SCP: Descent
- March 20, 2024
- Pixel Drip Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"SCP: Descent" is a first-person puzzle horror game where players descend an eternal stairwell, using a torch for light and pieces of chalk to save their progress. The game features stealth mechanics to avoid monsters attracted to the light, with limited saving opportunities, increasing the tension. The goal is to uncover the stairwell's mystery and find an exit, providing approximately 60-90 minutes of gameplay.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features solid jump scares and a creepy atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
- Puzzles are challenging and add an interesting layer to the gameplay, with optional hints available.
- The graphics and voice acting are well-executed, contributing to an immersive experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs that can hinder progress and lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Many players found the game to be too short for its price, with a shallow story and underwhelming ending.
- Control settings are lacking, making it difficult for players to adjust controls or troubleshoot issues.
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being shallow and vague, with an underwhelming ending that fails to deliver on its buildup. While some players appreciated the Lovecraftian elements and found certain characters intriguing, the overall narrative experience left many feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.
“I really appreciated the Lovecraftian component; the little bits of story were intriguing, and the professor was a good character.”
“Game still has a decent amount of bugs; the story was pretty shallow, and the ending was very underwhelming.”
“I would not recommend playing this game. I should have done my research or played the demo before jumping into this insanely vague game. Everything is vague: the storyline, puzzles, and characters.”
“The story is all buildup and no delivery.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their spectacular quality and high level of detail, particularly in the design of the monsters. The art style and overall performance also contribute to a visually impressive experience, enhancing the game's immersive atmosphere.
“Besides the graphics looking great, the audio and sound are top notch.”
“The graphics are spectacular; the lore could be worked on as we just appear in a locker, but apart from that, the monsters are highly detailed and have surpassed far beyond my expectations. The voice acting is very realistic, but to those who are easily frightened, 'beware' this game is not for the weak.”
“The SCPs, the graphics, art style, performance, puzzles.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, often described as its standout feature, creating a compelling and creepy experience that enhances the overall gameplay. Despite some technical issues, many reviewers feel that the atmospheric elements make the game worth exploring, especially for fans of indie horror puzzle games.
“The atmosphere is the best part about it and makes it worth it.”
“I would give this a positive review for the atmosphere and general gameplay, but the bugs are just too much.”
“Given all its flaws, the creepy atmosphere saves it and makes it worth checking out if you want a cool little indie horror puzzle game.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its atmosphere and engaging elements, but significant bugs, particularly in puzzle progression, detract from the experience, leading to frustrating moments for players.
“I would give this a positive review for the atmosphere and general gameplay, but the bugs are just too much.”
“For some reason, at the maze puzzle, I was unable to progress past it, which led to an hour of wasted gameplay sadly.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for frequent glitches, with players reporting multiple instances that hinder gameplay and even one game-breaking issue, necessitating restarts. Overall, there is a clear need for improved quality control to enhance the gaming experience.
“Quite short and could use some quality control, as there were a few glitches that required me to restart the game in order to continue.”
“Thirteen minutes in, I encountered five glitches that notably hindered the game, including one that was game-breaking.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with users noting that while the graphics and art style are commendable, there are concerns about the quality of the voice acting, particularly regarding the authenticity of the performance. Overall, the game's performance and puzzles are generally well-received, though some aspects, like the Irish accent, could use improvement.
“The SCPs, the graphics, art style, performance, and puzzles are all optimized to create a seamless experience.”
“Listening to his tapes was simultaneously comforting and disconcerting—I'm still not entirely sure if that was a real voice actor or AI, but if it was AI, I'm sad to say that it was actually a pretty good performance, despite the Irish accent needing a little work!”
“The game's optimization is severely lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite the interesting puzzles and art style, the performance issues make it frustrating to enjoy the experience.”
“The graphics are impressive, but the poor optimization ruins the overall immersion and flow of the game.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding elements of the game frustrating, particularly in sections with unscripted monster encounters and the tedious task of searching for parts to repair an elevator.
“The sections with monsters that aren't scripted fail to be more than frustrating, and the part where you have to look for parts to fix an elevator is incredibly tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which quickly became a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
