Sagebrush

Sagebrush delivers on an interesting plot that draws you into the game. However, the gameplay is not quite enough to carry the rest of the game. It’s short length and limited gameplay options cut a bit into what was an overall positive experience. I just wish that there was a bit more to experience.

95%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

gameplay, optimization

95% User Score Based on 346 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Sagebrush" is a first-person narrative adventure that explores the abandoned Black Sage Ranch, former home of the Millenarian cult Perfect Heaven. Players investigate the complex motivations and stories of the cult members, who collectively took their lives in a mass suicide event. The game features an immersive, low-fi 3D world to explore, inspired by real-world apocalyptic cults.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 197 reviews

story55 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Sagebrush offers a unique and immersive narrative experience, exploring the dark themes of cults through well-crafted storytelling and atmospheric design.
The lo-fi graphics and sound design effectively contribute to the unsettling atmosphere, enhancing the player's sense of dread and curiosity as they uncover the story.
The game is concise, with a playtime of around 1.5 to 2 hours, making it a perfect choice for those looking for a short yet impactful experience.

The gameplay can feel overly linear and simplistic, with many puzzles revolving around finding keys, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
Some players may find the voice acting inconsistent, particularly for minor characters, which can break immersion during key moments of the story.
The darkness in certain areas can be frustrating, making navigation difficult and requiring adjustments to brightness settings to see clearly.

story
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
65%
2%
The story of the game is a haunting exploration of a fictional cult, drawing inspiration from real-life events, and is praised for its unique and tragic setting. Players appreciate the non-linear storytelling, atmospheric graphics, and effective use of environmental clues, although some find the narrative predictable and reliant on familiar cult tropes. Overall, the immersive and engaging narrative, coupled with strong voice acting and sound design, leaves a lasting impression, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven games.
- “It's a very unique and tragic setting for a video game that I've never seen before; this story will certainly stick with me for a lot longer than I played it.”
- “The story was creepy and engaging enough to stand out in the hordes of relatively short walking simulator games out there, and how it executes its plot was very well done in my opinion, especially with its use of implication.”
- “A well-told story about a doomsday cult and what they do to people who become a part of them.”
- “The ending also goes on way too long, with a backstory dump that doesn't add anything, since that's the point of the game and it tells us nothing that couldn't be inferred already.”
- “While I'd still recommend it especially on a sale price, the main interest in this style of a game, the story, is pretty predictable and generic if you're familiar with its subject matter.”
- “As a result, the story ultimately (and very unfortunately) fails to provide any new insights to players who have already experienced or at least read about these things.”
graphics
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
62%
4%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a lo-fi, retro aesthetic reminiscent of PS1-era visuals, which many players find enhances the unsettling atmosphere and complements the narrative. While some reviewers appreciate the charm and mood created by the low-poly art style, others note that the graphics can be unclear at times, potentially hindering gameplay. Overall, the visuals are seen as a fitting choice for the game's themes, though opinions vary on their execution and appeal.
- “The lo-fi graphics add to the unsettling vibe without becoming too intense.”
- “The graphics, the atmosphere, the story, the voice acting, the sound design, all amazing and pretty immersive.”
- “The low-end look to mimic the likes of PSX graphics contributes to the ever-present feeling of dread and the anticipation that something is bound to happen right around the corner.”
- “Graphics look like games from decades ago.”
- “The large pixels for graphics in the game made it somewhat unclear what I was looking at and trying to activate.”
- “The low graphical quality of the game made it very easy to overlook things until getting used to the thought process, at which point it became predictable where the next key would be.”
atmosphere
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and intrigue without relying on jump scares. Players appreciate the combination of haunting sound design, engaging visuals, and a narrative that draws on real-life cult dynamics, all contributing to a deeply atmospheric experience that encourages exploration and speculation. Overall, the game is recognized as a compelling atmospheric journey that balances tension and storytelling, making it a standout in the walking simulator genre.
- “The atmosphere of this game is...heavy.”
- “The atmosphere varies from a sense of near-tranquility accented by the unshakable feeling that *something* isn't right, to the sense of awful realization once you piece everything together.”
- “The sound design is great and helps create a really unsettling atmosphere that makes you always look behind you because it feels like someone is always following you.”
- “While never outright horror, the game develops and maintains a lonely, disturbing atmosphere, and a central mystery that will carry you to the end.”
gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
81%
10%
The gameplay in this walking simulator is largely simplistic, focusing on exploration and narrative through reading notes and listening to audio, with minimal interactive elements like key-fetching puzzles. While the atmosphere and story are praised, players express frustration with navigation issues and the lack of depth, leading to a short overall experience of about two hours. Despite its shortcomings, the game effectively engages players in its dark narrative, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay mechanics.
- “Sagebrush is a walking simulator with some minor puzzles sprinkled in; as such, this venture is much less about any mechanical depth and is alternatively more concerned with its retro aesthetic influencing its dark atmosphere and slowly drip-feeding the narrative.”
- “The gameplay itself is a series of nested keys; there's no challenge here, just a thoughtful stroll and a story.”
- “While Sagebrush lacks the inventiveness and innovation that made some of David Szymanski's walking sims so memorable, its gameplay never gets in the way and lets you appreciate its masterful pacing.”
- “There is very little 'gameplay' to Sagebrush, with much of what you do consisting of going from one location to the next, reading notes, journal entries, and diaries left behind by the residents who no longer live there.”
- “The gameplay needed a lot more depth.”
- “Let's talk about the gameplay, which consists of a fairly linear sequence of 'finding a key that opens access to an area where you find the next key', with a few inventory puzzles and a number lock thrown in.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
35%
18%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a mix of haunting ambient sounds and a moody soundtrack that evolves throughout the experience. While some players noted the lack of a traditional soundtrack, they appreciated the strategic use of silence and unsettling audio design, which effectively builds tension and contributes to the game's chilling ambiance. Overall, the music and sound design are considered integral to the game's immersive and suspenseful experience.
- “I will say that despite these flaws there are positives, the soundtrack is killer, the 'set design' is good in places like the cleansing room & the mess hall, & the story of the cult was interesting.”
- “The music is decent and in certain moments it really creeped me out to the point where I had chills running down my spine, which is impressive considering most indie horror games throw a bunch of jumpscares at you, but this creates a chilling atmosphere just by the notes you read and unsettling music and audio design.”
- “Accompanying the visuals, the soundscapes and music add to the setting in a way that builds tension.”
- “The lack of music outside of some haunting records playing in a couple of rooms, and atmospheric music during key moments is a really smart choice as the silence is more haunting than any soundtrack could be, especially as you consider the events that took place on the land you walk on.”
- “There’s really no soundtrack, either, just plenty of unsettling ambient sounds like planks creaking and wind whistling that only grows more ominous the later it gets.”
- “This game kept me perpetually on edge, with its isolating lo-fi graphics, paranoid sound design, and judicious use of music.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is deeply impactful, with a narrative that evokes strong feelings and explores complex themes without offering easy resolutions. Players report a haunting experience that resonates through both the main plot and the side characters, despite some critiques of the writing and voice acting. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create a profound emotional journey, making it a standout in its genre.
- “Despite touching such a complex subject, it avoids giving easy answers and simple motives.”
- “Even some of the side characters I felt for, but knowing what happens to them makes it heartbreaking.”
- “The plot is dark and honestly quite emotional as you learn more about the compound and the cult.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
56%
33%
The optimization of the game is mixed, with standout voice acting from certain characters, particularly a female lead whose performance is praised as one of the best in indie games. However, the overall audio quality is lacking, and the developer's own performance is notably weak. Additionally, the game suffers from minimal asset and level design, as well as control issues that could benefit from better optimization.
- “There is no cursor, and the controls could be optimized better (I did not play with a controller, though).”
- “Voice acting was overall decent, the girl was believable and had an otherwise decent performance but audio quality wasn't the best, and good lord the so-called charismatic cult leader was the opposite.”
- “Funnily enough, it's the developer himself, and his performance is the weakest in every way.”
- “There is no cursor, and the controls could be optimized better.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game offers limited replayability primarily for achievement hunting, with players expressing little interest in replaying the story. However, the engaging environment and appealing art style encourage some players to revisit the game for exploration.
- “Replayability-wise, I don't think I would go through the story again, but I would definitely like to just kind of go in and walk around the environment because I think it's really interesting, and I enjoy the art style.”
- “Very little replay value except for achievement hunting, but at this price point, I'd say that's okay.”
- “Replayability-wise, I don't think I would go through the story again, but I would definitely like to just kind of go in and walk around the environment because I think it's really interesting, and like I said, I enjoy the art style.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable, as the gameplay is straightforward and the movement is not overly tedious, typical of a walking simulator.
- “The gameplay is very simple, as expected from a walking simulator, but the movement isn't too tedious.”
- “Grinding in this game feels rewarding, as each session brings me closer to unlocking new abilities.”
- “I appreciate how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels like a chore, but rather a journey of progression.”