Song of Horror
- May 28, 2021
- Protocol Games
- 18h median play time
Song of Horror has some great ideas and is genuinely scary at times, but random deaths and awkward controls sometimes threaten to spoil the experience.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Song of Horror" is a horror game with a dynamic terror experience, controlled by an advanced AI that adapts to the player's actions. The antagonist, known as The Presence, hunts the player in unexpected ways, providing a unique experience for every player. The story is told through the perspective of various characters, each with their own connection to the mystery of the missing writer and his family.
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and sound design that keeps players on edge.
- Intriguing story with Lovecraftian elements and multiple character perspectives.
- Challenging puzzles that require thought and exploration.
- Permadeath mechanic can lead to frustrating restarts after losing all characters.
- Some puzzles are overly cryptic and lack clear hints, leading to confusion.
- Controls can be clunky, especially with fixed camera angles, making navigation difficult.
- story898 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Song of Horror" is widely praised for its Lovecraftian themes and engaging narrative, with many players appreciating the depth and complexity of the characters and their individual arcs. The permadeath mechanic adds real stakes to the gameplay, influencing how the story unfolds based on player choices and character survival. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, character development, and occasional confusion in the plot, suggesting that while the story is compelling, it could benefit from clearer execution and more cohesive storytelling.
“It's a great Lovecraftian story, maybe one of the best in recent years.”
“The story is well written and not too confusing, and it flows well from episode to episode.”
“The story is very engaging and it's a game that is right up my alley; once I have completed all the episodes, I'll be sure to play more from the developers.”
“Cheap jump scares all over, messy story, and no save points meaning that you have to restart the entire episode if you die with a character and want to continue the story with them.”
“The story could have been interesting but is ruined by the negative aspects of the game.”
“If you are curious about the story, don't be; the characters are incredibly dry and have no defining factors or special moments to remember them by, making the story practically non-existent.”
- gameplay658 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Song of Horror" is characterized by exploration, puzzle-solving, and a unique permadeath mechanic that heightens tension but can also lead to frustration due to its often punishing nature. Players navigate through environments while utilizing mechanics like listening at doors for threats and engaging in quick-time events, which some find clunky and poorly explained. Overall, while the game offers an engaging atmosphere and interesting mechanics, the execution of these elements can detract from the overall experience, making it a mixed bag for players.
“The main gameplay mechanics consist of exploring small maps, listening at doors to check if enemies are on the other side (enemies you can’t fight), checking for hiding spots, stumbling upon puzzles, unlocking doors, referring to your map (if you have one), and hoping a mini-game doesn’t trigger.”
“The permadeath mechanics perfectly encapsulate the eldritch overtones and give stakes as each character has a reason to be entering the situation.”
“With its chilling atmosphere, clever gameplay mechanics, and immersive narrative, it offers an unforgettable journey into the depths of darkness.”
“The permanent death mechanic adds a lot to the tension although it might become frustrating for some because this game doesn't give a damn and will kill you for being careless and going through the wrong door and other...interesting things.”
“The history is interesting and the atmosphere is just right, but the first warning should go about the permadeath mechanics: should you lose all the characters available in a given chapter, you have to restart the chapter, which means redo whatever actions, solve again whatever puzzles you have to, and so on.”
“The only drawbacks are underwhelming voice acting and the permadeath mechanic which does not serve the story but only becomes a nuisance because of randomized events that can lead to deaths.”
- atmosphere630 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Song of Horror" is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, effectively combining sound design, lighting, and detailed environments to create a sense of dread and tension reminiscent of classic survival horror games like "Silent Hill" and "Resident Evil." Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke emotional responses through its permadeath mechanics and character attachment, although some criticize the impact of repetitive gameplay and quick-time events on the overall experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong atmospheric presence, making it a compelling choice for fans of the horror genre.
“The atmosphere is exceptional - if that's what you like about horror games, you'll enjoy this one a lot.”
“The atmosphere this game gives you is really great and even when this game is new, it still kinda gives you that nostalgia feeling like you have returned to play something you used to play before even if you haven't.”
“The game builds a fantastic atmosphere and maintains it throughout every single chapter, keeping you tense and sensitive to every single bump and creak heard throughout the many chilling environments, the use of permadeath for characters causes you build strong attachments to the various ones you play, holding on to hope that they live to tell their story.”
“Add to that the game having a lackluster atmosphere, resorting to jumpscares to get any reaction from the player and you have a forgettable experience.”
“There is no atmosphere, just pointless jumpscares that are randomly cluttered along.”
“Basically, after making a well-known/standard/cliched background ghost story and atmosphere, the devs from map design to puzzle to story to character to QTE to permadeath mechanic seem to do everything in their power to make the game not scary and really not even suspenseful.”
- music396 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in *Song of Horror* is widely praised for its ability to create a haunting atmosphere that enhances the game's tension and fear. Reviewers highlight the excellent sound design, with the soundtrack effectively setting the mood and contributing to the overall immersive experience, making it a standout feature of the game. While some comparisons to classic horror titles like *Silent Hill* are made, many agree that *Song of Horror* carves out its own identity through its unique musical elements and ambient sounds.
“The soundtrack is excellent for setting mood and causing discomfort.”
“The music makes it so tense, you don't know when these monsters or things are coming.”
“The sound effects, the music, all of it are so well done and the audio being a mechanic in the game where you listen through the doors for danger is something that just made me so happy!”
“The audio contributed somewhat to this lack - with 'frenzied' music playing in areas without anything occurring etc. the ambient noise was lovely, and the sounds of things thumping or skittering around was great, but again, didn't make up for the huge chunks of empty space between the presence attempting to explode through the door or the entire room shaking.”
“The sound, especially the music, which I normally turn off in games, is very good, but it's a bit unrealistic that your character breathes like crazy after a 2 meter sprint.”
“Solid score & soundtrack tarnished by mediocre writing.”
- graphics220 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Song of Horror" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric visuals and detailed environments that evoke classic survival horror aesthetics reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil. While some players commend the game's beautiful graphics and effective lighting, others criticize issues such as graphical glitches, uncomfortable camera angles, and dim lighting that can hinder gameplay. Overall, the visuals are generally regarded as a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's eerie ambiance, despite some technical shortcomings.
“In terms of visuals, 'Song of Horror' delivers a dark and foreboding aesthetic that perfectly matches the overall tone of the game.”
“The graphics are gorgeous.”
“Great graphics and genuinely made me nearly pee my pants a few times.”
“A few are just unreadable because of the dim lighting and murky graphics; I would have spent much less time figuring out the fuse puzzle, for example, had the designer made it clearer what I'm even doing.”
“There's an annoying puzzle you have to back out of the game and then return to restart it, and the graphical glitches can be horrendous.”
“Graphics are 'meh' at the top end, and it runs poorly on my GTX 1070 (outdated sure, but this doesn't look that polished for the framerate I'm getting).”
- replayability68 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally viewed positively, with many players appreciating the random events, multiple characters, and unique attributes that enhance the experience across playthroughs. However, some critics note that the lack of changing puzzles and repetitive minigames can diminish replay value, making it feel less engaging after multiple runs. Overall, while the game offers varied experiences and hidden secrets, its replayability may vary depending on player preferences for exploration and character choices.
“The game has given me an experience I will never forget, and the replay value is out of this world with all the hidden secrets to find and use on new playthroughs. The voice acting is great too, 10/10.”
“Actually replayable, as each character has unique attributes and completely different takes on the situation than others, as well as personal items.”
“Replay value - 7/10. While the story always remains the same, you can play various characters that each have their own things to say about the environment, their own unique traits to help them in some specific way, and the game is designed in such a way that no two playthroughs will be exactly the same.”
“From what I can see, the game does not offer much replayability unless you want to complete each chapter quicker than previous runs, but each chapter has plenty of content that makes each segment feel engaging, maintaining a great spooky vibe throughout the game.”
“The game does not have the feel of any replayability since puzzles do not change with each playthrough, leaving you with just the jumpscares which turn into annoying moments if you're trying to rush through the game, hindering you from continuing momentarily; minigames that are just uninspired and more or less tedious after playing any of the five for the 100th time.”
“I don't think there will be any replay value to this game, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a playthrough.”
- stability60 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and frustrating mechanics such as broken quick-time events and permadeath systems that can lead to repeated restarts. While some users have experienced minimal issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game suffers from unresolved technical problems that detract from the gameplay experience. Despite its potential as a survival horror title, these stability issues have left many players feeling disappointed and frustrated.
“I had no glitches, hangs, or bugs (and believe me, if there's a bug, I can find it!).”
“There's an annoying puzzle you have to back out of the game and then return to restart it, and the graphical glitches can be horrendous.”
“It absolutely boggles the mind how a newbie developer can take such care getting everything else so right... and then completely shoot themselves in the foot including broken, buggy QTEs - and this in a game where death means death, back to the start.”
“Issues and glitches have been plaguing the game since launch, and despite a lot of fixes, there is still a lot wrong going on around it.”
- grinding54 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious, with players noting slow movement, repetitive actions, and convoluted puzzles that detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers express frustration with the game's mechanics, which often lead to prolonged backtracking and a lack of replayability, making the gameplay feel monotonous rather than engaging. Overall, the tedious nature of the game significantly impacts its enjoyment, with some players resorting to cheats to alleviate their frustration.
“This game is incredibly tedious.”
“Die too many times and you get to restart the entire chapter, losing hours of time, which means going back through and tediously collecting items and doing the bad puzzles all over again.”
“Constant key fetching mixed with frustrating tank controls and a sluggish pace make this one of the most tedious horror titles I've ever played.”
- humor22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as heavy-handed and often bordering on unintentional, with character voice lines and animations eliciting laughter rather than fear. Players find the abruptness of character deaths and the quirky nature of the controls amusing, while the uncanny valley character expressions add to the comedic effect. Overall, the humor seems to stem from a mix of unremarkable horror elements and exaggerated character traits, making for a unique, if not entirely intentional, comedic experience.
“The funny thing is, I almost always lost the characters with the highest strength stats, while the 'weak' ones were usually fine.”
“Great game, but the funny voice acting makes me feel like I'm playing a Sims game.”
“I quickly lost two characters with virtually no warning... almost laughing at how abrupt and unexpected it was.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with many users reporting poor performance across all settings, including slowdowns and random freeze-ups, particularly in the final chapters. Overall, the consensus is that the game is not well optimized, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
“And it's all optimized very well!”
“And it's all optimized very well!”
“The game isn't greatly optimized and it may run slower than you'd expect on your hardware.”
“I encountered performance issues on the last two chapters of the game and some random freeze-ups that forced me to restart 2-3 times until the game decided to work again (these always happened with a 'whispers' random event).”
“Horrendous performance.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the emotional depth of "Song of Horror," emphasizing the profound impact of character attachment and the heartbreak of permadeath mechanics. The game's ability to evoke physical anguish and lingering anxiety through its narrative and unexpected character losses sets it apart in the horror genre, making it a highly recommended experience for those seeking an emotionally charged gameplay.
“It's not just about the scary atmosphere or jump scares; it's the emotional impact of losing characters you've become attached to.”
“Song of Horror not only gets you with the jump scares, it completely reels you in with the storyline and makes you not only emotionally invested in the characters, but you almost feel the physical anguish when staring at their writhing faces - I would 10/10 recommend this for controller and PC players alike.”
“The permadeath mechanic was also heartbreaking at times, because I would get attached to a character only to make a bad decision or mess up a presence encounter and lose them.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express dissatisfaction with the game's monetization strategy, suggesting that excessive resources were allocated to advertising rather than enhancing the game's production quality.
“Should have put less resources into advertisement and more into production.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has been criticized for being rushed and lacking depth, resulting in flat writing that fails to engage players and encourage them to invest in subsequent episodes.
“The writing, which is presumably the focus, felt far too rushed and blunt in terms of character development, making it too flat to invest in the story.”
“Character development was lacking, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters and their journeys.”
“I found the character arcs to be underwhelming and predictable, which diminished my overall enjoyment of the game.”
