Presence

About

Presence is a single player action game. It was developed by VLADIMIR GUSSAKOV and was released on March 24, 2021. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Presence" is a horror game where you play as a mother picking up her son from boarding school, but the building is eerily abandoned. The game relies on individual fears, using atmospheric settings and sound effects to create personalized terror, rather than relying on visual threats. Gameplay consists of exploring the school, finding keys and items to overcome obstacles and progress the story.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

story12 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game has a creepy atmosphere and effective jump scares that can be quite engaging.
For a first release by a solo developer, it shows potential with an interesting story and some good mechanics.
It's affordable and can provide a quick horror experience, making it worth a try for fans of the genre.

The game is very short, lasting only about 30 minutes, which may leave players wanting more.
There are significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with controls and crashes.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, often reducing the experience to just walking and reading notes.

story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
The game's story is generally well-received, noted for its creepiness and intriguing plot, though it lacks depth due to the short playtime of around 30 minutes. Players appreciate the logical puzzles and the tension created, but many express a desire for more content and audio design to enhance the experience. Overall, while the narrative shows promise, it requires further development to fully engage players.
- “The story was pretty good as well, just kind of messed up.”
- “I would have loved to see more of the game and its storyline.”
- “At least the dev tells you that you can complete it in 30 minutes or less. I took my time, got an hour out of it. The dev's still learning, I'm sure. It's got a good story, I'd say. The audio scares are pretty dope. The dev should keep refining and adding rooms to the game for sure, and maybe shoot for a playtime of 5-6 hours in the long run. This could become a pretty scary and great game with the right mechanics in play; it's got the story for it for sure, now you just need to turn the pages into the game.”
- “What's his story?”
- “Just the way I like them - creepy, logical puzzles, background story, no dialogue, no enemies.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The gameplay has been described as having good mechanics and unpredictable jump scares, but overall, it lacks enjoyment for some players. While the game can be completed in about 30 minutes, there is potential for improvement, particularly through the addition of more content and refinement of mechanics, which could enhance the experience and extend playtime significantly. The story and audio elements are noted as strong points, suggesting a foundation for future development.
- “Good mechanics, unpredictable jump scares.”
- “At least the dev tells you that you can complete it in 30 minutes or less. I took my time and got an hour out of it. The dev's still learning, I'm sure. It's got a good story, I'd say, and the audio scares are pretty dope. The dev should keep refining and adding rooms to the game for sure, and maybe shoot for a playtime of 5-6 hours in the long run. This could become a pretty scary and great game with the right mechanics in play. It's got the story for it, now you just need to turn the pages into the game.”
- “Gameplay provided so you can see/decide for yourself.”
- “This game had potential, but overall, I didn't enjoy the gameplay.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The game's atmosphere is described as eerie and creepy, successfully creating a sense of dread despite a lack of atmospheric music and sound effects. While some players found the silence and minimal interaction detracting, others appreciated the unsettling ambiance, suggesting that it appeals to fans of walking simulators. Overall, the atmosphere is a mixed bag, with potential for enhancement through better audio elements.
- “It was definitely creepy with the atmospheric feel to it.”
- “I like games with an eerie atmosphere; although there wasn't much atmospheric music or sound effects, the game still felt creepy to me.”
- “Even one good horror-themed track could've gone a long way to heighten the atmosphere and sense of dread in this release.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant lack of a soundtrack or atmospheric music, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some appreciate the eerie sound effects, like the crunching of glass, that contribute to the game's creepiness despite the silence. Overall, while the tension and story are praised, the absence of a robust audio design is a common criticism.
- “Vladimir Gussakov managed to pull off some alright tension, and the story is actually pretty good, but what he neglected to add was any sort of soundtrack or audio design.”
- “The bad reviews were saying that there is nothing to do in the game, just walking around, finding a key, hearing a loud bang, collecting another key, etc. However, I like games with an eerie atmosphere. Although there wasn't much atmospheric music or sound effects, the game still felt creepy to me. I would recommend this game, but like I said, I like walking simulator games with the occasional banging and noises, but there wasn't much of it; the game was pretty silent most of the time.”
- “Some reviewers complain about the lack of music, but would you hear the crunching sound of broken glass underfoot, which adds to the creep factor?”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics are described as standard, utilizing a real engine, with a generally good frame rate; however, performance issues such as lag on multiple devices detract from the experience. While the visuals are noted to be well-executed, they do not significantly enhance the game's suspense or overall engagement.
- “Pretty good game but very short, which is a shame. I had a few jump scares, and it has a very nice frame rate and graphics. Well done.”
- “Standard graphics in Unreal Engine; I tried to play on 3 devices, and 2 of them lagged very much, every 10 - 15 seconds!”
- “The level design is good and there's an interesting premise, but there's just not really a game to play, and no added heightening of suspense in terms of the visuals.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, frequently encountering glitches and crashes at specific points in the game, despite attempts at troubleshooting to resolve potential download or formatting errors.
- “I get to a certain point in the game where it either glitches or crashes. I can provide a screenshot of the scene if needed.”
- “I tried all the common self-troubleshooting methods to ensure the game didn't download incorrectly or format wrong.”