Root Of Evil: The Tailor
- December 8, 2016
- EastFog Studios
Get on SteamIn "Root of Evil: The Tailor," players step into the role of a telepath named James, tasked with exploring the past of a house where a family was killed 20 years ago. The couple is believed to have committed suicide, but a series of strange occurrences have led to the belief that their ghosts still reside in the house. As James, players will use their psychic abilities to uncover the truth about what really happened to the family and bring closure to the daughter who was left behind.
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Reviews
- The game features clever and challenging puzzles that provide a satisfying experience.
- The atmosphere is creepy and engaging, with effective jump scares that enhance the horror experience.
- Considering it was developed by a single person, the game showcases impressive graphics and a decent storyline.
- The English translation is poorly done, leading to confusion and detracting from the overall experience.
- The game suffers from pacing issues and can feel repetitive, with a lack of clear direction for puzzle-solving.
- A significant plot point involves animal cruelty, which many players found disturbing and unnecessary.
- story152 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated with puzzles, while others criticize it for being clichéd, predictable, and lacking resolution. Many noted that the narrative unfolds through cutscenes and flashbacks, creating a creepy atmosphere, but also pointed out significant plot holes and a lack of character development. Overall, while some appreciated the twists and emotional moments, others felt the storytelling could have been more sophisticated and coherent.
“A great storyline and excellently executed, especially considering it was made by one person.”
“Ushering the player through an interconnected collection of escape rooms made up to resemble the downstairs floor of an early twentieth century townhouse, the story unfolds through a selection of unlocked memories that are gleaned from solving conundrums.”
“The story is creepy and I like the fact that it is told through flashbacks rather than through a series of diary entries.”
“The translation is awful and full of nonsense, the story is generic and boring, the puzzles are nonsense and expect you to search the corners of every room to find ridiculous things that don't stand out.”
“The story starts looking like the movie 'The Omen' but in reality is something more banal, so banal indeed that the end was a disappointment to me. The developer even 'goes out of his way' to explain to us at the end what he meant with the story, I assume because even he knew the game failed to convey that to us.”
“You don't even find out what happened to the character you were controlling, or the character that hired you; you just learn that this story is actually the same as every other run-of-the-mill murder story about a married couple and a third woman.”
- atmosphere44 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness and effective use of sound, creating an eerie environment that enhances the horror experience. While some players noted that the scares could be cheap, many appreciated the well-constructed environments and clever puzzles that contribute to the overall tension. Overall, the atmospheric elements, including music and design, are considered strong points, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of atmospheric horror.
“The environments are all well constructed and intricately designed, making good use of both atmosphere and sense of space.”
“This is an adventure, horror/thriller puzzle game, now thinking about that I thought it would have an eerie atmosphere and some creepy elements… oh no.. much more than that, this game literally had me screaming at some points and that was a rather pleasant surprise because I wasn’t expecting that kind of scariness to come from a puzzle game!”
“The atmosphere and music was so eerie and many times I was hesitant to venture on but I took a deep breath and continued.”
“This is an adventure, horror/thriller puzzle game, and I thought it would have an eerie atmosphere and some creepy elements… oh no, much more than that! This game literally had me screaming at some points, and that was a rather pleasant surprise because I wasn’t expecting that kind of scariness to come from a puzzle game!”
“The atmosphere and music were so eerie that many times I was hesitant to venture on, but I took a deep breath and continued.”
“It's fairly short, but it successfully delivered a creepy atmosphere, a few pant-wetting jumpscares, average puzzles, and a decent story plot.”
- graphics38 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals are not top-tier, they are acceptable and stable, especially considering the game was developed by a single person. Some praise the art design and overall atmosphere, while others criticize the outdated graphics engine and lack of customization options. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some technical flaws.
“Graphically, it is impressive overall.”
“Impressive graphics, especially considering it was made entirely by one person.”
“Fantastic game, I'm so on edge playing it, the sound and graphics are awesome and puzzles force you to properly investigate and use your mind.”
“Old graphics engine, and weird lighting/fog (because of the old engine), but I think a head bob option would've been enough that I could've enjoyed this.”
“Pretty much no options to tweak the graphics, many spelling mistakes in the interaction texts, mistakes like 'window is broke', 'door is close', etc. The full game happens in a very small portion of a house, so get ready to pretty much see the same stuff for the entirety of the game.”
“Secondly, why can I not change the graphic settings? That's just horrendous.”
- music24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the horror experience with eerie sounds and tension-building tracks. While some players noted a lack of a cohesive soundtrack and clear direction, the ambient music and sound effects contributed significantly to the overall atmosphere, making it engaging despite some gameplay flaws. Additionally, the inclusion of music puzzles added a unique and enjoyable element to the experience.
“Good use of music and sound effects.”
“The game has great atmospheric music and the jump scares are on point.”
“No soundtrack, no real clear direction on what to do, broken English descriptions and way too many things like invisible walls, locked doors, and stairs that you can't actually walk up.”
“The atmosphere and music was so eerie and many times I was hesitant to venture on, but I took a deep breath and continued.”
“Jump scares, tension-building music, unnerving sounds, the whole package.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by unintentional comedic moments stemming from translation errors and clever puzzle design, which often provide a lighthearted contrast to the game's scarier elements. Players found themselves laughing at both the quirky dialogue and the amusing situations that arose during gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
“The translation has funny errors and there's a lot of finding number codes, but the atmosphere and clever puzzles make up for it.”
“Not sure if that was intentional but it made me laugh.”
“The first one I encountered made me jump out of my skin; even my cat freaked out (it was really funny).”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring puzzle-solving elements as players navigate through the environment, though some users noted janky mechanics and a lack of polish. While minor bugs and spelling errors are present, they do not significantly hinder the overall experience, and performance is reported to be stable. However, the story has been criticized as dull, which may detract from the overall engagement.
“I actually found the gameplay to be rather enjoyable as you walk around the house and solve puzzles in order to advance in the game.”
“The game itself has some bugs and spelling errors, but considering it was made by a single developer, it's pretty well done. The bugs are minor and don't really affect the gameplay itself, and the game runs pretty well too; I didn't find any performance issues.”
“Here's some quick gameplay.”
“Story's boring, gameplay is janky and I feel like I'm always walking on a floor made out of melted bubblegum.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report minor bugs and no significant performance issues, others experience lag and believe the game requires better optimization. Given that it was developed by a single individual, many appreciate the effort, but performance concerns remain a notable drawback for some users.
“The game itself has some bugs and spelling errors, but considering it was made by a single developer, it's pretty well done. The bugs are minor and don't really affect the gameplay itself, and the game runs pretty well too; I didn't find any performance issues.”
“The biggest issue with this game is the performance.”
“The game needs to be more optimized because it's pretty laggy sometimes.”
“The game itself has some bugs and spelling errors, but considering it was made by one single developer, it's pretty well done. The bugs are minor and don't really affect the gameplay itself, and the game runs pretty well too; I didn't find any performance issues.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with users noting it is relatively bug-free. However, there are occasional issues, such as brief freezes when managing inventory and some minor glitches that contribute to a slightly unpolished experience.
“First off, it's relatively bug free.”
“Sometimes I experience 2-second freezes when dragging inventory items into place.”
“Cons: slightly unpolished, and a few small glitches.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching story, which resonates deeply with players.
“The story is incredibly touching.”
“The narrative evokes deep emotions.”
“The emotional depth of the story is remarkable.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is noted for having minimal replay value, suggesting that players may not find enough incentive to revisit it after completing the main content.
“Minimal replay value”
“Minimal replay value”
