PARANOID

About

PARANOID is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Team Mental and was released on December 15, 2023. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Paranoid" is a single-player Action game with poor optimization and numerous bugs. Players follow the psychedelic horror story of Patrick Calman, a man with paranoid schizophrenia who lost his family and receives a phone call from his long-missing sister. Explore Patrick's apartment and decide whether to confront the potential hallucination or risk his own sanity. The game references other horror titles like "Puppet House," "Tormentor," "Agony: Lords of Hell," and "Succubus."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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43%

Audience ScoreBased on 208 reviews

story22 positive mentions

optimization28 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and atmospheric horror experience, with moments of genuine brilliance and inspiration.
There are two distinct paths to explore, each providing a different gameplay experience and story outcome.
The sound design and unsettling atmosphere effectively convey the protagonist's descent into madness.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.
The story feels chaotic and underdeveloped, leaving players confused and unsatisfied with the endings.
Combat mechanics are clunky and unsatisfying, detracting from the overall experience.

story
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The game's story is widely criticized for being chaotic and poorly executed, with many players feeling it lacks coherence and depth. While some appreciate the intriguing premise and the dual narrative paths, they often note that the execution is marred by abrupt endings and unresolved plot points. Overall, the narrative seems to suffer from a lack of polish and clarity, leaving players confused and unsatisfied.
- “Paranoid has two different ways of playing the game that offer a unique approach and conclusion: you can either choose to leave your apartment, in which case you journey through the game melee fighting condemned-style and solving light puzzles on a linear path through the city, or you can choose to remain in your apartment, while experiencing the game’s story through lots of light puzzles.”
- “Still, my thumbs up for another peek into the disturbing world of agony and above all for two storylines in one game (you can leave or stay in your apartment and the outcome is very different - like two different games).”
- “For those who still want to play or are die-hard fans of the studio, it is an installment of the shared universe of agony which tells the story of Patrick, a self-recluse in his own home who suffers from paranoia and schizophrenia.”
- “The game was poorly optimized, the story wasn't appealing, bad character animations, too much 'jank'.”
- “But the story very clearly sets itself up for a clear structure and a path ahead after the first hour or so, then the game explains everything about itself and doesn't follow through on its promises for the next hour and just abruptly ends.”
- “They changed the story in the 11th hour to fit their Madmind cinematic universe and then didn't give enough of a rat's butt to make sure they didn't screw it all up, and then just stopped caring and threw it onto the store hoping nobody would notice.”
optimization
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
41%
52%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, including frequent frame drops, stuttering graphics, and various bugs that hinder gameplay. Many players report that even after patches, performance remains poor, with some experiencing unplayable conditions. Overall, the lack of graphical settings and persistent technical problems contribute to a frustrating experience for users.
- “Love the concept of the game but definitely needs the optimization fixed still.”
- “If you can live with the current unstable performance and don't mind waiting for some patches, it really is worth the price of the current sale going at the time of this writing.”
- “I was one of the few that enjoyed the unrated edition because it was actually optimized, ran at a decent framerate and introduced some quality of life improvements.”
- “Buggy, poor performance, and the v1.1 patch from January fixed virtually nothing.”
- “Unfortunately, the game is poorly optimized in some sections and can cause frame drops down to 10-15 fps, although it's just a short moment.”
- “Simply put, the performance is wonky and horribly bad; one minute you can be at 100fps and then it just drops down. The stuttering is what breaks it for me (3070ti) and some animations appear really wonky.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
79%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the disturbing visuals and animations, particularly for horror enthusiasts, while others criticize significant performance issues, such as stuttering, low-resolution textures, and poor object loading. Many players report needing to lower their graphic settings to achieve a playable experience, and there are complaints that the final product's graphics do not match the initial trailers. Overall, while some find the graphics decent when functioning properly, the game's performance detracts from the visual experience.
- “The graphics are good, the animations too, the ambient and the sounds are supreme and the way they managed Patrick's schizophrenia is excellent; they couldn't do a better job at it.”
- “I don't understand such a low rating; the game sometimes has slight frame drops, but overall it runs smoothly and has decent graphics.”
- “The graphics look awesome, sounds very nice, gameplay not too difficult for me; it's perfect.”
- “The final product is completely different from the first trailers - worse graphics, worse atmosphere, worse gameplay.”
- “The constant blur effect, the framey mouse movement, there's zero graphics reduction setting options... sure, there's that FSR thing that gives you performance/off/quality choices, but I'm fully convinced it does nothing.”
- “Stuttering graphics, textures not loading in, or maybe they are just low res to begin with.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
50%
31%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being buggy, clunky, and tedious, often describing it as a frustrating experience marred by poor controls and simplistic mechanics. While some found enjoyment in the puzzles and combat, the overall consensus leans towards disappointment, particularly in comparison to initial expectations set by trailers. The game is noted for its short length and lack of variety, leading to a generally negative perception of its gameplay experience.
- “Gameplay-wise, it's extremely enjoyable, both the puzzles and combat.”
- “The graphics look awesome, sounds very nice, gameplay is not too difficult for me, it's perfect.”
- “Some amusing gameplay gimmicks.”
- “The final product is completely different from the first trailers - worse graphics, worse atmosphere, worse gameplay.”
- “Feels like it's just thrown together, full of bugs, obnoxious gameplay, terrible audio, very tedious puzzles that are extremely boring and simple. Overall, the game is very short; it took me 2.5 hours to beat.”
- “The gameplay is spoiled, the worst I've ever seen.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is plagued by significant stability issues, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and poor performance across various hardware setups. Players frequently experience crashes and freezes, often requiring hard resets, and the recent patch has failed to address these problems effectively. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings severely detract from the experience, overshadowing its potentially engaging storyline.
- “Buggy, poor performance, and the v1.1 patch from January fixed virtually nothing.”
- “Even with the lowest settings, the game freezes at the beginning (in the apartment)… it not only freezes the game, but the Steam Deck itself, forcing me to do a hard reset which I don’t like having to do.”
- “Technical side - poor performance, visual glitches, some hard crashes, game settings not working properly.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unsettling and creepy qualities, effectively immersing players in a horror experience that reflects the protagonist's paranoid schizophrenia. While some users noted a decline in graphical quality compared to initial trailers, the overall sound design and thematic elements contribute to a compelling and immersive environment. Despite some bugs and glitches, the atmospheric elements remain a strong point, enhancing the game's appeal for fans of psychological horror.
- “I really feel the atmosphere of a game where your thoughts are constantly tormenting you is a good touch to emphasize that you are playing the character of a paranoid schizophrenic.”
- “Pros: the atmosphere and setting are unsettling and creepy (as they are intended to be) so good job on that.”
- “Atmosphere as well as how a paranoid schizophrenic acts/reacts (or you can interpret it another way if you'd like) as well as the music and overall style of the game is top-notch.”
- “The final product is completely different from the first trailers - worse graphics, worse atmosphere, worse gameplay.”
- “It’s sad because the story and atmosphere look promising.”
- “Everything can be overlooked, the glitches, the storyline, but the horror atmosphere fused with sex and nudity has to be amazing.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by absurd situations, such as characters experiencing bizarre animations and the overarching theme of government surveillance, which adds a comedic twist to the narrative. Players find the antics, like a character named Patrick tripping out and the game's performance issues, to be amusing, despite the technical flaws. Overall, the humor is a mix of intentional gags and unintentional glitches that contribute to a lighthearted experience.
- “Which is funny because the last game they tried to launch on Steam, they managed to get it banned on release day.”
- “Simply put, the performance is wonky and horribly bad; one minute you can be at 100fps and then it just drops down. The stuttering is what breaks it for me (3070ti), and some animations appear really wonky. For example, if you try to open a locked door, you lean in the air—funny stuff like that.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, effectively reflecting the protagonist's paranoid state. Reviewers commend the top-notch sound design, including haunting voiceovers and quality music tracks that contribute significantly to the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere, along with how a paranoid character acts and reacts, combined with the music and overall style of the game, is top-notch.”
- “The game looks good and has excellent sound design, with the voices in Patrick's head hassling you and some really good music tracks so far.”
- “The main theme music is captivating and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The main theme music is forgettable and fails to leave a lasting impression.”
- “The atmosphere is undermined by the repetitive and uninspired music, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “While the game has potential, the music feels out of place and does not enhance the intended mood.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is heavily criticized, with users labeling it as an unfinished cash grab that capitalizes on advertising while being plagued by numerous bugs. This sentiment reflects a broader disappointment with the game's quality and the perceived prioritization of profit over player experience.
- “Unfinished cash grab.”
- “Typical Madmind game, but doubles down on being a cash grab.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the game's mechanics, particularly the overwhelming presence of one-shot enemies that detract from the emotional engagement. The initial experience leaves many unimpressed, leading to a lack of motivation to continue until significant bugs are resolved. Overall, the emotional impact is diminished by gameplay issues and a sense of disconnection from the experience.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unenjoyable, citing a lack of depth in puzzles and overall gameplay that feels rushed and buggy. The short completion time of around 2.5 hours further contributes to the perception of a lack of meaningful content.
- “The grinding feels like a chore, with repetitive tasks that offer little reward and make the experience tedious.”
- “The game is bogged down by excessive grinding, making it feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
- “Grinding in this game is mind-numbing, with no real sense of progression or achievement.”