Sleep Paralysis: The Uncanny Valley
- December 14, 2022
- Limited Insight Studios
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Sleep Paralysis: The Uncanny Valley" is a narrative-driven game where you help Thomas, a character suffering from sleep paralysis, tries to find a cure. Experience the trauma that has haunted Thomas through different chapters, with each one focusing on a different source of fear. Your decisions and progression through puzzles will impact the story's outcome, with the threat of losing your mind always present. The game also includes a unique P.T. Loop and offers a narrated story.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a masterfully crafted atmosphere and visually appealing environments that enhance the horror experience.
- The voice acting and storytelling are top tier, effectively immersing players in the narrative and psychological themes.
- It offers good scares and tension-building moments, making it a solid choice for fans of the horror genre.
- Gameplay can be repetitive and lacks engaging puzzles, leading to boredom during certain sections.
- There are technical issues, such as getting stuck in the inventory and some mechanics not functioning as intended.
- The game is short, with a playtime of around 2 hours, which may leave players wanting more content.
- story10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's narrative is the central focus, featuring a well-crafted atmosphere and environments that enhance the storytelling experience. While the psychological depth of the story is praised, some elements feel random or disconnected, and the pacing can be slow initially. Overall, the story is engaging, supported by effective voice acting and emotional music, though some players find it occasionally cheesy and lacking in gameplay interest.
“The atmosphere is masterfully crafted, the environments are built with extreme care, and the assets, albeit purchased, are perfectly integrated with the story and the context.”
“But besides these technical points, what truly stands out in this game is the thorough psychological research behind the events told in the story.”
“The gameplay is very simple, because everything in the game is completely focused on narrative and storytelling.”
“And finally, some things appeared completely random to me, and even unrelated to the story (what is the deal with that creepy girl?).”
“Unfortunately, the latter is not part of this story.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Sleep Paralysis is primarily a narrative-driven experience, focusing on atmosphere and psychological horror rather than traditional mechanics like survival or puzzles. While some mechanics are flawed and feedback on player actions is minimal, these issues do not significantly hinder the overall experience, allowing players to complete the game without major problems. The game offers around two hours of smooth gameplay with impressive visuals and effective jump scares, despite some criticisms regarding the emotional music and lack of engaging story elements.
“However, all these flaws, albeit important, are not detrimental to the gameplay; you can perfectly finish the game without problems.”
“Sleep paralysis is best described as a walking simulator that heavily focuses on atmosphere and psychological horror, rather than on survival or puzzle mechanics.”
“The gameplay is very simple, because everything in the game is completely focused on narrative and storytelling.”
“Some of the mechanics do not work (for example, I couldn't slide down the screen of [spoiler] Alice's phone [/spoiler]), and you are given very little feedback on your actions; you never know if you triggered something or not.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Sleep Paralysis is praised for its masterful crafting and integration with the story, creating a strong psychological horror experience. However, some users find the environments bland and uninspired, lacking the depth and intrigue expected from a horror setting.
“Sleep Paralysis is best described as a walking simulator that heavily focuses on atmosphere and psychological horror, rather than on survival or puzzle mechanics.”
“The atmosphere is masterfully crafted, the environments are built with extreme care, and the assets, albeit purchased, are perfectly integrated with the story and the context.”
“The environments are bland and uninspired; I don't mind old school, but there really isn't any horror atmosphere here. Basic warehouse, basic little house, basic 'backrooms' level, etc. Nothing interesting to look at.”
“Sleep paralysis is best described as a walking simulator that heavily focuses on atmosphere and psychological horror, rather than on survival or puzzle mechanics.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its ability to create a mysterious atmosphere, akin to that of a modern horror film. However, some players find it overly emotional and cheesy, especially when paired with a lackluster gameplay and story experience.
“The music is truly awesome; it perfectly sets the mysterious mood, to the point that I honestly felt I was watching a modern horror movie!”
“The music in this game is incredibly dull and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
“The audio design feels outdated, and the music doesn't match the game's atmosphere at all.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users feel that while the emotional music attempts to enhance the experience, it quickly becomes cheesy due to a lack of engaging gameplay and story.
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised, with users noting it as a visually stunning experience that stands out impressively for an indie title.
“A truly amazing experience and graphically rich for an indie game.”
