and lore, though some find it too sparse or unclear. Overall, the story is considered simple but engaging enough to complement the gameplay.
- “There is more of a story here than you think...”
- “The game is very challenging, and has a very simplistic and kinda mysterious story (of which lured me to the game in the first place).”
- “Also there is a mini story if you connect what happens at the very end of the game and what happens at the very beginning...”
- “Well, the game uses probably less than 50 words to give you a 'story' or label progression in the game, and it uses a solid amount of those to be racist when labelling continents.”
- “Story - 0”
- “No characters, story, just a game about mouse 1 and mouse 2 while looking at the glitching old TV screen.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and monotonous, requiring extended playtime that can become boring quickly. While some achievements or progress can be obtained through skill, many players find themselves having to grind for hours, which may detract from the overall enjoyment. However, the game avoids incessant grinding in some areas and still motivates players to improve their scores.
- “Both aren’t the best thing, especially the grinding gets boring after a short time since it’s such a simplistic game.”
- “Not bad, but gets dull after a while as you just end up grinding for CP so you can skip channels to get the frequency achievements.”
- “The fidget spinner of Steam, do not break your index and middle fingers farming those achievements!”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers high replayability through features like endless mode and additional paid levels, appealing especially to multilingual players. While some find it somewhat short, the overall fun, challenge, and engaging soundtrack contribute to its strong replay value, particularly for a free-to-play title.
- “Free-to-play, lots of fun for at least 3-5 hours, endless mode, additional levels as paid DLC, maximum replayability.”
- “Somewhat short but has plenty of replayability; there isn't much more I can ask of a free game.”
- “Tiny game with a ton of replayability.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game’s atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and unique vibe, enhanced by a lo-fi soundtrack and nostalgic visuals like an old TV screen. Players find the combination of sound and ambiance deeply engaging, turning a simple concept into a compelling and competitive experience. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game’s enjoyment and distinctiveness.
- “The atmosphere and music really make this game enjoyable.”
- “The atmosphere you set is perfect with the lo-fi and the old TV screen.”
- “This game takes a very simple concept that normally would be a crappy mobile game and turns it into a fun, atmospheric, and unique experience with a wonderful soundtrack.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional experience of the game is intense and provocative, often making players feel frustrated, self-critical, or manipulated. While the controls and music are praised, the game evokes strong feelings of inadequacy and confusion rather than positive emotions.
- “10/10 would recommend if you want to cry at how dumb you are.”
- “Emotional brain: 'of course there are... the next one is definitely going to be wrong.'”
- “Simple controls, great music, and made me feel like I'm special but not in a good way.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game’s monetization is praised for being fair and unobtrusive, with no aggressive microtransactions or cash grabs, though some ads are present. Overall, players appreciate the free-to-play model that maintains enjoyment without pressuring purchases.
- “A fun time considering that it is free-to-play and it's not shoving microtransactions down your throat.”
- “Well, a good one definitely was made to be enjoyable and it also doesn't have any misleading microtransactions.”
- “No microtransactions.”
- “My only problem with the app is that it has ads.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game intentionally incorporates visual glitches and interference to enhance its retro aesthetic and challenge, contributing to its unique charm. Despite these designed imperfections, users find it stable enough to enjoy as a casual, engaging experience.
- “A simple reaction-based game, complete with glitches and interference in the style of an old TV.”
- “Increasing the difficulty with visual glitches and distractions while pumping catchy beats, it didn't take long for oldtv to be one of my favourite games to fill empty pockets of time.”
- “Human brain is filled with bugs and glitches and you just found a way to beta test it for (insert preferred creationism here), for free!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, particularly on Mac systems, resulting in noticeable performance issues.
- “The only issue I have with the game is the poor performance.”
- “It definitely has performance issues on Mac.”