SCP: Daybreak

About

SCP: Daybreak is a single player simulation game. It was developed by SquiffyDev and was released on July 23, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

An open-ended, SCP-based, atmospheric, exploration-focused, survival-horror game with puzzle elements and replayability.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 294 reviews

story11 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

The game has a great atmosphere that effectively builds tension and unease.
There is significant potential for the game to develop into a compelling horror experience, especially with its unique concept based on the SCP universe.
The graphics and sound design are impressive for an early access title, contributing to an immersive experience.

The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including a broken save system and inconsistent lighting.
There is a lack of clear direction and objectives, making it easy for players to get lost or confused about what to do next.
The gameplay is very limited at this stage, with minimal interaction and no real threats beyond the sun, leading to a feeling of emptiness.

story
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
72%
6%
The game's story has garnered mixed reviews, with many players expressing enthusiasm for its intriguing plot and potential for expansion, particularly in relation to the SCP universe. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and atmospheric elements, others find the current narrative lacking depth and clarity, suggesting that further development and updates are needed to fully realize its potential. Overall, players are hopeful for a more fleshed-out story in future releases.
- “The story of this game, which is one of the most important things of the SCP-001 WDB (When Day Breaks) file, I can see a universe forming from this, a lot of potential in the story department. Hopefully, more story comes with updates; personally, WDB is one of my all-time favorites in the SCP universe, and I constantly make up tales for it. This is the most WDB game we'll ever get.”
- “Extremely atmospheric game; I was really impressed with the storytelling.”
- “I absolutely love the mixture of pages and voice recordings; it really brings some life into the game with a simple underlying story of the people who either suffered or decided to perish instead.”
- “Unfortunately, the game is no longer going to be about the actual story of SCP Daybreak.”
- “What is here is a walking simulator tech demo with minimal audio, extremely buggy physics, and just sort of a one-page anticlimactic 'story', if you can call it that.”
- “Great game, good atmosphere, crisp audio... but the story was confusing and I got lost at some points, mostly when I got curious, went somewhere I shouldn't be and got out of the map, in turn skipping pretty much the whole game and ending up at the bad ending.”
atmosphere
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The atmosphere of the game has been widely praised for its ability to create a tense and unsettling experience, often compared to the eerie vibes of SCP scenarios. Many players appreciate the game's focus on atmospheric tension rather than relying on jump scares, with effective visuals and sound design contributing to a spine-tingling ambiance. However, some critiques mention a lack of audio depth and occasional glitches that detract from the overall horror experience.
- “I love that this game seems to be going for a tense atmosphere instead of relying on jumpscares and chase sequences.”
- “The red atmosphere and color of the parts the sun touches is so good and accurate, and even the trees not having leaves or only having a few is also accurate. The atmosphere even gives a liminal space vibe to it; you expect there to be people there or some blobs of flesh, but they aren't there, making you worry about what might be around the corner.”
- “Genuinely terrifies me; the atmosphere is perfect.”
- “Disappointing though to see that there is no audio atmosphere, and not much other sound effects beyond doors and the odd mechanics; it did well with striking unease in me.”
- “Despite it not having any real animate threat yet, I felt chills from the unsettling atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is kind of unsettling.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their quality and potential, especially for an early access title, while others criticize performance issues such as poor framerate, glitches, and outdated textures. Some users note that the visuals contribute to a solid atmosphere, but the lack of graphical options and persistent bugs detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics show promise, significant improvements are needed to enhance playability and visual fidelity.
- “The graphics surprised me for an early access title.”
- “Graphics 9.5/10”
- “The game is still in heavy development but the graphics are amazing and the game has a heavenly potential; can't wait to hear more on the updates.”
- “Even with the lowest graphics settings, the framerate is awful, the walls glitch constantly.”
- “Graphics make me lose fear, as they just don't look like anything plausible; the bugs and graphical problems make me want to live in the SCP universe with an active SCP-001 when day breaks event.”
- “In terms of performance, I will say that I by no means have a top-tier PC, but I'm running relatively new hardware and the game seems to perform rather poorly with a lot of screen tearing and jittering on any configuration of graphics settings, and it ruins the experience immensely.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the atmosphere and potential mechanics, such as avoiding light, while others criticize the execution, particularly the broken door mechanics and lack of enemy encounters. Many users express hope for future improvements, suggesting that the game could benefit from a more developed gameplay loop and additional features. Overall, while there are notable bugs and limitations, the game shows promise and has garnered a dedicated following.
- “Having to stay out of the light is quite a cool mechanic, and I think adding in something like rotating fans that the player has to navigate under to stay out of the sun could add some interesting gameplay.”
- “I enjoy the gameplay, and how Blue Feather plays in the beginning, giving off a nostalgic feel.”
- “As it is 'just' an early access game, the gameplay is good and I didn't encounter any bugs. I see a lot of potential in it.”
- “The only gameplay is trying to use a broken, poorly programmed numpad to unlock one of the doors.”
- “Great atmosphere, just lacking in gameplay.”
- “If there was more of an actual gameplay loop or more of a story other than the standard 'when day breaks' tropes, I'd upvote this.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some acknowledge its potential and understand that it is in early access, the instability significantly detracts from gameplay, with issues like lag, buggy physics, and minimal audio affecting immersion. Overall, while the concept is promising, the game's stability remains a major concern.
- “Great concept, but here's the big problem: it's buggy as hell.”
- “It's been long enough; it shouldn't be this much of a buggy mess.”
- “The atmosphere is great, but with all the glitches and shoddy voice acting, it really takes away from the experience.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The music in the game is highly praised for its immersive quality and ability to enhance tension without relying on jumpscares, with many users rating it a perfect 10/10. However, some players noted issues with the music cutting out at times and the placement of sound cues, suggesting that while the soundtrack is excellent, its integration could be improved. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding the game's visuals and level design.
- “Very immersive, great soundtrack, got me constantly on the edge without the use of jumpscares.”
- “The music is great, but the visuals and level design aren't particularly interesting (a lot of empty copy-pasted rooms).”
- “The music cues were oddly placed, the paperwork repeated, and some doors opened while others didn't (whether they were relevant or not).”
- “The music is top-notch (I've searched for it online to no avail), and the world building is excellent!”
- “Ambience fits well while roaming the facility available to you, the use of some sounds/music from SCP: Containment Breach serves the game well.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it can be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring them to backtrack and redo tasks due to bugs. The sentiment suggests that the grinding experience is so demanding that it feels like players need an extra life to manage it effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Now that wouldn't be a problem with a short game like this if the bugs weren't happening and blocking progress, because it now means I have to walk all the way back there and redo everything, which is just tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as screen tearing, jittering, and low frame rates, even on relatively new hardware. Additionally, the presence of a disorienting head bob and a broken save system further detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult to enjoy.
- “The poor optimization, nauseating side-to-side head bob, and broken save system make this game very hard to play.”
- “In terms of performance, I will say that I by no means have a top-tier PC, but I'm running relatively new hardware and the game seems to perform rather poorly with a lot of screen tearing and jittering on any configuration of graphics settings, and it ruins the experience immensely.”
- “By the way, the FPS and optimization are total garbage, and the controls are clunky.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting amusing elements like quirky character designs and clever text, which add charm to the experience. However, glitches and poor voice acting often detract from the intended horror, resulting in a more comedic atmosphere. Many express a desire for multiplayer to enhance the fun.
- “I enjoyed the little touches of humor like the amogus guy and the text at the top right of the pause menu; they added charm.”
- “The atmosphere is great, but with all the glitches and shoddy voice acting, it really takes away the horror, and honestly is more hilarious if anything.”
- “If it had multiplayer, it would be funny as hell.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a deeply emotional experience, with some expressing that the game evoked strong feelings, including tears, and created a profound sense of being in a purgatorial state.
- “I cried.”
- “The game really made me feel like I was in purgatory.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express that the game's replayability could be enhanced by improving graphics optimization, as not all players have high-end computers. This suggests that accessibility and performance could encourage more players to revisit the game.
- “The game lacks variety, making it hard to find motivation for a second playthrough.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return; the side quests feel repetitive.”
- “The limited choices and outcomes mean that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an adventure.”