Stay Close
- October 14, 2016
- Blind Bird
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Stay Close" is a horror-adventure game where players navigate through a dark and eerie town while avoiding supernatural beings. The game features a unique "stay close" mechanic, where players must stay near objects and walls to avoid detection. With a focus on stealth and exploration, players must uncover the mystery behind the town's curse while avoiding becoming the next victim.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is fun to play with friends, providing a good mix of scares and laughter.
- The atmosphere is engaging, with interesting monster mechanics that require teamwork to navigate.
- The graphics are decent, and the game runs smoothly on most systems.
- The game is very short, typically completed in under two hours, leading to a lack of replay value.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, including issues with enemy AI and save mechanics.
- The riddles and lack of a coherent story can make the game feel tedious and frustrating.
- gameplay174 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting significant bugs, poor mechanics, and a lack of depth, leading to a repetitive and often frustrating experience. While some enjoy the cooperative elements and find the monster mechanics interesting, others criticize the game for being too short and lacking engaging content, with many finishing it in under an hour. Overall, the game is seen as having potential but is marred by technical issues and a lack of polish.
“It's a decently creepy game that has gameplay that is certainly enjoyable.”
“The cooperative mechanics work well and are pretty interesting.”
“This is a fun indie game with interesting mechanics that through trial and error can be understood and overcome.”
“The gameplay is boring.”
“Super laggy (even the running animation looks like it's 2fps while the rest of my game was running at 200+), constant map glitches, gameplay was cut short due to the first teleport section not teleporting, thereafter falling through the map, and not being able to respawn.”
“Requires lots of trial and error due to both the mechanics and general bugs; however, it is extremely boring and as a result makes it a struggle to continue playing beyond the first basic objectives.”
- story160 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being minimal, poorly executed, and often non-existent, with many players describing it as forgettable or confusing. While some found the gameplay enjoyable, the narrative is frequently seen as bland, lacking depth, and failing to provide a coherent experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that the story does not meet expectations, leaving players wanting more substance and engagement.
“The story is good and the gameplay is challenging but still easy.”
“I watched gameplay on this game and at first I came in not expecting much but it was a very well put together great experience, the story isn't huge but there's just enough playtime and content to keep the fun going and satisfy your thirst for a good adventure.”
“This is a great horror game, it's small but the updates come slow, but the dev does great work and has a nice story worth its price and great to play with friends.”
“However, the story is poor and the dialogue is bland, with out of place riddles.”
“The story is nonexistent and confusing.”
“The game has minimal substance with little to no story.”
- graphics84 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the visuals as impressive for an indie title, particularly noting the use of Unreal Engine 4, while others criticize them as subpar and misleading compared to promotional materials. Many users report issues such as graphical errors, poor lighting, and a lack of optimization, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game's graphics seem to be a point of contention, with opinions ranging from "great for a budget title" to "horrendous and unplayable."
“The Unreal Engine 4 graphics look amazing!”
“Graphically it’s just a great and very nicely optimized game.”
“For the money, the graphics, the sound, and the overall atmosphere are very good.”
“The ingame graphics are much much worse than the trailer suggests.”
“Graphics are horrendous, especially the shadows.”
“Graphics are bad and the layout of the game is stupid with a lot of things just not making sense physically.”
- humor42 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, particularly in co-op play, where players report a mix of laughter and scares, often stemming from broken AI and absurd dialogue. While some find the experience enjoyable and funny, especially with friends, others note that the game lacks polish and has a forgettable story. Overall, it offers a lighthearted, albeit flawed, comedic experience that is best enjoyed in a group setting.
“Very funny game, go play this with friends! Very enjoyable, had much fun with friends. I'm excited for chapter 2 because at the end it said chapter 1.”
“A lot of screaming and laughing due to broken AI and terrible dialogue, but oh my god, it's worth it.”
“Imagine the hilarious, yet horrifying sight of seeing your partner run down the stairs, right past you and back out the entrance door!”
- stability32 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous stability issues, including severe lag, constant glitches, and unresponsive mechanics, making it nearly unplayable for many users. While some players found enjoyment in the gameplay, they noted that the bugs significantly detracted from the experience, with many recommending waiting for a sale due to these persistent problems. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, with players expressing frustration over its performance and functionality.
“The game runs great for me on a GTX 760.”
“Super laggy (even the running animation looks like it's 2fps while the rest of my game was running at 200+), constant map glitches, gameplay was cut short due to the first teleport section not teleporting, thereafter falling through the map, and not being able to respawn.”
“It's so buggy, it's almost unplayable. The monsters kept spawning at close proximity to each other, making passing through small corridors feel impossible. You're lucky I can't get a refund anymore. Please, find a way to fix the problem. The horror game you made just became a rage game, because it's almost impossible to be played.”
“Full of bugs and glitches and impossible to complete.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements after updates that enhanced performance and reduced technical issues. While many report smooth gameplay and no lag, others experienced initial performance problems, including input issues and disconnections, indicating that optimization may vary based on individual experiences. Overall, the game's graphical optimization is praised, but some players still find it lacking in certain areas.
“Graphically, it's just a great and very nicely optimized game.”
“Didn't have any performance issues and ran the game fine.”
“It was optimized well, not a single bit of lag.”
“This game is poorly optimized and not scary at all.”
“Throughout our multiplayer experience, we faced input problems (yet easy to fix), repeated disconnections, optimization and refresh rate issues.”
“I would also like to mention most of my playtime was dealing with the massive amount of technical performance issues the game launched with.”
- music22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with players frustrated by the inability to adjust the excessively loud volume, particularly in the menu. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and distinct sounds during quests, many criticize the lack of a cohesive soundtrack and overall ambiance, leading to a distracting experience. Overall, the music aspect is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from gameplay.
“Great atmospheric music.”
“The soundtrack and environments work very well, and the map is well put together.”
“When you're in the area of the quest, you will definitely hear some distinct sounds from both the monsters and your footsteps.”
“Music and sound volume are way too high and cannot be adjusted.”
“First of all, what is this? Why can you not turn down this absolutely loud menu music?”
“No audio settings for the game, music is super annoying and I had to alt + F4 due to not being able to focus.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 64 % negative mentions
Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and time-consuming, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging experience. Many reviews highlight the frustration of having to restart levels and the lack of excitement after the initial moments, leading to a sense of boredom. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the game's potential enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Was playing with a friend, but even that couldn't redeem how much of a tedious chore it is to play.”
“Very tedious as you have to start at the beginning of the level and have to run all the way to do it again.”
“Maybe for the first 10 minutes it's a little chilling and then it just becomes tedious and boring.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its creepiness and immersive qualities, with many players appreciating the dark, tense environment that keeps them on edge. However, some reviewers noted that the atmosphere can become repetitive and is occasionally undermined by generic enemy designs and out-of-place puzzles. Overall, the combination of solid graphics, sound, and atmospheric music contributes positively to the experience, despite some criticisms.
“The atmosphere in the game is great, and the feeling of walking into a flat literally felt like walking into a lion's territory!”
“For the money, the graphics, the sound, and the overall atmosphere is very good.”
“The atmosphere was very solid and had my friend and myself on edge at times, but the lackluster enemy designs were a letdown.”
“The atmosphere is very creepy and dark... things will be just waiting for you around every corner.”
“The atmosphere is ruined by out-of-place riddles and two very generic looking monsters.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in under three hours and lacks incentives to play again. The reliance on RNG elements further diminishes the desire to revisit the experience, leading to a consensus that while enjoyable initially, the game offers little in terms of long-term engagement.
“Only downside is it is quite short for the price, I think. It only took about 2.5 hours for me and a friend to complete with not much replay value.”
“Practically no replay value (not that I would want to play this ever again).”
“Game is decent, fun with a friend, but I finished this in less than 2 hours. There is no replayability, and it's entirely based on RNG at some points.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers expressing frustration over its exploitative nature and lack of genuine content. Overall, it is perceived as a disappointing attempt to capitalize on the horror genre without delivering meaningful gameplay.
“Clickbait cash grab out of 10.”
“Yes, it's another one of those 'horror' cash grabs.”
“The devs just wanted a quick cash grab.”
