Shutter
- February 13, 2015
- DocLogic
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Shutter" is a single-player Horror Adventure game that offers an intriguing story with excellent game mechanics and a dense atmosphere. The game contains flashing lights and is developed by Cosmic Logic Inc. For more information, visit their website, social media channels, or contact them at [email protected].
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique concept of controlling a drone in a horror setting, which adds an interesting twist to the gameplay.
- The atmosphere is well-crafted, with effective sound design and some genuinely creepy moments that enhance the horror experience.
- Despite its short length, the game provides an engaging narrative that keeps players invested in uncovering the mystery of the haunted cabin.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with the camera and controls that can disrupt gameplay.
- Graphics are subpar, often resembling low-effort assets that detract from the overall immersion and quality of the game.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with some puzzles being overly simplistic and the overall experience being quite short.
- story70 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game "Shutter" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it to be a standard horror narrative that unfolds through scattered notes, which can be confusing and lack depth. While some appreciate the atmospheric build-up and emotional moments, others criticize the predictability and lack of originality, particularly in the ending. Overall, the game offers an intriguing premise with a unique gameplay mechanic, but the storytelling leaves much to be desired, often feeling shallow and poorly executed.
“This game was fantastic, bringing me near to tears with the heart-wrenching and suspenseful story.”
“The story is interesting and the drone handling goes pretty well.”
“Shutter was an enjoyable experience overall, its story was interesting enough to keep the game going for its 1 hour length and the places I explored and things I've met were appropriately creepy.”
“The story of Shutter is pretty basic horror stuff.”
“The story is told through letters you find scattered around, but it can be a bit confusing to follow.”
“There is no real story beyond a few base tropes mashed together with a token effort, and if you're even paying attention to the notes, you see it all coming ahead of time.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Shutter" features a unique drone mechanic that allows players to explore a haunted environment and capture paranormal activity through fixed camera angles, reminiscent of classic survival horror games. While the concept is praised for its creativity and atmosphere, many players report significant glitches, particularly with the camera functionality, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its short runtime and some repetitive elements, the game offers a fresh take on horror gameplay, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“With its novel gameplay, decent writing, and short runtime, Shutter is definitely worth your attention.”
“The gameplay is unique, and I think the atmosphere was really nice too.”
“Core haunted house gameplay of wandering a haunted house taking photos of any paranormal activity and solving puzzles, except you're controlling a drone for the most significant portion of the game.”
“The game is also very glitchy, with a glitch that ruins the in-game camera, which is the main mechanic.”
“A huge, huge reason I give the gameplay such a low score is that taking pictures is a huge part of the game, and half the time the camera bugs out, so you can't see what you took a picture of, requiring a restart of the level.”
“The sense of urgency or threat is diminished greatly due to the viewpoint being that of a drone, and the gameplay boils down to taking photographs of notes conveniently taped to random places in the house while the doors open and shut at random to funnel you in arbitrary routes.”
- atmosphere36 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its eerie and chilling qualities, effectively creating tension and immersion despite some criticisms regarding graphics and sound effects. While it may not be overtly scary, the unique camera mechanics and storytelling through notes contribute to a compelling ambiance that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game successfully establishes a haunting atmosphere that resonates well with fans of the horror genre.
“The atmosphere is nicely done, and all the different camera angles add a lot to the tension, especially the drone's POV camera.”
“The idea of controlling a small remote control camera system is quite novel and adds to the eerie atmosphere of this spooky game.”
“It's surprisingly effective - I got chills a couple of times, and while there were a couple of jump scares, it's the build of the story and the events that work to keep the atmosphere right.”
“If I had to give the best example, imagine exploring what feels like a plastic dollhouse; everything just looks rough around the edges and very cheap, which lessens the atmosphere of the game.”
“Couldn't even trigger the events 20% of the time, strange angles were needed, there were a few game-breaking bugs (sound repeats but doesn't show a certain item in a certain location at one point, had to reboot) and on top of that, no atmosphere - completely lacked it.”
“The atmosphere was creepy, but I think the game would have benefited from less jump scares and more atmospheric development to induce fear.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players describing them as subpar or primitive, often comparing them unfavorably to older titles. While some appreciate the atmosphere and find the visuals competent enough for a horror experience, others criticize the graphical quality as a significant drawback, noting issues like bugs and dated design. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may not impress, they do not entirely detract from the game's entertainment value.
“It combines the sensations of immense horror jumpscares, tremendous creep factor, with fine, ultra-realistic graphics.”
“So far this game is really really cool, the graphics and how the story unfolds is really well done, the jump scares actually do spook you.”
“The graphics aren't very impressive but I feel the particle effects are very well done.”
“The worst graphics I have ever seen; Warcraft 3 has better graphics. You can't adjust any volume settings, but the idea of the game is cool.”
“Graphics-wise, the game is a bit rough around the edges - in-game menus are particularly ugly. Still, Shutter has a good entertainment value for a couple of hours, especially if you are interested in something different than the AAA games out there.”
“Overall unremarkable graphics: before you get the HD camera upgrade, the first-person view is so badly pixelated that I thought it was a bug.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Many players express frustration over the need to restart the game due to graphical issues, indicating a lack of polish and stability. Overall, the game's current state is seen as problematic, impacting its potential enjoyment.
“The developers even left a note in the game: 'Please restart in case your graphics are getting buggy.'”
“This game won't work; it is extremely buggy.”
“The game suffers from annoying bugs and glitches.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and effectiveness, with the piano pieces creating a relaxing atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack complements the game's themes well, contributing significantly to its emotional impact.
“That piano music is nothing short of beautiful...”
“The music is perfectly done, and really adds to the overall feeling of the game.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“The voice acting on the ghost and atmospheric music is also very effective.”
“Music: n/a”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, with a heart-wrenching story that resonates strongly with players, often leading to tears by the end. However, some players feel a disconnect with the main character, a robotic entity, which diminishes the emotional stakes and fear until the final chapter.
“This game was fantastic, bringing me near to tears with the heart-wrenching and suspenseful story.”
“By the end of the game, I went through six boxes of tissues with the amount I cried at that tear-jerking, heart-breaking ending.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its comedic elements, with players finding it amusing and entertaining, particularly in its character designs and situations. One user specifically highlights the blend of humor and horror, making it an appealing choice for those seeking a lighthearted yet spooky experience.
“Funny, he actually looks like Barry from Resident Evil.”
“I was looking for a funny and scary game to get for a little amount of money.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability due to its fixed scares and objectives, leading players to quickly discover that using photo mode is the most effective way to progress. As a result, the experience can become repetitive and lacks incentives for multiple playthroughs.
“The scares and objectives are fixed, leaving no replayability. You'll quickly learn to just hold the space bar for photo mode since it provides the best camera view, and taking photos is how you progress anyway.”
“It also has very little replayability.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be enjoyable and engaging, with many noting that it remains fun and does not become tedious over time.
