Splatter

About

Splatter is a single player shooter game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Catbird Soft and was released on December 15, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Splatter" is a single-player shooter game with unique, adapting enemies and challenging gameplay. The surreal digital world, set to a beautiful soundtrack, features flashing lights and visual glitches. While combating enemies and maintaining brain chemistry, players should be aware of intense themes, including self-harm, drug use, and kidnapping. Can you survive and uncover the motives of your captors before it's too late? Explore diverse, strange environments and prepare for a wild, humorous ride.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 264 reviews

graphics10 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Splatter offers a unique and vibrant aesthetic that immerses players in a psychedelic experience, with engaging visuals and a killer soundtrack that enhances gameplay.
The game features innovative mechanics and a variety of weapons, providing a satisfying and challenging FPS experience that encourages replayability and mastery of levels.
The humor and writing are clever and character-driven, making for a memorable narrative that resonates with players, especially those familiar with internet culture.

The gameplay can feel chaotic and overwhelming, with difficulty spikes and a lack of clarity in objectives that may frustrate players, especially in the early levels.
Some players have reported issues with combat mechanics, describing them as bland or unengaging, which detracts from the overall experience.
The intense visuals and rapid pace may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with sensitivities to flashing lights or motion sickness.

story
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
94%
3%
The story is described as intriguing and deeply philosophical, featuring intense and introspective themes that elevate it to a level of literary sophistication rarely seen in games. The voice acting is praised for enhancing the narrative experience, while the overall content offers significant replayability for those invested in the story's meaning.
- “Well, if you're a score fiend, then you'll find much more replayability in the content. The story and how it evolves is truly intriguing, and the voice acting is amazing.”
- “This intense, introspective, philosophical storytelling has depth never before seen in the medium, and the subtlety of literature that rivals the greatest masters of art themselves blew a hole straight through my brain, killing me instantly.”
- “It reminds me of my school days in the 90s when we came home from WWII and President Kurt Cobain gave everyone a copy of Pokémon Red or Blue. My brother picked Blue and I picked Red. True story, kids, ask your uncle Yung Lean.”
- “What does the story mean???”
- “This intense, introspective, philosophical storytelling has depth never before been seen in the medium, and the subtlety of literature that rivals the greatest masters of art themselves blew a hole straight through my brain, killing me instantly.”
- “It reminds me of my schooldays in the 90s when we came home from WWII and President Kurt Cobain gave everyone a copy of Pokémon Red or Blue and my brother picked Blue and I picked Red. True story, kids ask your uncle Yung Lean.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The graphics of the game are a standout feature, characterized by vibrant, disorienting visuals that blend bright colors, psychedelic effects, and a chaotic aesthetic reminiscent of 90s internet culture. While many players find the unique art style captivating and immersive, some criticize it as overly cluttered or poorly executed, suggesting it may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the visuals create a distinct atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience, though they can be overwhelming at times.
- “Every level is so distinct both in visuals and mechanics.”
- “The visuals are fantastic, I love how the enemies are animated and how they stand out against the environment, even when it's coated in a thick layer of multicolored blood.”
- “The game relies heavily on its Fruityger Aero aesthetics, and as you can expect, there's no shortage of bright colors and music pumping loud with tons of flashing blinding lights and enemies popping up from everywhere.”
- “The graphics are intentionally disorienting and epileptic, daring you to keep up.”
- “The only thing this game has going for it is the visuals, which I find sloppily done. Don't get me wrong, I love batshit insane aesthetic clashes, but this just doesn't do it very well. It feels more like it was made in a week than something that was deliberately made to overwhelm your senses.”
- “Splatter spends a lot of time overstimulating you with visuals, making sure that there's a lack of cohesiveness between all of the visual and gameplay elements, which at the same time, makes everything work together to create a sense of constant tension, as you're bombarded with new mechanics, ideas, and voices, all while the stellar and brain-fizzling soundtrack plays over everything.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its high energy and variety, significantly enhancing the overall experience with a dynamic and reactive soundtrack that evolves based on player performance. Reviewers highlight its ability to create a trance-like state, driving the action and maintaining player engagement through a mix of genres and intense beats. The combination of vibrant visuals and a pulsating soundtrack contributes to a uniquely immersive and exhilarating gameplay experience.
- “The music deserves special mention; Splatter has an excellent sense of spectacle that's exponentially elevated by the music, particularly the explicit versions of tracks that come in when you're doing well, helping to drive the action.”
- “Music is absolutely incredible, covering a wide variety of genres that haven't been invented yet and overwhelmingly full of bangers.”
- “Lastly, the high-energy soundtrack keeps the player in the flow and alert, culminating in a great gaming experience.”
- “The game relies heavily on its Fruitiger Aero aesthetics, and as you can expect, there's no shortage of bright colors and music pumping loud with tons of flashing blinding lights and enemies popping up from everywhere.”
- “Menus look like old Geocities pages and classic Mac OS, the loading screen tells me I'm a child for liking Asuka and not Misato, and the music is some blend of techno, a child crying, and someone reading a recipe.”
- “I need to underline the importance of the game's exquisite soundtrack in creating and maintaining the trance-like mindset of a player, especially with the tracks changing to reflect how well the player is doing - explicit mix starting when your combo counter reaches high enough numbers, giving an immediate dopamine rush to your head.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
60%
8%
The gameplay in Splatter is described as uniquely chaotic and satisfying, with distinct levels that challenge players while offering a variety of weapons and mechanics. While many find the experience engaging and visually stimulating, some critics note that the gameplay loop can feel less compelling and may take time to master. Overall, the game balances intense action with a vibrant aesthetic, catering to different playstyles through adjustable difficulty settings.
- “Every level is so distinct both in visuals and mechanics.”
- “The way the game is designed does something very fun to my brain. Despite the chaos, the game is all about awareness and understanding the space around you. Arenas are often small and simple enough that you can understand them like the back of your hand after a quick run through them. The HUD and sounds will let you know where enemies are relative to you, and the gameplay and movement are simple enough that you can easily get into a flow state and just sink into the colors while instinct takes over.”
- “And the gameplay itself feels solid and teeth-cleaning, with multiple unique-feeling weapon types and responsive gunplay and movement.”
- “While the game offers varied types of projectiles, the gameplay loop is not that engaging in my honest opinion.”
- “Splatter spends a lot of time overstimulating you with visuals, making sure that there's a lack of cohesiveness between all of the visual and gameplay elements, which at the same time, creates a sense of constant tension as you're bombarded with new mechanics, ideas, and voices, all while the stellar and brain-fizzling soundtrack plays over everything.”
- “In terms of gameplay, I found I took a minute to get acquainted with the feel of the game (namely its dash, movement, guns, and HUD).”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized as clever, character-driven, and often surreal, drawing comparisons to the styles of Tim and Eric or Sam Hyde. While some elements may feel dated, the overall comedic experience is described as universally appealing and consistently funny, with players enjoying the absurdity and clever references throughout various levels. The voice performances further enhance the humor, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.
- “The writing is very funny and character-driven, and the voice performances are great.”
- “Just a crazy and frequently hilarious experience with some seriously clever gimmicks and tricks that I won't forget.”
- “I've truly enjoyed running around in a surreal world splatting enemies while getting a steady drip of non-sequitur humor.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers high replayability, particularly for players who enjoy chasing high scores, as well as for those captivated by its intriguing story and excellent voice acting. The engaging music and striking visual effects further enhance the experience, making it appealing for multiple playthroughs.
- “Well if you're a score fiend, then you'll find much more replayability in the content. The story and how it evolves is truly intriguing, and the voice acting is amazing.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's "mastery" system and leaderboard, which enhance the grinding experience and provide motivation for those looking to improve their ranks. Many users initially expected a short playtime but found themselves engaged in extensive grinding, enjoying the challenge and competition it offers.
- “The game has a 'mastery' system as well as a leaderboard for players who enjoy grinding to reach the top.”
- “I went in expecting a 2-3 hour time sink, but ended up grinding leaderboard ranks and having a great time doing it.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific feedback on the game's optimization, focusing instead on the humor and quality of voice performances. Therefore, no conclusions about optimization can be drawn from the provided texts.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with players expressing feelings of boredom due to the imbalance in weapon effectiveness and overall gameplay elements. This lack of engagement detracts from the emotional investment in the game.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players consistently praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting its immersive vibe and aesthetic as particularly impactful. Many feel it creates a rich and engaging environment that enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “It's been a while since I played a game with such a thick atmosphere (vibe, aesthetic).”