Realms of the Haunting
- April 24, 2014
- Gremlin Interactive
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Realms of the Haunting" is a horror-themed first-person adventure game that combines action, puzzle-solving, and supernatural elements. The player assumes the role of a protagonist who explores a haunted mansion and uncovers its dark secrets while battling occult forces and uncovering a mysterious artifact. The game features a deep and immersive storyline with live-action video sequences and full-motion video cutscenes.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique blend of FPS and point-and-click adventure elements, creating a captivating gameplay experience.
- Engaging story with a mix of horror, fantasy, and biblical themes, enhanced by well-acted FMV cutscenes.
- Atmospheric environments and sound design that effectively create a sense of dread and immersion.
- Dated graphics and awkward controls that can be frustrating for modern players, requiring adjustment to play effectively.
- Some puzzles can be overly complex or illogical, leading to confusion and potential reliance on guides.
- Combat mechanics can feel repetitive and unsatisfying, with enemies often having excessive health.
- story134 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a complex blend of horror and fantasy, featuring a protagonist investigating his father's mysterious death in a haunted mansion. While it is delivered through engaging full-motion video cutscenes and environmental storytelling, some players find the narrative convoluted and the pacing uneven, with a mix of intriguing lore and cheesy elements reminiscent of 90s horror. Overall, the story captivates many with its depth and atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding its execution and clarity.
“The story is a delightful combination of horror and fantasy tropes with likable characters that have chemistry, elements of the story's ending feel rushed.”
“The story is intriguing and through a series of FMV, letters, scrolls, and books you will find a world of mysterious lore.”
“The story is told through FMV cutscenes and they are the best cutscenes I have seen in any game, and the story is definitely one of the best stories in any game without a doubt.”
“Also a bunch of strange characters from other dimensions looks like a cringe and weak attempt to make this simple, classic plot look way more complex than it is.”
“The story is told through strange live-action FMVs with terrible green screening; they look really bad by today's standards, but the storyline is suitably cheesy that it just seems to work.”
“As for the storyline, one has to wonder what kind of drugs the developers were on when they created this game.”
- graphics81 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 1996 release, with many users noting their pixelated quality and low resolution. However, despite these limitations, the unique art style and atmospheric design of the environments are appreciated, contributing to the game's charm and immersive experience. While some players find the visuals unappealing by modern standards, others celebrate their retro aesthetic and the game's ability to evoke nostalgia.
“Great atmosphere, weird and quirky places, awesome pixely graphics and interplay's trademark production values.”
“The environments created with the engine are beautiful to look at and are very unique to each location; you can really appreciate the fact that even though the graphics look dated compared to what we have today, it still looks amazing thanks to the art style the developers went with.”
“For a game that's almost two decades old, it hasn't lost its charm, even if the graphics are dated.”
“The graphics are very dated.”
“Graphics have aged badly and the controls are somewhat awkward.”
“Yes, the graphics are absolutely horrendous - and generally I'm not a fan of retro pixelation.”
- atmosphere52 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, mysterious, and immersive qualities, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and retro visuals that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Many players appreciate the unique blend of charm and creepiness, with the environment and sound design contributing significantly to the overall experience. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics and controls, the game's atmospheric depth remains a standout feature that captivates players.
“The music is also extremely good and creeps around you, keeping a constant atmosphere of mystery and restlessness.”
“This classic is absolutely dripping with atmosphere!”
“The atmosphere is superb throughout the game with some genuinely scary moments that still look and feel great today, despite the game’s age.”
“Monsters don't scare me at all here (mainly because of their design with these pre-rendered 3D model sprites), but the soundtrack and visuals create a strong atmosphere for the whole game.”
“The whole story is open to various interpretations and the dark atmosphere (which is not the cheesy-spooky thing nor the jump scare/stressful kind) is absolutely godlike.”
“The horror is also drawn mainly from atmosphere, rather than jump scares.”
- gameplay49 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Realms of the Haunting" is a blend of first-person shooter and point-and-click mechanics, offering a nostalgic experience that has aged reasonably well despite its outdated controls and design. While some players find the gameplay straightforward and occasionally repetitive, others appreciate its unique combination of action, puzzles, and atmospheric storytelling, making it enjoyable for those seeking a retro gaming experience. Overall, the game provides a solid, if not flawless, gameplay experience that balances action with exploration and puzzle-solving.
“The doom clone shooting mechanics are fun due to the bevy of interesting weapons.”
“The gameplay itself is fairly standard — proceed throughout the corridors, shoot, solve puzzles, and generally explore the wonderful environments to further the story.”
“An outstanding mixture of FPS and point & click mechanics and a terrific atmosphere!”
“The gameplay feels like it's been sitting in the attic for a few too many years, even back when Y2K was just around the corner.”
“The control scheme, on the other hand, predates the mouselook convention and thus the gameplay is a shambling mess as you need to have both hands on the keyboard and a third hand controlling the mouse at the same time (did they playtest this game when they developed it?).”
“The progression is very old school as well, with little direction and no instructions, making gameplay difficult for new players without a walkthrough.”
- music30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a strong atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its eerie and creepy qualities that enhance the overall experience. While the MIDI soundtrack is considered somewhat underwhelming compared to contemporary standards, it effectively contributes to the game's tension and mood. Overall, the sound design, including music and effects, is regarded as a standout feature that keeps players engaged and on edge.
“The music is also extremely good and creeps around you, keeping a constant atmosphere of mystery and restlessness.”
“The atmosphere is excellent, and the repetitive combat is offset by the tension from the music, sounds, and sheer darkness.”
“One of the big standouts of this game is its music, which does a fantastic job setting up the mood of the area, even if it sometimes forgets to turn off the intense music after the intense stuff is long gone.”
“The music being midi was ok but feels a bit underwhelming for such a movie-like game; a CD soundtrack would have really enhanced the experience like what games consoles of the time would have back then, but it's still nice and eerie.”
“This is a game that could improve a lot with a remake; just adding better graphics and better sound and music would make this game shine again.”
“Ai is clunky, controls are stiff, music is sub-par, but still it not only succeeds, but passes with flying colors as a game wholly unlike any other.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its unexpected blend of spooky elements with a biblical plot, featuring a diverse cast of amusing and intriguing characters. Players find the performances of amateur actors to be surprisingly excellent, contributing to an overall enjoyable and funny experience.
“Surprises continue when you realize that this game is not only about a spooky, scary haunted mansion: you explore other dimensions and play a massive role in a biblical plot, where you interact with a big roster of funny and interesting characters.”
“The funniest part is that the actors were complete amateurs, but their performance is excellent!”
“General game experience is okay and funny.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is highlighted by its numerous FMV sequences, which, while entertaining and featuring commendable performances, are primarily designed to punctuate key moments rather than enhance the overall pacing of the story.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that while they did not encounter any significant glitches, the navigation experience felt somewhat awkward and inconsistent, indicating potential stability issues.
“I didn't see any glitches, but it was still weird to navigate.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model is generally viewed positively, with users appreciating it as a significant improvement over the prevalent cash grab tactics seen in many contemporary games.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be mostly enjoyable, with puzzles that evoke fond memories of classic titles like "Thief," though some late-game mazes and switch mechanics can feel tedious.
