P.T - The Stairway 7 | Game Brain — video game discovery

About

P.T - The Stairway 7 is a single player and multiplayer survival simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Steelkrill Studio and was released on May 17, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

"The Stairway 7" is a horror game where players are trapped in an endless loop of stairways, accompanied by a cat. The goal is to reach the exit by carefully observing surroundings to detect and banish anomalies, or face their wrath. Success hinges on memorization and keen attention to detail in this spine-chilling, sanity-testing adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The game features a great atmosphere with immersive sound design and visuals that enhance the horror experience.
Gameplay is enjoyable and offers a unique twist on the 'spot the difference' mechanic, providing a progressive horror experience.
Players appreciate the ability to interact with a cat, adding a light-hearted element to the otherwise tense gameplay.

The game suffers from a lack of randomization in anomalies, making it easy to memorize and reducing replayability.
There are issues with gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to exploit the system by checking for anomalies without consequences.
Some players found the jump scares to be redundant and the overall gameplay to be repetitive over extended sessions.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring a unique horror twist on the "spot the difference" concept, with smooth mechanics and no significant bugs or glitches reported. However, some players find the experience can become repetitive over longer sessions, and the game's short duration of less than an hour raises concerns about replayability, especially for its price point. Overall, while the gameplay has its strengths, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
- “Gameplay wise, it's enjoyable and an interesting horror twist on spot the difference.”
- “No FPS drops, no bugs/glitches during the gameplay, no complaints from my end.”
- “I don't wanna spoil too much, but the anomalies are nice, gameplay is fun and it has some neat unexpected moments, a really well made game <3”
- “The gameplay is all about observation; this might become repetitive for some players over extended play sessions.”
- “<1 hour of gameplay with no replayability for a $9 game is a hard ask.”
- “This adds ridiculous monotony to the streamlining of the gameplay.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive graphics, creepy sound effects, and chilling visuals, creating a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric horror. However, some players feel that the scripted nature of the game diminishes the initial tension and immersion after a short period. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate a strong atmospheric setting in horror games.
- “Overall it was a nice experience and definitely recommend you try this game if you're a big fan of atmospheric horror games.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with creepy sound effects and chilling visuals that kept me on the edge of my seat. Big thumbs up!”
- “It looks nice in the graphics department and the atmosphere backs it up.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
37%
25%
The graphics are generally well-received, with many praising the immersive atmosphere created by chilling visuals and sound effects. However, some critiques point out the reliance on stock assets and graphic imagery, which detracts from the overall storytelling. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's ambiance, enhancing the player's experience.
- “It looks nice in the graphics department and the atmosphere backs it up.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with creepy sound effects and chilling visuals that kept me on the edge of my seat. Big thumbs up!”
- “The graphics create a captivating environment that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The graphics are decent.”
- “If there is a story, it's not held together very well, and uses mostly graphic imagery and stock assets/images to attempt to convey an idea.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The story in the game is generally appreciated for its unexpected depth and effective use of jumpscares, enhancing the overall experience. However, some reviewers criticize its coherence, noting that it relies heavily on graphic imagery and stock assets, which detracts from its narrative cohesion. Overall, while the story adds a pleasant surprise, its execution may leave some players wanting more.
- “I thoroughly enjoyed this anomaly game, and I wasn't expecting an underlying story, so that was a nice surprise.”
- “It's an amazing game, I really recommend it. In the story, I didn't see any repetition; the anomaly system is really nice too. Almost had a heart attack, loved it!”
- “The story is a nice touch and got me with some of the jumpscares.”
- “- If there is a story, it's not held together very well, and uses mostly graphic imagery and stock assets/images to attempt to convey an idea.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a strong emotional impact, particularly noting that the ending is heartbreaking. However, some users feel that introducing varied representations of the husband's emotional stages could enhance the experience and reduce redundancy.
- “The ending was heartbreaking.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express disappointment in the game's lack of replayability, particularly noting that the short gameplay duration of under an hour does not justify its price. Many suggest that introducing randomized elements, such as anomalies, could significantly enhance replay value in future updates.
- “<1 hour of gameplay with no replayability for a $9 game is a hard ask.”
- “I just wish the anomalies were randomized, and I hope that is something they consider for the future, because that will dramatically increase the replayability of the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report smooth performance and no crashes, others describe it as poorly optimized.
- “The game runs smoothly, and I haven't encountered any crashes.”
- “The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “I experienced significant lag and performance issues, which made the gameplay frustrating.”
- “Despite having a high-end PC, the game runs poorly and doesn't utilize my hardware effectively.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for creating a strong ambiance, featuring eerie background sounds that enhance the overall atmosphere.
- “The music creates a good ambiance with an eerie background.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report excellent stability, noting no FPS drops or bugs/glitches during gameplay, leading to a smooth and complaint-free experience.