Psych
- September 29, 2020
- Zygobot
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Psych" is a single-player Horror Action game that offers a suspenseful psychological thriller experience with a hand-written story and unforgettable atmosphere. Explore the open world of the park, uncover side stories, puzzles, and secrets, and advance through five immersive chapters. The game features dynamic sound effects, and your decisions will have consequences in this emotionally thrilling and mysterious world.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a strong atmosphere and engaging story that keeps players invested.
- Graphics and sound design are impressive for an indie title, enhancing the overall experience.
- Some players found the jump scares effective and enjoyed the psychological horror elements.
- Many players found the gameplay repetitive and tedious, especially in the sewer sections.
- The plot was criticized for being belabored with poor dialogue and unrealistic performances.
- Several reviews mentioned that the game felt too short and lacked meaningful content.
- story106 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and filled with intriguing twists, while others criticize it for being clichéd or poorly executed. Many appreciate the atmospheric elements and voice acting, but some feel the narrative lacks depth and fails to connect emotionally with the characters. Overall, the story is seen as a key aspect that can either enhance or detract from the gaming experience, depending on individual perspectives.
“With a dark and occasionally claustrophobic environment, an engaging story, and fantastic voice acting, I found it difficult to walk away from.”
“Strong story with twists and multiple threads to follow; trying to figure out how they all fit together just adds to the experience.”
“Great visuals, polished, incredible atmosphere and sound with a really thoughtful story.”
“After the first chapter, I started to move forward just to see how the story developed, but by the third chapter, I got so bored that I closed it without finishing it.”
“There's a lot I could say here, but no spoilers: the story was flat and didn't do nearly enough to tie itself together, nor make us feel anything for the characters involved.”
“In short, the game is a fun little horror adventure with good mechanics and gameplay for the genre, bogged down by a somewhat bad and insensitive main story that doesn't really explore mental issues as cleverly or as compassionately as it thinks it does.”
- atmosphere48 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its strong visuals, sound design, and ability to create a sense of mystery and unease, particularly in the early stages. However, some players feel that the atmosphere falters in later sections, becoming repetitive and less engaging. Overall, while the game successfully blends atmosphere with storytelling, opinions vary on its effectiveness in delivering sustained horror.
“Great use of sound, intriguing storyline, and the dark environments and dim lighting are perfect for creating an atmosphere of uncertainty.”
“Psych is a terrifying atmospheric game; even in early access stages, it has scared me to my core.”
“Great visuals, polished, incredible atmosphere and sound with a really thoughtful story.”
“It's not a spooky game for those who have already tried some of the scary games out there, but it has atmosphere; however, the horror aspect is weak in my opinion.”
“I think it's because I had set the bar too high (because of the UI design, promotions, visuals of the game, atmosphere, etc.), I expected too much.”
“While some of the environments are generic and dull, they aren't terrible to look at, and the sound, both in the voice acting and atmosphere, is far above average for an indie horror title.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly criticizing the reliance on "find the key" mechanics and a lack of engaging content. While some appreciate unique elements like the sanity recovery system, others feel the overall experience is too short and not compelling enough to support the minimal gameplay typical of walking simulators. Overall, the game struggles to balance its horror elements with meaningful gameplay, leaving players wanting more depth and variety.
“In short, Psych is a fun little horror adventure with good mechanics and gameplay for the genre, bogged down by a somewhat bad and insensitive main story that doesn't really explore mental issues as cleverly or as compassionately as it thinks it does.”
“All in all, for the price, you have a fantastic game, great for a weekend, that brings a new mechanic to the table (the sanity recovery system).”
“The gameplay is mostly very smooth, but I do have a couple of problems with it.”
“The gameplay, however, too often feels tedious and repetitive.”
“All in all, its biggest weakness is the horror aspect and the very little actual gameplay - which is normally okay in a walking simulator, but I don't think the rest of the game is scary enough or interesting enough to carry the lack of gameplay experience.”
“I paid 10 dollars for 30 minutes of gameplay... come on now.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are generally praised for their stunning visuals and impressive quality, often compared to AAA titles, with a strong atmosphere that enhances the experience. However, some users noted inconsistencies, particularly in later chapters, and minor technical issues like pixelation and stuttering. Despite these drawbacks, many reviewers believe the graphics have significant potential for improvement.
“The graphics are fantastic and up to scratch with AAA titles.”
“Can I just say the environment is stunning, and graphically this game is awesome!”
“Great visuals, polished, incredible atmosphere and sound with a really thoughtful story.”
“Firstly, the lighting on the phone flashlight is very pixelated and looks graphically bad compared to the rest of the game. Additionally, while walking along the paths, I would hear an audio cue and my screen would stutter, causing my camera to move in a random direction. The stuttering happened about 7-8 times in the first chapter, and I didn't notice it as much in chapter 2.”
“I think I set the bar too high because of the UI design, promotions, visuals of the game, and atmosphere. I expected too much.”
“The graphics are disappointing; they don't match the quality of the game's atmosphere and design.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with players enjoying the chase music's energetic vibe but reporting significant glitches, such as audio freezing during critical moments. Some users suggested that a startling noise could enhance the experience by alerting players to the killer's approach instead of relying solely on music. Overall, while the music contributes to the game's suspense, technical issues detract from its effectiveness.
“The chase music was lowkey a bump!”
“The puzzles added to the suspense as did the music and sound effects.”
“When the 'thing' chases after you, instead of having music suddenly play, have a startling noise sound off that tells the player where it is coming from.”
“There were a few glitches where the music would freeze when I started the game and also when the killer was chasing me in the park. The music would stop, but he was still behind me, making it hard to carry on with my objective. I know it's early access, so I was expecting a few bugs, but this one is quite significant.”
“The only bug I experienced was that if I tabbed out of the game, the audio for the chase music would glitch.”
“When the 'thing' chases after you, instead of having music suddenly play, there should be a startling noise that indicates where it is coming from.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players frequently criticize the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as tedious and repetitive, particularly highlighting the sewer levels as the most frustrating part. The objectives often contribute to a sense of monotony, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
“The gameplay, however, too often feels tedious and repetitive.”
“And the sewers were definitely the worst part of the game; words can't describe how tedious those levels were!”
“The objectives for the player to complete are tedious.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for graphical inconsistencies, particularly with the pixelated lighting of the phone flashlight, which detracts from the overall visual quality. Additionally, players experienced significant stuttering and erratic camera movements during gameplay, especially in the first chapter, although these issues seemed to lessen in later sections.
“Firstly, the lighting on the phone flashlight is very pixelated and looks graphically bad compared to the rest of the game. Secondly, while walking along the paths, I would hear an audio cue and my screen would stutter, causing my camera to move in a random direction. The stuttering happened about 7-8 times in the first chapter, and I didn't notice it as much in chapter 2.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have reported significant stability issues, including game freezes at startup and during critical moments, such as when being chased by the killer. While some users anticipated bugs due to the early access status, the severity of these glitches has been noted as a major concern.
“There were a few glitches where the game would freeze when I started it, and also when the killer was chasing me in the park. The music would stop, but he was still behind me, making it hard to continue with my objective. I know it's early access, so I was expecting a few bugs, but this one is quite significant.”
“There were a few glitches where the game would freeze when I started it, and also when the killer was chasing me in the park. The music would stop, but he was still behind me, making it hard to continue with my objective. I know it's early access, so I was expecting a few bugs, but this one is quite significant.”
