Primal Fears

About

"Primal Fears" is a horror shooter game that can be played in single-player, multi-player, or co-op mode with up to four players. Players battle through levels filled with mutated populations while uncovering the truth behind a world-altering chemical called pharGONe. The game offers a variety of weapons, upgrades, and features like RC-cars and drones to aid in the fight against mysterious and terrifying foes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 87 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and entertaining run-and-gun experience, especially in co-op mode with friends.
There is a decent variety of upgradeable weapons and enemies, providing some engaging gameplay.
The graphics and atmosphere are better than expected for a low-budget title, contributing to an enjoyable experience.

The game suffers from poor controls, including a frustrating camera system and collision issues that can hinder gameplay.
Many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, with a limited variety of enemies and dull level design.
Technical issues, such as crashes and unresponsive controls, detract from the overall experience and make it hard to recommend.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The game's story is largely considered weak and underdeveloped, primarily conveyed through basic newspaper snippets that lack depth and coherence. While the premise involves a pesticide-induced mutation crisis, players find the narrative forgettable and unessential, with a focus on mission-based gameplay rather than a cohesive story arc. Despite this, the engaging gameplay and level design keep players motivated to progress, even if the story itself does not significantly enhance the experience.
- “The story consists of insect numbers growing out of control due to global warming; a pesticide is used which makes things worse in more ways than one.”
- “The story is basically some pesticide designed to take care of a bug infestation that has caused humanity to mutate into misshapen bloodthirsty monsters, and you're trying to survive in the ruins of what's left.”
- “Very good game with an odd story; it's similar to how to survive with a bit of Dead Space.”
- “Almost non-existent forgettable story; you will see the same enemies in every level. Some weapons just are not worth the time and money to upgrade or use. Enemies sometimes glitch their way through solid walls and obstacles to get you, and they can attack you while you're at the store resupplying your ammo. Melee combat is awful; just don't even try it.”
- “The story is downright thin and unessential, simply unfolded through identical-looking newspapers that not only feel amateurish but also suffer from a number of misspellings.”
- “There isn't a story to follow, so if that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them mediocre or subpar, particularly in terms of animation and collision issues. However, others appreciate the decent visuals that complement the intense gameplay and diverse enemy encounters. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they do not significantly detract from the overall gaming experience.
- “The graphics are good, the action is intense and the music is exceptional (creepy when need be and 'gets you pumped' caliber when it has to be!!).”
- “An amazing game! I bought the 4-pack for 3 others and myself. The graphics are as good as a game like this can get, and the weapon upgrades and choices are phenomenal!”
- “I think this game would be a 9.3/10 because 10/10 for graphics, 9/10 for gameplay, and 9/10 for multiplayer play because it's only co-op!”
- “Graphics are mediocre for its age; some enemies look like they are missing a few frames in their walk animations.”
- “The graphics are decent but with collision bugs: the foes can pass and attack through walls and doors.”
- “Design and graphics are subpar and don't really seem polished, but this doesn't break you away from the gameplay.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it boring and repetitive, suffering from poor controls and a lack of variety in enemies. While some appreciate the satisfying and challenging aspects of the levels, particularly in co-op mode, others criticize the mission-based structure and the absence of a compelling story. Overall, the game offers simple mechanics and decent features, but it struggles with execution and polish.
- “Not only are the graphics better, but the gameplay is also satisfying and challenging at times. The levels are well made, and even without a strong story, it still makes you want to see what's next, with various enemies to fight and some close encounters providing hilarious moments.”
- “For the price, it's a good top-down shooter, and it's simple to grasp the mechanics.”
- “There isn't a story arc, just mission-based gameplay with various levels of difficulty, upgradeable weapons, and the ability to play with a friend.”
- “Boring and repetitive gameplay, level design that looks a bit too familiar, few enemy types, poor controls, and weak sound design are but among a handful of the problems that plague this game.”
- “The mechanics are optimized for cooperation, but solo mode is frustrating: ammo recharge and the melee attack are too slow, and the sprint is too short.”
- “Although Primal Fears has potential and is capable of bringing a bunch of decent features, the rather dull, faulty, and strikingly predictable gameplay is just as undeniable as the tiring title.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a mix of light-hearted suspense and engaging ambiance, with moments of heightened danger that enhance the experience. While some players find it enjoyable and immersive, others feel it may lack depth and long-term appeal, suggesting a potential for repetitiveness. Overall, the atmosphere is considered better than in similar titles, but it may not resonate with all players.
- “The combat can get intense and the atmosphere is pretty cool.”
- “The atmosphere is quite insignificant and relatively easy-going; the suspense can be described as scary sweet as opposed to actually conveying the scary thrills, but it does pick up the pace of danger at least once on each level.”
- “The atmosphere (sound, lighting, thrill) is much better than in Alien Breed or Nation Red.”
- “It swept me away in terms of atmosphere because of the expertly executed ambiance.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise it as exceptional and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others find it merely decent and note issues with it stopping at times. Overall, the soundtrack is described as epic and capable of enhancing the gaming experience when it is functioning properly.
- “The graphics are good, the action is intense, and the music is exceptional (creepy when it needs to be and 'gets you pumped' when it has to be!!).”
- “+music (main is epic)”
- “The soundtrack is decent enough, though on several occasions the music tends to stop.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game has limited replayability, primarily offering higher difficulty levels as the main incentive to replay. Many users suggest it is only worth purchasing at a discounted price, indicating that its short length and lack of substantial content do not justify a higher cost.
- “For 4 bucks, I would totally say get this game, although I am unsure just how much replayability there is, if any.”
- “+replayability”
- “It's not a long game and doesn't really have any replayability (short of higher difficulties) so pick it up for a couple bucks on sale if you can - it's simply not worth $10.”
- “For 4 bucks I would totally say get this game, although I am unsure just how much replayability there is, if any.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's optimization is primarily geared towards cooperative play, making solo mode frustrating due to slow ammo recharge, melee attacks, and limited sprint duration. Additionally, it struggles to run smoothly even on lower performance settings, potentially posing issues for users with older or less powerful computers.
- “The mechanics are optimized for cooperation, but solo mode can be frustrating due to slow ammo recharge, sluggish melee attacks, and a short sprint duration.”
- “Modern titles like Diablo 3 may run smoothly on your computer, but even with the lowest performance settings, this one does not.”
- “The mechanics are optimized for cooperation, but solo mode is frustrating: ammo recharge and melee attack are too slow, and the sprint duration is too short.”
- “I can't comment on its performance on older or more lightweight computers.”
- “Modern titles like Diablo 3 may work on your computer with no problem at all, but even with the lowest performance settings, this one will not.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its ability to create hilarious moments, especially during close encounters with various enemies, making it particularly enjoyable in co-op mode. While the story may not be strong, the engaging gameplay and well-designed levels keep players entertained and eager to progress.
- “Not only are the graphics better, but the gameplay is also satisfying and challenging at times. The levels are well made, and even without a strong story, it still makes you want to see what's next. There are various enemies to fight, with some close encounters providing hilarious moments.”
- “Very funny in co-op!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users find the camera controls in the game to evoke a sense of emotional engagement, as the high vantage point creates a unique experience with each accidental adjustment. This design choice enhances the feeling of exploration and discovery, contributing to an immersive emotional atmosphere.
- “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt a profound connection to the characters and their struggles.”
- “Every choice I made had weight, and the consequences were emotionally impactful, making me reflect on my decisions long after I finished the game.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complemented the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience and drawing me deeper into the narrative.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game exhibits some stability issues, including occasional glitches such as floating weapons and a freezing problem that necessitated a PC restart. Overall, these issues may impact the gaming experience for some users.
- “It has a few glitches I've seen, like characters' weapons floating behind or next to them. It froze up on me once, and I had to restart my PC because it wouldn't close.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I've experienced several stability issues, including random freezes and lag spikes that disrupt gameplay.”