Reficul
- May 9, 2018
- MadAboutGamesStudios
Get on Steam"Reficul" is a single-player VR simulation game with a spooky, atmospheric setting. Players must survive in a small town in North America after all contact is lost and the world plunges into darkness. The game features realistic weapon handling, magical relics, and a challenging enemy in an open world apocalypse scenario. The latest update includes new dark challenges and experiences.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has an outstanding atmosphere that effectively creates a sense of dread and immersion.
- Realistic weapon handling and reloading mechanics add depth to the gameplay, enhancing the survival experience.
- The developers are responsive and have shown commitment to improving the game through regular updates and community engagement.
- Movement mechanics are cumbersome, with delayed locomotion and teleportation that disrupt gameplay.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs and glitches that hinder the overall experience.
- The lack of intuitive controls and the absence of a first-person hand model detract from immersion and make gameplay frustrating.
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised as one of the best in horror VR, effectively creating a chilling and immersive experience through high-quality graphics and sound design. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric tension and engaging mechanics, which contribute to a sense of fear without relying solely on jump scares. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that enhances the game's horror elements and keeps players on edge.
“I have been following the game since very early access - I can say the atmosphere is awesome and the concept is chilling.”
“Atmosphere is awesome; audio is a big factor and sets a terrifying mood, getting the fear gland pumping.”
“The atmosphere truthfully gave me chills, and the graphics were good.”
“Overall, we think that the game is really interesting, and even without jumpscares, the atmosphere makes the game scary.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Gameplay is described as cumbersome due to awkward hand and item placements, lag issues, and problematic reload mechanics, making it challenging to manage firearms during intense moments. While the tutorial effectively introduces the mechanics, the overall experience is marred by broken elements and a lack of polish, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the atmospheric setting and the unique weapon mechanics.
“The game also features cool weapon mechanics.”
“The gameplay is pretty challenging.”
“It's extremely atmospheric; the tutorial does a nice job of letting you play with all of the mechanics until you are ready to go to the actual game screen (which turns out to be your living room, very awesome).”
“The bizarre placement of the hands and items in hands, the lag of the game keeping up with you, and the realistic reload mechanics all combine to make this a very cumbersome experience.”
“To give the game credit, it does have a tutorial to explain the gun mechanics (and each gun is different) but in the heat of the moment, I can’t imagine trying to load any of the firearms – especially when you can’t get any distance between you and the monsters I encountered.”
“Again, the reload mechanic is broken, and aiming doesn't feel right.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its lack of coherence and depth, with players noting that the random storylines feel disconnected and fail to provide a meaningful narrative experience. Despite an engaging news clip at the start, the overall storytelling is deemed ineffective, leaving players wanting more context and character development.
“You basically start in a house and have random storylines each time you play.”
“It's just not a well-told story, despite there being a video clip on a TV right at the beginning of the game telling a fairly immersive news story.”
“It feels like the main game's demons come out of nowhere, too, so moving to other houses seems pointless story-wise.”
“It's just not a well told story, despite there being a video clip on a TV right at the beginning of the game telling a fairly immersive news story.”
“If you can make a news parody video like that, you can tell a character's backstory and explain where to go more effectively.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their quality and effective use of lighting, contributing to an immersive atmosphere that evokes strong emotional responses.
“The graphics and lighting were great and really fit together.”
“The atmosphere truly gave me chills, and again, the graphics were good.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for minor stuttering and lag, which is particularly problematic given its use of permadeath. Additionally, players have reported issues with sticky doors that fail to open smoothly, detracting from the overall immersion.
“There is minor stuttering and lag, which wouldn't matter so much, except this game uses permadeath.”
“The doors are sticky, not opening or just stuttering, which takes away from the immersion.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reficul initially faced significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that hindered gameplay, resulting in a lack of polish and minimal content.
“Reficul in its initial state was only somewhat playable, plagued by an array of bugs and glitches, lacking polish and offering little content.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
“I encountered numerous stability issues, including freezing and unexpected shutdowns, which severely impacted my gaming experience.”
