Secret Santa

About

Secret Santa is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Daniel Jonathan Bourke and was released on December 1, 2016. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Sneak around children, pets, and the elderly as you deliver Christmas joy. Complete the list of deliveries, and have some cookies.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

humor6 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is fun, enjoyable, and has a lot of charm, making it a great choice for getting into the festive mood.
Challenging level design combines stealth, strategy, and puzzle elements, keeping players engaged throughout.
The pixel art style and humorous concept of Santa sneaking around while avoiding guards add to the game's appeal.

The game is relatively short, with some players completing it in about 1.5 to 2 hours, which may leave some wanting more content.
Hit detection can be harsh and inconsistent, leading to frustrating moments when players feel unfairly caught.
Limited control options and lack of customization can detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
Gameplay is criticized for its lack of depth, leading to boredom after completing initial challenges, although the easy and medium levels serve as effective tutorials for new mechanics. Players note significant differences between titles, with one focusing on special items in single locations and the other emphasizing quick, task-oriented gameplay. However, issues with clumsy and unreliable hitboxes detract from the overall experience.
- “In a way, the easy and medium levels act as organic tutorials, introducing new mechanics and traps.”
- “Gameplay is quite different between the titles, with MGS having and using special items in a single house while SS features individual houses with the idea 'get in, do the thing, get out'.”
- “I beat one list and got bored; there's really nothing that offers to the gameplay.”
- “As for gameplay, my only qualm is the clumsy, unreliable hitboxes.”
- “Gameplay is quite different between the titles, with MGS having and using special items in a single house while SS has individual houses with the idea 'get in, do the thing, get out.'”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Secret Santa" is highlighted by its absurd premise of characters attempting to kill Santa, which many players found hilarious. The game cleverly incorporates a playful structure based on children's "nice" and "naughty" lists, with easier levels corresponding to nicer kids and increasingly challenging traps for the naughtier ones, adding to the comedic experience. Overall, while the execution may be moderate, the concept is deemed entertaining and funny.
- “I found it hilarious that everyone is trying to kill Santa.”
- “Briefly: an arcade stealth-puzzle, Secret Santa is a short but fun game with a hilarious idea and moderate execution.”
- “As a funny detail, the levels are children on 'nice lists' and 'naughty lists'. Nice people's houses are (quite logically) the easy levels, and the naughtier they get, the more traps and guards there are.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game features a collection of remixed Christmas tunes, which, while not overly elaborate, is described as a pleasant and effective soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- “A pleasant soundtrack; it's not fancy, but it works.”
- “Very good soundtrack.”
- “A word on the music: I'm sure you are not surprised that it's a bunch of remixed Christmas tunes.”
- “A word on the music, I'm sure you are not surprised that it's a bunch of remixed Christmas tunes.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics are praised for their impressive blend of styles, particularly highlighting the awesome pixel art that enhances the overall visual experience.
- “The game is certainly a good mixture of both, plus the pixel art style is awesome as well.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story of the game is perceived as less complex and engaging compared to titles like Metal Gear Solid, with users noting that it leans more towards a casual arcade stealth experience rather than a narrative-driven puzzle game.
- “Having checked some videos of that game, it seems to share the idea, but Metal Gear Solid is a full-blown puzzle game with a story, while this is more like a casual arcade stealth game.”