Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 696 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story Game Cover
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"Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story" is a 2.5D horror adventure game set in a futuristic, dystopian Hong Kong. Play as Mei-Lin Mak, a young woman who moves into a haunted apartment complex known as the Neo-Chinatown Royale. Uncover the eerie secrets of the building and its ghostly inhabitants using your wits, Mei-Lin's smartphone, and her unique psychic abilities. Immerse yourself in a thrilling supernatural mystery with a distinctive cyberpunk aesthetic.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 696 reviews
story126 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of cyberpunk and horror elements, creating an intriguing atmosphere.
  • The art style is visually appealing, with well-designed characters and environments that enhance the overall experience.
  • The story incorporates elements of Cantonese folklore, adding depth and cultural richness to the narrative.
  • The gameplay suffers from excessive backtracking and the inability to pick up items until the character is aware of their importance, leading to frustration.
  • The combat mechanics are clunky and not well-developed, making encounters feel less engaging.
  • Some players may find the puzzles to be overly simplistic or tedious, lacking the challenge expected from the genre.
  • story386 mentions

    The story of "Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it intriguing and engaging, particularly due to its unique blend of cyberpunk and ghostly elements rooted in Cantonese folklore. However, many reviews highlight issues with clarity and coherence, noting that the narrative can be confusing and at times feels disconnected from its cyberpunk setting. Overall, while the game offers a compelling atmosphere and interesting lore, it struggles with execution, leaving some players wanting a more cohesive and impactful story experience.

    • “A fun horror/cyberpunk mystery that had a really great story and isn't too hard to get through at all.”
    • “For a game to make you miss your bedtime because you're so caught up in the story is a major win.”
    • “The story of Sense also brings a very interesting journey which was very much worth the ride and I would recommend highly for most to experience even if they would not normally be interested in games labeled as horror.”
    • “The writing does not sell the story.”
    • “The story is muddy and obtuse: I found myself getting confused several times due to similar names; also, it wasn't until about halfway into the game that I realized 'Seattle' had been renamed 'Neo Hong Kong' which was not touched on in any of the game's copious journal information, that made a number of things deeply confusing.”
    • “The twist at the end didn't make a lot of sense with the structure of the story that was told because we were never given the knowledge of what exactly the main foe was capable of.”
  • graphics188 mentions

    The game's graphics have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style that blends anime and cyberpunk aesthetics, creating an atmospheric experience. While some players appreciate the beautiful character designs and detailed environments, others criticize the animations as stiff and the overall execution as reminiscent of early 2000s indie games. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point, though they may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking more modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The visuals are beautiful, and the use of 3D models in the environment is super neat.”
    • “The graphics are excellent with some attractive character models and beautiful still shots of shocking monsters.”
    • “The low poly art style is beautifully executed and enhances the experience, and the attention to detail in the manga cut scenes is excellent.”
    • “The game looked awful at default graphics settings; when using max, the clunky animations were immediately noticeable.”
    • “Graphics are atrocious and designed by a 10-year-old boy.”
    • “You undoubtedly noticed from screenshots that this game has an anime-inspired art style (and anime-inspired boob sizes), which looks great from a distance but noticeably has heavy artifacting in close-ups that are thankfully mostly limited to the cityscape at the start of the game.”
  • gameplay148 mentions

    Gameplay is primarily focused on exploration and puzzle-solving, reminiscent of classic point-and-click survival horror games, but it suffers from janky mechanics and a lack of depth in its combat and interactive elements. While the atmosphere and storytelling are praised, many players find the gameplay to be overly linear, repetitive, and at times frustrating due to bugs and unclear mechanics. Overall, it appeals to fans of retro horror games but may leave others wanting more in terms of gameplay variety and polish.

    • “Gameplay involves searching the map for items to solve puzzles, but because you control movement with a joystick and not a cursor, the developers made it so every interactive item reveals itself as you come close.”
    • “The core gameplay is still solid if you're a Clock Tower fan; the puzzles are neat, and I enjoyed learning about the ghosts' pasts so I can exorcise them properly.”
    • “The heavy use of Taoist exorcism, the gameplay style, the old-fashioned furniture and aesthetics, and the general tone of the game all made the game incredibly enjoyable for me.”
    • “It definitely has some rough edges, though: gameplay is very janky, and sometimes parts of the game don't trigger correctly, forcing you to go back to an earlier save to try again.”
    • “The game's biggest flaw is that it introduces neat mechanics but never really does anything with them.”
    • “The point-and-click gameplay is frankly boring and unnecessarily repetitive.”
  • atmosphere90 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, effectively blending beautiful visuals with ambient sounds to create a tense experience. Reviewers appreciate the absence of cheap jump scares, instead highlighting the game's ability to evoke genuine fear through its design and storytelling, particularly with its incorporation of cultural themes. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's narrative and engaging players throughout their experience.

    • “The art, the music, the atmosphere, the design of the plot, you can feel the dedication in any aspect of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere was genuinely good and I was sincerely scared at some points; I thought the game was going to do cheap jump scares but it didn't, and that's really impressive for an indie game.”
    • “Let's start with the good, it's a horror adventure game set in a cyberpunk world which is by itself a pretty neat concept. The game looks beautiful and stylish and has a creepy atmosphere; it also does a good job in delivering a creepy experience without relying on jump scares.”
    • “The blighted apartment building from the game is made sufficiently creepy and empty, if a bit too spacious a few times, but once you adjust to the atmosphere, it doesn't hold horror on its own.”
    • “I really enjoyed how unique of an experience this was and the atmosphere; it's a shame that there were too many small problems with playing it to make it a solid recommendation.”
    • “Awesome game, I didn't think a 2D game would be scary yet I have to play this in short bursts as I cannot handle the atmosphere; I get too scared basically.”
  • music66 mentions

    The music in the game is described as minimal yet effective, enhancing the atmosphere and immersion, particularly in horror settings. While some tracks are praised for their haunting quality and fitting the cyberpunk theme, others are noted as lacking in frequency and variety, leading to moments of silence that detract from the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, though its limited use may leave some players wanting more.

    • “The music is haunting and engrosses you into the story.”
    • “Music does a great job in setting the immersion and atmosphere.”
    • “The few music tracks fit the cyberpunk setting of the game with subtle synth riffs drawn out to maintain the horror atmosphere.”
    • “Music is almost non-existent, the story is somewhat confusing and tangled, and what little voicelines there are are far too quiet.”
    • “The soundtrack is neat and it fits the vibe of a futuristic Chinese city, but it doesn't suit a horror game and did very little for the environment when it was on.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game, but it is just not good, the animation feels weird, the music is not that good, the narrative is really 'meh', there are a lot of things that make it a mediocre game... it is just sad, as it feels like it only required more polish in every department (maybe the art is the most okay thing in the game).”
  • character development34 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed feedback, with many praising the stylish and unique character designs that align well with the cyberpunk aesthetic. However, some players expressed disappointment, feeling misled by the initial futuristic themes that quickly shifted to a less appealing setting. Overall, while the character designs are often highlighted as a strong point, the depth of character development appears to be less emphasized.

    • “Character designs are great.”
    • “Every aspect of the game is dripping with style in its art direction, from the sets to the character design.”
    • “First and foremost the art is awesome, especially the character designs and the environment I found suitably spooky.”
    • “I bought this game out of spite, because several fans were very vocal about their distaste for the character designs.”
    • “Baited into thinking this would indeed be a game with cyberpunk aesthetics and character designs with some futuristic themes like in the prologue only to find out that just the first 10 minutes of the game are like that and everything else is inside an abandoned building stuck with 1940's technology.”
    • “Seriously, the character design is a bit of a hormonal mess.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    Many players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to excessive backtracking and the cumbersome mechanics of item collection and puzzle-solving. While some appreciate the story enough to push through these frustrations, the repetitive nature of gameplay and the need to revisit previously explored areas detract from the overall experience. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, making the game feel laborious at times.

    • “Even that isn’t my main reason for leaving a negative review though, the fact is that it’s also extremely tedious to play; it’s going for the Resident Evil ‘collect objects, use them in puzzles around the map’ thing… except they’ve opted for two things that just ruin the fun.”
    • “There is a little bit of backtracking that some people may find tedious; for example, 'items that you have examined earlier only become available for pickup once the puzzle they are required for has been discovered,' meaning you'll be revisiting earlier areas to grab stuff you may have already examined.”
    • “Since you hardly use the mouse at all (except for menus and the PDA), having to use the mouse every time a choice prompt pops up instead of cycling through options with 'Q' and hitting 'E' to confirm can get tedious.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The stability of "Sense - 不祥的预感: a cyberpunk ghost story" is generally criticized for being buggy and janky, with frequent visual and audio glitches that disrupt immersion. While some players reported not encountering significant issues, others noted that the game's mechanics and puzzles can feel outdated and frustrating, suggesting that it may benefit from further patches to improve overall stability.

    • “Sense - 不祥的预感: a cyberpunk ghost story is a buggy mess in a weird way.”
    • “It's a bit buggy in places, it's got a bit of jank to it. Some of the game puzzle logic is straight out of the old point-and-click adventure games where you had to dig into a guide somewhere to figure out what the answer was, only to find out the person who wrote the guide isn't sure how they figured out the answer either. It somewhat looks like it could have come out in 2000.”
    • “It was frequently buggy (not game-breaking, but having certain visual assets or music carrying over where it was not required kind of breaks immersion). I also got really tired of running around the same pathway six times.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability through features like new game+ (NG+), collectible costumes, and hidden photo opportunities, which encourage exploration and experimentation. However, some players feel that the requirement to complete the game three times for the true ending is excessive and detracts from overall replay value. While NG+ and NG++ provide additional content, the necessity of multiple playthroughs may limit the game's appeal for some players.

    • “Yeah, this game is fantastic and the replayability is very high.”
    • “Great self-contained story with replay value built in.”
    • “There are hidden photo-ops to seek out and collect, as well as unlockable costumes for the cosplay section of your inventory menu. There is also new game+, which contains some collectibles that can't be accessed in your first playthrough, giving the game some limited replayability, as well as new game++, which I haven't beaten yet, but I believe contains a secret ending.”
    • “There are hidden photo-ops to seek out and collect, as well as unlockable costumes for the cosplay section of your inventory menu. Most of which show off the features of our main character. There is also New Game+, which contains some collectibles that can't be accessed in your first playthrough, giving the game some limited replayability, as well as New Game++, which I haven't beaten yet, but I believe contains a secret ending.”
    • “It's not without blemishes as expected from a small team, but based on its playtime and replayability, it is worth the price on sale (I got it for $15).”
    • “I'd also like to note that I consider my progress without whatever extra time or value New Game+ or New Game++ adds, which could well extend replay value extensively.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring well-delivered lines alongside some that fall flat, with standout moments like the holo-stripper and clever cyberpunk twists on classic horror themes. While the game includes amusing commentary and engaging NPC interactions, it suffers from cultural references that may alienate players unfamiliar with certain horror tropes, suggesting a need for better contextualization. Overall, the humor is hit-or-miss but contributes to the game's unique charm.

    • “The holo-stripper at the start is hilarious.”
    • “+ The commentary in the game (about topics in the game) is funny, and the interactions with NPCs are well-written.”
    • “It's really funny with its skippable scenes; some you can skip, others you can't.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players feeling frustrated by the lack of freedom in gameplay, which detracts from their overall experience. Additionally, there is a sense of respect for publishers who resist censorship, indicating a desire for creative integrity in the face of external pressures.

  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has sparked controversy, with some users suggesting that the developers exaggerated the backlash against the game's provocative art style to generate free publicity. Despite the criticism, others commend the developers for their commitment to their vision and product.

  • optimization2 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with users expressing concerns about performance issues and the need for improvements. Overall, players feel that the game could benefit from better optimization to enhance the overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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