Slender: The Arrival

Slender: The Arrival is far from the greatest horror game on Nintendo Switch. With the likes of Outlast 2, Layers of Fear, and Resident Evil to compete against, this bland and bare horror title shows its true colours separated from the hype of 2013. Unlike the mystical powers of the Slenderman, there’s nothing compelling here in the slightest, unless you like looking at poorly rendered forestry.

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"Slender: The Arrival" is a haunting game based on the Slender Man phenomenon, featuring a stalking Slender Creeper and a dark, foreboding atmosphere. It offers added leaderboards, mobile achievements, and controller support for iOS devices. Critics have praised its robust narrative and high terror factor, with GameSpot calling it 'one of the most terrifying games in recent memory.'

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,327 reviews

story195 positive mentions

stability25 negative mentions

story
626 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story of "Slender: The Arrival" is a mix of intrigue and confusion, primarily conveyed through collectible notes and environmental storytelling. While many players appreciate the atmospheric and immersive elements, they often criticize the narrative for being short, vague, and at times convoluted, leaving some plot points unresolved. Overall, the game successfully expands on the Slender Man mythos, but its execution can feel shallow and repetitive, with a strong emphasis on exploration rather than a coherent storyline.
- “What I didn't expect was a game that not only incorporates the original game but expands upon it to create a game that is rich in storytelling, ripe with jump scares, and expands upon the lore of Slenderman perfectly.”
- “The game expands on the original Slender: The Eight Pages, introducing a larger world, improved visuals, and an engaging storyline.”
- “The story follows the events after Slender: The Eight Pages, throughout which you play as different characters in different time periods, avoiding the Slenderman while completing objectives and uncovering the tragic fate of numerous characters.”
- “The art is okay, but the story meanders, and Slenderman himself is brought out early and often to the point of being an in-your-face nuisance more than an unstoppable corrupting evil.”
- “If you realize how you just have to follow the half-open doors and ignore everything because there is nothing else to it, you can finish the game in under an hour and experience all the shallow story, running for 50 minutes straight and 5 minutes of spooky flickering on screen.”
- “The plot is ridiculously weak and dumb.”
graphics
346 mentions
50 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Slender: The Arrival" have received significant praise following the 10th anniversary update, showcasing stunning visuals and improved atmospheric effects thanks to the transition to Unreal Engine 5. However, many players have reported performance issues, with frame rates dropping on lower-end systems despite the graphical enhancements. Overall, while the visuals are considered beautiful and immersive, the game's performance can be inconsistent, leading to mixed experiences among players.
- “This game looks like a massive improvement from the Unity version; the graphics look beautiful and the atmosphere is really creepy. I've been scared a few times as well.”
- “The graphics are phenomenal, the voice acting is perfect, the atmosphere is creepy and terrifying.”
- “With the 10th anniversary Unreal Engine 5 update, the graphics are so much more realistic and good looking.”
- “Another issue has to do with performance where it uses a lot of GPU/CPU space to the point my fans kick in. Even turning down the graphics/settings to low didn't fix that issue, and going off the reviews, I don't seem to be the only one.”
- “Absolutely terrible performance and graphics that make my eyes bleed. It doesn't matter what settings I try; cheap jump scares and half the game is spent running laps collecting pages or switching on generators while getting chased by Slender Man.”
- “The graphics are so bad that they hurt your eyes and make you feel woozy.”
gameplay
270 mentions
16 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Slender: The Arrival" is characterized by its repetitive mechanics, primarily revolving around collecting items while being pursued by the titular Slender Man. While the atmospheric design and horror elements are praised, many players find the lack of gameplay diversity and clarity in mechanics, such as the stamina system, frustrating. Overall, the game offers a tense experience but suffers from short duration and limited replay value, making it feel dated compared to modern horror titles.
- “The gameplay is great and the graphics are quite stunning.”
- “It's also really good at immersing you into the gameplay and gripping your spine with that creeping dread that you should feel when playing a horror game.”
- “The gameplay remains simple yet effective.”
- “Each area immerses you in unease with every turn, but the core gameplay can feel repetitive, and the stamina mechanics lack clarity, which can be frustrating, especially in chase scenes where precision counts.”
- “The gameplay itself is walking and finding notes to advance forward; sometimes these notes and objectives are indistinguishable from one another or hard to understand intuitively, so you end up walking around for no reason trying not to look at some paper-thin guy who makes your screen go static.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and consists of the loop: walking simulator until you trigger the point where you have to activate or find a bunch of stuff while something is chasing you to advance to the next loop.”
atmosphere
260 mentions
53 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Slender: The Arrival" is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, effectively combining eerie sound design, stunning graphics, and a foreboding environment that enhances the horror experience. Players report feeling a constant sense of tension and dread, with the game successfully utilizing atmospheric elements to create genuine scares and a haunting ambiance. While some critiques mention gameplay limitations, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to evoke fear and suspense through its atmospheric storytelling and design.
- “The atmosphere and sound are this game’s biggest assets.”
- “It’s a masterclass in atmosphere and tension!”
- “The atmosphere of this game is nearly unmatched and you will find yourself out of breath in real life and having to take a pause every now and then.”
- “The new 2023 remaster/engine port, despite graphically looking more pleasing, is lacking the atmosphere the original had.”
- “The horrifying atmosphere that Blue Isle manages to create is consistently squandered by dull mechanics and unfair difficulty spikes.”
- “Slender: The Arrival is an incredibly short game that, while capable of building an appropriate horror atmosphere, falls flat because of the fact that it relies almost exclusively on cheap, rule-based jumpscares to terrify its audience.”
music
103 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in "Slender: The Arrival" is widely praised for its ability to enhance the game's eerie atmosphere and heighten tension during gameplay. Composed by Mark J. Hadley, the soundtrack effectively captures feelings of unease and fear, making it a standout feature that many players find memorable and integral to the horror experience. While some critiques mention occasional mismatches in sound design, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive and chilling ambiance.
- “The soundtrack of this game, written by Mark J. Hadley, is a wonderful example of how horror soundtracks should sound.”
- “The tension of being chased is still as nerve-wracking as ever, with the soundtrack and audio cues doing a masterful job of sending chills down your spine.”
- “The music is amazing; it really adds to the experience and complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
- “My second but smallest gripe is the sound design; some of the sounds chosen don't fit very well, and the page soundtrack feels off due to them playing immediately instead of easing in.”
- “The 'soundtrack' consists of a handful of boring ambient tracks that try desperately to create a tense and oppressive atmosphere, but manage to fail at both, only serving to exacerbate just how boring the game actually is.”
- “The game was boring, pointless, and plain uninteresting; not even the fine graphics and okay soundtrack could help with that.”
replayability
39 mentions
21 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting that random generation of objects and enemy spawns provide decent replay value, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking significant incentives to replay. Although there are achievements and collectibles that can enhance replayability, many feel that once the scares and story are known, the game loses its appeal for repeated playthroughs. Overall, it offers some replay value, particularly for those interested in collecting or playing with friends, but it may not justify the price for everyone.
- “And it is replayable, since most of the gameplay-related objects are randomly generated.”
- “It only takes about 2 hours to beat, but it has replayability since it has a lot of achievements, a lot of collectibles, hidden levels, a bonus level, and unlockable higher difficulties.”
- “New levels, more story, another antagonist, and so much replay value.”
- “Problem is that the gameplay is too repetitive at times and there's not that much replay value, not much to make people want to come back and play it again.”
- “The mechanics of the game are fairly shallow and it really has almost no replayability; once you know the scares and story, but it is definitely worth the single ride.”
- “Only buy this if you're okay with the price tag knowing that it's maybe an hour of gameplay without much replay value unless you're dead set on collecting all the random notes scattered throughout the stages.”
humor
36 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of intentional comedic moments and unintentional hilarity, often stemming from the absurdity of the situations players find themselves in, such as the game's mechanics and character animations. Many players find joy in the juxtaposition of horror and humor, especially when playing with friends, leading to laughter amidst the scares. However, some critiques point out that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with certain elements feeling more frustrating than funny at times.
- “It was hilarious to see their reactions as we explored the creepy woods and encountered the terrifying Slender Man.”
- “The game refuses to pause when Slender Man's chasing you and it's one of the most hilarious mechanics in any horror game.”
- “Screaming, laughing, feeling part of the Slender experience.”
optimization
30 mentions
27 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players experiencing significant performance drops and issues regardless of their system specifications. While some users report that enabling DLSS can improve performance, others still struggle with low frame rates and crashes, indicating that the optimization is inconsistent and often inadequate. Overall, despite the impressive visuals, the game's performance issues detract from the overall experience, leaving many players frustrated.
- “So performance-wise, it's fine with DLSS on; I can run it as smoothly as possible. There are slight drops in performance, but they're minor and not noticeable unless you squint hard.”
- “The only good thing is the optimization; it ran completely fine on my old low-spec PC.”
- “This is like the original Slender, but with better optimization, more levels, and, as a result, more story.”
- “While the new visuals are undoubtedly stunning, showcasing high-detail textures, the performance drop can be significant on some systems.”
- “This game is very unoptimized. I have an AMD Radeon 5700 XT and every time I play the game for 2 minutes, it shuts down my computer. I've stress tested my rig for 30 minutes and it didn't shut down. I've tried other games and it didn't shut down; I replaced my cooler and everything.”
- “Terrible, awful decision and a piss-poor attempt at optimization.”
stability
26 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported throughout various environments, particularly during key moments like the church scene. Players have noted that these technical problems detract from the overall experience, making it feel unfinished and at times frustrating. While some enjoy the atmosphere, the prevalence of glitches and inconsistent performance has led many to view it as a poorly designed product.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck too; decided to scare myself with it.”
- “It's a bit buggy at the part with the church and the game crashes there; otherwise, the game is good.”
- “Not even scary and it’s filled with bugs and glitches.”
- “I had to run through the game on hardcore three times until I got the achievement because it is buggy.”
grinding
17 mentions
12 % positive mentions
12 % neutral mentions
76 % negative mentions
Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall horror experience. Many feel that the need to repeatedly collect items and complete tasks leads to frustration rather than fear, with some sections of the game feeling overly long and annoying. Overall, the grinding mechanics seem to undermine the game's potential for suspense and enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “At this point, the game lost all fear and horror it could've built up and instead became a tedious, repetitive, and boring experience.”
- “Dying instantly due to a shadowy figure snatching you from the aether and dragging you to parts unknown never to be seen again is terrifying; having it happen to you ad nauseam just makes the experience tedious since it translates what should be a frightening experience into something more akin to frustration.”
- “There's no way around it. Even for a hardcore horror game lover like myself, it's still a tedious, boring, trying waste of time.”
emotional
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is polarizing; while some players find it deeply unsettling and anxiety-inducing, leading to intense reactions like screaming and crying, others criticize its lack of originality and emotional depth in the story. Many recommend playing in a dark, solitary environment to fully experience its terror, suggesting that the game can evoke strong feelings of fear and nostalgia, especially for those familiar with its mythos. Overall, it elicits a mix of fear, discomfort, and emotional engagement, despite some gameplay flaws.
- “I screamed, I cried, I died.”
- “This game scared me so much, it made me feel sick to my stomach, and I had to break my playtime up in order to get through it.”
- “Play this game alone, in a dark room, with headphones, and preferably in a fragile emotional state in order to best experience a terror born of subtlety and imagination.”
monetization
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the absence of microtransactions, while others criticize it as a cash grab, particularly in comparison to previous titles in the series. Additionally, there are concerns about proper labeling and support for paying customers.
- “No microtransactions, thank you!”
- “The customer support solved my YouTube monetization problem in 30 minutes!”
- “If you played the other Slender games, it will feel like a cash grab because it's basically that, but the game isn't laggy and it doesn't crash every five seconds.”
- “Shame on you and your attempts at an Activision-style cash grab. Support your paying customers and label the game in the store correctly as supporting only the DK1.”
- “This is a total cash grab.”