Stairs

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 157 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
Stairs Game Cover
There are bugs, and the story's kinda weird, but the atmosphere is so perfect, you'll forgive it.
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"Stairs" is a single-player Horror Action game with a good plot and delightful graphics, but beware of the bugs. Inspired by real-life events, the game follows journalist Christopher Adams as he investigates the mysterious disappearances of three people through a first-person atmospheric psychological horror experience. Using a camera and journal, players unravel grizzly stories of Valerie Berkley, James Reed, and Jean Jowars Remens, encountering supernatural elements along the way. The game successfully creates a perfect atmosphere of tension and fear.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 157 reviews
story25 positive mentions
stability9 negative mentions
  • The game has a great atmosphere and sound design that effectively builds tension and fear.
  • The puzzles are engaging and not overly complicated, providing a satisfying challenge.
  • The unique camera mechanic adds an interesting layer to the gameplay, enhancing the horror experience.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
  • The story feels disjointed and lacks closure, leaving players confused about the narrative.
  • Achievements are often broken or do not unlock as intended, frustrating completionists.
  • story72 mentions

    The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, while others criticize it for being disjointed and confusing. Many appreciate the initial excitement and unique storytelling elements, but express disappointment with the ending and overall coherence, suggesting that the narrative feels incomplete or poorly executed. Overall, while the atmosphere and some story elements are praised, the execution leaves many players feeling unsatisfied.

    • “Very atmospheric horror game with a great story.”
    • “The plot is tightly woven and told through notes you pick up and journal entries made in the protagonist's diary.”
    • “The story is intriguing and captivating, which many indie games usually fail at.”
    • “This game's story is abysmal and all over the place (specifically because they tried mixing up 3 into 1, which sounds like an awful idea).”
    • “One big con of the game is... I've been totally invested in the story but that ending... what was that ending? It's literally zero effort; it felt incomplete.”
    • “Towards the end of the third level, there was a lot of build-up. You're thinking there's going to be a big jump scare at the end or a huge reveal in the story, but then... it just ends... just like that. I groaned out in frustration because the joy I was getting from this game finally came to a close, but there was no closure, no sense of victory; it just all stopped. It felt like being on a rollercoaster that comes to a sudden halt halfway through, like in the middle of a loop. I felt like I'm missing another half to this game and its story.”
  • atmosphere47 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its chilling and immersive qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics, sound design, and a focus on psychological horror rather than jump scares. Many players appreciate the unique effects and the ability to create a sense of dread, although some noted issues with bugs and narrative coherence that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of horror games that prioritize storytelling and environmental tension.

    • “The atmosphere, pacing, locations, visuals, audio, and gameplay are just generally done really well.”
    • “The atmosphere and soundtrack is foreboding, and you always feel something or someone lurking around waiting to get the jump on you.”
    • “Stairs oozes atmosphere with its gorgeous graphics and sound design; I can't recommend it highly enough.”
    • “Really liked the atmosphere, but hit a game-breaking bug and couldn't advance (just a bit past the refund window too).. looks like other people have been having the same issue since 2015.”
    • “I almost forced myself to immerse in the story and atmosphere... hours of tweaking both in-game and on my PC did not fix the glitches.”
    • “Also, I was bothered much by the fact that you get an awesome flashlight that at some point in the game just disappears without explanation and gets replaced by an ugly black and white, but more white than black night shot camera mode which sucks and kills the atmosphere that otherwise is pretty good and chilling.”
  • gameplay27 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique camera mechanics and atmosphere, while others find it tedious and lacking in challenge. Many noted technical issues and a lack of depth in puzzles, leading to a perception of the game as mediocre or short. Overall, while the core mechanics show promise, they often feel underutilized, resulting in a gameplay experience that varies from engaging to frustrating.

    • “The atmosphere, pacing, locations, visuals, audio, and gameplay are just generally done really well.”
    • “Especially the camera plays a critical role in your progression due to certain mechanics.”
    • “Decent exploration and environments, a few interesting puzzles/races, and a nice mechanic in the form of the main controls being equipping the camera and taking photos.”
    • “It is creepy, but the story and gameplay end up disappointing from a demo I had seen years ago.”
    • “I was interested in the possibility of making photographs, but too often it turned out to be a completely pointless part of the gameplay mechanism with no value added to the player's experience.”
    • “The base mechanic of the game is the camera you use to reveal clues and open paths, but it's hardly used to its full potential and is instead relegated to clever little moments throughout.”
  • graphics27 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals as good to beautiful, contributing to an immersive atmosphere. However, some critiques highlight that the graphics can be mediocre or underwhelming compared to other titles, particularly for the game's release year. Despite these varying opinions, the sound design and art style are often noted as strong points that enhance the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are beautiful and feel realistically believable.”
    • “Stairs oozes atmosphere with its gorgeous graphics and sound design; I can't recommend it highly enough.”
    • “The graphics in the game are simply superb for an indie game.”
    • “Gfx, sound, animation, art style: it's all mediocre at best.”
    • “No, if you hate mediocre graphics (even for the year this game was released in) or can't stand broken achievements.”
    • “Lowering the graphics settings did not help so I guess this is just a problem with the game engine itself.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a foreboding atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience with creepy sounds and effective use of silence. Reviewers note that the ambient soundtrack and sound effects contribute significantly to the tension, keeping players on edge throughout their gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong element that complements the game's eerie environments and enhances the sense of dread.

    • “The environments and the soundtrack make a surprisingly good horror atmosphere, keeping you on edge the whole time.”
    • “During my play, I really enjoyed both the ambient soundtrack and sound effects, but it was the silence that really surprised me.”
    • “The atmosphere and soundtrack is foreboding and you always feel something or someone lurking around waiting to get the jump on you.”
    • “I haven't seen many games take advantage of not having any music playing, it's just you and your footsteps and.....well, you'll find out.”
    • “And the music/sounds are very creepy.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and game-breaking glitches, while others report a smoother experience. While some users found the issues manageable, many expressed frustration over the frequency and severity of the bugs, leading to an overall perception of the game as unstable and at times unplayable.

    • “Encountered several game-breaking glitches and several other bugs within 30 minutes.”
    • “I almost forced myself to immerse in the story and atmosphere... hours of tweaking both in-game and on my PC did not fix the glitches.”
    • “The game is buggy as all hell, with save files doing very strange things if you decide to load.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with users reporting inconsistent performance and frame rate drops even on capable hardware. Many players have experienced stuttering and poor performance, suggesting that the recommended specifications may not be accurate.

    • “Performance isn't great (it chugs sometimes on my 2080 Super) and the ending is 'The Devil Inside'-tier.”
    • “Stuttering every few seconds on a Toshiba laptop with an NVIDIA GTX 950M running Windows 10.”
    • “I suspect the game is badly optimized and the suggested specifications are plain wrong.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is often unintentional, with clichéd horror elements and grotesque monster designs eliciting more laughter than fear. Additionally, the presence of quirky sound effects, like the raucous laughter of kookaburras, adds a comedic touch that contrasts with the intended horror atmosphere.

    • “Horror's aspects were very cliché, and the poor monster models were more funny and grotesque than actually scary.”
    • “Within moments, the sound of several kookaburras laughing raucously filled his ears.”
    • “Bahaha, you're as funny as ever.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mix of tedium and lack of challenge, with some describing it as both scary and messy, particularly towards the end. While the repetitive nature of the gameplay can be frustrating, some reviewers consider it somewhat forgivable.

    • “At times it was scary but also tedious, and towards the end, it felt much like a mess to me.”
    • “The tedious and non-challenging gameplay is forgivable.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game's minimal advertising has led some players to feel as though they've discovered a hidden gem, though it's unclear if this approach positively or negatively impacted its overall reception.

  • replayability1 mentions

    The game has been criticized for lacking replay value, with users indicating that once completed, there is little incentive to play again.

    • “There is no replay value.”
    • “Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel pointless.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

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