On Dark Terms

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In "On Dark Terms," a 1-4 player co-op horror game, you make a pact with Bwonsombdi, Loa of the Dead, for protection in a post-apocalyptic world. Roam the open-world to gather materials, craft items, and delve into dungeons to destroy Dark Matter. Unique paranormal investigations and consumable crafting set this game apart.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

music2 negative mentions

The game features a unique concept of being a ghost-hunting cat in an open-world environment, which adds a refreshing twist to the genre.
The visuals and atmosphere of the game are praised, with many players appreciating the detailed environments and the variety of ghost types.
The developer is responsive to player feedback and has shown commitment to improving the game through updates, which gives it potential for future growth.

The game is considered overly difficult, even on easy mode, leading to frustration among players who find the mechanics confusing and overwhelming.
Many players report issues with the tutorial being long and unclear, making it hard to grasp the game mechanics and objectives.
There are numerous bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer mode, which detracts from the overall experience.

gameplay
36 mentions
25 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its unique mechanics and varied stages within dungeons, which can be overwhelming for players due to the rapid introduction of different gameplay elements. While the corruption mechanic and the ability to play as both a cat and a human add depth, many players find the initial tutorial tedious and lacking in excitement, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its challenges, the game offers fun mechanics and potential for improvement, making it a worthwhile experience for those willing to invest time in understanding its complexities.
- “The corruption, flash hunts, and embodiments add a lot to the gameplay and make it feel much more like a genuine game than the tutorial makes it out to seem.”
- “In relation to other ghost hunting style games such as Metaphysical and Phasmophobia, I would say this game possesses fun mechanics that are different enough that it feels very different from playing Phasmo or Metaphysical.”
- “The mechanics make the game really interesting and unique; the open world scenery is just beautiful, and it's great to see some really cool looking ghost models!”
- “It is very confusing and I did not understand the mechanics at all.”
- “There are 4/5 stages inside each 'dungeon' (essentially a ghost hunt, like going inside a house in Phasmophobia) but each stage has totally different gameplay mechanics, so it feels really overwhelming.”
- “The corruption mechanic makes no sense at all; it's just to annoy you while you are running towards the boss for the 100th time because you are unlucky. The boss has 4 skills and spams all of them, usually faster than you. If not, it at least teleports. The demon is beatable, the witch is annoying, but the ghost... you actually need to be lucky with the ghost, so it's not fun at all at this stage.”
story
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging, featuring a well-developed backstory and lore that players find intriguing, though it is primarily conveyed through reading letters and item descriptions. While the main storyline progresses through objectives tied to a central terminal, players also uncover grim narratives about past survivors through research missions. Overall, the story is considered a strong point, with players eager to explore it further, especially in a multiplayer context.
- “The world looks nice and I was interested to know more about the backstory and lore.”
- “There is an actual storyline, which is more than I can say for most games in this genre.”
- “The storyline is interesting and I can't wait to see more... also can't wait to play with my friends.”
- “The story is unfortunately told in one of my least favorite methods, primarily by reading letters or reading short descriptions of items.”
- “Each person had a different quest in the tutorial when someone did the first task.”
- “When one of us completed an objective, it was not completed for the others, so everyone had to do the mission individually.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag; while some locations, particularly the dungeons and overworld, are visually stunning and effectively create tension, others, like the small train station map, lack depth and immersion. Overall, the environmental design contributes significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere.
- “Some of the locations have a pretty good atmosphere, creating a strong sense of tension as you try to find your objectives while the corruption level is creeping ever upwards.”
- “The atmosphere is perfect; the environmental design in the dungeons and overworld is exceptional, and the clue gathering and everything else is on point.”
- “The world is atmospheric and visually stunning; the dungeons are fun and exciting, even on repeat playthroughs after some unfortunate deaths.”
- “The train station map near the starting apartment is very small and lacks any sort of atmosphere.”
music
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's music has received mixed feedback, with players noting the clash between the Christmas update music and the regular soundtrack, which can be annoying. Additionally, the ice cream vans feature unsettling music that contributes to jump scares, while the overall audio experience is described as chaotic and disjointed.
- “When I launched the game, it mentioned a Christmas update, but the annoying Christmas music played simultaneously with the normal music, and it still says 'early access'.”
- “The ice cream vans play music that jump scares you, and there are scarecrows that drag you off and kill you, respawning you in the safe house.”
graphics
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their visual appeal and impressive level design, though some players report high GPU usage and optimization issues typical of early access titles. While the graphics perform well on certain hardware, there are concerns about performance consistency across different systems.
- “The levels look awesome and the graphics are pretty.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is still a work in progress, typical for an early access title, with reports of performance issues such as high GPU usage and unintended gameplay mechanics like falling into inaccessible areas. While some players experience smooth performance, others face significant overheating concerns, indicating that further optimization is needed.
- “Optimization is still something that needs work, but it's not surprising given the early access.”
- “Cons: low player base at the time of writing this (for those who appreciate stranger danger this could be a con, but a non-issue for me who plays exclusively with friends), new game issues which are normal for an early release such as climbing or falling into locations not intended, thus not able to leave said location without relogging. High GPU usage for some individuals (I haven't seen this personally; my 2070 Super runs epic graphics at sub 70 degree temps, but a friend has a 3070 Ti that pushes 88 degrees), so optimization is still something that needs work, but not surprising given the early access.”
- “Unfortunately, it has some performance issues.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game through amusing cat antics and entertaining animations, which contribute to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.
- “It was hilarious to create the cats and do silly things while running around as them, especially enjoying the animations.”
- “The humor in the game is top-notch, with clever jokes and funny character interactions that kept me laughing.”
- “I loved the quirky dialogue and absurd situations that made every moment entertaining and light-hearted.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Overall, while users report occasional bugs, such as random texture glitches, the game's stability is commendable for a project developed by a single individual, with many expressing surprise at the relatively low number of issues.
- “There are still some bugs that pop up from time to time. For me, the biggest one would be texture glitches randomly when the game is loaded, but for a single developer, I am surprised there aren't more bugs.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered several stability issues, including random freezes and long loading times that disrupt gameplay.”