Still There

About

"Still There" is a narrative-driven psychological thriller game set in a remote lighthouse base. As a lone operator, you'll handle a variety of intriguing missions and deal with unexpected events that challenge your sanity and perception of reality. The game features a rich, immersive story, with branching dialogue that explores themes of isolation, melancholy, and cosmic horror.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 794 reviews

story302 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted story that explores themes of grief and loss, leaving a lasting emotional impact.
Puzzles are challenging and require critical thinking, often involving the use of a technical manual, which adds depth to the gameplay.
The art style and sound design create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

Some puzzles can be overly complex and frustrating, leading to confusion and the need for external guides.
The dialogue can feel forced at times, and the humor may not resonate with all players, detracting from the emotional weight of the story.
The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content for the price.

story
655 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and poignant themes, particularly focusing on grief, loss, and personal redemption. Many players found the narrative to be touching and well-written, often evoking strong emotional responses, while some noted that the story's pacing and complexity could occasionally detract from the gameplay experience. Overall, the story is considered the standout feature of the game, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven adventures, despite some frustrations with the accompanying puzzles.
- “This was a heartfelt story about a dad learning to forgive himself and meeting a daughter surrogate in space.”
- “The story is incredibly well written and it deserves to be played for that reason alone.”
- “The story is touching and immersive with all the sounds and visual elements.”
- “The story is just kind of unfortunately rushed and that sort of sucks because the setting is actually quite interesting for the concept; there's a lot of care given to the notes and features of your small cabin, it's just the run time of the story is so short.”
- “The story seemed to rely on the loaded emotional weight of the characters' predicament rather than actually developing relatable characters and an engaging story.”
- “The story was really emotional for me too - it is perhaps a little obvious in how it tells its story, there are clearly some very obvious emotional links it is going for etc, but I still enjoyed it for what it was.”
emotional
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its deeply emotional narrative, exploring themes of grief, loss, and forgiveness, which resonate strongly with players. Many reviewers noted that the heartfelt storytelling, combined with beautiful visuals and music, creates a poignant experience that often leads to tears. While some found the puzzles frustrating, the emotional weight of the story more than compensates, making it a highly recommended title for those seeking an impactful gaming experience.
- “A heartbreaking puzzle game with themes of grief and depression.”
- “The story is interesting and touching, the characters and their behavior feel real.”
- “A beautiful and heart-wrenching story that I'm grateful to have experienced.”
music
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
37%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its ability to enhance the emotional depth and atmosphere, with many reviewers describing it as beautiful, haunting, and fitting for the narrative. While some found the soundtrack to be repetitive or minimal, the overall consensus highlights its effectiveness in creating a somber and immersive experience that complements the game's art and storytelling. A few critiques noted that certain tracks could be grating, but these were generally outweighed by the positive impressions of the music's role in the game.
- “The music is haunting.”
- “The ambiance set by the charming hack-job machinery, the minimalist yet moving music, and the bittersweet backstory of the characters evoke a genuine sense of nostalgia.”
- “It's an emotional journey with gorgeous graphics and beautiful music.”
- “Music: very repetitive.”
- “The only complaint I could possibly make is that the music gets stale by the 3rd or 4th section of the game.”
- “Background 'music' was ripping my ears so I had to remove it.”
graphics
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
36%
4%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed reception, with many praising the beautiful art style, detailed environments, and smooth animations that enhance the overall aesthetic experience. However, some critics noted that the simplistic 2D graphics may feel underwhelming for a PC game, likening them to low-effort flash games. Overall, while the visuals are often described as charming and fitting for the narrative, opinions vary on their depth and complexity.
- “The art style and overall look are fabulous.”
- “The individual objects are smooth, crisp, and have an impressive amount of detail, such as the circuit boards, which is true for the entire space station and most of the game's visuals.”
- “It's an emotional journey with gorgeous graphics and beautiful music.”
- “The game features somewhat lazy, simplistic 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low-effort flash/browser games and mobile apps.”
- “Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
- “The cons far outweigh the pros, no matter how much I like the side characters, puzzles, and art style.”
gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
60%
12%
The gameplay in "Still There" is a mixed bag, featuring intricate puzzles and a unique mechanical interface that some players find engaging, while others criticize it for being overly complex and frustrating. The game emphasizes narrative and atmosphere, often at the expense of intuitive gameplay mechanics, leading to a reliance on guides for progression. Overall, while the puzzles can be clever and the story emotionally impactful, the gameplay experience is hampered by a lack of clear instructions and sometimes tedious tasks.
- “The art and music are lovely, the interior of the little space lighthouse on the galaxy frontier is detailed and mechanically complex, which both makes it feel real and lived in, and provides nicely immersive puzzles.”
- “Still There has such a good gameplay idea of fixing and managing a space lighthouse; it gives you some objectives, a manual, and a large panel of buttons and switches and lets you try and figure it out without much hand-holding.”
- “Really amazing puzzles keep your brain buzzing and the story just complements the gameplay perfectly.”
- “The narrative is quite good, but often gets let down by frustrating gameplay with no easy 'default action' or means of diagnosing a problem.”
- “I'm still trying to decide if the promise of the story is worth suffering through the clunky and primitive gameplay seemingly designed by cavemen with no experience interacting with modern entertainment software.”
- “While I spent solid time on each one, many were so confusing and left with little to no proper explanation, that I was forced to ruin my own gameplay experience by looking up some sort of guide, just so I could get the story to continue.”
humor
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of quirky, dark, and sometimes crude elements, often intertwined with emotional and philosophical themes. While many players appreciate the witty dialogue and humorous details that enhance the narrative, some find certain jokes, particularly those of a more adult nature, to be uncomfortable or unnecessary. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant aspect that balances the game's deeper, more melancholic moments, making for a unique and engaging experience.
- “The story is lovely, touching, and full of emotion, tension, and humor.”
- “Thanks for such a hilarious, heartfelt, rewarding game.”
- “The humor didn't quite land sometimes, but that's mostly a nitpick.”
- “Abundant masturbation jokes are not funny, nor do they add anything to the story.”
atmosphere
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and emotional qualities, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and thoughtful art design. Players describe it as cozy yet melancholic, effectively conveying themes of loneliness and longing, which complement the engaging story and challenging puzzles. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.
- “The atmosphere created by the game, as you float around in your deep space lighthouse, is oddly cozy and rather unique.”
- “Fantastic game with an atmosphere that sucks you inside and makes you actually feel and live the story.”
- “It does an incredible job of creating an atmosphere, through some great storytelling, good art design, and a really solid soundtrack.”
- “The atmosphere is lonely and longing.”
- “Sometimes they even destroyed the atmosphere a little bit for me but other than that, no critic from my side.”
- “It feels like there's time pressure, but there never really appears to be, which speaks to the atmosphere of the game as much as anything else.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and repetitive, with many tasks feeling unnecessarily complex and time-consuming. While some appreciate the emotional depth of the story, the frequent mundane actions, such as food preparation and water recycling, detract from the experience, leading to frustration and boredom. Despite its short length, the slow pacing and lack of guidance contribute to a sense of tedium that hampers enjoyment.
- “The story bounces from being absurd to depressing and didn't leave me impressed, while the gameplay is pretty much all tasks that are either tedious, obtuse, or incredibly anal, and I don't feel smarter coming out of them.”
- “Performing every little action feels unbearably tedious, and it's one of those point & click games where you have to try to combine everything with everything else.”
- “Although an emotional and story-driven game, it was too full of tedious tasks and a lack of initial play guide that prevented me from continuing with it.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, primarily designed for a one-time, emotional experience, with limited randomized elements for variation. While some players find enjoyment in hunting for secrets and achievements, the short playtime of around five hours contributes to the consensus that replay value is minimal.
- “Some solutions will also be randomized for replayability.”
- “It has decent replay value; it's pretty fun to hunt for secrets and achievements.”
- “Not a ton of replay value, and you can finish pretty quick, but I still consider it money well spent.”
- “Overall replay value is low though - it seems more meant for a one-time, heartfelt experience.”
- “I don't think there is any replayability value besides that though.”
- “Be aware this is around a 5-hour game with little replay value.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating the heartfelt story but expressing frustration over limited interactions and unfulfilled gameplay opportunities. Many features, such as personal logs and shop items, feel underutilized or inaccessible, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The game developers did a commendable job in creating a short, heartfelt story, but I was left frustrated by the limitations on what I could do, such as writing personal logs to my in-game boss or interacting with various elements like the pet animal and numerous fake post-it notes.”
- “I found it disappointing that many items in the shop couldn't be used because the game ends before you even have a chance to consider purchasing them.”
- “Finally, while I must commend the game developers' performance in creating their short, heartfelt story, I was left even more annoyed at how many things that I wanted to do, but couldn't - such as attempting to write more personal logs to my in-game boss, trying to interact with things like the pet animal, or the enormous amount of fake post-it notes. The only fun thing about the reptile is when it dies; you can shoot it out of the space station's mailbox. I also failed to find alternate ways to enjoy myself: there's a shop where you can purchase things, but half of them can't be used because the game is long over before you get the chance to even think about buying something.”
- “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, making it frustrating to navigate and enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous performance issues that hindered my ability to fully engage with the game, leaving me disappointed.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the game's monetization strategy, while acceptable, feels disconnected from the narrative, as the advertising elements do not integrate organically into the story, which is designed to be straightforward.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that stability is a significant issue, with the game experiencing numerous bugs that hinder the overall experience.
- “The right arrangement was the least problem; two other things were really obstructive: first, the game was buggy.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers praise the game for its strong character development, highlighting it as a key advantage alongside an engaging story plot and impressive artwork.
- “The advantages of this game are its great story plot, character development, fantastic artwork, and, oh god, the puzzles.”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making every decision feel impactful and meaningful.”