PARANOIHELL
- January 16, 2020
- lum
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Paranoihell" is a pixel horror game inspired by PSX-style survival horror games. After her shift, Erica Yu encounters a stranger who disappears, prompting a terror-filled journey home. Players must manage resources, set traps, and explore carefully to survive, all while immersed in a spine-tingling world with pulse-quickening jump scares.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a captivating story and aesthetic, making it a must-play for fans of surreal and strange experiences.
- The sound design and unsettling imagery effectively create a tense atmosphere, enhancing the survival horror experience.
- Paranoihell offers multiple endings and a well-executed gameplay loop that encourages exploration and replayability.
- The combat can feel simplistic and clunky, leading to moments of frustration during encounters.
- The walking speed is slow, requiring players to constantly sprint, which can be annoying during exploration.
- Some players found the game to be relatively short, leaving them wanting more content and depth.
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its haunting visuals and sound design, offering a cryptic narrative that encourages player interpretation. Reviewers appreciate the depth and complexity of the plot, highlighting the rewarding endings and the interplay between game design and storytelling as a significant aspect of the experience.
“I really like the story and aesthetic of this game.”
“I liked the vibes, the haunting visuals, the sound design, and the story, which leaves it up to you to come up with your own interpretation.”
“The plot may be cryptic and mostly open to interpretation, but I find that a great positive when it comes to revisiting the game and thinking about what the text itself conveys, as well as how the interweaving game design can tell us about the story.”
“The plot is cryptic and mostly open to interpretation, but honestly, I find that a great negative when it comes to understanding the story.”
“The story leaves too much up to the player's interpretation, which can be frustrating and unsatisfying.”
“While the visuals and sound design are haunting, the story feels disjointed and lacks a clear direction.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are intentionally simple, creating a contrast with more detailed elements to enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. While not visually impressive, the haunting visuals and sound design contribute to a solid survival horror experience that exceeds expectations for an indie title.
“I really like the story and aesthetic of this game.”
“I liked the vibes, the haunting visuals, the sound design, and the story, which leaves it up to you to come up with your own interpretation.”
“Despite the simple look, which is done on purpose to create a contrast between the less detailed elements and the hyper-detailed uncanny aspects, there is some surprisingly competent survival horror game design on display here that defies its indie status.”
“The graphics aren't that impressive, but the gameplay and atmosphere are really solid. Despite the simple look, which is intentionally designed to create a contrast between the less detailed elements and the hyper-detailed uncanny aspects, there is surprisingly competent survival horror game design on display that defies its indie status.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a familiar style reminiscent of "Search Party," with a mix of jarring animations and a nostalgic early Resident Evil atmosphere. While the mechanics are average, they effectively support a solid gameplay loop that balances despair with a compelling desire to continue playing.
“The gameplay is a basic but well-executed loop that allows for a good degree of depth. While the mechanics may be average, they effectively bring a sense of assuredness to the gameplay loop, balancing the despair of the playthrough with the desire to return and finish the game.”
“The game takes place in the same world and features a gameplay style that is very similar to Search Party.”
“The gameplay has a lot of jarring animations and evokes a clock tower/early Resident Evil feel.”
“The game takes place in the same world and has a nearly identical gameplay style to Search Party.”
“There are lots of jarring animations, giving the gameplay a clock tower/early Resident Evil feel.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Paranoihell is effectively crafted, utilizing a contrast between simple graphics and detailed horror elements to enhance the survival experience. The game excels in sound design, maintaining a tense ambiance that shifts dynamically with player interactions, contributing to a sense of madness and decay within the game's setting. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that elevates the gameplay beyond its indie roots.
“Paranoihell carries its atmosphere very well, with a number of scares and imagery to convey the whole city falling apart in a state of madness.”
“Sound direction is good, keeping a tense atmosphere the whole while, shifting whenever you're spotted by a zombie or corrupt person, or worse.”
“The graphics may not be impressive, but the gameplay and atmosphere are solid. The simple look, intentionally designed to contrast with the hyper-detailed uncanny elements, showcases surprisingly competent survival horror game design that defies its indie status.”
“The graphics aren't that impressive, but the gameplay and atmosphere are really solid. Despite the simple look—done on purpose to create a contrast between the less detailed elements and the hyper-detailed uncanny aspects—there is surprisingly competent survival horror game design on display that defies its indie status.”
“Paranoihell carries its atmosphere very well, with a number of scares and imagery that effectively convey the city falling apart in a state of madness.”
