That Which Gave Chase

About

That Which Gave Chase is a single player simulation game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Aslak and was released on June 23, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

I have placed a lot of trust in you. Wish I didn't have to, but my hand is forced. --- A scientist, seeking to return to the expedition he had to abandon, hires a sled dog musher to bring him on the last leg of his journey. That Which Gave Chase is an experimental, narrative-driven dog sledding thriller set in the vast, frozen wastes of the arctic. Playing as a sled dog musher, you must…

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 800 reviews

story105 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a highly immersive and eerie atmosphere that effectively conveys isolation and dread in the arctic environment.
Unique gameplay mechanics such as dog sledding with realistic controls and the ability to pet the sled dogs add charm and engagement.
The narrative is presented in a stylistic, non-linear, and mysterious way that encourages player interpretation and deepens the unsettling mood.

The story is very cryptic and fragmented, which may confuse players and feel unsatisfying due to lack of clear resolution.
The short length (around one hour) and minimal gameplay may leave some players feeling it is incomplete or lacking substance.
Certain gameplay elements, especially sled controls and some transitions between scenes, can be frustrating or immersion-breaking.

story
309 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
6%
The story is generally praised for its eerie, atmospheric, and mysterious tone, employing non-linear, fragmented narration that encourages player interpretation and repeated plays to piece together its cryptic plot. While some find this ambiguity intriguing and fitting for the psychological horror theme, others feel the narrative is too vague, disjointed, and lacking in payoff, making it difficult to fully grasp or emotionally invest in. Overall, the story stands out for its unique storytelling style and evocative mood but may not satisfy players seeking clear or conventional narratives.
- “The creeping horror is present from the very first scene, the exposition is consistently interesting, and the graphics serve the story incredibly well.”
- “Today I finished writing the timeline/story section of this game's wiki, to then come here and tell you it's been an impossibly obsessive journey for me, one where I mused over botanist's retellings and the writer's accounts for many nights to put together the whole of this beautiful game's story, tirelessly, a journey of its own reward.”
- “The gameplay takes a backseat to the narrative in this game but I really love the story the game tells and how it's told, so I think it's well worth an hour of time.”
- “But the story was the worst part of this game, nothing is explained, I had no idea what's going on for most of the time, and constant jumps and bad transitions made it even less fun. The game can jump from one scene in bright day where you are next to a house to a completely black scene where you're in a cave, and it all happens out of nowhere and leaves me confused about what just happened. It's not explained if it's a time skip or hallucinations or flashbacks or anything. Even when you go to chapter selection screen you can see some chapters are split into two chapters and there are other chapters put in between them.”
- “For you to understand the story you need to play through this multiple times and perform certain specific actions just for the narrative to make sense, and because the experience of playing it gets repetitive quickly, that is not a fun experience - making playing through this game neither entertaining nor fulfilling unless you force yourself to for some reason.”
- “Half way through it I was getting bored and waiting for something to happen. I know there's probably some deeper story being told and I'm just not intelligent enough to understand it, so just at face value it seemed a pretty boring and repetitive game. I also don't think it is a bad game, just if you don't have the mind of a middle school English teacher who is able to draw hidden meanings from random pieces of text, you might not get much out of it.”
atmosphere
268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
30%
1%
The atmosphere of "That Which Gave Chase" is widely praised for its eerie, desolate, and haunting ambiance reminiscent of classic PS1-style horror, effectively conveying isolation and dread in a frozen wilderness. Its minimalist visuals, sound design, and slow-burn narrative combine to create a deeply immersive, unsettling experience that emphasizes mood over traditional gameplay or scares. While some find the story vague and gameplay sparse, the game's strong, oppressive atmosphere is consistently highlighted as its standout and most compelling feature.
- “That which gave chase is an atmospheric, slow-burning horror experience that thrives on uncertainty, isolation, and the unnerving vastness of the arctic.”
- “The atmosphere, eeriness and sound design leave you constantly on edge, scouting around to see if there is something on the horizon and leave you wondering if the crunch on the snow is truly yours.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is well-done, making you feel isolated and alone with only a strange man and your four adorable dogs to keep you company.”
- “To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed — went in expecting atmosphere and a story, but found atmosphere to be pretty lacking and the story not so much enigmatic as not going anywhere; the causes are quickly laid out and never develop further and too much of the consequences are left to our own imagination.”
- “The atmosphere indeed made me curious and while the visual style is nice following old PlayStation games like Arctic Eggs does, the gameplay inside it felt like it has no point and was tedious.”
- “Atmosphere: 2/5 (since there is more content/music/models/animations/cutscenes)”
gameplay
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
70%
3%
The gameplay of "That Which Gives Chase" is minimalistic and heavily narrative-driven, centered mainly on dog sledding mechanics and exploration with occasional hunting segments. While the sledding is praised as unique, immersive, and well-executed, the overall gameplay is simple, sometimes repetitive, and can feel confusing or limited in depth. It serves primarily to support the atmospheric storytelling rather than delivering a complex or action-focused experience, appealing mainly to players who prioritize mood and narrative over mechanical engagement.
- “Seriously, the concept of a horror game where the main gameplay is dog-sledding through an arctic region is the definition of creative.”
- “The dog sledding sections (after all the key mechanic of the game) felt very good and natural, just the right mixture between manageable and challenging.”
- “The gameplay and mechanics were well communicated; everything that was said during the entire game has importance to your progress, which made it really impactful to try and pay attention to while making sure to navigate without toppling the sled.”
- “The atmosphere indeed made me curious, and while the visual style is nice, following old PlayStation games like Arctic Eggs does, the gameplay felt pointless and tedious.”
- “Gameplay itself was confusing and often involved bumbling around the map, hoping to go where I was supposed to be going.”
- “The reliance on mood over mechanics can make segments feel like a walking simulator with sled physics, and the lack of clear narrative resolution may frustrate players who look for concrete explanations.”
graphics
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
47%
3%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their striking, atmospheric PS1/PSX-inspired low-poly aesthetic, which effectively enhances the horror and isolation themes. The visual style is both nostalgic and haunting, creating a captivating mood that immerses players despite simple or minimalist designs. Many reviewers highlight how the art style complements the story and sound design, making the graphics a standout and integral part of the experience.
- “The graphics and presentation were incredible!”
- “The art style is striking and unique, giving the world a distinct atmosphere, and the sound design is solid, effectively building tension and mood in key moments.”
- “The pacing dragged for me, however, especially when it became clear that the fiction wasn’t really going anywhere, and the low-poly, low-res graphics currently trendy amongst indies aren’t really to my taste.”
- “...it tightly grasps onto and never lets go of the formulaic and soulless "1/2-hour-long, psx/n64-inspired art-style, with no real gameplay, and some pretentiously vague storytelling" trend within the indie-game scene at the moment.”
- “The psx style graphics enhance the persistent feeling of looming dread, leaving you unsure of what you're even looking at.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
34%
8%
The game's music and sound design are widely praised for their haunting, atmospheric quality that effectively complements the bleak, desolate setting. The soundtrack blends sparse, eerie compositions with ambient sounds to build tension and evoke strong emotions, enhancing the immersive experience. Many reviewers consider the music a standout feature that elevates the overall mood and storytelling.
- “The soundtrack by the developer ranges from various droning sounds to lo-fi style Akira Yamaoka vibes and moody set pieces, sounding like a movie score that should be in theaters.”
- “The music is haunting and builds up so much tension; at one point, it gave me chills, which is very uncommon for me.”
- “The soundscape is excellent, and the music perfectly complements the setting, creating a very atmospheric and creepy experience.”
- “The developer really took me by surprise with the way the game is presented – it uses very little in the way of dialogue or dramatic music.”
- “Atmosphere: 2/5 (since there is more content/music/models/animations/cutscenes)”
- “-music & sound.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
Grinding in the game is generally described as tedious and slow-paced, with some players finding the navigation and gameplay dragging at times. However, a few reviewers felt this tediousness contributed to the overall atmosphere and experience, making it fitting within the game's design.
- “The gameplay felt pointless and tedious despite a nice visual style inspired by old PlayStation games.”
- “Very, very tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional connection for players who appreciate subtle, minimalist horror and exploration-driven storytelling, creating an immersive and unsettling atmosphere akin to Lovecraftian themes. However, some players find emotional impact limited due to ambiguous narrative communication, which can lead to frustration and less investment in the story. Overall, the emotional experience is memorable but may resonate more deeply with those attuned to its nuanced style.
- “This game has made me feel the closest to being the main character in a Lovecraft or a Ligotti story.”
- “My best interpretation of the game (before watching or reading anyone else's analysis) is that the fungus provides connection to a hive mind and this hive mind offers immense knowledge to its members and, more emotionally impactful, resolves the innate human desire to rid ourselves of loneliness.”
- “For players who appreciate subtle horror, who enjoy uncovering fragments of story through exploration and implication, and who find beauty in minimalism and emotional ambiguity, the game delivers a memorable and unsettling journey across a frozen wasteland.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game is quite short, typically completed within an hour, with limited replay value mainly driven by achievements and revisiting the story with new context. While some players appreciate the incentive for exploration and experimentation, overall replayability is modest and may not justify the price for everyone.
- “Surprisingly high replay value, as the achievements incentivize exploration and experimentation while giving you a chance to re-interpret parts of the game with the context provided by later sections.”
- “Negatives: there's really no replay value, and it is a short game.”
- “My playthrough took longer than the 45-60 minutes suggested by the developer, but for a game that's essentially linear without a ton of replayability or dense narrative, €5 is still a little steep for 90 minutes of play.”
- “It's short, you can beat it in an hour, and there is a little bit of replay value in getting the achievements and just listening to the story again with the knowledge of what's to come.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The humor in the game is mixed, with some players finding it lacking, while others appreciate its quirky and lighthearted elements, such as interactions with sled dogs and humorous in-game experiences. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm but may not resonate with everyone.
- “Humor aside, this game nailed it.”
- “Funny sled dog game, glad I could pet the dogs and get high on shrooms.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without any performance issues.
- “The game ran great with zero performance issues.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, frequently freezing and causing interruptions during play.
- “Eventually, everything freezes.”