Scorn
- October 13, 2022
- Ebb Software
- 6h median play time
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Get on Epic Games Store"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.
PC
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Cloud
Epic Games
PlayStation
Xbox
Xbox Game Pass
Reviews
- story3,404 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in *Scorn* is largely conveyed through environmental storytelling, with no dialogue or explicit narrative, leaving players to piece together the plot through visual cues and their own interpretations. While some players appreciate this abstract approach and find the atmosphere compelling, many criticize the lack of a coherent storyline, feeling that it results in a confusing and unsatisfying experience. Overall, the game is seen as a visually stunning but narratively vague journey that may not appeal to those seeking a clear and engaging plot.
“It's a world that clearly has a story to tell but wants you as a player to create your own understanding of the world that makes sense to you.”
“The environmental storytelling is incredible, the art is jaw-dropping and intricate, the grotesque scenes are picturesque and uncomfortably beautiful.”
“What makes this game great is the story to be found and ideas to be made by the individual player/community.”
“There is nothing to discover, no information, no story, no action.”
“The puzzles are mediocre, the combat is boring, and the story is non-existent.”
“There are no quest markers, no dialogue, and no narrative elements whatsoever.”
- graphics3,215 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Scorn" have been widely praised for their stunning and grotesque aesthetic, heavily inspired by the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. Many reviewers describe the visuals as breathtaking, immersive, and a significant highlight of the game, often likening the experience to exploring a living piece of art. However, while the graphics are exceptional, they are often noted as the game's primary strength, with gameplay and narrative elements receiving criticism for being lacking or frustrating.
“Scorn's greatest triumph lies in its breathtaking aesthetic.”
“The visuals are absolutely stunning and the mechanics of everything were really cool.”
“The graphics, sound design and atmosphere are absolutely on point, the rest of the game mechanics serve their purpose.”
“The only thing this game has going for it is graphics and world design that we know nothing about.”
“I really wanted to like this game for its eye-catching artwork but it really fell short.”
“If anything other than the visuals were focused on could have had potential but very disappointing for the concept.”
- gameplay2,929 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Scorn* has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players highlighting its focus on exploration and puzzle-solving over engaging mechanics. While the game's atmosphere and visuals are praised for their stunning, biomechanical design reminiscent of H.R. Giger's work, the gameplay is often described as tedious, clunky, and lacking depth, with combat mechanics that feel underdeveloped and frustrating. Overall, players recommend the game primarily for its artistic experience rather than its gameplay, suggesting it may appeal more to fans of atmospheric horror than those seeking traditional gaming enjoyment.
“I found the game a unique and refreshing experience, with an original biomechanical theme, stunningly disturbing visuals and eerie sounds all throughout.”
“The gameplay and puzzles were pretty good—maybe a little hard to understand at first, but not bad at all.”
“The puzzles are well-designed and just difficult enough to get your brain engaged, and always involve fascinating (and frequently disturbing) mechanical/biological devices with interesting purposes.”
“The gameplay is extremely boring; you just run around trying to find what you're supposed to do with basically 0 audio.”
“The gameplay is actively bad and, on top of that, draws you away from the art, and the art doesn't help the gameplay at all either.”
“The gameplay is linear (and thankfully features no unneeded backtracking, which was something that I was somewhat worried about); it is essentially a walking sim with puzzles and fighting sprinkled in.”
- atmosphere2,728 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Scorn" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, haunting sound design, and immersive world-building, drawing strong comparisons to the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. Reviewers describe it as a unique, grotesque, and deeply unsettling experience that effectively conveys a sense of dread and alienation, making it a standout in atmospheric horror gaming. However, many also note that while the atmosphere is exceptional, the gameplay can be tedious and frustrating, often detracting from the overall experience.
“Its an interactive art piece: atmosphere, sound, and art direction are fantastic.”
“The atmosphere, the environment, especially the penis-like creature at the second half of the game, the models, and the textures.”
“The atmosphere is laid on thick and refuses to let you go until the game's final striking and thought-provoking moments.”
“All of the atmosphere and ambience died pretty much instantly for me, especially considering the shooting mechanics in of itself felt very much like an afterthought to me given how clunky and frustrating they felt.”
“However, despite how amazingly horrible the atmosphere is, the gameplay makes it almost unplayable.”
“The combat adds nothing of value to the game, actively turns the atmosphere from dour to infuriating, and should have been removed altogether.”
- music530 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "Scorn" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its minimalistic and ambient nature, which often blends into the background rather than standing out. While some praise the haunting and atmospheric qualities that enhance the game's eerie environment, others criticize the lack of a memorable soundtrack, feeling it detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the sound design is generally regarded as effective in creating a tense atmosphere, but the sparse use of music leaves some players wanting more.
“The music in Scorn is absolutely spectacular, perfectly complementing the game's dark, gory, and bizarre ambiance.”
“The superb art direction and haunting ambient soundtrack permeate every moment, like rancid blood seeping through the cracks.”
“The music and sound design are absolutely my favorite part of the experience.”
“There is no 'music', only horrific ambiance that is used for dramatic effect and for unsettling you with sheer silence.”
“The soundtrack for the most part is pretty forgettable and somewhat repetitive.”
“It almost feels like there's no music at all, and that makes the game feel somewhat empty.”
- grinding324 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and frustrating nature, particularly in combat and puzzle-solving. Players frequently mention the slow pacing, clunky mechanics, and excessive backtracking that detract from the overall experience, making progression feel like a slog. While some appreciate the atmospheric visuals, many agree that the gameplay is marred by repetitive and uninspired elements that lead to a lack of engagement.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Unfortunately, Scorn's gameplay falls flat and quickly becomes a tedious experience.”
“The combat in this game is slow, clunky, and tedious as hell.”
“The game was a tedious, boring, slow-paced nightmare.”
- replayability180 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its extremely limited replayability, with many reviewers noting that it offers little incentive to replay after the initial experience. Most players complete the game in about 5-7 hours, and the linear nature of the gameplay, combined with a lack of branching paths or alternative endings, results in virtually no replay value. While some appreciate the artistic environments, the consensus is that the game is best experienced once, ideally at a discounted price.
“It is not a long game, but because of the amazing environments, I see a good replay value in there.”
“Despite its limited replayability, it's worth picking up on sale for a memorable and contemplative experience.”
“For an optimistic note, I sincerely hope Ebb is reading their reviews carefully; this game needs more content. It is definitely replayable, but extending this story or adding in multiple endings with a similar level of attention to detail and quality would easily reel me and many others right back in.”
“Don't pay full price as it is a 5 hour game with no replayability.”
“The fact that there are no other endings and virtually no other content gives this game literally no replayability whatsoever.”
“There is also no replay value, you will experience the same thing over and over again, nothing will change, everything will be in the same place, puzzles will have the same solutions, it will all happen just as it did the first time, so if you're hoping to get a ton of replay value out of this: you're not.”
- optimization158 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end hardware. While some users experienced smooth performance and high frame rates, others found the game unplayable due to severe lag and poor optimization. Overall, it appears that while there are instances of good performance, the game requires further optimization to address the widespread stuttering and inconsistent frame rates.
“Amazing gaming experience, with great real next-gen visuals and it runs smoothly like a charm.”
“It is very well optimized; I get a consistent ~100 - 120 fps on 'high' settings with an RTX 2060.”
“Graphically, the game is gorgeous, and it's optimized way better than anything else currently on the market.”
“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 RTX 4070 both not reaching even 50% load, and the game is installed on M2 970 EVO Plus.”
“This is such a poorly optimized game, it's unplayable as-is.”
“Why make such a disgustingly beautiful world only to have disgustingly awful optimization?”
- emotional98 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful, evoking a wide range of feelings such as dread, sorrow, and discomfort, often leaving players feeling overwhelmed and reflective long after gameplay. While some found the experience artistically profound and unique, others criticized the lack of narrative clarity and frustrating gameplay elements that detracted from emotional immersion. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to provoke strong emotional responses, making it a memorable, albeit polarizing, experience.
“It has a lot of texture and emotional resonance.”
“The art style is absolutely beautiful and for me, the ending was truly heartbreaking.”
“There were many moments in the game that pulled an emotional response from me, pity, sorrow, dread and anguish to name the main ones, it was absolutely thrilling.”
“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.”
- stability74 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting significant issues such as freezing, lag, and various graphical glitches, while others experienced no bugs or crashes at all. Many noted that while the game is visually impressive, it suffers from inconsistent performance and game-breaking glitches that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary widely among players, with some praising its polish and optimization, while others describe it as buggy and in need of further refinement.
“I had no bugs, no softlocks, no performance issues, no glitches, no crashes.”
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
“I think the price is worth it in my opinion if you want a polished playthrough that's not buggy like most modern games.”
“The game lags a lot, doesn't load assets, and freezes when you try to use items.”
“There were breaking glitches at the end, so I had to redo it a few times and fell back on a walkthrough to make sure that I wasn't missing a step.”
“It was buggy, broken, and there were countless signs of intent behind features and systems being a lot more robust, but had to be scaled back in a rush for launch.”
- humor70 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of surreal, dark, and often grotesque elements that can elicit laughter, albeit in a bizarre context. While some players find the humor to be a refreshing twist on typical gameplay, others feel it misses the mark, leading to confusion rather than genuine amusement. Overall, the game's eccentric design and unexpected moments can provoke laughter, especially when shared with friends, but it may not cater to those seeking a more traditional comedic experience.
“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.”
- monetization36 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players feeling misled by advertisements that portrayed it as a shooter, while others argue that it delivers on its promise as a puzzle-focused survival horror experience. Critics express frustration over the game's difficulty and combat mechanics, suggesting that the promotional material did not accurately reflect the gameplay, leading to perceptions of it being a cash grab. However, some players appreciate the artistic direction and believe it offers value for what was presented.
“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 was seriously hyped about this game, but to my surprise, guess what? Another letdown by developers who just want a cash grab.”
“The survival part of the game is downplayed in the advertising and way too hard in reality because this is really a puzzle game.”
- character development16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant lack of character development and narrative depth, with some players expressing disappointment over the absence of a story and emotional connection to the characters. While the game's graphics and character design are praised for their detail and creativity, the overall experience is marred by the minimal focus on character growth and storytelling. Many reviewers hope for future expansions that could explore more character lore and development.
“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 audience.”
“Overall I'll give the game an 8/10, hope the devs keep up the good work, would love to see more expansions in the future like DLCs or even more individual games which set in the same world and that is, more character designs, lore exploring and architectures etc.”
