Paranormal
- September 12, 2013
- Matt Cohen
Get on Steam"Paranormal" is a single-player horror simulation game that puts you in the role of a haunted house's artist owner, Mattel Clarke, who films the escalating hauntings with his camera, providing the game's viewpoint. With a dynamic haunting system, top-notch graphics and sound, and free content updates, the game promises a unique, atmospheric, and memorable horror experience with multiple endings and a different event each time. However, the game is known to be very buggy.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a creepy atmosphere and can be genuinely scary, providing a unique haunted house experience.
- Each playthrough offers different scares and events, enhancing replayability.
- The concept of using a camera to document paranormal activity is intriguing and adds to the immersion.
- The game has been in early access for over a decade and appears to be abandoned, with no significant updates or improvements.
- Many players experience frequent crashes and bugs, making the game frustrating to play.
- The graphics and overall execution feel outdated and unpolished, detracting from the horror experience.
- graphics31 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users criticizing them as outdated, buggy, and poorly optimized, particularly on high-end machines. However, some players appreciate the indie aesthetic and find the visuals contribute to the game's creepiness and overall atmosphere. There are indications that the developers are working on updates to improve the graphics and add new content, which has left some players hopeful for future enhancements.
“It has beautiful graphics, and a lot of jump scares and other parts that really are just creepy.”
“In terms of graphics, it actually looks pretty decent for an indie game.”
“My first impressions were that the game has some great visuals and the sound quality is unmatched.”
“The graphics are outdated.”
“The design and graphics are boring.”
“The graphics are horrid on a top of the line machine with everything up as far as it goes.”
- story29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally criticized for being shallow, poorly delivered, and lacking cohesion, with many reviewers noting that it feels incomplete or cliched. While some players find the concept intriguing and appreciate the gradual reveal of the narrative through gameplay, others express frustration with bugs and crashes that hinder their experience. Overall, the story has potential but requires significant improvement and development to meet player expectations.
“This game truly brings out the fear of the supernatural, and its story really makes you feel like you're deeply invested in the character and makes you want to solve the mystery.”
“As you spend more time in the studio, you'll find little tidbits of information that help you slowly understand the haunting and the story behind it.”
“But the story, how it only tells parts each playthrough, makes it very addicting to say the least.”
“The story that is pretty much non-existent is barely cohesive and could have been written by a 10-year-old in 5 minutes.”
“More story (and scares) keeps being promised, but has barely changed since the launch of early access.”
“The story is nothing special at all.”
- stability21 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and enjoy its horror elements, many express frustration over its current state, deeming it too unstable for a satisfactory experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess," particularly in its early access phase, and requires substantial improvements before it can be recommended.
“Don't waste your money, I never request refunds but I wouldn't spend a penny on this buggy mess.”
“The game is so full of glitches I can't even play it, and it's stuck on 3D mode... the settings only work half of the time, every time I pick up a page I can't move (I can't even put the stupid page down), apparently other people have reported the same problems... something about my graphics card being too new from what I can work out.”
“I do not recommend this game, it looks like it can be a great game... but it's just broken, I play a lot of early access games and can deal with glitches... but this is too much even for me.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this early access horror game has received mixed reviews, with many users noting its basic mechanics and lack of depth or story. While the found-footage style and haunting atmosphere are praised, the overall experience feels incomplete and limited, often resembling a playtest rather than a polished product. Players appreciate the potential for dynamic gameplay and future improvements, but currently find it generic and lacking in engaging content.
“The found-footage style this game gets from things like Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch Project is a unique take on gameplay, and something I've only seen Paranormal do.”
“I would actually say that it's one of the best horror games out there, because of its haunting atmosphere and never the same gameplay.”
“This early access explorational horror game has a lot of potential, with its promise of dynamic random gameplay, upcoming DirectX 11 graphics, and even future Oculus Rift support.”
“The entire experience feels like I'm playtesting a new mechanic in an amateur WIP level for a friend.”
“However, at this current stage of development, I find the game to be rather basic and generic, with its limited gameplay, controls, writing, and even audio and visuals.”
“When it comes to gameplay, the premise of the game is pretty basic.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for being deeply immersive and genuinely frightening, with many reviewers highlighting its unsettling sound effects and effective jump scares. Players describe it as one of the best in the horror genre, noting its ability to create a haunting and creepy environment that enhances the overall experience. While some elements may feel familiar, the overall atmosphere remains a standout feature that keeps players engaged and on edge.
“Probably one of the best creepy/atmospheric games I have ever played.”
“It's immersive atmosphere and subtle to downright terrifying scares has left a lasting impression on me.”
“The whole atmosphere was unsettling.”
“It's one of those 'the spoopy is out to get you' sort of things, and if you want to get into a horror atmosphere, look elsewhere.”
“I would actually say that it's one of the best horror games out there, because of its haunting atmosphere.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the random events that enhance the experience and encourage multiple playthroughs, others find it lacking due to repetitive scenarios that diminish the excitement over time.
“It's not all that complicated, but it scared the living daylights out of me my first time around. The fact that the events are random only means high replay value. I'm looking forward to enjoying it even more when they finally release the final copy.”
“No replay value - for example, one late night feels like the same experience every time you play.”
“As for replayability, each experience is different.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting frequent framerate fluctuations between 40-60 FPS, indicating that further improvements are necessary for a smoother experience.
“This game is also horribly optimized.”
“Likewise, there is still some optimization that needs to be looked at, as I did find my framerate fluctuating between 40-60 quite consistently.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, suggesting that the game lacks genuine engagement and has been abandoned by its developers.
“As it is, this is simply an abandoned cash grab.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative and heavily favors players who are willing to spend money.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly impactful, creating an intense atmosphere that can evoke strong emotional reactions, even to the point of overwhelming excitement.
“For starters, I'd like to say this game has made me nearly pee my pants just from the music.”
“The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be bland and forgettable, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
“The audio quality of the music is subpar, and it feels like it was an afterthought in the game's design.”
