SPOOKWARE

About

SPOOKWARE is a single player survival role playing game with horror, mystery and comedy themes. It was developed by Tib and was released on August 26, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Microgames done spooky! Equal parts cute, creepy, and exciting, over 200 microgames across a dozen unique levels. A fast-paced adventure game with a twist.

+17

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78%

Audience ScoreBased on 634 reviews

story58 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

Charming art style and humor that blends horror with lightheartedness, making it enjoyable for a wide audience.
Fun and varied microgames that keep the gameplay fresh, with a good mix of exploration and story elements.
Engaging characters and dialogue that add depth to the experience, making players invested in the skelebros' journey.

The game is currently unfinished, with only two chapters available and no clear plans for future content, leaving players on a cliffhanger.
Some microgames can be frustratingly difficult or unclear, leading to trial and error that may detract from the overall experience.
The exploration segments can feel drawn out and repetitive, potentially hindering the pacing and enjoyment of the microgames.

story
183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
3%
The story of *Spookware* is a quirky and humorous journey featuring three skeleton brothers as they embark on various adventures, blending horror elements with lighthearted fun. While the narrative is engaging and filled with charming characters, many players express disappointment over its unfinished state, as it ends on a cliffhanger with no clear indication of future updates. Overall, the combination of story and microgames creates a unique experience, but the lack of resolution leaves some players wanting more.
- “Spookware is a fun WarioWare-inspired game with good humor, fun microgames, and an intriguing story.”
- “The story is fun, too.”
- “Spookware balances a fantastic dynamic of story/RPG elements with the fast-paced fun of micro-games.”
- “The story was cute, but having a 5-minute review at the end of each chapter was very annoying, as if I didn't spend the last 30 minutes playing the game.”
- “While the game was fun, the story ends on a cliffhanger, was very buggy in the last chapter, and still has the audacity to say that episode 3 is 'coming soon' in the select menu.”
- “This game is unfinished, and the developers do not intend on completing the story or delivering additional content.”
humor
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Spookware" is widely praised for its clever writing, charming characters, and a blend of dark and lighthearted elements reminiscent of games like "Undertale" and "WarioWare." Players appreciate the funny dialogue, quirky microgames, and the overall whimsical tone that keeps the experience engaging and entertaining, despite some criticism regarding pacing and story completion. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with gameplay, making it a delightful experience for fans of comedic indie titles.
- “Funny dialogue, funny microgames, cute aesthetic, I can't get enough.”
- “The writing is excellent, with humorous dialogue and comedic situations being rapid-fired at you.”
- “Spookware is a clever and funny game with an incredibly charming art style.”
- “The first hour of the game lures you in with some decent microgames, then devolves into wandering around a boring, non-spooky environment reading pages of unfunny dialogue.”
- “I just wanted spooky WarioWare, not the annoying, unfunny time sink it is.”
graphics
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique aesthetic, often compared to a blend of Paper Mario and retro horror influences. Players appreciate the creative art style, which complements the humorous and engaging gameplay, as well as the catchy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Despite some critiques regarding simplicity and occasional vagueness, the visuals are considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's fun and whimsical atmosphere.
- “The art style is so cute, and I love the microgames/WarioWare gameplay.”
- “The visual aesthetic is super original, and the music supplements both story and microgames perfectly.”
- “The art style is reminiscent of Paper Mario, with a dark twist.”
- “The environments are easy to get lost in due to the photo-realistic art style, but also the maps feel closed off and small.”
- “Instructions and visuals can feel vague, such as the one where I am told to pick a lock, which took some trial and error to complete.”
- “Good game, only problems with it are a couple of miscellaneous things that could have been polished, and maybe a slight lack of art style variety in the microgames, but other than that it was really good and charming.”
music
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
31%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy, upbeat compositions that perfectly complement the quirky art style and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many noting its nostalgic chiptune influences and memorable tracks that stick in players' heads. Overall, the music is described as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music and sound design is awesome and gave everything a snappy and cheerful tone that went through the whole game.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, even the small parts in every mini-game.”
- “The visual aesthetic is super original and the music supplements both story and microgames perfectly.”
- “The music in Spookware is a competent SNES-era JRPG-like set of compositions, but there aren't many songs.”
- “I appreciate the visual style, the music, and the writing, but much of it prevents me from playing the aspect of the game I came for, the fast-paced microgames.”
- “The soundtrack is a bouncy chiptune-inspired set filled with tunes that serve as archetypal ambience for each of the familiar locations you'll visit.”
gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Spookware" is characterized by a blend of rapid-fire microgames reminiscent of the WarioWare series and RPG mechanics that drive the story forward. While many players appreciate the variety and charm of the mechanics, some find the adventure segments tedious and the difficulty of certain mini-games frustrating. Overall, the game offers a unique experience with a mix of fun and challenging gameplay, though its unfinished nature and uneven pacing may detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Everything from the art direction to the writing to the gameplay was honestly very well done.”
- “Gameplay feels fresh with each new minigame and chapter bringing something new to the table.”
- “An absolutely delightful RPG overflowing with charm, personality, style, and best of all a surprising amount of gameplay variety!”
- “Spookware has two focuses: its microgames and its RPG mechanics, both of which it fails on.”
- “Gone are the fun themed microgames that make up the game's core gameplay, replaced by stupidly difficult timed FPS/platforming.”
- “Overall, a mix of mediocre RPG gameplay and frustrating/confusing Wario-Ware-like games that I cannot recommend to anyone, since I don't know what target group of players would enjoy that.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Many players express disappointment over its unfinished state, noting that despite its charming art style, the game feels incomplete and lacks necessary fixes. Overall, the consensus is that the game is a buggy mess that has not seen adequate updates or support from the developers.
- “While the game was fun, the story ends on a cliffhanger, was very buggy in the last chapter, and still has the audacity to say that episode 3 is 'coming soon' in the select menu.”
- “You’ll get an incomplete, buggy mess of a game that will forever taunt you with an entire half that is no longer being made.”
- “A buggy, unfinished game with a beautiful art style is the 'final product' in which DreadXP has given us, which in my opinion deeply disappoints me.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its depth of characters and heartwarming moments, creating a wholesome and cozy atmosphere. Players appreciate the blend of humor and touching experiences, particularly through the unique personalities of the "skelebros," which adds a quirky charm. However, some feel that the combination of lightheartedness and darker themes can become repetitive over time.
- “Main characters had depth, and there are some emotional moments that were really nice and adorable.”
- “Incredibly fun, cute, and touching.”
- “A touching WarioWare experience.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its stylish design and effective sound, contributing significantly to the overall experience. While the music and microgames enhance the ambiance, some players feel that additional visual elements, like subtle background details, could further enrich the atmosphere.
- “The atmosphere of the game is one of its strong points.”
- “Music, atmosphere, and microgames are so well made!”
- “Very stylish and fun, the music and atmosphere is great, and the microgames are enjoyable.”
- “But seeing something in the background, like small red eyes glowing or a bush moving, would have really sealed the deal on the atmosphere of this two-second game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and unfulfilling, with players expressing disappointment in the repetitive nature of missions and poorly designed platforming sections. The integration of microgames does little to alleviate the monotony, leading to a frustrating experience overall.
- “I found it disappointing at the time: the microgames were great, but the actual game mostly consisted of tedious point-a-to-point-b missions with one or two microgames sprinkled in between, and the story's humor did not land with me personally.”
- “And to make it worse, it is not only tedious to go through the awfully designed platforming section, but also killing any joy this game had brought to me since the beginning.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game offers limited replayability, with a completion time of around 2 hours, which may deter players from returning. However, it features elements that allow for quick re-engagement, particularly through its mini-games, reminiscent of WarioWare, which can enhance the overall replay experience.
- “While it does suffer from the same criticisms I have with similar games (notably WarioWare), it has high replayability and you can quickly get back into the swing of things if you ever mess up by not knowing how to play one of the new minigames.”
- “You can beat this game in around 2 hours, and there's not much replayability to be had.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the project has been negatively impacted by poor sales performance during early access, leading to a decision to halt further development after the first two episodes, which had secured funding. This suggests significant financial constraints affecting the overall performance and future potential of the game.
- “Only the first two episodes had guaranteed funding from DreadXP, and after unfortunate sales performance in early access, both parties agreed that it didn't make financial sense to continue the project.”
- “[h1]Overall impressions & performance[/h1]”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game relies heavily on distinctive clothing and accessories, such as glasses and hats, due to the absence of detailed features like hair and skin. This creative approach allows for unique character differentiation despite the limitations in visual design.
- “With the lack of things like hair, skin, and facial features, the artists had to look elsewhere to differentiate the character designs, instead opting for things like clothes, glasses, and hats.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is seen as reasonable, with a price point of $15 that some users find justifiable, especially for fans of the original game or those looking to explore new content. Overall, it appears to offer good value for those willing to invest.