P.A.M.E.L.A

About

"P.A.M.E.L.A. is a single-player, open-world horror game set in the decaying utopian city of Eden. As a Sleeper, scavenge for resources, build and upgrade equipment, and navigate relationships with various factions to survive. Experience a dense atmosphere, stunning graphics, and a good plot, but be prepared for numerous bugs, grinding, and subpar optimization."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,412 reviews

story118 positive mentions

optimization82 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted world with stunning graphics and a captivating atmosphere.
The survival mechanics and crafting system provide a rewarding experience for players who enjoy exploration and resource management.
The game has a unique premise, combining elements of horror and sci-fi, which keeps players engaged and curious about the story.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes, memory leaks, and poor AI pathfinding.
There is a lack of direction and guidance for players, making it easy to get lost and confused about objectives.
Combat feels clunky and unsatisfying, with enemies often glitching and not providing a challenging experience.

story
586 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players finding it intriguing yet poorly executed. While the lore and atmosphere are praised, the main narrative often feels disjointed and lacks clear direction, relying heavily on scattered audio logs and fetch quests that fail to engage players meaningfully. Overall, the potential for a compelling story exists, but it is hampered by vague objectives and a lack of character interaction, leaving many feeling unsatisfied with the narrative experience.
- “The story itself, found through the various recordings and such, offers a lovely glimpse into a controlled utopia turned calamity.”
- “The atmosphere, lore, and storytelling (visual and not) are intriguing and it'd be a sad waste to not share that.”
- “The story is very well fleshed out, lots of lore and deeper details within the game, it was very interesting to explore.”
- “The story line itself has no real defined detail and basically leaves you to imagine how everything must have turned out but with no real expression as to what transpired or how the world boiled down to the ending results of the game, little emotion, no impact.”
- “Instead, the main story boils down to half a dozen 'fetch 3-4 items from these locations and bring them here' and culminates in the most ridiculous story-telling ass-pull I've ever had the displeasure of playing.”
- “The generic, linear storyline that was added after the long 1.5 year wait is what really prompted me to leave a negative review.”
gameplay
384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting a steep learning curve and clunky mechanics that can detract from the experience. While some appreciate the innovative elements like base building and resource management, many criticize the combat system and overall optimization, leading to frustration with bugs and performance issues. Despite these drawbacks, the game shows potential with its engaging atmosphere and exploration mechanics, appealing to fans of survival and immersive sim genres.
- “Hugely fun to play, gorgeous, smooth gameplay, 10/10 would recommend.”
- “The gameplay is innovative, with layouts and controls I've never seen but really enjoyed.”
- “The concept, story, setting, and gameplay are all very fun and interesting.”
- “This is a fine example of a game that looks decent, but its gameplay is a dumpster fire.”
- “The game mechanics are poor and frustrating - it looks beautiful but you end up wandering around aimlessly and occasionally fighting some pretty poor enemies in the dark and in a fairly clunky way.”
- “Extremely clunky controls and combat, bad graphics, and poor gameplay.”
graphics
308 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals, art style, and immersive atmosphere, particularly in the context of an open-world survival game. However, several users have reported significant performance issues, including graphical glitches, stuttering, and poor optimization, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, while the graphics are often described as beautiful and well-crafted, they are hampered by technical problems that detract from the gaming experience.
- “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous (just ensure you have a decent computer, as you'll have a hard time running this otherwise), and the 'no-loading screens' concept of loading the whole city, which is massive and detailed, is brilliant.”
- “This game is a work of art with incredible visuals and immersion.”
- “The graphics are beautiful; I feel like I'm actually there!”
- “The graphics optimization is the lowest I've seen for any early access game.”
- “I straight up can't play the game, the graphics are so buggy.”
- “The game needs 4k optimization badly; you can't play on high resolutions as it keeps lagging and stuttering.”
optimization
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
62%
32%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, including frequent crashes, significant frame rate drops, and memory leaks that worsen over time. Many players express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly even on high-end systems, leading to overheating and stuttering, and some believe the game has been effectively abandoned by its developers. Despite occasional patches aimed at improving performance, the consensus is that substantial optimization work is still needed before the game can be recommended.
- “The optimization could be better, but updates are constant, and the developers are very responsive to the community's feedback.”
- “They just released a patch to optimize performance, and it's been really successful.”
- “Performance optimizations are clearly still needed at maxed settings, but it doesn't detract from play.”
- “The optimization is terrible to put it nicely, it crashes every time I play at different times.”
- “This game has so much potential, but is unfortunately riddled with crashes and bugs, has absolutely abysmal performance that gets worse the longer the game is open, and it seems to have just been abandoned in this state.”
- “Even after launch, it still suffers from the exact same notorious performance issues that it had from early access and the last update was several months ago so there's no point expecting it to be fixed.”
stability
190 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent glitches, bugs, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some users acknowledge the potential of the game and appreciate its atmosphere, many express frustration over its unfinished state and poor performance, suggesting it feels abandoned by developers. Overall, the game is described as very buggy, making it difficult to recommend for those who prioritize stability in their gaming experience.
- “It is so buggy that it's kind of unplayable.”
- “A buggy, unfinished and unpolished mess that was quickly 'released' in order to abandon the game in its current state with all of its animation clipping, poor world layout, and sloppy mechanics tacked in simply to make the game feel more interesting.”
- “When this game first released it was a buggy, unplayable mess that was deservedly review bombed.”
atmosphere
190 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, combining beautiful graphics with a haunting and unsettling ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the intricate world design, atmospheric soundscapes, and the sense of exploration, although some note that the game can feel tedious at times. Despite occasional bugs and a lack of intuitive guidance, the game's atmosphere is considered its standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of atmospheric gameplay.
- “The atmosphere, lore, and storytelling (visual and not) are intriguing and it'd be a sad waste to not share that.”
- “The lighting and shadows are well done and create an eerie and haunted atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is perfect to set the mood for a horror survival game.”
- “Lack of music and sound undermines the atmosphere on the opening level.”
- “I had high hopes for this game; I really hope that they fix and optimize this game and pull a No Man's Sky out of this because the premise and atmosphere of the game is the only part of this game that feels like they put any work into.”
- “It's still just so boring...the whole game; the atmosphere, the combat, the crafting, and material collection.”
grinding
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and time-consuming, with many noting the difficulty in finding key resources and the repetitive nature of looting and combat. The crafting system is also criticized for being cumbersome, requiring players to gather components individually without a streamlined option. Overall, while some enjoy the game's atmosphere and RPG elements, the grinding can feel excessive, making it less appealing for those who prefer a more balanced experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding for loot, running from or killing the same enemies, permadeath, rinse and repeat.”
- “If you're not into games where you will spend 3-4 hours farming for loot and upgrading your equipment/base, then it's probably best that you avoid this game.”
- “Every bit of this game is tedious.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players noting a lack of variety and minimal presence, leading to quiet moments that can undermine the atmosphere. However, others praise the sound design and soundtrack, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing the game's immersive experience, with comparisons to notable titles like "Deus Ex: Human Revolution." Overall, while the music may not be abundant, it is often described as fitting and atmospheric, contributing positively to the game's overall soundscape.
- “The music and story are also great.”
- “Not only is the game visually stunning, but the sound design is superlative; the background music reminds me of Deus Ex: Human Revolution or Blade Runner, and does not intrude on the player's experience, and the voice acting is top notch.”
- “Atmosphere, another thing that this game gets 100% on the button; whether walking through tight corridors or exploring the larger and more open areas of the game, the ambient sounds and music that play in the background are enough to keep anyone on the edge of their seat.”
- “There is also barely any music playing, so the game is quiet at times.”
- “Not much in music, it's the same couple of tracks on a loop, some random ambient noise, and monsters moaning.”
- “Lack of music and sound undermines the atmosphere on the opening level.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the random loot, skill trees, and permadeath mode that encourage multiple playthroughs, others express concerns about the lack of a clear endgame and overall replay value. Some find the resurrection mechanic and varying difficulty settings enhance the experience, but opinions vary significantly on whether the game truly offers substantial replayability.
- “The concept of resurrection makes for an interesting chance to learn the game, and it is immensely replayable in that regard.”
- “Tons of skill trees and upgrades make this game highly replayable.”
- “No replayability!”
- “The lack of an apparent end game is also concerning for me. I am currently 14 hours in and I expect I have another 20-30 hours of 'first time' experience left in this game, along with a form of replayability with the permadeath mode. However, I feel like the 'endgame' needs to be clearer or dismissed altogether.”
- “There's decent replay value with the style variance or difficulty settings.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as both entertaining and a reflection of its flawed mechanics, particularly the comically poor AI pathfinding and bizarre zombie behaviors. Players find amusement in the absurdity of the combat system, with instances of zombies moving awkwardly and engaging in "dance-like" fights, which adds a layer of unintended comedy to the gameplay experience. Overall, the humor serves as a coping mechanism for the game's various shortcomings.
- “It's funny that I'm here admiring the architecture and interior designs while others are out there slaying the infected and surviving.”
- “When you have a zombie walking sideways almost towards you, it’s a weird fear of 'are they actually coming towards me, looking at something else, or just walking funny?' or if they are looking the wrong way when you attack, is that because you haven't actually aggro'ed them or because they’re buggy and if you get close, they’ll immediately turn around?”
- “Ai pathfinding is hilariously bad.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players find the experience deeply lonely and evocative, capturing a sense of loss in a once-beautiful city, others criticize the inconsistent portrayal of the AI character, which detracts from the overall narrative impact. The core gameplay is praised, but the storyline is often deemed boring, undermining the potential for emotional engagement.
- “Never has a game made me feel so lonely, walking around the once beautiful city with only hints of its glory remaining; it just tugs on the heartstrings.”
- “I want to be overly careful about comparing this game to System Shock, but I think it's worth noting that SHODAN, and AI in general, carry increased emotional impact when their human qualities and morality are nebulous, alien, and possibly threatening.”
- “Simply put, incredibly boring storyline.”
- “Cool core gameplay, boring story.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game features a complex and well-integrated character development system that enhances the overall exploration experience, allowing players to engage in upgrades and base building effectively. Reviewers appreciate the RPG mechanics, noting that they contribute positively to the gameplay and immersion in the expansive world filled with mysteries.
- “A true exploration game with a big and well-designed world, lots of mysteries to uncover, a complex system of character development and upgrades, base building, survival... and it all works together pretty well, summing up to a very good experience.”
- “Did some things right in terms of the RPG mechanics of character development.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is viewed positively, as the developers have consistently provided updates and fixes over nearly two years, demonstrating a commitment to the game's longevity rather than exploiting early access for quick profits.

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7h Median play time

18h Average play time

2-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 32 analyzed playthroughs

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