Still There

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 400 reviews
  • story
  • emotional
  • music
Still There Game Cover
Those that don’t mind the challenge should consider picking up Still There as it is a unique experience.
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"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.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 400 reviews
story158 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features a surprisingly emotional and heartfelt storytelling that keeps players invested.
  • The puzzles are challenging and engaging, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment when solved.
  • The art style and music create a beautiful atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Some puzzles can feel overly complicated or obscure, leading to frustration and reliance on guides.
  • The story may not resonate with everyone, as it deals with heavy themes of grief and loss that can be emotionally taxing.
  • The game can feel short, leaving players wanting more content or a deeper exploration of its themes.
  • story336 mentions

    The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and heartfelt themes, often revolving around loss, grief, and personal growth, with many players finding it profoundly moving. However, some reviewers noted a disconnect between the intricate puzzles and the narrative, suggesting that the gameplay mechanics sometimes detracted from the storytelling experience. Overall, while the story resonates strongly with many, opinions vary on its execution and integration with the gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “A beautiful and heart-wrenching story that I'm grateful to have experienced.”
    • “The story is so compelling I could barely pull myself away until the end.”
    • “I found myself growing tired of trying to understand the in-game manual to figure out which switches and knobs to flip and turn just so I could progress the story I was invested in.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional89 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, featuring heartfelt storytelling that often leads players to tears. Many reviews highlight the profound themes of love, grief, and personal introspection, with characters that resonate deeply. While some players found the gameplay frustrating, the emotional journey and impactful narrative make it a recommended experience for those who appreciate games focused on emotional storytelling.

    • “I thought I had a handle on where things were going, but it kept surprising me with its genuine, heartfelt storytelling.”
    • “A beautiful and heart-wrenching story that I'm grateful to have experienced.”
    • “This game gave me an emotional roller coaster that I could not handle from start to finish.”
  • music57 mentions

    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 beautiful and fitting, complementing the visuals and narrative effectively. Overall, the combination of music, art, and storytelling contributes to a memorable and immersive gaming experience.

    • “The music is haunting.”
    • “Great writing, haunting music, heartwrenching story.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics37 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and detailed art style, often described as charming and reminiscent of hand-painted visuals or comic aesthetics. Players appreciate the atmospheric and emotional impact of the visuals, which complement the narrative and puzzle-solving elements, although some note that the static nature of the graphics can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the combination of stunning artwork and engaging storytelling makes the game visually appealing and enhances its emotional depth.

    • “The main draws of Still There are its beautiful aesthetics and narrative, as well as its skeuomorphic puzzle solving where you toil with mechanical interfaces.”
    • “An emotional and thought-provoking science fiction story packaged as an artistic puzzle with great visuals and writing.”
    • “It's an emotional journey with gorgeous graphics and beautiful music.”
    • “And the graphics of the game try to confuse you.”
    • “Graphics are fine for a 2D scroll about a puzzle game.”
    • “Set in an original environment, still there is a mixture of point-and-click adventure and hacking genre, with cartoon graphics.”
  • gameplay35 mentions

    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 them overly complex and occasionally annoying, leading to reliance on guides. Overall, the emotional impact of the story often compensates for the gameplay's shortcomings, making it a recommended experience for those who prioritize narrative.

    • “The title becomes something to theorize about in later parts, as with its motif on time and stillness, it manages to control the tempo of gameplay perfectly.”
    • “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.”
  • humor29 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of quirky, dark, and sometimes crude elements, effectively balancing moments of levity with deeper emotional themes. While some players found the humor hit-or-miss, many appreciated the witty dialogue and funny character interactions, particularly with the AI named Gorky. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to evoke laughter alongside poignant reflections on heavier subjects, making it a unique and rewarding experience.

    • “Thanks for such a hilarious, heartfelt, rewarding game.”
    • “The humor didn't quite land sometimes, but that's mostly a nitpick.”
    • “Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal parts, something that needs to be experienced.”
    • “The humor relies too heavily on crude jokes that feel forced and unoriginal.”
    • “Many of the jokes fall flat and seem out of place within the game's narrative.”
    • “The attempts at humor often come off as juvenile and detract from the overall experience.”
  • atmosphere25 mentions

    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 enhancing the overall narrative. Despite some challenging puzzles, the rich atmosphere is consistently recommended as a key reason to engage with the game.

    • “Fantastic game with an atmosphere that sucks you inside and makes you actually feel and live the story.”
    • “The story is really good, the music and the atmosphere are really immersive and the gameplay is just great.”
    • “The atmosphere is lonely and longing.”
    • “I mean, I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but this game has so much atmosphere.”
    • “Still recommend because the atmosphere the game has is worth the price.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration. The necessity to perform numerous actions, especially in point-and-click scenarios, contributes to a sense of monotony, with some specific tasks, like water recycling, becoming particularly grating due to excessive commentary.

    • “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.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally considered low, as it is designed 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 it being a worthwhile purchase.

    • “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.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for limiting player interactions and opportunities, leaving many desired activities inaccessible. While the developers succeeded in crafting a heartfelt narrative, the restrictive gameplay elements detract from the overall experience, as players often find themselves unable to engage with various features or utilize in-game items effectively.

    • “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 features, like the shop items, were inaccessible by the time I had the opportunity to explore them, which hindered my overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “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.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report that stability is a significant issue, with frequent bugs hindering the overall experience. While the arrangement of elements is manageable, the presence of these bugs is a major obstruction.

    • “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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

0% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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