Stifled

About

Stifled is a single player survival action adventure game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by Gattai Games and was released on December 13, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Stifled is a Mic-Enabled Sound-Based Survival Thriller, where sound is the only way you see and the enemies HEAR your fear. In Stifled, the sounds made by your in-game character and yourself through microphone input reveal the otherwise hidden world through ‘echolocation’. However, undue noise will attract the attention of creatures lurking in the darkness. To survive, you will have to tread the…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and innovative echolocation mechanic that enhances the horror experience.
It has a compelling atmosphere and story, with good voice acting and visuals that contribute to the overall tension.
The gameplay is engaging, offering a mix of stealth and puzzle-solving that keeps players on edge.

The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including problems with saving and VR controls that can detract from the experience.
Many players found the game to be too short, with a lack of replay value and a simplistic story that leaves much to interpretation.
The implementation of the echolocation mechanic can lead to frustrating gameplay moments, as players are often forced to move slowly and cautiously.

story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
48%
13%
The game's story is described as intriguing yet often confusing, with a mix of dark themes and environmental storytelling that invites player interpretation. While some players found the narrative engaging and atmospheric, others noted its lack of clarity and straightforwardness, leading to a varied reception. Overall, the unique mechanics and visuals enhance the storytelling experience, making it a memorable, albeit puzzling, journey.
- “Great indie game with an amazing quality storyline; it's hella dark though, but great for streaming!”
- “Gotta say that this game was hecka impressive with not just the art style and the way echolocation worked, but with the story-rich content this game provided, featuring an ending that speaks through objects and memories you are able to pick up and acquire.”
- “Stifled provides excellent atmosphere and excels at environmental storytelling, which reveals a heartbreaking tragedy.”
- “The walking sim part is boring, the story obvious and the interaction with most objects in the environment pretty rudimentary.”
- “I wasn't quite sure going in how the story would pan out remembering the demo and it really wasn't anything like I was expecting.”
- “A very strange game and is a little scary at some points, worth a bit of play but it is a storyteller without telling you the story.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
Stifled features a unique and innovative gameplay mechanic that utilizes mic input for echolocation, creating a clever cat-and-mouse dynamic that enhances the horror experience. Players appreciate the engaging story and satisfying visuals, although the game offers a relatively short playtime of about 2.5 hours. Overall, the gameplay is well-executed and enjoyable, making it a standout title in the VR horror genre.
- “Stifled has an interesting gameplay mechanic executed fantastically, and I give the devs major points for that.”
- “This makes for a really clever cat and mouse type gameplay where you have to use sounds to see, but also use the sounds to misdirect the enemy and lure him out of your path.”
- “A really cool game from Gattai Games, Stifled is a horror game that not only has an interesting story, but it's also fun, which a lot of horror games fail to bring these days, with a unique echolocation mechanic to explore the environment and make your way around the game.”
- “It is a really excellent game, but in content there is only about 2 and a half hours of gameplay.”
- “I played the game on Vive with controller, and other than a few annoyances like when I lean too far the screen goes black, I quickly got used to how far I can lean to not affect my gameplay!”
- “This game has a very unique mechanic not seen in any other VR title, and it's done very, very well.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their impressive art style and effective use of echolocation, creating a visually engaging experience, especially in darker environments. While some users noted that the 'real world' graphics can feel simplistic and jarring compared to the more stylized elements, the overall visual presentation enhances the game's storytelling and atmosphere.
- “The art style used when you begin to use your sonar-type sensory to see your surroundings is really trippy, and the thing that is stalking you scared the life out of me!”
- “Gotta say that this game was hecka impressive with not just the art style and the way echolocation worked, but with the story-rich content this game provided, featuring an ending that speaks through objects and memories you are able to pick up and acquire.”
- “The 'real world' graphical quality isn't great and can be slightly jarring after coming from the cool vector art.”
- “Graphics are of course simple, because you are literally walking through dark places, but there are some lightened places where the game tells the story, and it is okay.”
- “In terms of graphics, it does well considering that most of the game is in the dark, but when you do reach areas with actual color and light, it seemingly becomes even more terrifying.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its eerie and intense qualities, effectively blending environmental storytelling with a sense of tension and dread. Players appreciate the balance between moments of calm and the underlying stress of navigating a world filled with unseen threats, contributing to a captivating and immersive experience. Overall, the game's otherworldly feel and emotional depth enhance its atmospheric impact.
- “The otherworldly feel around the game adds a perfect amount of atmosphere to this game.”
- “Anyway, the concept behind the game is fantastic and it’s super eerie because you want to make sound to be able to see where you are going, but at the same time you don’t want to do anything in case you run into one of the many creatures. It’s this that makes the atmosphere so intense and terrifying.”
- “Stifled provides excellent atmosphere and excels at environmental storytelling, which reveals a heartbreaking tragedy.”
- “The concept behind the game is fantastic and it’s super eerie because you want to make sound to be able to see where you are going, but at the same time you don’t want to do anything in case you run into one of the many creatures. It’s this that makes the atmosphere so intense and terrifying.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits stability issues, particularly during startup, requiring multiple attempts to launch. Additionally, manual saving is unreliable, with players reporting that it often fails to save unless the game auto-saves.
- “It's good; however, it's a little buggy when trying to start it up. It takes a lot of tries, and sometimes when you go to manually save, it doesn't save, but it only saves when it auto-saves.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it frustrating to progress. Stability is a major issue that needs to be addressed.”
- “I often experience lag and freezing during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised for their quality and suitability, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The music and sounds are incredibly well crafted and fit perfectly with the game's atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making every moment more immersive.”
- “Each musical piece complements the gameplay beautifully, creating a captivating audio landscape.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find that the emotional impact of "Stifled" is heightened by its unique gameplay mechanics, where the blindness of enemies creates a sense of control and empowerment. The game's strong atmosphere and environmental storytelling effectively convey a poignant tragedy, deepening the emotional experience.
- “Stifled provides excellent atmosphere and excels at environmental storytelling, which reveals a heartbreaking tragedy.”
- “It’s weird, but the fact that the enemies are also blind made me feel less scared, because it felt like I had the edge on them by being the creator of sounds, and I felt in control.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers minimal replayability, primarily limited to exploring alternative choices, but this incentive is insufficient for many players to consider a second playthrough.
- “There's no replay value other than wanting to know what the other choice would do, but it's not enough to make me even consider playing again.”