See No Evil

About

See No Evil is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Noetic and was released on August 25, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

See No Evil is a dark, isometric puzzle game about sound manipulation. A harsh fantasy where the willingly blind are hostile to the nonconformist. Sometimes, the world seems darker with your eyes open.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 237 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Unique and innovative sound-based gameplay mechanic requiring stealth and puzzle-solving using auditory cues.
Atmospheric and immersive experience with haunting music, great sound design, and evocative art style reminiscent of dark fantasy and indie aesthetics.
Engaging and thought-provoking story with philosophical undertones delivered through cryptic journal entries and narration, creating a mood of tension and mystery.

Slow and sometimes tedious gameplay due to character's slow movement and pacing, which can frustrate players and detract from engagement.
Bugs and technical issues, notably broken or inconsistent achievements, occasional glitches like getting stuck or inconsistent interactions, and performance problems.
Lack of clear direction and minimal visual feedback make some puzzles feel overly difficult, cryptic, or repetitive, leading to frustration and reduced replayability.

gameplay
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
68%
7%
The gameplay in "See No Evil" is praised for its innovative, sound-based puzzle mechanics and immersive stealth elements, offering a unique and evocative experience that challenges traditional conventions. However, some players find it slow-paced, occasionally unbalanced, and hindered by control sensitivity and performance issues, which can detract from the overall engagement. Despite mixed execution, the gradual introduction of new mechanics and the integration of sound and perception are considered standout features.
- “One of the most original puzzle mechanics I've seen in years.”
- “Yet, when the mechanics click, the experience is immersive and rewarding, evoking a sense of vulnerability rarely achieved in puzzle games.”
- “Its controls are simple and responsive, allowing the focus to remain on environmental interaction and puzzle-solving rather than mechanical precision.”
- “From a gameplay perspective, your character is too slow, the field of view is too small, and many of the puzzles were tedious rather than engaging.”
- “It is an interesting concept and style but the mechanics and poor sensitivity of the controls make it completely unplayable in tight levels.”
- “In See No Evil, there are a small number of glaring mechanical problems.”
story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The story of the game is atmospheric and subtly told, creating a tense, thought-provoking narrative that complements its puzzle mechanics and themes of perception and ignorance. While some players found it intriguing and well-integrated with gameplay, others felt it was vague or insufficiently developed to drive progression. Overall, the story is appreciated for its artistic minimalism and emotional depth, though it may not satisfy those seeking a strongly narrative-driven experience.
- “The story unfolds in fragments, placing you in the role of a nameless protagonist who has defied a culture that literally blinds itself in pursuit of obedience.”
- “It is a meditation on perception and ignorance, expressed through minimalist storytelling and innovative sensory mechanics.”
- “An amazing game worth more than this price, an interesting and engaging puzzle game with a plot not too heavy handed or long but that says what it needs to and works well with the game.”
- “While the game itself was very good and puzzle-oriented, I honestly struggled to finish it because there wasn't anything driving me forward—no story I could really connect with.”
- “The story was nothing to write home about.”
- “A lot of the time using a simple graphical style with a mostly basic storyline and often reusing the same puzzles and mechanics.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
56%
8%
The graphics are characterized by a distinctive, minimalist, and hand-drawn art style often compared to Tim Burton’s aesthetic, which many users find stylish, eerie, and integral to the game's atmosphere. While not technologically advanced or visually complex, the unique and coherent artistic design effectively supports the game's themes and appeal. Some users note occasional performance issues and basic visuals, but the overall consensus praises the game's memorable and artistic visual presentation.
- “The graphics aren't high tech but the aesthetic is impeccable.”
- “Visually, the game adopts a minimalist aesthetic that aligns perfectly with its themes.”
- “The animation and art styles are unique and beautiful, and the puzzles are challenging but not rage quit inducing.”
- “I love the art style, but everything else feels like a letdown.”
- “A lot of the time using a simple graphical style, with a mostly basic storyline and more often than not, reusing the same puzzles and mechanics.”
- “The world and characters are presented in a generic but coherent comic art style.”
music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The music is generally praised for being hauntingly beautiful, fitting the game's atmosphere, and enhancing the overall experience with calming and dynamic tracks. However, some users find the sound design and certain sound effects unpleasant or grating, and note a lack of a DLC soundtrack. Overall, the soundtrack is a standout feature that complements the gameplay and story effectively.
- “The soundtrack and sound design elevate the entire experience.”
- “Beautiful, haunting music, clever game mechanics, challenging puzzles, thought provoking storyline.”
- “The puzzles are great and unique, the story is extremely compelling and the soundtrack is just amazing.”
- “The music and sound design choices are strange, questionable and, at times, uninspired.”
- “Each area has a different music track, which at times can get a little bit grating as it plays on a constant loop.”
- “The soundtrack and sound design are painful.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its thick, claustrophobic, and hauntingly beautiful mood, effectively combining sound, silence, and visual restraint to create an evocative, suspenseful experience. While some find the atmosphere unique and thought-provoking, others note repetitive gameplay slightly detracts from immersion. Overall, the art, sound design, and thematic depth elevate the atmosphere well beyond typical expectations for its scale.
- “Atmospheric storytelling at its finest.”
- “The balance of silence and sound becomes the heartbeat of the game, and when paired with the visual restraint, it creates an atmosphere that feels claustrophobic yet hauntingly beautiful.”
- “In the end, See No Evil is an evocative and thought-provoking game that succeeds through its atmosphere and concept rather than through scale or spectacle.”
- “The sounds on the other hand are similarly unremarkable but feature a form of reverberation that, together with the voice acting, creates a thick, oneiric atmosphere.”
- “Other than that I really can't think of much else to say. I guess the atmosphere is ok; I'm not getting the full benefit playing on a low-performance laptop though.”
- “It’s all made in 2D and the game itself has a somewhat dark atmosphere.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in this game is generally seen as tedious and repetitive, with slow character movement and a small field of view adding to the frustration. Many players find the need to repeatedly replay levels or puzzles discouraging, especially given the lack of guaranteed rewards and the slow pace compared to NPCs. Overall, the grinding aspect is considered a frustrating and time-consuming experience.
- “Avoid if you don't want to be farming these for hours and not be guaranteed to get them anyway.”
- “Unfortunately, the character animation for movement is very slow compared to the NPCs, and the game can get tedious as you retry over and over to defeat small sections with inept tools and odd AI.”
- “The puzzles can become very tedious, and the prospect of starting one over after making considerable progress does not appeal to me.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game skillfully balances scenes of loneliness, fear, and quiet rebellion with moments of genuine tension and emotional depth, creating a core experience centered on vulnerability and empowerment. While the voice acting is emotionally compelling, some players noted a lack of a satisfying "eureka!" moment, leaving certain emotional highs less impactful.
- “Every scene feels carefully composed to reinforce the emotional tone of the narrative—loneliness, fear, and quiet rebellion.”
- “Still, these moments of confusion are often offset by sequences that deliver genuine tension and emotional resonance.”
- “The interplay between vulnerability and empowerment—between being lost and finding your way—forms the emotional core of the game’s experience.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches like clipping and blocking that disrupt gameplay, and technical problems such as a non-functioning fullscreen mode and buggy achievements. These issues significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “See No Evil could have been a really fun puzzle game if it wasn't so buggy and broken.”
- “Clipping or blocking are regular glitches that interfere with the gameplay.”
- “There are also some technical problems, namely a non-functioning fullscreen mode and buggy achievements.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization is generally solid, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware without significant performance issues; however, some users still report occasional performance problems.
- “The optimization is solid, with no significant performance issues, and the game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware.”
- “The optimization is solid, with no significant performance issues, and the game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Replayability is enhanced by challenges and achievements that encourage skill improvement, though some players find the incentive limited and prefer exploring other games for more variety.
- “The challenges and achievements offer a fair amount of replayability as you improve on the skills you learned.”
- “Levels for more replayability; I would rather move on to other games as the incentive was only for achievements.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is highlighted by a cool and appealing design, particularly for the seer, which adds to the game's visual and thematic appeal.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely viewed as a cash grab, suggesting it prioritizes profit over player experience.
- “Cash grab.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is praised for being original and genuinely funny, adding a fresh and enjoyable touch to the experience.