SCP: Secret Files
- September 13, 2022
- GameZoo Studio
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamSCP: Secret Files is a first-person horror/puzzle game set in the SCP Foundation universe. As a new agent, you must explore the secret facilities, encountering various anomalous objects and solving puzzles to contain them. With a strong emphasis on narrative and exploration, the game provides a chilling and immersive experience for fans of the SCP series.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique storytelling approach with varied gameplay styles for each SCP
- Visually stunning with great attention to detail
- Emotionally engaging, with some stories evoking strong feelings
- Too short for the price, leaving players wanting more
- Gameplay can feel tedious with unskippable dialogue and cutscenes
- Some voice acting and sound design issues detract from immersion
- story1,150 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "SCP: Secret Files" is a collection of unique narratives centered around various SCP anomalies, each presented with distinct gameplay styles and artistic directions. While many players praised the emotional depth and immersive storytelling, particularly in segments like "Here Be Dragons," some criticized the pacing and lack of engaging gameplay, feeling that it often leaned more towards a visual novel format. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong narrative elements, though it leaves players wanting more content and a more cohesive overarching plot.
“The story and game styles are incredibly well thought out, genuinely made me jump a couple of times and made me tear up twice.”
“This game is everything a story-telling game should be, it's really immersive and brings you into the world it is telling you about!”
“Its exceptional storytelling, emotional depth, dynamic gameplay, and connection to the SCP lore make it a standout title.”
“Then came the story with the boy in the attic and those stupid paper dragons, why was I forced to play the flute all the time..?”
“Save yourself some time and money and watch the plot on YouTube, this game wasn't worth it.”
“The story just feels like it's dragging you along, exposition dumping you like it's waiting for the climax. The only gameplay was running from the hanged king's monster which was just running for 2 scenes.”
- gameplay600 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it is heavily narrative-driven and often feels more like a visual novel than a traditional game. While some segments feature unique mechanics and art styles that enhance the storytelling, the overall gameplay is described as minimal, repetitive, and lacking depth, with many players expressing disappointment over the limited interactivity and excessive cutscenes. Overall, those seeking a rich gameplay experience may find it lacking, while fans of narrative-driven experiences may appreciate the storytelling elements.
“It made me fall in love with paper dragons and the different styles of gameplay that went into each section of the game was gripping and exciting to play.”
“The game's rich narrative and engaging gameplay are tailor-made for a console experience, and I can imagine the joy of earning a platinum trophy for mastering this SCP masterpiece.”
“Its exceptional storytelling, emotional depth, dynamic gameplay, and connection to the SCP lore make it a standout title.”
“There is very little gameplay.”
“The gameplay consists of walking from one prerecorded dialogue to the next.”
“Should definitely be called a graphic novel more than a game, it's about 4 hours long with only about 1 hour of actual gameplay.”
- graphics414 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and diverse art styles, which enhance the storytelling and atmosphere. Players appreciate the unique graphical representation of each SCP, contributing to a rich and immersive experience, although some noted inconsistencies and performance issues. Overall, the game's artistic direction and attention to detail are highlighted as standout features, making it a visually impressive title in the SCP genre.
“The graphics are stunning and lifelike and absolutely wonderful.”
“The graphics, the storyline, and attention to detail are out of this world.”
“This game is absolutely stunning; the graphics are great, the story is great, and I feel this is the best SCP game out there.”
“I had also noticed that there were some visuals that didn't really make a lot of sense.”
“The graphics... well, from what I can tell this game might just be a straight-up asset flip, because 99% of these are poorly done stock assets.”
“The whole storybook part with the paper dragons was by far the most insufferable gameplay experience I have ever had, and the graphics are terrible for pretty much everything.”
- music108 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its impressive quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others criticized the implementation of musical gameplay mechanics that felt disconnected from the soundtrack. Some standout tracks, like "I Am a Toaster," have become memorable highlights, but issues such as volume imbalance and lack of a music slider have detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as phenomenal and engaging, inconsistencies in sound design and gameplay integration have left some players disappointed.
“The soundtrack was amazing.”
“Amazing music that fit perfectly with everything that was happening.”
“The atmosphere, the music, and the overall visualization of the stories is superbly done.”
“I was excited at first to see the musical gameplay, but got so disappointed when I started playing the music and realized my playing had no effect on the sound, or that some of the notes weren't aligned with the background music that you were supposed to be playing the melody of.”
“The sound design is pretty lackluster, could use some more music and ambience; I noticed some audible hitching/chirping.”
“There is no way I'm doing that awful music game another 5 times; that whole section completely ruined the pacing of what is supposed to be a horror game.”
- atmosphere92 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere receives mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive and engaging qualities, particularly in relation to the SCP universe, while others criticize it as generic or lacking depth. The visuals and audio are often highlighted as strong points that enhance the overall experience, creating a sense of fear and emotional resonance. However, some players feel that certain gameplay elements detract from the intended atmosphere, suggesting a need for more atmospheric moments in future iterations.
“The atmosphere of SCP is transferred and sustained just amazingly, the very thing to dive into it as for fans of the theme with anomalies, and newcomers.”
“The visuals are excellent, they absolutely nail atmosphere, the stories were engaging, and there were some really clever twists and tricks in there that just made the whole thing so good.”
“The game does a phenomenal job at visualizing the mostly written world of the SCP foundation from the eerie isolation and madness-inducing hallucinations of SCP-7457, the terrifying atmosphere and tragic events of SCP-701, and the heartwarming and equally heartbreaking tale of SCP-1762.”
“Okay, that was a strange and unfitting experience for what atmosphere the game has set.”
“I think the game is missing the oppressive atmosphere that's associated with the foundation.”
“Dying several times kind of took me out of the horror atmosphere of the first part.”
- emotional88 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players experiencing a wide range of feelings from fear to deep sadness, often leading to tears during poignant story segments like those involving SCP-1762 and the "paper dragons." While some players found the storytelling exceptional and engaging, others criticized the flat voice acting that detracted from emotional connections. Overall, the game is recognized for its remarkable emotional depth and ability to blend horror with heartfelt narratives, making it a standout experience for fans of the SCP lore.
“The emotional depth that the game explores is truly remarkable, making me feel a range of emotions that I hadn't anticipated in a gaming experience.”
“It's an emotional roller-coaster that perfectly mixes fear, sadness, and anger into a game that doesn't stray far from the original content found on the SCP wiki.”
“I will say I have never played a game that has made me feel so many emotions in so little time.”
- humor72 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players highlighting moments that range from absurdly funny, like the "I am a toaster" segment, to darkly comedic elements intertwined with horror. While some found the humor refreshing and engaging, others criticized the dialogue and pacing, suggesting that certain comedic attempts fell flat or felt forced. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with emotional depth, creating a unique experience that elicits laughter alongside fear and sadness.
“I never expected an SCP game to scare me shitless, bring me to tears, and gut-laughing my heart out.”
“The game seemingly changes genre and definitely style with most of these stories, which is an odd choice especially for some of these things, like the retro style toaster 'I am a toaster, I need to be plugged in.' That scene was hilarious but odd.”
“Becoming a toaster was so amazingly funny that the song got stuck in my head.”
“Every character speaks in stilted, uninteresting, unfunny, overlong dialogue that doesn't sound like how anyone really talks.”
“The attempts at humor feel forced and fall flat, making the game more tedious than entertaining.”
“Jokes that are meant to be funny often come off as cringeworthy and awkward, leaving players feeling uncomfortable rather than amused.”
- grinding50 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 84 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and unengaging, with players often feeling overwhelmed by lengthy dialogues, unskippable cutscenes, and repetitive minigames. Many reviewers describe the gameplay as boring, lacking meaningful interaction, and filled with simple puzzles that contribute to a sense of monotony. Overall, the experience is marred by a lack of content and engaging mechanics, leading to frustration and disappointment among players.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The game is hilariously boring - in the 20 minutes I've played, I did not actually play a game; I just saw cutscenes, read unnecessarily lengthy dialogue, completed tedious minigames (if they can be called that), and did what was essentially just a fetch quest.”
“Every bit of this game is tedious.”
“It's got a lot of work put into it but the content itself is very dull and tedious.”
- stability40 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly during enemy chase sequences and at the end of the game. While some users experienced smooth performance and minimal issues, others faced significant stuttering, freezes, and resolution problems that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the game has potential and a compelling story, its stability issues prevent it from being considered fully polished.
“Stopped being able to play after a certain point, lots of stuttering/performance drops, freezes, graphical and minor gameplay glitches throughout.”
“I will probably finish this game because I found the story at the pony station area interesting and I'm a sucker for 'walk around and find things to read' style games, but this game is too buggy to be considered complete.”
“Pretty buggy, love the story and would love to complete it but the bugs make it hard :(”
- optimization28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing smooth performance and impressive graphics, while others report severe frame rate drops, stuttering, and glitches that hinder gameplay. Although many appreciate the overall visual and thematic variety, significant performance issues, particularly after certain missions, have led to frustration among users. Overall, while the game shows potential for solid optimization, it currently suffers from inconsistencies that need addressing.
“The graphics were amazing and the game is very well optimized, which made for very smooth gameplay.”
“Solid performance, well optimized, and more to come if you buy.”
“I played it entirely on ultra (1440p) with my 1070 and had 60fps with no noticeable performance issues.”
“But the final nail in the coffin were enormous performance issues after I reached the second mission.”
“Stopped being able to play after a certain point, lots of stuttering/performance drops, freezes, graphical and minor gameplay glitches throughout.”
“Only got up to the hanged king, there's a cutscene which causes the stuttering to become too severe to continue (which persists to the title screen until closing the game), and also causes the screen to go black, making progress impossible.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users stating it offers "zero replay value" and becomes unengaging over time. Despite some acknowledging its initial enjoyment, the consensus is that it does not encourage repeated playthroughs.
“Excellent game, with tons of potential and replay value.”
“It has exactly zero replayability, but I'm glad I played it once and I never wanted to put it down.”
“There is no replayability at all; not worth it. Only at the start it was nice, but it just dropped over time.”
“I'd say there's no replayability whatsoever.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for feeling exploitative, with many players describing it as a cash grab that stretches a short experience into a longer playtime through excessive cut-scenes and minimal gameplay. Reviewers express frustration over misleading advertising and the lack of engaging content, suggesting that the game is designed to prevent refunds rather than provide a satisfying experience. Overall, the monetization approach detracts from the game's potential and leaves players feeling disappointed.
“It really could have been a much better horror type game, but instead it felt like a cash grab to make it barely over 3 hours so people wouldn't be able to refund it.”
“Only the first section is for the folks who bought this game by viewing the ads, and in good faith.”
“May as well have 2 levels cause the others are just intractable cut-scenes that are so slow and the 'Here Were Dragons' one was not only the slowest one with the only 'gameplay' being a rhythm game, which is the laziest form of gameplay, but also just broke the tone of the game. Everything other than the Hanged King and Witch Project levels are just moving from one room to another till the next unskippable endless cut-scene.”
