Shattered Haven

About

Shattered Haven is a single player and multiplayer survival action adventure game. It was developed by Arcen Games and was released on March 18, 2013. It received negative reviews from players.

Grays roam the land, largely in the absence of human interference. These aren't your typical Zed -- theirs is a very different sort of apocalypse. Animals spontaneously transform into twisted, violent beings. The earth decays, collapsing into a network of abysses. The wilderness thickens.It has been nine years since That Day when it all started. Pockets of humanity still exist, but are ignoran…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

30%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

story5 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of puzzle-solving and zombie survival mechanics, providing a different take on the genre.
The atmosphere and music are engaging, contributing to a creepy and immersive experience.
There are interesting item interactions and a variety of levels that can be satisfying to complete.

The controls are difficult to understand and the UI is poorly designed, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
The story is generic and poorly executed, with weak writing and voice acting that detracts from the overall experience.
Many players found the game to be buggy and lacking polish, with issues such as unclear objectives and repetitive gameplay.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
73%
12%
The game's story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players must protect their family from zombies while solving puzzles, but it is often criticized for being generic and lacking depth. While some players find the narrative engaging and atmospheric, particularly praising the music and character arcs, many others feel it is rushed, disjointed, and fails to provide clear objectives. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with some appreciating its potential and emotional elements, while others find it forgettable and poorly executed.
- “The story follows Mary and Darrel as they flee from their once safe haven in search of their lost children.”
- “What makes this game really stand out is its story and musical score, again composed or remastered by the intrepid Pablo Vega.”
- “All the overworld areas are bound together by the tale of Darrel and Mary and their quest to recover their four-year-old daughter Lela, whom they raised in the midst of the gray apocalypse, along with the boy Pierce, whom they took in after he lost his family in the wilds, while being caught up in the struggle of two eldritch horrors.”
- “The story is some hackneyed garbage about losing your home and super zombies, and definitely wasn't enough to keep me playing.”
- “The story is ridiculously rushed.”
- “However, the story is a little generic, but better than nothing, as well as the gameplay is a sort of top-down shooter-ish type of game but also a bit generic, as well as quests are more or less generic.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
61%
22%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro aesthetic and creepy atmosphere, while others criticize the poor UI, tiny gameplay area, and technical issues like glitches and lack of scaling. Although there are moments of pleasant visuals, the overall execution is marred by a disjointed art style and basic graphics that detract from the experience. Many users express a desire for significant improvements in the graphical presentation and interface to enhance gameplay.
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and graphical style; although there are some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “The graphics are okay for a 2D game; the music is pretty good but can be jarring at times when it switches style all of a sudden.”
- “The puzzles are great; I like the art style and the music is just awesome.”
- “Technically, there's support for 4K graphics, but there's no UI scaling, so you end up looking at a tiny postage stamp in the middle of your screen.”
- “The catch is that this time, the aesthetic limitations and questionable design don't really carry the game.”
- “There is potentially a phenomenal story in there, but the control scheme, lack of in-game information (or perhaps lack of clarity), and pre-8-bit graphics let it down badly - to the point that, after a mere 45 minutes, I find myself not caring about the plot and just quitting without saving.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and nostalgic elements, while others find it generic, frustrating, or buggy. Many noted that the onboarding process is lacking, which can hinder player engagement, and the overall experience feels rushed or incomplete. Despite these criticisms, some players enjoyed the innovative aspects and the combination of different gameplay styles, suggesting potential for a more expansive version in the future.
- “The story is engaging, the music is incredible, the gameplay is nostalgic and innovative.”
- “A really fun game that mixes Zelda-like overworld gameplay (and I am speaking of Zelda I & III here, folks!) with up to 100 levels filled to the brim with environmental puzzles accessed from there.”
- “Each of their titles is a unique mashup of incongruous mechanics and off-kilter storylines that, if nothing else, makes for a truly singular experience.”
- “I love a lot of Arcen's games conceptually, but they tend to be hit or miss gameplay-wise, and this one was a miss for me.”
- “Many of the gameplay systems have the glimmer of inner depth, but the limited onboarding and player direction will frustrate many players before seeing anything under the surface.”
- “A poor gameplay decision at best, since the RNG is as likely to kill you as the enemies you need it to kill, and if you die, the whole thing resets.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise the soundtrack as incredible and atmospheric, particularly highlighting the work of composer Pablo Vega, others note issues with abrupt style changes and lag during music loops that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point that enhances the story and atmosphere, despite some technical drawbacks.
- “The music is incredible, the gameplay is nostalgic and innovative.”
- “What makes this game really stand out is its story and musical score, again composed or remastered by the intrepid Pablo Vega.”
- “The soundtrack might well be one of the best yet produced by Pablo Vega and does an awesome job of creating an engaging atmosphere and setting the scene for the story.”
- “The way too basic art style and soothing music couldn't keep me playing longer than 5 minutes.”
- “Some tracks were apparently not done by Pablo, their regular soundtrack composer.”
- “All in all, not a game I would recommend to anyone, even fans of puzzles or zombie games, since the controls are too floaty to function well and the game has a tendency to spike lag every time the music loops, even on high-end systems, which can result in killing you because your character suddenly jumps 2 or 3 tiles in the last direction you were holding instead of stopping.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unsettling horror elements, effectively creating a sense of unease throughout the experience. The combination of a well-paced story, an exceptional soundtrack by Pablo Vega, and impactful voice acting contributes significantly to the immersive atmosphere, enhanced further by comic panel-based and in-engine cutscenes.
- “So if there is anything I liked about it, it's the strange atmosphere of horror; it managed to make me feel uneasy.”
- “The story is good and unfolds at a reasonable pace, and it's very atmospheric.”
- “The soundtrack might well be one of the best yet produced by Pablo Vega and does an awesome job of creating an engaging atmosphere and setting the scene for the story, which is told through a large number of comic panel-based cutscenes, some of which feature brilliant voice acting by Prince Taylor (it is ridiculous how much atmosphere is created alone by his impersonation of Darrel) and loads of in-engine cutscenes.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's stability is marred by occasional graphical glitches and buggy AI, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. While the graphics are generally pleasant, the repetitive nature of the game further detracts from its overall stability and enjoyment.
- “However, the repetitive nature and buggy AI made it infuriating to play at times.”
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and graphical style, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from the amusing antics and dialogue of the child characters, which adds a lighthearted and entertaining element to the overall experience.