Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 305 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • atmosphere
Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity Game Cover
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"Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity" is a survival-horror game set in an alternative 1897 Britannia, where you must investigate a manor shrouded in a disturbing fog. Armed with an Iaito cane and hand canon, you'll uncover the manor's secrets and confront its violent inhabitants whose madness stems from a cosmic awareness. Your sanity will be tested as you unravel the truth behind the fog in this first installment of the Skautfold series.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 305 reviews
gameplay39 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • The game features a great atmosphere and intriguing lore, drawing players into its Lovecraftian world.
  • Combat mechanics are engaging, with a satisfying parry and riposte system that rewards skillful play.
  • The pixel art style is visually appealing, and the game offers a unique take on the Souls-like genre.
  • The game suffers from a lack of polish, with numerous bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay.
  • Enemy variety is limited, leading to repetitive encounters and a feeling of sameness throughout the game.
  • The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, making combat frustrating rather than enjoyable.
  • gameplay127 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its challenging mechanics reminiscent of souls-like titles, particularly Bloodborne. While some appreciate the unique sanity mechanic and the overall atmosphere, others criticize the janky combat, limited enemy variety, and unclear tutorials that can hinder the experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as solid but requires patience to master, with a rewarding exploration and combat system that may appeal to fans of the genre.

    • “Fun little metroidvania, comes with multiple endings, hidden mechanics, and an optional boss as well.”
    • “The gameplay is great, simple to learn, difficult to master, though if you're a veteran of souls-likes, then you'll likely have a much easier time with it.”
    • “The atmosphere is sufficiently creepy and unsettling, and the gameplay is challenging but fair.”
    • “I just can't give this game a positive review; the atmosphere is great, but there are only about five different enemies for the whole game, and the mechanics of each of these fights are janky and unpolished.”
    • “Sadly, the gameplay, the utter clusterfuck of a tutorial, and the general lack of purpose made it very hard to get excited.”
    • “The combat's wonky, it's confusing to navigate, and some of the mechanics are more opaque than I'd like.”
  • story97 mentions

    The game's story is praised for its intriguing worldbuilding and dark, Lovecraftian themes, with many players appreciating the depth and complexity that unfolds through exploration and environmental storytelling. While some find the narrative minimalist, it effectively engages players who take the time to uncover lore and details scattered throughout the game. Overall, the story is seen as a compelling aspect that enhances the gameplay experience, despite some critiques regarding its execution and character development.

    • “The story is minimalist but still interesting, with a lot of little hints at the lore as you explore.”
    • “The plot is wonderful, the lore being progressively revealed by strange characters the protagonist will come across in her quest, as well as nuanced by examining various objects and points of interest throughout the environment, classic souls style.”
    • “The story is deep and meaningful, the gameplay easy to learn and not so tough to master, and the setting both terrifying and alluring, just like the eldritch horrors you will face while exploring it.”
    • “The storytelling potential in games is often key to me, even over gameplay, and the developer shows no interest in constructing an interesting world with this game.”
    • “The controls are downright atrocious and the story/world wasn't engaging enough to keep me entertained over the many deaths I experienced.”
    • “The setting seems interesting, but you are thrown into it very quickly, in a way that seems forced rather than for the purposes of the story.”
  • atmosphere75 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, often drawing comparisons to Lovecraftian themes and gothic aesthetics. Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound, art style, and environmental design to create a tense and intriguing experience, although some note that certain areas can feel repetitive. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances the gameplay and storytelling.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic.”
    • “The game also oozes atmosphere and has lots of disturbing little touches that are genuinely unsettling, like the myriad bags filled with most likely bodies that writhe and moan.”
    • “The artist has worked meticulously in order to convey the oppressive and mysterious atmosphere of the setting, having constructed a darkly ornate mansion and lonely, surrounding garden that will suck you in immediately.”
    • “The atmosphere is so shoved on to you that it becomes oppressive and not in a good way.”
    • “The atmosphere is dreary, dark, and adds a bit of fear of the unknown as you travel.”
    • “The level design, in my opinion, is extremely nice, it feels real, and it creates a dark moody atmosphere, with its bloodstained walls, and the harrowed cries of the mad, waiting around the corner to get you.”
  • graphics72 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful pixel art and cohesive aesthetics that evoke a creepy atmosphere reminiscent of titles like Bloodborne. While some players appreciate the detailed artwork and atmospheric design, others criticize the low resolution and lack of polish, noting that the visuals sometimes struggle to compensate for clunky gameplay. Overall, the game's art style is seen as a strong point, particularly for fans of pixel graphics, despite some technical limitations.

    • “The visuals are very pretty and cohesive with a good amount of detail.”
    • “Beautiful pixel graphics and a lot of heart more than make up for a slightly clumsy game.”
    • “The graphics are great, the environment is detailed, the plot (especially in how it connects to the sequel, Usurper), while mostly hidden away, is interesting and the atmosphere is superb.”
    • “Serviceable graphics but not stellar.”
    • “It has a decent atmosphere, although the graphics were a bit muddy (due in large part to the fog which reminded me of the Sega Saturn and how it tried to do transparency).”
    • “Graphics lack polish but they get the job done.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and fitting compositions that enhance the overall experience, particularly during boss fights. However, some players find the soundtrack to be lacking or forgettable, noting a desire for more ambient sounds and music throughout the game. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, its subtlety and occasional blandness leave room for improvement.

    • “Great atmosphere, music, enemies, sound effects.”
    • “The atmosphere is perfect and the music is unsettling in a good way.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing; I am a fan of this type of music and I listen to it while working because it's quite relaxing and nice to listen to.”
    • “Overall the music around the mansion is kinda bland, and while there is no music outside of boss arenas in Souls games too (for the most part), there are a lot of ambient building sounds all over the place. The same can't be said here, so I guess you can rock your favorite playlist during exploration.”
    • “The music is forgettable.”
    • “There isn't any music besides a few weak boss tunes.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through multiple endings, achievements, and the option to play as defeated bosses, encouraging players to explore different paths and experiences. With a playtime of 3-4 hours for the first run, players often find themselves returning to uncover missed content and engage with its intriguing mechanics and narrative. Overall, the combination of fun combat and a rich world enhances its replay value, leaving players eager for more.

    • “The game also has several endings giving it replay value, and I plan to do more runs in the future to get them all.”
    • “The game is around 3-4 hours long for the first playthrough with some replayability for achievements and New Game+.”
    • “With multiple endings and the ability to play as the bosses once you've defeated them (requires a new save though), there is also quite a bit of replayability.”
    • “It has enough length and replayability to keep things interesting, and it is short enough that once you have completed it all, it leaves you feeling accomplished and yearning for more from the world.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while initial runs are engaging and the option for easy grinding exists, it can lead to a lack of incentive to explore deeper mechanics. Combat can become tedious due to repetitive enemy encounters, and the currency gained from grinding does not significantly enhance player strength, making the grind feel less rewarding. Overall, while some achievements may require extensive grinding, the game can be completed in a relatively short time.

    • “The RPG mechanics feel a bit tacked on after it's all said and done, and the availability of easy grinding means there might be little incentive for hard-pressed players to make an effort to really dig into their options instead of getting enough weapon power to sprint attack through everything, but none of it is necessary.”
    • “Combat isn't too bad, but fighting the same enemies over and over gets really tedious when you still have to be cautious because they'll do a ton of damage if you get careless.”
    • “There doesn't seem to be much use for the currency that you gain from enemies (it's not used to increase stats), so you won't be getting any stronger through grinding.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing frequent crashes and freezes, leading to requests for refunds. While there are reports of minor glitches and bugs, others find the overall gameplay enjoyable despite these issues, suggesting that the game feels more like an unfinished product.

    • “My game continues to crash on my computer for no reason, and at other times it loads but it freezes. I want a refund on the game.”
    • “The game is fairly buggy.”
    • “It's a fantastically fun game, but it has a few glitches here and there, crashes, and extreme balancing issues.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally solid, achieving a consistent 60 fps with responsive controls, earning a performance rating of 7 out of 10. However, some users express disappointment with the resolution, indicating that it feels unoptimized despite the smooth gameplay experience.

    • “Runs smoothly at a constant 60 FPS; controls are fluent and very responsive, especially for those of us who have held a controller for the last 15 years as gamers.”
    • “He's currently working on another project right now, and after the performance of this one, I'm going to be anticipating great things from this guy.”
    • “Performance: 7 out of 10.”
    • “Kinda disappointed since the resolution is so, let's say, unoptimized.”
    • “Performance 7 out of 10.”
    • “He's currently working on another right now, and after the performance of this one, I'm going to be anticipating great things from this guy.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is appreciated for its lighthearted moments, such as clever nods to other games like Amnesia and the amusing frustration of encountering hidden spikes. Players find the comedic elements enhance the experience, particularly during chaotic endgame scenarios.

    • “It even has a funny little nod to amnesia at one point, which made me smile.”
    • “Which leads to some hilarious endgame hijinks of barrelling straight into the same enemy's most powerful attack.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is generally well-received, with characters being described as interesting, enjoyable, and well-written, though some reviewers note a lack of depth. The character designs are praised, while the set designs face criticism for inconsistent texture resolutions.

    • “Although there is not a lot of space for some deep character development, I find them nicely written. They are interesting, enjoyable, and likable (even hateable - good thing)!”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from improved advertising techniques, as they believe the game has strong appeal to its target audience.

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

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