Stranger Things: 1984

Stranger Things: 1984 is an adventure game that takes you on an intriguing journey through the eerie world of the popular TV show. With its 80s-inspired aesthetics and striking visuals, this game delivers an immersive experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Explore the mysterious town of Hawkins, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets as you delve deeper into the unfolding storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,124 reviews

monetization23 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game captures the essence of the Stranger Things series well, with great pixel art and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic RPGs.
Players appreciate the lack of ads and in-app purchases, making for a more enjoyable gaming experience.
The gameplay is engaging and fun, with clever puzzles and character interactions that keep players hooked.

The requirement of a Netflix account to play the game has frustrated many players, as it was previously free and accessible to all.
Numerous reports of bugs and crashes prevent players from enjoying the game, with some unable to even start it.
Players have expressed disappointment over the game's difficulty spikes and lack of clear instructions, leading to frustration during gameplay.

monetization
35 mentions
66 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is largely praised for its absence of ads, microtransactions, and in-app purchases, allowing for an uninterrupted gameplay experience. However, some users express concerns about the game being tied to a Netflix subscription, suggesting it may be a cash grab despite the lack of traditional monetization tactics. Overall, players appreciate the retro feel and fun mechanics, but opinions are mixed regarding the subscription requirement.
- “There are no ads, and no freemium aspects that have plagued mobile games of the past decade.”
- “No ads, no microtransactions.”
- “Love this game! It's an old school RPG and the bonus is there's no pay-to-win, no adverts, and no in-app purchases, so it's definitely a 10/10.”
- “This game is a complete and utter cash grab and was better when Netflix didn't own it.”
- “Wow.... locking it behind a subscription service and advertising this is free, what a bunch of a-holes.”
- “Now it's a sad cash grab...”
story
30 mentions
43 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging plot and connection to the "Stranger Things" universe, filled with easter eggs and familiar characters. However, some players expressed disappointment over the narrative's pacing and structure, feeling it diverges too much from the series and lacks clarity. Overall, while the story is appreciated for its uniqueness and challenge, it also faces criticism for being rushed and confusing at times.
- “It captures the essence of Stranger Things so well, with so many easter eggs, the pixelated art style, and the storyline of the game.”
- “I love all of the secrets, the story, and the ending. This was one of the best games I've ever played; it may be a five out of five, but I say '10 out of 10'.”
- “Has a great story, great gameplay, and great characters; makes me want to watch the show.”
- “What the actual hell, Netflix? I played this game expecting a Stranger Things story from Season 1, Episode 1 to Season 1, Episode 9, but no, what is the story????”
- “Like seriously, we just wake up as Hopper and are told that not only is Will missing, but so are Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. Within 5-10 minutes, Nancy is already in the Upside Down. The story is rushed, doesn't follow the series, and feels so random that it isn't worth it. If you're buying Netflix for this game, don't. It's not worth it at all.”
- “I don't really understand the plot, so yeah, it's boring.”
gameplay
20 mentions
35 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its retro pixel art and mechanics reminiscent of classic SNES titles, particularly "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past," featuring unique character swapping and engaging puzzles. However, some players express frustration with touch controls, occasional clunkiness, and the requirement of a Netflix account to access the game, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many find the gameplay immersive and enjoyable, highlighting its level design and lack of intrusive ads.
- “No microtransactions or gacha or ads, just a retro pixel adventure game, similar to the Zelda series (specifically the SNES Zelda game, A Link to the Past), and similar high-quality game mechanics to classic games you rarely see anymore.”
- “Honestly, a great retro action role-playing game in the style of SNES The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with its own unique character swapping mechanic and tap-to-interact mechanics.”
- “Excellent gameplay, level design, pixel graphics, open world, all incredible.”
- “It only goes to the page where it lets you choose your account, and then it immediately crashes, which is really sad because I really liked the gameplay.”
- “From clunky game mechanics to enemies not even being affected by attacks is just dumb.”
- “It's great but sometimes it just doesn't make any sense and I hate the whole entire touch screen mechanic; it's really clunky when you're trying to punch someone but accidentally move.”
graphics
10 mentions
70 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their nostalgic pixel art style, effectively capturing the essence of "Stranger Things" and enhancing the overall experience with numerous easter eggs. Reviewers appreciate the vibrant visuals and level design, noting that they complement the gameplay and puzzles, making the game both engaging and visually appealing. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's charm and complexity, earning high marks from players.
- “It captures the essence of Stranger Things so well, with so many easter eggs, the pixelated art style and the storyline of the game.”
- “Excellent gameplay, level design, pixel graphics, open world, all incredible.”
- “Love how simple and straightforward this game is, and the graphics and sound effects are perfectly nostalgic!”
- “The graphics are outdated and lack detail, making the game feel less immersive.”
- “The character models look flat and lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The environments are bland and repetitive, failing to capture the atmosphere of the game.”
stability
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant glitches and crashes that hinder gameplay, particularly during specific levels. Others report a smooth experience with no issues, highlighting quick loading times and ease of play. Overall, while many enjoy the game, the presence of bugs and stability problems has led to frustration for some users.
- “I love it so much! It's just like the Netflix series, but it's a pixel arcade game where you collect the main characters. No glitches or anything; it's great!”
- “I love this game! It is so amazing, with no glitches.”
- “I use to love this game; it was really fun and went along with the shows very well, but now I have to have a YouTube subscription to even get into the game, and now it's garbage with tons of crashes and glitches as though they have left it to decay over the years.”
- “It's was a good game until I got to the bike chase (Mike on bike vs. Hawkins lab van), and it would just send me in directions I didn't even choose. Most of the time when I swiped, it either went the opposite way or just went twice, which makes that level so hard to complete.”
- “Buggy, couldn't get it to load... very disappointed.”
music
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with many users calling it "great" and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience. However, there is a notable request for separate audio sliders to better balance sound effects and music. Additionally, fans of the associated show appreciate the music's connection to it, particularly highlighting the impressive song at the end.
- “The music is great... just great! 5 stars!”
- “If you have time and just want to listen to music while playing a cute, fun game, I had a blast.”
- “I saw the show and the song at the end is amazing, so I recommend this game and the show!”
- “Plays great for a mobile game, but it desperately needs separate audio sliders for sound effects and music.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the sound effects are decent, the background music feels bland and uninspired.”
optimization
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its smooth performance, closely mirroring the show's experience, despite some challenging sections. Overall, players appreciate the optimization provided by Netflix.
- “It's a great game; it's just like the show. Some parts in the game are hard, but that's okay, and it runs smoothly. Thanks, Netflix! 💯”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and boring, despite acknowledging that the technical side is well-executed.
- “The technical side of the game is solid, but everything else is tediously boring.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the game.”