Still There

About

Still There is a single player simulation game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by GhostShark and was released on November 20, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"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

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 793 reviews

story312 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

Incredible story that evokes strong emotions and may lead to tears.
Challenging and engaging puzzles that require logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Beautiful art style and atmospheric music that enhance the overall experience.

Puzzles can be overly complex and poorly explained, leading to frustration.
The story may feel melodramatic or boring to some players, lacking depth in character development.
Controls can be clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and interaction cumbersome.

story
661 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
49%
4%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging narrative, often touching on themes of grief, loss, and relationships. Many players found the storytelling to be beautifully crafted, with well-developed characters and a poignant atmosphere that resonates long after the game ends. However, some critiques mention that the puzzles can detract from the narrative flow, making it challenging for players to fully immerse themselves in the story.
- “A beautiful story of love, with some very touching characters and speech.”
- “The story is deep and meaningful and I have to say it's the first game where choosing an answer for the dialogue I didn't go 'well all of those are bullshit' ever.”
- “The story is incredible and haunting at the same time.”
- “The story is nothing but laughable and pathetic, and by the end I could not care what happened to them.”
- “The story seemed to rely on the loaded emotional weight of the characters' predicament rather than actually developing relatable characters and an engaging story.”
- “I thought the story would be better.”
emotional
175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, touching characters, and profound themes of love, grief, and self-forgiveness. Many players report experiencing strong emotional reactions, including tears, particularly due to the game's exploration of loss and isolation. However, some critiques mention that the emotional weight can be undermined by frustrating gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed overall experience.
- “A beautiful and heart-wrenching story that I'm grateful to have experienced.”
- “One of the best and most intense emotional experiences I ever had with a game.”
- “A heartbreaking story about grief and guilt of losing a loved one, and forgiving yourself.”
music
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
27%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the emotional depth of the story, creating a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as both relaxing and immersive, effectively complementing the visuals and narrative. While some critiques mention minimal or ambient music, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's emotional impact and overall experience.
- “The music is haunting.”
- “It's an emotional journey with gorgeous graphics and beautiful music.”
- “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.”
- “The art and music can't carry a clumsy story filled with characters you can't help but hate.”
- “A soundtrack is barely existing (it’s probably ambience sounds, but nothing I even noticed).”
- “I wanted to shed a tear at the end when the pretty music was playing, but like the protagonist, all emotion had been drained out of me from the prior four hours of, not boring, but annoying, gameplay.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and detailed art style, often described as charming and reminiscent of hand-painted or comic aesthetics. Players appreciate the visuals for enhancing the emotional narrative and atmosphere, contributing to a cozy yet thought-provoking experience. While some found the graphics static at times, the overall consensus highlights the artwork as a significant draw of the game.
- “The art style was beautiful, and I want my very own Gorky .”
- “An emotional and thought-provoking science fiction story packaged as an artistic puzzle with great visuals and writing.”
- “Fantastic graphics, puzzles that require your brain to get six different overclocking modules, and a story that is...”
- “And the graphics of the game try to confuse you.”
- “Graphics are fine for a 2D scroll about puzzle game.”
- “Set in an original environment, still there is a mixture of point-and-click adventure and hacking genre, with cartoon graphics.”
gameplay
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
55%
14%
The gameplay in "Still There" features a mix of engaging puzzles and narrative-driven elements, though it can be frustrating due to unclear mechanics and a lack of intuitive guidance. While some players appreciate the depth and tactile feel of the puzzles, others find the gameplay clunky and challenging, often requiring external help to progress. Overall, the emotional impact of the story tends to overshadow the gameplay shortcomings, making it a recommended experience for those who prioritize narrative.
- “The gameplay is lots of fun and it really made me feel like an astronaut.”
- “Really amazing puzzles keep your brain buzzing and the story just complements the gameplay perfectly.”
- “Normally games like this sacrifice the gameplay aspect to deliver more on the story side, but this is absolutely not the case for Still There.”
- “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
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The game's humor is described as a blend of quirky, dark, and sometimes crude elements, effectively balancing moments of laughter with deeper, more melancholic themes. While some jokes may not resonate with all players, the writing is generally praised for its charm and wit, contributing to a cathartic experience that evokes a range of emotions. Overall, the humor is seen as integral to the narrative, enhancing both the lighthearted and serious aspects of the game.
- “Thanks for such a hilarious, heartfelt, rewarding game.”
- “It was a sobering examination of mortality but with enough fun and humor along the way to make it feel cathartic, instead of maudlin.”
- “Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal parts, something that needs to be experienced.”
- “Abundant masturbation jokes are not funny, nor do they add anything to the story.”
atmosphere
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
14%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and emotional qualities, with many players highlighting the combination of music, art, and storytelling that creates a captivating experience. Reviewers describe it as both beautiful and haunting, evoking feelings of loneliness and longing, while also providing a sense of claustrophobia that enhances the narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a must-play for fans of atmospheric storytelling.
- “Fantastic game with an atmosphere that sucks you inside and makes you actually feel and live the story.”
- “A very beautiful, atmospheric and emotional first-person point&click adventure in the style of an interactive comic.”
- “The atmosphere is lonely and longing.”
- “I mean, I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but this game has so much atmosphere.”
- “All in all, play for the story and the atmosphere.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration and fatigue. The necessity to perform numerous actions, particularly in point-and-click scenarios, contributes to a sense of monotony, with some actions being overly commented on, further exacerbating the experience. Overall, many feel that the grinding requires an excessive time investment that detracts from enjoyment.
- “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.”
- “You will need a second life for grinding.”
- “I found it tedious and it gave me a headache.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's replayability is generally considered low, as it is designed more for a one-time, emotional experience. While some players find enjoyment in hunting for secrets and achievements, the overall consensus is that there isn't much incentive to replay, despite the game being seen as worth the investment.
- “It has decent replay value; it's pretty fun to hunt for secrets and achievements.”
- “Overall replay value is low; it seems more meant for a one-time, heartfelt experience.”
- “There is limited replayability, however.”
- “Not a ton of replay value, and you can finish pretty quickly, but I still consider it money well spent.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for limiting player interaction and engagement, as many desired activities and features are either inaccessible or become irrelevant before they can be utilized. Players expressed frustration over the inability to fully explore the game's potential, particularly with unfulfilled interactions and a shop that offers items that cannot be used in time. Overall, while the narrative is praised, the lack of optimization detracts from the overall experience.
- “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 I wanted to do but couldn't. For instance, I wanted to write more personal logs to my in-game boss and 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 items, but half of them can't be used because the game is long over before you even get the chance to think about buying something.”
- “The game has a lot of potential, but the optimization is severely lacking. Many features feel underdeveloped or inaccessible, leaving players frustrated with missed opportunities.”
- “I was really looking forward to exploring the game, but the optimization issues made it difficult to engage with the content. It felt like there were so many things I could have done, but the game just didn't allow for it.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, highlighting that the game is plagued by bugs that hinder the overall experience.
- “The right arrangement was the least problem; two other things were really obstructive: first, the game was buggy.”