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Scorn

Scorn is a feast for the eyes, a buffet for the mind but not for those of a weak stomach. It satisfies the morbid and the curious with its odd forms and sombre tapestries.
71%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, replayability
74% User Score Based on 14,968 reviews
Critic Score 40%Based on 43 reviews

Platforms

PCXboxXbox Series X|SEpic GamesPlaystation 5WindowsPlayStationXbox Game PassCloudXbox OneSteam Deck

About

"Scorn" is a first-person horror adventure game set in a disturbing, nightmarish universe. The game features a non-linear narrative as you explore interconnected regions and discover the world's unique themes, puzzles, and characters. With a focus on a "lived-in" world, you'll acquire new skills, weapons, and items as you uncover the mysteries of this unsettling environment. The Deluxe Edition includes a digital soundtrack and artbook for a closer look at the game's creation.

Scorn screenshot
Scorn screenshot
Scorn screenshot
Scorn screenshot

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 14,968 reviews
story710 positive mentions
grinding434 negative mentions

  • The game features stunning visuals and a haunting atmosphere, heavily inspired by the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, creating an immersive experience.
  • Environmental storytelling is a strong aspect of the game, allowing players to piece together a compelling narrative through exploration and discovery.
  • The emotional impact of the game is profound, evoking a range of feelings from discomfort to awe, making it a memorable experience.
  • The gameplay is often described as boring and tedious, with clunky combat mechanics and frustrating puzzles that detract from the overall experience.
  • The story is vague and lacks traditional narrative elements, leading to confusion and a disjointed experience for many players.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues, including stuttering and bugs, which can hinder the overall enjoyment.
  • story
    4,828 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Scorn" is largely characterized as vague and open to interpretation, with many players noting the absence of traditional narrative elements such as dialogue or written text. Instead, the game relies heavily on environmental storytelling, where players must piece together the narrative through the grotesque and immersive world design, leading to a mix of appreciation for its artistic approach and frustration over its lack of clarity. While some players find the abstract storytelling compelling and thought-provoking, others feel it leaves too much to the imagination, resulting in a disjointed experience that lacks a coherent plot.

    • “An incredible, dark, but extremely intriguing story unfolds through sight, sound, and discovery.”
    • “The environmental storytelling is one of the game's strongest aspects, offering a chance to piece together its mysteries.”
    • “The visuals and sounds are all carefully crafted to tell you a story, and there isn't a single piece of dialogue.”
    • “The story is nonexistent.”
    • “However, don't go into this game hoping to fully understand what is going on, as the story is very vague.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, the combat is terrible, the puzzles are frustrating, and the story has no story.”
  • graphics
    4,813 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of *Scorn* have received widespread acclaim for their stunning and grotesque aesthetic, heavily inspired by the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. Many players describe the visuals as breathtaking, creating an immersive and haunting atmosphere that captivates and unsettles, making the game feel like a living piece of art. However, while the graphics are a standout feature, they often overshadow the gameplay, which some reviewers found lacking in depth and engagement.

    • “Visuals are stunning, I don't know what else to say about graphics - just go for it.”
    • “The visuals and sound design are fantastic.”
    • “The graphics, art style, setting, sounds, and ambiance are never seen before.”
    • “The giger aesthetic is honestly the only thing this game does well, but outside of that, it's just a tedious experience that outstays its welcome.”
    • “Appears most effort was put into the graphics but even the environments are repetitive and very static not much animation in the environment.”
    • “The only thing this game has going for it is graphics and world design that we know nothing about.”
  • gameplay
    4,515 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Scorn* has received mixed to negative feedback from players, with many highlighting its focus on exploration and puzzle-solving rather than engaging combat mechanics. While the game's atmospheric and visually stunning biomechanical world is praised, the combat is often described as clunky and frustrating, with a lack of meaningful gameplay depth. Overall, players recommend the game primarily for its artistic experience rather than its gameplay, suggesting it may appeal more to fans of horror aesthetics than those seeking robust mechanics or a compelling narrative.

    • “The core gameplay loop revolves around solving puzzles, which, while not challenging, are engaging and thought-provoking.”
    • “The game’s world is deeply atmospheric, drenched in a haunting, biomechanical design with grotesque landscapes and unsettling sound design that create an unforgettable, immersive experience that draws players into its dark and mysterious world.”
    • “Gameplay perfectly complements the setting.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, the combat is terrible, the puzzles are frustrating, and the story has no story.”
    • “Excellent visual design can only carry a game so far when its gameplay and puzzles are so, so boring.”
    • “The gameplay is pure padding and the combat really terribly designed.”
  • atmosphere
    4,014 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Scorn" is widely praised for its stunning visuals and immersive design, drawing heavily from the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. Players describe it as a haunting, grotesque, and deeply unsettling experience that effectively creates a sense of dread and curiosity throughout the game. While the atmosphere is considered the game's strongest element, many reviews note that the gameplay mechanics, particularly combat and puzzle design, often detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the game's value.

    • “The game’s world is deeply atmospheric, drenched in a haunting, biomechanical design with grotesque landscapes and unsettling sound design that create an unforgettable, immersive experience that draws players into its dark and mysterious world.”
    • “Incredible and original work of art - oozing with atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is the best I've seen in any game ever, no exceptions or holds.”
    • “The only good thing it has is the atmosphere, and even that is quite repetitive and simple after a while.”
    • “The atmosphere is oppressive and sells the horror.”
    • “The atmosphere is so thick you could cut through it with a knife, the soundscape is haunting and having you the player as a physical entity instead of a pair of floating hands like so many first person games, seeing all the horror that's done to your body, it's brutally effective.”
  • music
    834 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Scorn" is characterized by its sparse yet effective use of dark ambient soundscapes, which enhance the game's eerie atmosphere and complement its striking visuals. While some players appreciate the haunting and immersive qualities of the soundtrack, others feel it lacks variety and can be underwhelming at times, leading to a sense of emptiness in the game's environment. Overall, the audio design is praised for its ability to evoke tension and contribute to the unsettling experience, though opinions vary on its memorability and impact.

    • “The dark ambient soundtrack highlights each location.”
    • “The music in Scorn is absolutely spectacular, perfectly complementing the game's dark, gory, and bizarre ambiance.”
    • “The soundtrack is atmospheric and just plain amazing, and it adds another layer of depth to the overall tone of the game as well.”
    • “The only good things are the atmosphere and the story; the music is mid, the game lacks sounds, but overall... I can't really recommend it, other than watching a full playthrough.”
    • “But, there is barely a soundtrack, there are no real horror elements to keep you on your toes, and overall, I found myself clawing my own brain out trying to force myself to finish the game.”
    • “The absence of traditional music allows players to focus on every small sound, from the clicking of strange machinery to the unsettling groans and sloshes of the alien landscape itself.”
  • grinding
    454 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive nature, with many players expressing frustration over the slow combat mechanics, unskippable animations, and the need for excessive backtracking. While some found the puzzles to be manageable, they often felt dragged out and uninspired, contributing to an overall experience that many described as a slog. Despite the game's aesthetic appeal, the gameplay is frequently described as boring and lacking in engagement, leading to a sense of existential dread rather than enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Overall, they are quite intuitive and not too tedious to solve.”
    • “Verdict: no grinding here, just pure existential dread.”
    • “It is actually quite impressive that the gameplay of Scorn manages to be so boring, time-wasting, and tedious that it totally overpowers the awe and mystique of the beautifully rendered biomechanical environments.”
    • “The combat in this game is slow, clunky, and tedious as hell.”
    • “The game itself is very good in my opinion, the gameplay is fun and although the combat is a bit tedious, it is not bothersome.”
  • optimization
    258 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly during transitions to new areas or when loading assets. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others found the game unplayable even on lower settings, indicating a lack of consistent optimization across different hardware configurations. Overall, while there are instances of good performance, the frequent stuttering and frame drops detract from the experience for a substantial number of players.

    • “It delves into gory, surreal, and provocative themes, touching on difficult or taboo subjects with skillful craftsmanship and near-perfect optimization.”
    • “There is a beauty to the grime, and it's well optimized with smooth performance throughout.”
    • “Graphically, the game is gorgeous, and it's optimized way better than anything else currently on the market.”
    • “This is such a poorly optimized game, it's unplayable as-is.”
    • “Also, optimization is close to non-existent: noticeable fps drops from 144 all the way down to 100 with no reason at all on high settings with i5-10400f and rtx4070 both not reaching even 50% load, and the game is installed on m2 970 evo plus.”
    • “A eerily beautiful game, with interesting puzzles that is absolutely hamstrung by cataclysmic stuttering and poor performance.”
  • replayability
    252 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with most reviews noting that it offers a short playtime of around 4-6 hours and follows a linear path with no alternative endings or significant choices. Players expressed disappointment over the absence of meaningful content to encourage multiple playthroughs, suggesting that the experience is primarily one-and-done. While some appreciated the game's atmosphere and art style, many felt that the price point did not justify the limited replay value.

    • “Despite its limited replayability, it's worth picking up on sale for a memorable and contemplative experience.”
    • “Not much replay value, but I do know I will come back to this game later on just because it looks so nice.”
    • “Scorn doesn't offer much in terms of replayability, but the game's unique visual style and stunning sound effects made me want to experience it again.”
    • “As is, it's 40 bucks for 4 hours with basically no real replay value.”
    • “I really do not think that this game is worth its full price: the title does not have any replayability value: this is an adventure that follows a predetermined path and there are no alternative choices to be made.”
    • “The fact that there are no other endings and virtually no other content gives this game literally no replayability whatsoever.”
  • emotional
    152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Scorn" is described as deeply impactful, evoking a wide range of feelings from discomfort and anxiety to awe and heartbreak. Players appreciate its surreal and haunting atmosphere, which fosters a unique emotional journey, though many express disappointment with the ambiguous narrative and abrupt ending. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to provoke intense emotional responses, making it a memorable, albeit polarizing, experience.

    • “Absolutely harrowing, heartbreaking, beautiful and psychedelic.”
    • “This game scratches an itch that no other game ever has... very emotionally overwhelming and I have to mentally prepare myself before I play.”
    • “The game made me cry and scream in the first half hour, replayed the beginning, cried and screamed more.”
    • “Really a bummer because the game is so gorgeously horrifying and hideous in the best way possible. Its presentation absolutely goes against the gameplay, which is heartbreaking to me. I would love another game to tackle an art style like this.”
  • stability
    108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, graphical glitches, and performance issues, particularly in later acts. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with no crashes or major problems, others faced frustrating soft locks and the need to restart chapters due to game-breaking glitches. Overall, the game appears to be a mix of impressive visuals and technical shortcomings, leading to a varied experience depending on individual hardware and settings.

    • “I had no bugs, no softlocks, no performance issues, no glitches, no crashes.”
    • “Other than that, the game seems pretty well made; it runs great, looks great, and I can't say I ran into any bugs or glitches across my entire playthrough.”
    • “No glitches or crashes experienced.”
    • “Was able to play for an hour until performance tanked in act 2 and graphical glitches started manifesting.”
    • “The game lags a lot, doesn't load assets, and freezes when you try to use items.”
    • “Scorn has suffered from numerous bugs, glitches, and performance hiccups, including frame rate drops, texture pop-ins, and other visual and audio inconsistencies.”
  • humor
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark, surreal, and often absurd elements, with players finding amusement in its bizarre design choices and gameplay flaws. While some moments elicit genuine laughter, others are perceived as awkward or misguided attempts at humor, leading to a confusing experience. Overall, the game seems to balance between being unintentionally funny and deliberately strange, appealing to those who appreciate its unique, twisted sense of comedy.

    • “Imagine stumbling into a surreal art exhibition curated by an eccentric alien with a questionable sense of humor.”
    • “The first puzzle room with the train tracks literally made me laugh.”
    • “It's weird, funny, twisted, beautiful, grotesque, and surreal.”
    • “The game is not funny and kind of weird.”
    • “The game is not funny and kind of weird.”
  • monetization
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of "Scorn" has drawn criticism for its misleading advertising, which presents the game as a fast-paced shooter while it primarily focuses on puzzles and survival horror elements. Many players feel that the promotional material oversells the combat and open-world experience, leading to disappointment and perceptions of the game as a cash grab. Despite some acknowledging the artistic value of the game, the disconnect between marketing and actual gameplay has left a negative impression on the community.

    • “In the end, the glaring gap between descriptions of the game and advertisement makes the game turn out awfully disappointing, and quite a tad bit pretentious.”
    • “The advertisements for the game were misleading in regards to the plot; it's a survival horror with a heavy amount of puzzles to solve, from start to end.”
    • “I feel like the developers only made 25% of what they intended to make with this cash grab; they couldn't even decide if they wanted to make this a Soma/Amnesia style horror game with puzzles to solve or Doom 3.”
  • character development
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate a significant lack of character development in the game, with multiple users noting that there is no story or emotional connection to the characters. While the character and environment designs are praised for their detail and creativity, the absence of narrative depth and character growth detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players express a desire for more character-driven content in potential future expansions.

    • “Everything from the character design to the architecture of whatever civilization ruled this terrible place before, to the mechanics of the puzzles all feed off of this theme.”
    • “This game was a labor of love, and it's seen in its environments, its creature design, its character design, and its interactable design.”
    • “Overall, I'll give the game an 8/10. I hope the devs keep up the good work and would love to see more expansions in the future, like DLCs or even more individual games set in the same world, with more character designs, lore exploration, and architecture.”
    • “There is no story, no character development; it gives you the exact amount of ammo to deal with everything.”
    • “Lacks character development, story, and connection to the audience.”
    • “Zero character development.”

Buy Scorn

6h Median play time
7h Average play time
5h Main story
6h Completionist
5-7h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 274 analyzed playthroughs

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