Pleh!

About

Pleh! is a short psychological horror walking simulator which tells the story of a depressed game developer, his intrusive thoughts and his dark mysterious secrets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 905 reviews

story67 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The game features a deeply relatable story that resonates with many players, particularly those dealing with mental health issues.
The unique blend of 2D and 3D environments, along with the emotional depth of the narrative, creates a powerful gaming experience.
It's a free game that offers a rich and engaging experience, showcasing the developers' passion and hard work.

The game suffers from pacing issues, with some sections feeling drawn out and repetitive.
There are complaints about the lack of audio and sound effects, which detracts from the overall immersion.
Some players found the themes to be presented in a heavy-handed manner, lacking subtlety in its approach to serious topics.

story
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
3%
The game's story has been widely praised for its emotional depth and relatability, resonating with players on personal levels, particularly regarding themes of mental health and social anxiety. Many reviewers highlighted the effective storytelling, immersive atmosphere, and the ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable experience despite some critiques of gameplay mechanics. Overall, the narrative is considered a standout feature, with players appreciating its twists, emotional weight, and the thoughtful integration of gameplay elements.
- “The storytelling in this game is done *very* well.”
- “The story was amazing but heartbreaking, the music was great, the atmosphere was both calming and uneasy, and this game genuinely made me feel something.”
- “This game is life-changing, from the main game's plot itself to the story it tells.”
- “My biggest gripe with this game is the mediocrity of the storytelling, and the actively bad game interactions and visuals.”
- “Boring game, boring story, bad design, bad story, annoying game, annoying text. Literally the only good part about this game is where you get to make the painting, and it's just a ton of good memes; that's literally it.”
- “Without the story, the game is just about walking; you barely do anything else.”
emotional
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of the game has resonated deeply with players, often leading to tears and profound reflections on personal experiences, particularly related to mental health and relationships. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings through its storytelling, visuals, and sound design, making it a memorable and impactful experience. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain areas, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers an emotional rollercoaster that connects with players on a personal level.
- “This game made me feel so seen yet brutalized at the same time; I don't think I will ever recover.”
- “The ending had me surprisingly emotional (straight up jaw dropped, teary eyes), and for someone who has experienced some of the things shown in this game, I couldn't have it any other way.”
- “This was one of the best games I've ever played. As a person who has suffered from depression and anxiety, this really deeply resonated with me, made me cry for the first time in years, definitely worth a play.”
- “The game made me cry, holy crap.”
- “Boring game, boring story, bad design, bad story, annoying game, annoying text. Literally the only good part about this game is where you get to make the painting, and it's just a ton of good memes. That's literally it.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its innovative mechanics and strong narrative integration, while others criticize it for being frustrating and limited. Many highlight the unique use of meta mechanics and the emotional depth conveyed through gameplay, though some find the controls and overall experience lacking. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to surprise players with gameplay changes and its effective representation of complex themes.
- “A beautiful narrative, good gameplay, gorgeous environments.”
- “The story was amazing and the gameplay worked alongside it perfectly!”
- “I really like the concept of how each part of the storyline tied in with the game mechanics; it flows beautifully and I just love this game.”
- “The game features frustrating, not clever meta mechanics like deliberately crashing and closing the game, forcing you to reload it.”
- “Be aware that the game, as part of the gameplay, forcefully shuts down several times, including soon after you start it and end it, leaving you wondering what just happened.”
- “Rubbish controls, boring gameplay, and on-the-nose storytelling.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
23%
12%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as "beyond perfect" and "amazing," noting its emotional impact and ability to enhance the storytelling. However, others criticized the absence of sound effects and described the background music as average. Overall, the soundtrack is highlighted as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and emotional depth.
- “Also the soundtrack is beyond perfect.”
- “The story was amazing but heartbreaking, the music was great, the atmosphere was both calming and uneasy, and this game genuinely made me feel something.”
- “The way atmosphere/music/color is used to accentuate emotions behind each scene is done flawlessly.”
- “No music or sound effect at all and a lot of bugs :/”
- “The music is nothing too out of the ordinary.”
- “The soundtrack is also 11/10, I keep listening to it.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with some praising the effective use of simple 2D visuals and moody environments that enhance storytelling, while others criticize the graphics as basic and lacking depth. Despite the varied styles, many agree that the visuals serve the narrative well, demonstrating that compelling storytelling can transcend high-end graphics. Overall, the graphics are seen as a supporting element rather than the main focus of the experience.
- “Great game, not only for the sudden change of graphics from 2D to 3D, not only for the environments, but for the fact that the creator of the game made himself understood very well, leaving the right space for interpretation.”
- “It uses a variety of graphic and gameplay styles to present dark, depressing topics in a unique and palatable way.”
- “I found it so interesting how it was able to transmit so much, even with limited assets, reminding me that you don’t need 4K graphics to tell a compelling and touching story.”
- “My biggest gripe with this game is the mediocrity of the storytelling, and the actively bad game interactions and visuals.”
- “The visuals are bad.”
- “The graphics are basic, the focus on the game is mainly the story, which was on point.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
30%
The humor in the game is a mix of light-hearted moments and dark comedy, with players appreciating its unique and surprising elements, such as the image selection segment and the incorporation of personal touches like Discord usernames. While some users found the humor hit-or-miss, many highlighted the game's ability to balance funny content with a deeper, sometimes melancholic undertone, making it a memorable experience overall.
- “Overall, definitely play this; it has some funny moments and is a super unique game.”
- “The image selection segment was kind of funny, and the little thing where the game nabbed your Discord username was also a very nice touch that surprised me quite a lot.”
- “Really amazing game (I feel like I've written that 47 times already, but I cannot express enough how good this game is), has fun achievements, some sick dark humor, and good attention to detail.”
- “Bro, you're not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its emotional depth and immersive qualities, effectively combining music, sound design, and visual elements to evoke a range of feelings from calmness to dread. While some players found the atmosphere occasionally incoherent, many appreciated its ability to create a profound and familiar experience that resonates deeply, particularly through its storytelling. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both captivating and haunting, successfully drawing players into its narrative journey.
- “It sets an incredibly well-crafted atmosphere and drags you down a path I did not expect to go down.”
- “The story was amazing but heartbreaking, the music was great, the atmosphere was both calming and uneasy, and this game genuinely made me feel something.”
- “Despite its well-made atmosphere, it was difficult to put together at times; it still felt rather incoherent.”
- “I think it was trying to build an atmosphere, but it takes more than just repeating the same design over and over to create something immersive.”
- “As a hobbyist game developer with years of mental health struggles, the writing and atmosphere of the game felt profoundly familiar.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game offers high replayability, with many players finding it enjoyable to revisit for its memorable experiences and engaging puzzle platforming. While some may not feel compelled to complete it multiple times, there are ample opportunities for those who appreciate replaying games.
- “Fun little puzzle platformer with lots of replayability.”
- “High replayability, and incredibly memorable experiences.”
- “There is replayability if it's your cup of tea.”
- “I'm not a completionist, so I won't replay the whole thing again, but there is replayability if it's your cup of tea.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic commitment akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting numerous glitches and bugs, while others experienced a smoother gameplay without significant issues. Overall, it appears that stability may vary from player to player, with some encountering oddities and others enjoying a more seamless experience.
- “There were a lot of glitches that were pretty weird, but it's alright since the developer took care of it for me in-game.”
- “I've heard many reviews mentioning that this game has bugs and glitches, which seems to be a common issue among players.”
- “Some reviews even described the game as a horror experience due to the creepy glitches, but I didn't encounter anything like that.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users rating it a perfect 10/10 for its top performance.
- “The optimization in this game is top-notch; it runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I've never experienced such efficient resource management in a game before; it truly enhances the gameplay.”
- “The developers have done an incredible job optimizing the game, making it accessible to a wider audience without sacrificing quality.”