Scrutinized
- August 5, 2020
- Reflect Studios
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Scrutinized" is a single-player horror simulation game with a good story and impressive visuals. As Luna Youngman, a Criminal Analyst, you assess reports and determine threats using a simulated computer system with various tools. The game is very atmospheric, but be prepared for lots of grinding and challenging cell phone code-cracking. The true horrors of your town dwell behind seemingly ordinary front doors.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a detective mode that allows players to focus on solving cases without the horror elements, making it accessible for those who prefer a less stressful experience.
- The atmosphere is tense and immersive, with well-written cases that keep players engaged and on edge.
- The jump scares are effective and contribute to the overall horror experience, making the game genuinely frightening.
- The game can be frustratingly difficult, with mechanics that feel punishing and sometimes unfair, leading to frequent game overs.
- The rootkit mini-game is seen as tedious and poorly designed, with players often feeling they don't have enough time to complete it.
- Some players report bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as issues with evidence submission and game crashes.
- gameplay97 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the tense atmosphere and unique mechanics, while others find it repetitive and frustrating due to poorly explained systems and bugs. Many appreciate the investigative elements and the challenge of piecing together narratives, but the overall experience can feel tedious and lacking in variety. The balance between horror and detective mechanics is noted as a potential area for improvement, as some players feel the horror aspect diminishes over time.
“I love this game, the jumpscares are good and the gameplay is also very good!”
“The design, the gameplay, the difficulty all give you an amazing feeling when you win, which in turn makes the game fun.”
“I love it because the core gameplay is similar to Papers, Please mixed in with sheer terror and looking over your shoulder.”
“Terribly repetitive gameplay of having to check windows, lights, switch on Wi-Fi and circuit breaker.”
“The gameplay is tedious, prone to getting stale quickly and a lot poorer than WTTG 2.”
“Just overall repetitive and exhausting gameplay that completely takes away any horror aspect after about 20 minutes of playing.”
- atmosphere34 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intense, tense, and often terrifying qualities, effectively creating a sense of paranoia and anticipation. Players appreciate the combination of sound design and environmental details that enhance the horror experience, although some note that the balance of gameplay elements can be inconsistent. Overall, the atmosphere is described as immersive and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The atmosphere is tense and the killers are terrifying.”
“First of all, the game does have merits, particularly in its one environment which really oozes a lovely spoopy domestic atmosphere, combined with the excellent sound design, honestly gave me a feeling of tension I haven't experienced in any horror title before.”
“The atmosphere, lore, mechanics, setting and gameplay in general are well made.”
“The atmosphere in this game has me paranoid!!”
“The whole atmosphere of this game is very scary too, you're all alone in your house and you are always paranoid of the most little sounds.”
“The enemies in question compliment each other, so where you might have had some time to relax you no longer do and it creates this incredibly tense atmosphere where every muscle of your body is tense, adrenaline is pumping through your body because you feel like you are about to die any second.”
- story30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it bland and unengaging, particularly criticizing the casual mode's ending for its perceived insensitivity. Others appreciate the psychological horror elements and the detective mode, noting that while the core story is interesting, the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as having potential but suffers from execution issues and a lack of depth.
“The jump scares feel natural, the story is captivating, and I love filing the cases.”
“It keeps the ball rolling on an engaging storyline built upon the last two games.”
“The mechanics are easy to pick up, the story and lore behind the protagonist is very well thought out and the game isn't too complicated in any aspect.”
“A tasteless, bland story lacking the depth of WTTG2.”
“The storyline is messy and lacks coherence.”
“Maybe if the game was more linear and story-focused, perhaps with some way to defend oneself, it could be better.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive high praise for their quality and immersive design, with many users highlighting the realistic horror elements and effective use of visual storytelling. However, some players report glitches and performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs, which can detract from the experience. Despite these concerns, the game's visuals are often described as stunning, contributing significantly to its atmosphere and gameplay.
“I loved this game, the music, the graphics, the realistic horror, and a lot of other things.”
“Great gameplay and graphics, best jump scares as of 2020!”
“Graphics 10/10, I love the way they made the windows kind of dirty so you can see what's going on outside, but not clearly.”
“There are a few bugs with how some of the graphics are rendered: sometimes receipts have the lines overwriting each other, sometimes you can't close a driver's license or search box.”
“I didn't really know how well it would run on my PC, so I got it and tested it out, but it didn't really play out well—only 10+ fps on potato graphics.”
“Though, personally, I played it on lower graphics because the higher ones just hurt my eyes.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Players overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging gameplay element. Many reviews highlight that the repetitive tasks, such as detective work and survival mechanics, contribute to a sense of monotony and stress, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, making the game feel more like a tedious obligation than a fun adventure.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Just tedious.”
“The survival mechanics are very tedious and annoying, feels like a chore rather than a game.”
“This game is so extremely tedious, and having to go through 10 nights is a stressful nightmare.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding moments of levity in wacky text logs and social media accounts, while others feel that the humor falls flat, particularly in character interactions and the casual ending, which some found unintentionally amusing yet unsatisfying. Overall, while there are funny elements, they may not be enough to engage all players.
“There are some funny moments to be had while playing this game, from wacky text logs to social media accounts.”
“I bought this game because it looked funny.”
“It saps the tension but is unintentionally hilarious, I guess.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with players praising its quality and catchy nature, particularly highlighting the menu music. While some users expressed mixed feelings about other aspects of the game, the music consistently stood out as a strong point.
“I loved this game, the music, the graphics, the realistic horror, and a lot of other things.”
“(P.S. the menu music is a bop)”
“I liked very little in this game, but the music, free roam, and house/character design were cool.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized by users, with many reporting frequent stuttering and complete freezes, suggesting that performance issues may detract from the overall experience.
“Optimization: I experienced numerous issues with the game stuttering and completely freezing up throughout my playthrough.”
“Optimization: I encountered significant stuttering and freezing issues during the game, which severely impacted my experience.”
“Optimization: The game frequently stuttered and froze, making it difficult to enjoy the gameplay.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the emotional depth provided by a captivating slideshow that introduces the main character and key figures, enhancing their attachment to the story. This unique approach is seen as a refreshing addition to the genre, fostering a strong emotional connection with the game.
“And before you even jump in, a nice slideshow of artwork plays and gives an emotional, in-depth introduction to the main character and other important characters that motivate her.”
“It's a breath of fresh air for the genre, and games that I'm emotionally attached to.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have stability issues, with users noting it can be quite buggy at times, although it remains speedrunnable despite these challenges.
“A little buggy.”
“Very hard, somewhat buggy at times, but at least it's speedrunnable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game received minimal praise, with users expressing a lack of engagement in this aspect, despite appreciating elements like music, free roam, and character design.
