Secret Archives
- February 27, 2024
- Juice Game
Get on Steam"Secret Archives" is a third-person shooting and decryption game set in a future where a unique mineral has caused a large-scale infection. As the protagonist, your mission is to retrieve important files and escape the infected area. The game features three weapons and synthetic ammunition, as well as puzzles to solve and secret styles of clothing to discover. Explore the box court style map, defeat enemies, and take photos to commemorate your journey.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers solid gunplay and a lengthy main story, with various collectibles and challenges that enhance gameplay.
- It features a variety of zombies, weapons, and crafting mechanics, providing a decent amount of content and replayability.
- The developer has added new game modes for free, showing commitment to improving the game and keeping it engaging for players.
- The level design suffers from excessive backtracking and poor map navigation, making it easy to get lost.
- Inventory management is strict, leading to frustration with limited ammo and essential supplies, especially on higher difficulties.
- The game has some technical issues, including janky animations and collision detection problems, which detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a variety of zombie types, including bosses, and incorporates different weapons, ammo crafting, and basic stealth mechanics. Players can engage in an arena mode that offers character upgrades and difficulty multipliers, reminiscent of Resident Evil 4's mercenaries mode, while the main game includes puzzles and item management that may appeal to fans of the genre. Despite some rough edges in animations and mechanics, the game is considered a hidden gem for those seeking a Resident Evil-like experience, though it may frustrate players with its challenging boss encounters and durability issues.
“There are several types of zombies (including bosses), different weapons to find, ammo crafting, and basic stealth mechanics.”
“The arena mode actually changes the ammo stack system, health kit stacking mechanics, and how items drop, showing the developer put some thought into it and adjusted things from the standard game.”
“For a £13.49 game that I got on the 10% introductory sale, I can say it's a decent game if you want a Resident Evil game with colored doors and some puzzles involving finding key items to progress. The three weapons—handgun, assault rifle, and shotgun—feel nice to use, and on easy and normal, you get a lot of ammo. Item management is handy, especially when being able to get the zombies to de-aggro and allow you to sneak by, which is great on hard to save ammo as they are much tankier.”
“The gameplay loop becomes this frustrating process which will have you question your sanity.”
“Even on easy mode, these bosses take so many shots before they drop; I was sure I was doing something wrong and that I must be missing a mechanic.”
“It is also not as polished as 'The Killing Antidote', a very similar game; the animations, sounds, and dress-up mechanics are a lot simpler here.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as reminiscent of the PlayStation 2 era, featuring unique and cartoonish visuals that some find charming, while others consider them outdated and lacking in sophistication. The environmental graphics are noted to be pretty but not modern, making the overall aesthetic feel more like a classic game rather than a contemporary one.
“Visuals are unique & that means awesome!”
“The graphics look very PlayStation 2, this is why I say it feels like a classic game.”
“(PS2 / PS3 / PS4) generation style graphics”
“It has boss fights with as awkward mechanics as anything from the RE3 series, just without flashy graphics.”
“The graphics look very PlayStation 2; this is why I say it feels like a classic game.”
“However, it is just that; it's cute, its environmental graphics are pretty outdated, and the character is very cartoonish.”
- story6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as lacking, with some players noting that it feels almost non-existent, particularly in a zombie game context. While the main story is described as lengthy, it is overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that seem disconnected from the narrative, such as a Dark Souls-inspired boss fight and an arena mode reminiscent of Resident Evil 4's mercenaries. Overall, the focus appears to be more on gameplay than on delivering a compelling story.
“There is no story.”
“Were you ever interested in story, in a zombie game?”
“The gun play is nice, it isn't buggy at all (besides texture pop ins), and the main story is pretty long (took me a bit longer than the Resident Evil 3 remake).”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with minimal bugs, primarily limited to texture pop-ins. Players have noted that the gunplay is smooth and the main story is lengthy, contributing to a solid gameplay experience.
“The gunplay is nice; it isn't buggy at all (besides texture pop-ins), and the main story is pretty long (took me a bit longer than the Resident Evil 3 remake).”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the exceptional sound design that effectively conveys a sense of isolation and immersion. Overall, the audio elements are considered a perfect complement to the game's atmosphere.
“The atmosphere and sense of isolation are nailed 100% - perfect!”
“The sound and audio design create an immersive atmosphere that truly enhances the experience.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly engaging, making you feel completely immersed in its world.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is initially amusing due to exaggerated features, but it quickly becomes repetitive and tiresome, losing its charm after a short period.
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly due to its visually simple design, with the exception of the character graphics.
“The game runs smoothly because it's visually simple, except for the character.”
“The optimization is impressive; I can play for hours without any lag.”
“I appreciate how well the game performs on lower-end devices without sacrificing quality.”
