Scanner Sombre

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,889 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Scanner Sombre Game Cover
A beautiful but short-lived expedition that left me wanting more of its best ideas.
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"Scanner Sombre" is a first-person exploration game set in dark caves. The player uses a laser scanner to create a 3D map of the environment, revealing the surroundings in light points. The game has a tense atmosphere, as you uncover the mystery of a fallen explorer while navigating through the depths.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,889 reviews
story374 positive mentions
optimization12 negative mentions
  • Unique and innovative gameplay mechanic using LIDAR scanning to explore dark environments.
  • Beautiful visuals and sound design that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Engaging story that unfolds as players progress, with emotional depth and a surprising ending.
  • Very short playtime, typically around 1.5 to 3 hours, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • Linear level design with limited exploration options, leading to a lack of replayability.
  • Performance issues can arise, especially towards the end of the game due to the accumulation of scanned points.
  • story1,418 mentions

    The story in "Scanner Sombre" is often described as minimalistic and somewhat disjointed, with many players feeling it lacks depth and coherence. While some appreciate the atmospheric and environmental storytelling, others criticize the narrative for being predictable or poorly executed, leading to a sense of disappointment by the end. Overall, the game is seen more as an exploration experience with a unique scanning mechanic rather than a compelling story-driven title.

    • “Scanner Sombre is a charming, albeit momentary experience wherein players must navigate a tenebrific, underground chamber with an ominous short story to tell.”
    • “The story is interesting, if a tad basic, and at the end of the day it is still a walking simulator, but I enjoyed myself.”
    • “The story had me hooked, the ambiance was on point, and the music was fantastic.”
    • “And as a story, it falls completely flat on its face.”
    • “The plot and payoff were lackluster.”
    • “The story feels very forced and doesn't take time to build pathos for the protagonist, leading the ending feeling underwhelming.”
  • gameplay942 mentions

    The gameplay of "Scanner Sombre" is centered around a unique lidar scanning mechanic that allows players to illuminate their surroundings in a dark cave environment, creating a visually striking experience. While the game is primarily a walking simulator with limited interaction and a simple narrative, it effectively utilizes its core mechanic to enhance exploration and atmosphere, though some players feel it lacks depth and variety in gameplay elements. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative mechanics and aesthetic, but some reviewers express a desire for more engaging gameplay and a stronger narrative.

    • “The gameplay was simple, but achieved what it set out to do.”
    • “The scanning mechanic is a stroke of creative and technical genius, and it easily carries the experience for the sub-two-hour runtime.”
    • “Scanner sombre is worth experiencing for its mechanics alone.”
    • “It gets too loud and too intense at otherwise non-threatening parts of the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay itself isn't complicated, but it can be a bit difficult to figure out where to go in some of the later areas.”
    • “The game barely touches on the mechanics it introduces, and throws perhaps three genuine low level puzzles at you - so this game shows it could have been a relatively interesting portal alike first person puzzler, but alas, the developers copped out and tacked on a couple of poorly developed and seemingly unconnected stories.”
  • atmosphere520 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, immersive quality, enhanced by excellent sound design and visuals that create a haunting experience. Players appreciate the unique scanning mechanic that adds to the tension and exploration, making it feel both beautiful and unsettling. While the game is short and linear, its ability to evoke feelings of isolation and suspense leaves a lasting impression, making it a recommended experience for fans of atmospheric games.

    • “A beautiful, creepily atmospheric walking sim.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is great, the map design is fluid and intuitive, and it never stops being fun to use the scanner.”
    • “Incredibly atmospheric, and at times more than a little creepy, you'll find yourself both excited for and dreading the next cavern your scanner will reveal dot-by-tantalizing-dot.”
    • “Scanner sombre is a treat for the eyes & spooky in a way that largely doesn't revolve around cheap jumpscares or respawn-inducing monster chases, but despite all this atmosphere, the story falls flat & ended up ruining the experience in retrospect for me.”
    • “There's no real exploration as there is only one way you can take and no other areas to explore as the storytelling progresses, but feeling like you are alone in a dark underground cave trying to make your way out with only a scanner to map your way and surroundings was a very effective way of creating an ominous atmosphere.”
    • “While the game is respectable for maintaining a strong atmosphere, it isn't that hard to accomplish with such a short runtime.”
  • graphics407 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and stunning aesthetic, utilizing a lidar scanning mechanic that creates a visually captivating experience despite its minimalist approach. Many players find the visuals to be a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and immersion, although some note that the novelty may wear off over time. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals and effective sound design creates a memorable experience, particularly in VR, making it a recommended choice for those who prioritize aesthetics in gaming.

    • “The visuals are just out of this world, I find them extremely original and stunningly beautiful, and the soundtrack is nothing to scoff at either.”
    • “Incredibly beautiful visuals & soundtrack.”
    • “The ambiance and visuals were awe-inspiring in their execution and maintaining of user concentration through seemingly intervals.”
    • “Steam Deck performance was meh considering the simplicity of the graphics.”
    • “The big problem of this game is that it only has its visuals going for it.”
    • “It's a pity - the graphics are quite unique, and in some ways, quite beautiful, but they just make things too confusing.”
  • music326 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience, particularly during key moments like the boat ride and cave exploration. However, some players noted that certain tracks felt out of place or overly loud, detracting from the intended mood, especially in horror contexts. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally considered beautiful and effective, its inconsistency in matching the game's tone has been a point of contention among players.

    • “The moment you start the game, the soundtrack sets the tone as you explore the caves.”
    • “The ambiance and music are stellar and fit very well with the cave environment.”
    • “The music and atmosphere work very well together to make a great package that enhanced the emotion.”
    • “The soundtrack is pretty mediocre.”
    • “The game is predictable and the soundtrack is mediocre.”
    • “The music goes from creepy to fairytale, then back to creepy with zero reason, and I was left wondering why on earth such a weird segment of the game was left in.”
  • emotional67 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses, with many players finding it deeply moving and capable of provoking tears, particularly due to its impactful endings and atmospheric sound design. However, some critiques highlight a lack of emotional depth in the narrative, suggesting that while the game attempts to evoke feelings, it sometimes falls short of delivering a truly resonant experience. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create a hauntingly beautiful journey that resonates emotionally, especially in a VR setting.

    • “This game made me emotional; it's beautiful and the mechanics are solid and well-designed.”
    • “And grab a tissue at the end, damn it guys, you made me cry (that's hard to do, by the way).”
    • “It was the end of a fascinating journey that started with a gimmick (the 3D laser scanner) and ended with an emotional punch in the gut.”
  • optimization64 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance drops, particularly towards the end of their playthroughs. Issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and lag are prevalent, especially when the game renders numerous scanned elements on the map. While some players found the overall experience enjoyable despite these performance challenges, others expressed disappointment, suggesting that better optimization could enhance gameplay significantly.

    • “Scanning as much as I can without worrying about performance feels so good; it's satisfying to see the entire map at the end.”
    • “Overall, I'd say that it's a solid game still, even if it could've gone a little further at times or fixed its performance a bit better.”
    • “Performance is a bit hit and miss towards the end, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.”
    • “Performance was atrocious in VR for me, though it's possible that was due to the generally bad VR performance for my 7900 XTX.”
    • “However, because it's rendering the full map with all the dots you made, performance can start to decrease as you progress, and gets really bad at the end.”
    • “The story is lackluster, and the game is poorly optimized and started being sluggish at the very end, but playing around with the scanner and looking how the world shapes up behind you is beautiful.”
  • replayability62 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its minimal replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in under two hours and lacks compelling reasons to revisit after finishing. While some players found value in experiencing the game again for its unique atmosphere or to explore with upgraded tools, the consensus is that the game offers little incentive for multiple playthroughs.

    • “This game has a lot of replay value, and I will most definitely be playing through this game several times again.”
    • “Replayability depends on the person, but I wouldn't mind picking this up again someday in the future for another go!”
    • “A lot of interesting detail pops up on a plus-playthrough, so there is some replayability (although perhaps not more than one replay).”
    • “The game is over in an hour or two and there's no replay value once you complete it.”
    • “Unfortunately, after beating the game, there is no replayability; you can just start the game again with all the upgrades (which is not that exciting).”
    • “Short story (a few lines of text), very limited replay value despite the presence of a 'new game+'.”
  • stability49 mentions

    The game is reported to be quite buggy, with frequent visual and audio glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly on modern hardware. While some players find the glitches add a layer of eerie realism, many express frustration with the instability, including issues with launching, controller recognition, and movement physics. Overall, the experience is described as engaging but marred by significant technical problems that detract from its potential.

    • “The game runs great; I have experienced no performance spikes.”
    • “The stability is impressive, with only minor non-game breaking bugs.”
    • “Overall, the game feels stable and well-optimized.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is a bit buggy and broken on modern hardware, and it took a long time to get it to launch, and then even longer for it to recognize my controller.”
    • “This is a very buggy game; it goes from baby smooth grinding to a shuddering halt reliably.”
    • “The game doesn't even work; I've tried everything and can't even get past the title screen that bugs out and freezes.”
  • humor26 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from unexpected and absurd moments, such as t-posed characters that unintentionally become comedic rather than frightening. Players find themselves laughing at mishaps, like dying from fall damage due to environmental quirks, and the game’s ability to turn jumpscares into humorous experiences. Overall, while the game has its flaws, many reviewers appreciate the lighthearted moments that provide a break from the intended tension.

    • “The funny thing is that there was a piece of ceiling at head level where I accidentally jumped while under it, causing me to somehow get launched really far into the air.”
    • “I died of fall damage and my light progress was lost, but it was so funny.”
    • “I legitimately had to pause because I was in stitches laughing at the t-posing model that slides to face you.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding in the game can be both engaging and tedious, with some players finding it manageable within a 2-3 hour playtime, while others feel it requires excessive effort, likening it to needing "a second life." The experience can fluctuate significantly due to bugs, leading to moments of smooth gameplay interrupted by frustrating slowdowns. Overall, while some players appreciate the brevity, others find the grinding aspect can become monotonous and tiresome.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This is a very buggy game; it goes from baby smooth grinding to a shuddering halt reliably.”
    • “This game was so tedious that I nearly fell asleep once, and that is a literal fact!”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its intrusive advertising, as players are confronted with a web page promoting the game upon exiting, which feels unnecessary and frustrating after purchase. This detracts from the overall experience, overshadowing the game's exploration and psychological horror elements.

    • “To add insult to injury, once I finally managed to wrangle the controls enough to exit the game properly, it opened a web page on exit that was essentially a glorified advertisement for the game I've already purchased.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is noted to be somewhat hindered by off-putting character design, which is primarily visible at the beginning and end of the game. Despite this, the impact of the design on overall character growth appears to be minimal.

    • “The character design is a little off-putting, but you only see it at the end (and the beginning, if you look closely), thankfully.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 32 analyzed playthroughs

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