Phantasmal: City of Darkness

29%
Game Brain Score Based on 99 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
Phantasmal: City of Darkness Game Cover
Went wrong somewhere along the line. The original idea might have promise, but in practice it has failed. Threatens to be interesting sometimes, but rarely.
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Phantasmal: City of Darkness is a procedurally generated survival horror game set in the run-down Kowloon Walled City before its destruction in the early 90s. Every playthrough is unique, with different lurking horrors that challenge your sanity. Careful resource management, stealth, and strategic combat are crucial for survival as you face grotesque creatures in this intense, atmospheric experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

29%
Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
stability13 negative mentions
  • The game has a compelling Lovecraftian atmosphere and unique sound effects that can be genuinely terrifying.
  • The procedural generation of levels adds replayability and keeps the gameplay experience fresh.
  • There are interesting mechanics involving sanity and stealth that can create a tense gameplay environment.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including resolution issues and unresponsive menus, making it nearly unplayable.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and unbalanced, with enemies often being overpowered and difficult to evade.
  • The game feels unfinished and lacks polish, with many players expressing disappointment over its current state and lack of updates.
  • gameplay24 mentions

    The gameplay of "Phantasmal" has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its mechanics, particularly the ineffective stealth system and frequent bugs that hinder progress. While some appreciate the game's potential and unique concepts, such as procedural generation and a blend of horror elements, the overall execution is seen as lacking, leading to frustration and a sense of an unfinished product. Despite these issues, a few players still find enjoyment in the game and believe it could improve with further development.

    • “Actual gameplay has potential, with an interesting setting and overall graphics and gameplay designs.”
    • “Overall, there's a lot to like here--optional combat while stressing stealth, a cool risk/reward mechanic with light sources, and of course the unkillable tentacle monster.”
    • “But it has a great future or so I believe it will have nice gameplay concepts, nice art assets, just needs a lot more work.”
    • “Well, the mechanics and locomotion are really poor, and opponents/monsters are often overpowered. This problem becomes more apparent with each passing moment. Stealth and hiding abilities are mostly useless because monsters see you most of the time and attack on sight. The game feels like it's set to ultra hard difficulty from the very beginning, and while everything can be beaten, some areas have monsters that keep respawning, making it almost impossible to overcome them. Overall, I feel the game is unfinished but has potential, and despite these issues, I still had a lot of fun playing Phantasmal.”
    • “The actual gameplay itself is terrible and even nonsensical at times, despite the unique use of asset packs.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, in my experience, map textures often aren't stitched together properly, sometimes to such a bad degree that you can actually get stuck between them and not be able to proceed without starting a new game.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics in the game are highly inconsistent, with some textures and models appearing outdated while others are commendable for an indie title. Players have reported numerous graphical glitches, a problematic user interface, and issues with lighting effects that detract from the overall experience. Despite some praise for the atmospheric visuals, many users find the graphical quality underwhelming, especially given the game's recent release.

    • “Actual gameplay has potential, with an interesting setting and overall graphics and gameplay designs.”
    • “There's a lot of good work put into it and the graphics are phenomenal for your average indie horror game.”
    • “Overall nice graphics.”
    • “The draw distance was pathetically low despite my graphics option being at the highest possible setting.”
    • “The graphical quality varies wildly at times, with some textures and models looking great and others looking like they belong in the PS2 era.”
    • “And for a game made in the past year or so, the graphics are terrible.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the horror experience through a combination of sound design, visual aesthetics, and environmental storytelling. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a creepy ambiance without relying on cheap jump scares, making it a standout feature that captivates players. Overall, the atmospheric elements contribute significantly to the game's appeal, drawing players into its dark and brooding world.

    • “The mixture of ultra creepy atmosphere, stealthy roguelike, unpredictable procedurally generated environment, and extremely scary creatures delivered a true and awesome survival horror experience.”
    • “The monsters, the colors, the music, the sounds, the atmosphere, everything fits very well, and I actually have faith in this project.”
    • “I don't know why someone would ruin the atmosphere of a horror game by putting irritating sounds in it.”
    • “While I would recommend this for the atmosphere and the general idea behind it, I wouldn't recommend this game if reused assets (and by assets I mean entire rooms) or really wonky combat bother you.”
    • “The atmosphere is haunting; the sounds and voices add to the environment.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability is severely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that render it nearly unplayable. Many players have experienced issues such as characters running through walls, erratic AI behavior, and broken menus, leading to a consensus that the game feels unfinished and not ready for release. Overall, the current state of the game is described as a "buggy mess," detracting significantly from the intended experience.

    • “Nothing about this game should have legally been allowed to be sold in its current, buggy, unbalanced, and low-effort state.”
    • “Buggy af, not recommended at current state, frequent crashing, menus that don't work, falling through the ground, and cheap AI.”
    • “This game is early access, not very playable, tons of bugs, glitches, and issues overall, unfinished...”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's story is generally perceived as weak and underdeveloped, revolving around a Hong Kong detective searching for a missing woman and a nephew seeking his aunt in a dark, chaotic environment. While some players find the narrative intriguing as they progress, many criticize the lack of depth, engaging presentation, and emotional impact, leading to a sense of disconnection from the plot. Overall, the story is seen as a minimal backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force.

    • “The touching story of a man and his plank, overcoming all odds to defeat the darkness.”
    • “Your quest draws you ever deeper into madness, both figuratively and literally, as you descend through the dark, dank floors of a condemned, crack head filled tenement building in Kowloon City.”
    • “You play as the nephew of a Christian missionary who went missing while running a heroin addiction clinic, who descends into the city to find her before the whole thing is leveled by the Hong Kong government.”
    • “There is no real story, just a Hong Kong detective searching for a woman.”
    • “While there's a story going on, the voice acting and the way it's presented was never really appealing to me, so I didn't care much for it.”
    • “So in that case, it's a trial and error game. I didn't get scared at all; I only jumped because the 'creature' ran through a box and appeared in my face. Other than that, there isn't any scare factor whatsoever. If you would like a scary game, look up anything else. Avoid this; the concept is lame, no backdrop, no story.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, numerous bugs, and a lack of updates since its release in 2017. Many players experienced minimal differences in frame rates across settings, and the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, detracting significantly from the gameplay experience. Additionally, concerns about the developer's responsiveness to optimization issues have further frustrated the community.

    • “Aside from some of the most abhorrent optimization I've personally witnessed, Phantasmal has a large amount of bugs. It's even a chore to set your resolution as you cannot see all of the options and must select blindly, restart the game, and try again.”
    • “Also has some major optimization issues, and this is the full release of the game.”
    • “I think it has the potential to be enjoyable, but three years since its release there has been little to no optimization, no updates since 2017, and no fixes for the stealth system.”
    • “Aside from some of the most abhorrent optimization I've personally witnessed (and I thought Obscuritas was bad), Phantasmal has a large amount of bugs. It's even a chore to set your resolution as you cannot even see all of the options and you must select blindly, restart the game, and try again.”
    • “Also has some major optimization issues and this is the full release of the game.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game features randomly generated levels, enhancing its replayability and offering players a fresh experience with each playthrough. Continuous updates and patches have further improved its playability, making it theoretically infinitely replayable.

    • “The game features randomly generated levels, which greatly enhances its replayability.”
    • “After many patches, the game has become increasingly playable and enjoyable.”
    • “On one hand, the game is, in theory, infinitely replayable.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with some players suggesting that it pairs well with tracks from Silent Hill. Reviewers note that the combination of music, sounds, and visuals creates a cohesive and immersive experience, contributing positively to their confidence in the project.

    • “I advise playing this with Silent Hill music in the background.”
    • “The monsters, the colors, the music, the sounds, the atmosphere, everything fits very well, and I actually have faith in this project.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and dark elements, such as severed heads that ambush players with laughter, creating a bizarre and comedic atmosphere. While some players acknowledge the game's shortcomings, they appreciate the quirky humor as a redeeming quality that adds to the overall experience.

    • “Severed heads that cling to ceilings and ambush you, chuckling heartily as you swing after them and miss.”
    • “I knew this game was bad, but I wanted to humor the devs and just see where this thing went.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a touching narrative that follows a man's journey alongside his plank, as they face and overcome significant challenges to conquer darkness. This heartfelt story resonates with players, evoking a strong sense of connection and empathy.

    • “The touching story of a man and his plank, overcoming all odds to defeat the darkness.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of the game has been criticized as a cynical cash grab, with reviewers feeling that it is unfinished and not worth the price being charged.

    • “There are a lot of positive things I have to say about the tiny amounts of this game that I've played, but I'm not going to say them because this game was obviously left unfinished, and attempting to sell it is a cynical, lazy cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

30% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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