Storebound

About

Storebound is a single player and multiplayer action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Embers and was released on November 17, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Storebound is a horror action game featuring single-player and 1-3 player co-op modes, where ordinary shoppers must navigate an eerie, cursed megastore to find the exit before creepy employees catch them. The game blends tense stealth, clever puzzles, and teamwork with stellar visuals and plenty of humor. Its episodic story and solid mechanics offer an engaging, atmospheric experience.

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 305 reviews

gameplay18 positive mentions

replayability5 negative mentions

The game has a unique and engaging atmosphere, blending horror with humor, making it fun to play with friends.
Puzzles are creative and well-integrated into the gameplay, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
The art style and design of the game are visually appealing, reminiscent of retro aesthetics, which adds to the overall experience.

The game is very short, with only two episodes available, leading to a lack of replayability and content for the price.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as enemy AI and the sanity system, feel unpolished and can lead to frustrating experiences.
There are technical issues, including bugs and voice chat problems, which detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by creative mechanics and engaging puzzles that are well-integrated into the game world, though some players desire more exploration and combat options. While the co-op experience is enjoyable and the atmosphere is reminiscent of popular horror titles, there are criticisms regarding certain mechanics, such as the sanity system and the repetitive nature of some gameplay elements. Overall, the game shows promise with its unique design and potential for future updates, but it currently feels limited in content and variety.
- “The mechanics are creative, and the way the puzzles are integrated into the world feels intentional and meaningful.”
- “The co-op gameplay works well, and the ability to join random players adds replay value.”
- “The game’s user interface, inventory management, and movement controls are straightforward enough that players can focus on cooperation and strategy rather than wrestling with mechanics, which suits the experience well.”
- “I think there is not enough fighting mechanics in the game; I get it's not a fighting game, but it would really improve the quality of life.”
- “So many gameplay elements are used one time, and even then, the one time they're used aren't really effective implementations.”
- “Gameplay is about the objectives, but it feels like you are not doing objectives; rather, you walk around in circles until you find the thing, then you do the same for the next thing.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
46%
9%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the unique and charming retro art style that enhances the immersive atmosphere. While some find the visuals eye-catching and nostalgic, others critique the execution, noting issues with clashing colors and inconsistent quality. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, contributing to the game's fun and engaging experience, despite some calls for improvement.
- “The visuals are strong, the atmosphere is fitting, and the scenery is eye-catching and immersive.”
- “First off, I love the idea and the graphics were very unique and stylish; I love the retro look and music ambience.”
- “I had so much fun playing this, the graphics, gameplay, map, and everything was so good!”
- “Sometimes it feels like the game leans too much on the art style and it starts to get to a ridiculous point with the clashing of all the different colors and fonts of the UI.”
- “The graphic design is still some of the worst I have ever seen in my life; I see the vision, it just didn't land.”
- “It's not scary or fun, feels more like a chore simulator with crappy graphics and voice chat (seriously, what is with the ghost chat voice? It sounds awful).”
story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and potential for development, particularly in a cooperative horror setting. While some find the narrative engaging and the atmosphere well-crafted, others criticize it for being linear, lacking depth, or feeling repetitive. Overall, players express excitement for future updates and expansions to the storyline, indicating a strong interest in how the plot will evolve.
- “The story was interesting as well.”
- “Overall love the storyline that's going on here.”
- “The storyline of the game is also very nice, I like how the objectives are displayed so you can stay on track too.”
- “The grain is painful to look at, the AI is dumb, the storyline is boring.”
- “I feel like the fact that if you both die you have to restart the whole story is kind of annoying, and even the dialogue.”
- “So far from what I can see, there isn't really a clear story, and the enemies are a bit overexposed to remain scary.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its strong visuals, immersive scenery, and a unique blend of humor and horror that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of tension and environmental storytelling, with many noting the game's ability to create unforgettable moments through its engaging atmosphere and procedural puzzles. However, some critiques mention a lack of tension in certain areas, suggesting that while the atmosphere is generally well-received, it may not consistently deliver the suspense expected in a horror setting.
- “The visuals are strong, the atmosphere is fitting, and the scenery is eye-catching and immersive.”
- “The result is an atmosphere that balances satire, tension, and subtle environmental storytelling, giving the experience a distinct personality before the first real scare even arrives.”
- “More Mall of America than megastore, the atmosphere of this game is excellent, and it's full of fun, funny, and unsettling little details that you may easily blow past while focusing on navigating through the dark, dilapidated aisles.”
- “There is no tension or atmosphere, just more of the same wandering in a maze the whole way through.”
- “The atmosphere is unsettling from the moment you start.”
- “The atmosphere and mechanics are reminiscent of the Outlast Trials and Labyrinth, which fans of co-op horror games will appreciate.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
28%
45%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting a lack of content and limited incentive to replay after completing the chapters. While some aspects, like co-op gameplay and procedural puzzles, offer a degree of replay value, the linear structure and short length diminish the overall experience. A few players express excitement for specific sections, suggesting potential for varied playthroughs, but the consensus leans towards minimal replayability.
- “The co-op gameplay works well, and the ability to join random players adds replay value.”
- “The atmosphere is great, the procedural puzzles make the game replayable, and the in-game voice makes the game truly immersive.”
- “One section of chapter 2 in particular I found immensely fun, and while others have said there is little replay value in these initial chapters, I am excited to replay that section and take on a different role in passing it.”
- “But compared to the competition in this ever-expanding genre, I'm not sure this one has much, if any, replay value.”
- “Honestly, another friendslop game, no replayability, and the game had at most 30 minutes of content in it.”
- “The episodic format leaves this game with little to no replayability after getting through the chapters.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its blend of scary and funny moments, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews note the amusing character models and the game's ability to create a fun atmosphere filled with unsettling yet humorous details. Overall, the game is described as a delightful mix of comedy and horror, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “This game is scary funny with friends; it's really funny, like funny as hell. 10/10 would recommend.”
- “Honestly, for an early access game, I found this to be quite fun. I enjoyed the atmosphere, gameplay, and just the game overall since it gave a lovely mix of scary but funny moments because of the puzzles, storyline, and monsters.”
- “Funny character models, a creepy monster, and a scary atmosphere.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report no significant glitches, others have encountered bugs, particularly in the maze and zombie sections. The gameplay is relatively short, lasting about an hour, and improvements are needed to enhance the experience.
- “Def think that the maze section of the game needed some improvement; it felt a bit tough on the receiving end, and according to my friend, the digging portion of that section was a bit buggy.”
- “Honestly, if they fix the buggy zombies, it'll be good.”
- “$7 for an hour and a half of buggy gameplay.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance and stability, others experience significant frame rate drops, stuttering, and rubberbanding during gameplay. There is hope for future improvements, especially given the game's potential.
- “I don't usually expect indie games to be well optimized anymore, but this one absolutely is and (so far) runs incredibly smooth.”
- “I hope for an early optimization, because it's not about my laptop (I played Murky Divers and had a stable 40-50 FPS).”
- “I hope for an early optimization, because it's not about my laptop (I played Murky Divers and had a stable 40-50 fps).”
- “Good game, but there are only two levels out right now and it doesn't feel optimized because my friend's and my FPS keep dropping at random moments. The game is unique and definitely has potential.”
- “You may experience a lot of stuttering and rubberbanding while crouching.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The music in the game is praised for its unique and stylish retro ambiance, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players found the audio levels to be excessively loud at times, making it difficult to hear other in-game sounds. While the soundtrack contributes to moments of tension, it primarily serves as background to the game's gore and horror elements rather than being a central focus.
- “First off, I love the idea and the graphics were very unique and stylish. I love the retro look and music ambience.”
- “The game had good music and fun sounds, but they were very loud at points, making it challenging to hear anyone or anything over the music.”
- “There is a slight soundtrack build-up from being chased, which adds to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The soundtrack is minimal and doesn't contribute much to the overall experience.”
- “There is a slight soundtrack build-up from being chased, but that's about it.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it easy to tune out.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game, noting that the ability to revive fallen teammates adds a layer of strategy and reduces tedium, while still requiring effort to reach their bodies for revival.