[REC] Paroxysm

About

[REC] Paroxysm is a single player action game. It was developed by Perspektik and was released on July 25, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

In Paroxysm, you play a content creator exploring eerie locations to capture supernatural horror for your audience. As you document unsettling events, an unseen entity stalks you, blurring the line between thrill and terror. What begins as a quest for viewership soon reveals the true cost of confronting real fear.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 123 reviews

atmosphere15 positive mentions

monetization1 negative mentions

The game delivers a genuinely terrifying atmosphere with well-executed jump scares and a constant sense of tension.
Players appreciate the game's immersive sound design and visuals, which enhance the overall horror experience.
Despite its short length, the game is engaging and provides a memorable horror experience that many recommend for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from navigation issues, with unclear objectives and excessive darkness that can lead to frustration.
Many players found the game too short, with some completing it in under an hour, leading to questions about its value.
There are technical issues, including bugs and a lack of save options, which detract from the overall experience.

atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
35%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its meticulous crafting, creating a tense and immersive experience that enhances the horror elements. While some players noted the presence of jump scares, many felt that the overall ambiance, sound design, and eerie visuals effectively instilled a sense of dread and paranoia. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its greatest strength, making it a standout title for horror fans.
- “Great ambience: the atmosphere is meticulously crafted to immerse you fully.”
- “Amazing atmosphere, details and I could see how much love, attention and care was put into this game!”
- “With its eerie atmosphere, captivating storyline, and heart-pounding gameplay, it's a must-buy for any horror fan!”
- “All the scares are the cheap jumpscares that we have come to expect from games like these, but the atmosphere is really tense and dread-filled.”
- “Instead of spamming with jump scares, the atmosphere and overall vibe of the game just gives you constant paranoia and questioning.”
- “There are jumpscares here and there, but what got me the most was the atmosphere.”
story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
61%
12%
The story in the game is generally described as decent but lacking depth, with some players finding it unremarkable and others appreciating its eerie atmosphere and tension. While the narrative is straightforward and can be engaging, many reviewers noted issues with unclear objectives and navigation, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite its brevity, the game manages to deliver some compelling moments and jump scares, making it enjoyable for fans of the horror genre.
- “With its eerie atmosphere, captivating storyline, and heart-pounding gameplay, it's a must-buy for any horror fan!”
- “The story isn't anything too complex, but utilizes familiar concepts such as common ghost hunting tools, Christian imagery, sharp corners, and especially the darkness of the apartment to really build up the tension before delivering with a few payoff scares and then an eerie ending.”
- “Short, but I was on the edge of my chair the entire time, and the story was compelling.”
- “The plot appears to be present, but ultimately unremarkable.”
- “I did find the story to be sadly lacking in purpose.”
- “It's too dark, the story is weird, sometimes you don't know what you have to do and it's short.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the gritty, old-school aesthetic that enhances the horror experience and builds tension effectively. While some users note issues like slow performance and screen tearing, the overall visual design is considered well-executed and atmospheric, contributing positively to the game's impact. However, there are criticisms regarding recycled visuals and a lack of originality compared to other titles.
- “The visuals and sound design keep the player on edge throughout the game, building tension so the jumpscares pack a punch.”
- “The intentionally gritty art style really brought me back to old RE games, and I hope they continue going in this direction.”
- “The graphics are gritty, very well done, and the square-shaped resolution/screen you play in makes it feel very old school horror, which I really enjoyed.”
- “No real story, poor use of its setting, and recycled visuals straight out of *September 7th* (which did everything better).”
- “It has the usual gremlins such as slow graphics, screen tearing, and clunky controls.”
- “Decent story, gritty visuals, but the recording alert chirping and EMF reader high-pitch noise among others really gave me a migraine by the end.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Gameplay in the game is characterized by a mix of claustrophobic level design and an engaging atmosphere, which enhances the horror experience. However, players have noted that the objectives can be confusing, leading to moments of disorientation as they navigate through the environment. Overall, the combination of effective jump scares and a captivating storyline makes it appealing, particularly for horror fans.
- “With its eerie atmosphere, captivating storyline, and heart-pounding gameplay, it's a must-buy for any horror fan!”
- “I really liked the atmosphere during gameplay.”
- “Good jump scares, gameplay duration was perfect, and I loved the horror elements.”
- “I finished it in about 30 minutes — the whole gameplay is running back and forth through a tiny apartment, hoping to trigger the next event.”
- “Furthermore, I am completely lost in the game after 28 minutes of gameplay.”
- “In terms of gameplay, it was a little confusing and unclear as to where you're supposed to go next, but the design of the levels being claustrophobic was fun and fitting with the context of the story.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is praised for creating a captivating atmosphere, with many users highlighting its strong integration with the overall sound design. However, some players expressed a desire for the ability to continue listening to the music even when tabbing out of the game.
- “The atmosphere, sound, and music create a killer mix.”
- “I wish the game had the ability to tab out and keep the music and sound playing.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the gradual build-up and atmospheric tension it creates, suggesting that the ads enhance rather than detract from the overall experience.