Pumpkin Eater

About

Pumpkin Eater is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by thugzilladev and was released on November 17, 2021. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Pumpkin Eater" is a psychological horror visual novel based on the rhyme "Peter, Peter pumpkin eater." The game features a family taking care of their pumpkin-headed son in a 40-minute kinetic story. With hand-drawn illustrations and a focus on medical accuracy, players can expect a disturbing and unique experience.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

story22 positive mentions

gameplay1 negative mentions

Pumpkin Eater delivers a profoundly unsettling narrative experience that effectively explores themes of grief and denial through a unique blend of psychological horror and graphic medical realism.
The hand-drawn watercolor art style complements the dark subject matter, creating an eerie atmosphere that enhances the emotional weight of the story.
The game is concise and impactful, providing a haunting experience that lingers long after completion, making it a worthwhile read for fans of disturbing narratives.

The lack of interactivity and choices may leave some players feeling disconnected, as the game is structured purely as a kinetic visual novel with no branching paths.
The graphic depictions of bodily decay and the heavy themes of child death may be overwhelming for some players, making it unsuitable for those seeking light entertainment.
Some players found the ending abrupt and felt that certain character actions lacked logical consistency, detracting from the overall narrative experience.

story
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The story of "Pumpkin Eater" revolves around a family's tragic loss following the accidental death of a young boy, leading to the mother's disturbing delusion of treating his corpse as if he were still alive. This narrative is marked by its emotional intensity, blending psychological horror with graphic medical realism, and is complemented by haunting watercolor visuals that enhance its eerie atmosphere. While the story is concise, lasting about thirty minutes, it leaves a lasting impact, engaging readers with its unsettling themes and well-researched details on decomposition.
- “The story begins with a catastrophic accident that claims the life of a young child, and from that moment onward, the narrative fixates on the family’s inability to accept what has happened.”
- “It blends psychological horror, graphic medical realism, and haunting watercolor visuals to tell a disturbing, emotional story.”
- “Despite its short playtime, this is a story that will stick with you – whether you want it to or not.”
- “This central conceit is introduced quickly and never softened, setting the tone for a story that is relentless in its emotional weight.”
- “But this story is distressing, disgusting, and distasteful.”
- “The story is well-written, though with gruesome depictions of decomposition, so if you're sensitive to such things I'd recommend staying away from this game, as decomposition is what it centers around.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The graphics of the game feature a unique hand-drawn, watercolor art style that effectively contrasts with its dark themes, enhancing the emotional depth and eerie atmosphere of the narrative. Users appreciate the intimate and imperfect quality of the visuals, which complement the psychological horror and graphic realism, although some express a desire for more visual content, particularly towards the end. Overall, the art style is praised for its appeal and fittingness to the story, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “The art style is hand-drawn and watercolor-like, with a rough, imperfect quality that feels intimate and vulnerable rather than polished.”
- “It blends psychological horror, graphic medical realism, and haunting watercolor visuals to tell a disturbing, emotional story.”
- “Progression consists solely of advancing text and visuals, allowing the developer complete control over pacing and narrative delivery.”
- “The contrast between the watercolor art style and the dark subject matter made this story feel so much more eerie, lending to how easy it was to get caught up in.”
- “My one complaint is that the very end of the game is just text and lacks any visuals, but it's understandable considering this was made for a game jam.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game "pumpkin eater" offers a deeply emotional experience that intertwines psychological horror with stark realism, creating a relentless atmosphere of discomfort. Its narrative, enriched with educational elements, challenges players to confront unsettling themes without the guidance of dramatic cues, making it emotionally taxing yet hauntingly memorable. While it excels in evoking strong feelings, it may not be suitable for those seeking lighthearted entertainment due to its graphic depictions of trauma and decay.
- “Developed and published by thugzilladev, the game rejects traditional horror conventions in favor of a slow, deliberate descent into emotional and psychological discomfort.”
- “This central conceit is introduced quickly and never softened, setting the tone for a story that is relentless in its emotional weight.”
- “It blends psychological horror, graphic medical realism, and haunting watercolor visuals to tell a disturbing, emotional story.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay of Pumpkin Eater is characterized as a kinetic visual novel, which means it lacks interactive choices or branching paths, resulting in a linear experience focused solely on the narrative.
- “Pumpkin Eater is structured as a kinetic visual novel, meaning there are no choices, branching paths, or gameplay systems to influence the outcome.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The atmosphere is significantly enhanced by the game's visual presentation, complemented by an impressive background music score that many players appreciate. Overall, the combination of visuals and audio creates an engaging and immersive experience.
- “The background music and atmosphere are quite great; I really like it.”
- “The visual presentation plays a crucial role in sustaining this atmosphere.”
- “The game lacks any sense of immersion, making it hard to feel connected to the world.”
- “The sound design is underwhelming, failing to enhance the overall atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The music in the game is minimal and often subdued, creating an unsettling atmosphere that complements key moments with strategic silence. While the sound design may not stand out, it effectively enhances the thematic elements of the experience.
- “The music and sound design isn't anything to write home about, but it's definitely better than silence and is thematic enough.”
- “The music is minimal, often subdued or unsettling, and silence is allowed to linger during key moments.”
- “The music and sound design aren't anything to write home about, but it's definitely better than silence and was thematic enough.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its generic and exaggerated characters, reminiscent of a B-horror movie, which many players found entertaining and laugh-inducing.
- “This one made me laugh a lot with how generic and exaggerated the characters were acting, but it was entertaining in a way like a B-horror movie.”
- “Funny.”