P.T - The Stairway 7
- May 17, 2024
- Steelkrill Studio
"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.
Reviews
- The game has a creepy atmosphere and immersive sound design that enhances the horror experience.
- It's easy to learn and offers a fun challenge for fans of anomaly and horror games.
- The inclusion of a cat as an interactive element adds a unique and enjoyable touch to the gameplay.
- The anomalies are not randomized, leading to predictable gameplay and reducing replayability.
- The environment is small and cluttered, making it easy to spot differences and diminishing the challenge.
- The stamina mechanic feels irrelevant and frustrating, as it limits movement without adding meaningful tension.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is described as enjoyable and smooth, featuring interesting mechanics and unexpected moments, particularly in its horror-themed "spot the difference" approach. However, some players note that it can become monotonous over longer sessions, and while there are no significant technical issues, improvements could enhance the experience.
“I don't want to spoil too much, but the anomalies are nice, gameplay is fun, and it has some neat unexpected moments. A really well-made game <3”
“Gameplay is smooth but needs some improvements, and that's not too annoying. So far, so good.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's enjoyable and an interesting horror twist on spot the difference.”
“This adds ridiculous monotony to the streamlining of the gameplay.”
“The gameplay is all about observation; this might become repetitive for some players over extended play sessions.”
“- ~$10 game for me, with less than one hour of gameplay.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as loosely structured, relying heavily on graphic imagery and stock assets, which may detract from its coherence. However, players appreciate the unexpected depth of the narrative, particularly in relation to the anomaly system and its effective use of jumpscares, enhancing the overall experience.
“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!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this anomaly game, and I wasn't expecting an underlying story, so that was a nice surprise.”
“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 to attempt to convey an idea.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is initially immersive and visually appealing, enhanced by creepy sound effects that create tension. However, some players feel that the scripted nature of the experience diminishes the overall impact over time. Despite this, it remains a recommended choice for fans of atmospheric horror games.
“It looks nice in the graphics department and the atmosphere backs it up.”
“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!”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are visually appealing, featuring immersive and chilling imagery that enhances the atmosphere of the game. While the story may lack cohesion, the use of graphic elements and sound effects effectively contribute to a captivating 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!”
“If there is a story, it's not held together very well, and uses mostly graphic imagery and stock assets to attempt to convey an idea.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed, making it hard to connect with the game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is mixed; while some users report smooth performance without crashes, others describe it as poorly optimized.
“The game runs smoothly, and I haven't encountered any crashes.”
“The optimization is impressive; everything feels responsive and fluid.”
“I appreciate how well the game performs on lower-end hardware without sacrificing quality.”
“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.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a heartbreaking ending, though some users feel that varying the representation of characters' emotional stages could enhance the experience and reduce redundancy.
“The ending was heartbreaking.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players feel that the game's replayability could be significantly enhanced if the anomalies were randomized, suggesting that this change would encourage them to revisit the game more frequently.
“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.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for creating a compelling ambiance, featuring eerie background sounds that enhance the overall atmosphere.
“The music creates a captivating ambience that enhances the eerie background.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, adding depth to the experience.”
“The haunting melodies and immersive soundscapes draw you deeper into the game's world.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a stable gaming experience with no noticeable frame rate drops, bugs, or glitches, indicating a smooth and reliable performance throughout gameplay.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the experience.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.”