The Anomaly Project

About

The Anomaly Project is a multiplayer casual action adventure game. It was developed by Kekdot and was released on November 21, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

In The Anomaly Project, you and up to seven co-players must work together to spot anomalies and choose between red or green tubes to advance through increasingly puzzling levels. Making the right choices helps you progress, while mistakes send you back to the start. Can your team unravel the mysterious anomalies and escape?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+19

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 339 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The game is highly enjoyable, especially when played with friends, offering a fun mix of jump scares and cooperative gameplay.
The atmosphere and level design create a unique blend of psychological horror and puzzle-solving, keeping players engaged.
There is a good amount of replayability due to the numerous anomalies in each level, making it fun to discover new details with each playthrough.

The game suffers from a lack of content, with only a few levels available, leading to a repetitive experience after completing them.
Some players have criticized the use of AI-generated art and the overall quality of graphics, comparing it unfavorably to other games.
The gameplay can feel tedious at times, especially when searching for subtle anomalies, which may frustrate players looking for a more dynamic experience.

gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
9%
The gameplay of the Anomaly Project emphasizes observation and psychological tension rather than traditional horror mechanics, creating a unique experience that rewards attention to detail. While it offers a fun multiplayer environment and engaging visuals, players may find the gameplay loop repetitive and frustrating due to its reliance on spotting subtle changes in the environment, which can lead to a lack of long-term engagement. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a mix of horror and puzzle elements but may disappoint players seeking deeper mechanics or a more varied gameplay experience.
- “At the core of the game is a mechanic that feels both psychological and collaborative.”
- “The game masterfully blends psychological horror with an observation-based gameplay loop, rewarding players who pay close attention to their surroundings.”
- “It’s a multiplayer horror puzzle game that combines eerie, liminal spaces with clever observation-based gameplay, and it works really well whether you’re jumping in with friends or playing with strangers online.”
- “Gameplay depth is intentionally limited, which is both a strength and a weakness.”
- “However, players looking for a fleshed-out story, character progression, or variety in gameplay mechanics may find it lacking after several sessions.”
- “The gameplay loop ends up being mildly jumpscare-y at best and mind-numbingly boring at worst (which is most of the time).”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the intriguing elements and decent scares found in the side mode, while others criticize the main story for being shallow, confusing, and lacking depth. Although there are moments of fun and engaging lore, many feel that the overall narrative fails to deliver a cohesive experience, leaving players wanting more content and character progression. Overall, the story aspect seems to be a hit-or-miss, with some enjoying it and others finding it disappointing.
- “The gameplay is smooth, the story is intriguing, and the visuals are amazing.”
- “The developers have been adding new maps and features regularly, including a story mode that brings more structure and lore into the mix.”
- “I enjoyed the new story mode; I would enjoy seeing a lot more of that in the future, maybe even more in-depth!”
- “However, players looking for a fleshed-out story, character progression, or variety in gameplay mechanics may find it lacking after several sessions.”
- “However, the story part is horrible.”
- “The story mode was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending funny jump scares and hilarious moments that enhance the overall experience. Players enjoy the combination of tension and laughter, particularly through team-based problem solving and proximity voice chat, which often leads to amusing interactions. While the horror elements may not be consistent across all levels, the game's ability to evoke laughter amidst scares makes it a memorable and enjoyable experience.
- “It's a very enjoyable puzzle game with some seriously funny moments.”
- “You’re just as likely to find yourself laughing with friends about a misidentified object as you are to be spooked by a hallway that wasn’t there five minutes ago.”
- “This game is hilarious and horrifying, it's easily worth the price.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique liminal space aesthetic that effectively creates an unsettling atmosphere, though they are not graphically intensive and can appear low-quality at times. While the visuals are praised for their haunting and colorful qualities, performance issues arise, with players reporting high GPU usage and optimization concerns. Overall, the art direction successfully evokes a sense of dread, but the limited customization options and technical shortcomings detract from the experience.
- “The design draws heavily from internet culture’s love of 'liminal spaces' and backrooms-style aesthetics, creating the sense that you’re navigating a dream—or a simulation that’s slowly breaking down.”
- “While not graphically intensive, the art direction succeeds in evoking a subtle kind of dread, one rooted in uncertainty and observation rather than overt terror.”
- “A really fun liminal multiplayer anomaly game with really realistic and colorful graphics.”
- “The user interface is barebones, and customization options for graphics or accessibility are fairly limited.”
- “The graphics are also a bit concerning since the player model is relatively low quality, yet the assets in the world are clearly flipped and the game is horribly optimized.”
- “It runs your GPU, no matter what it is, at full power - I and several friends noticed our GPUs - both NVIDIA and AMD, so no, it's not a hardware issue - pushing 80 to 90 Celsius even on the lowest graphics settings (which makes the game look like something from the early 2000s).”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the presence of numerous anomalies per level that encourage replaying for a better experience, some feel that the lack of incentives and the game's cost may limit its long-term appeal. Despite these concerns, several reviews highlight the fun and challenge of discovering hidden anomalies, suggesting that replayability is significant for those who enjoy exploration and observation.
- “✅ High replay value with randomized anomalies.”
- “There's a good amount of replayability in finding every anomaly in each map.”
- “The game is not replayable; even though you would need to replay most of the levels to see all of the anomalies, it doesn't incentivize me to do so.”
- “The replayability is a little bit lacking, but it's worth the price.”
- “It does have replayability as there are many anomalies per level and some are very hard to catch, so you can replay levels and not have the same ones.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, characterized by its unsettling yet accessible design that appeals to casual players. It effectively combines eerie visuals and mind-bending anomalies to create a haunting environment that enhances the horror experience without relying on graphic content. Overall, it offers a unique blend of exploration and tension, making it a captivating choice for fans of atmospheric gameplay.
- “The game’s atmosphere is one of its most distinctive traits.”
- “It's unsettling without being overly graphic, and the atmosphere carries a lot of the horror.”
- “If you're a fan of eerie atmospheres, mind-bending anomalies, and the thrill of uncovering the unknown, the anomaly project is an absolute gem.”
- “Some maps were more like liminal spaces, while others had a horror atmosphere.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The monetization in the game primarily revolves around cosmetic microtransactions, which many players view negatively, feeling it detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the gameplay, they criticize the game as a poorly executed multiplayer cash grab that prioritizes profit over quality.
- “This game is an okay singleplayer idea turned into a poorly executed multiplayer cash grab.”
- “The first thing you notice in this game is that the hub area has microtransactions for cosmetic skins, which is already a bad start.”
- “Not a good quality game; it feels like it was made for a cash grab.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, particularly when it comes to climbing the tower and searching for anomalies. The repetitive nature of upskilling through grinding can deter casual players seeking enjoyment, leading some to quit due to the lack of engaging gameplay.
- “Climbing said tower becomes tedious and can easily miss any anomaly in the level.”
- “We had no way to get help; you can only upskill through grinding a map over and over.”
- “Knowing that 40 anomalies could be present on a map is not very helpful to new players or more casual players who just want to have some fun and enjoy the more spooky aspect of the game but ultimately get frustrated with tedious gameplay and quit.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its emotional impact and creative choices, others criticize it for relying on stolen assets and lacking originality. Overall, it seems to evoke strong feelings in some players, making it a memorable aspect of their experience.
- “Amazing game! It changed my life; it made me feel again like the world finally spoke my language. Every moment inside it mattered more than anything outside. I still hear the music in my head and still see the colors when I close my eyes. It wasn't just a game; it was a home, a heartbeat, a whole universe that loved me back.”
- “There are pretty obvious asset flips and use of AI/TTS; I won't lie, there are some creative choices here, but a wad of stolen assets like the rocket playing the retro soundtrack from a FNAF game in the birthday party room.”
- “The music feels repetitive and uninspired, lacking the depth and variety that would make it memorable.”
- “While the game has potential, the soundtrack is a major letdown, failing to enhance the overall experience.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players have noted some bugs, visual glitches, and occasional lag during online sessions, but these issues are generally manageable and are being addressed through ongoing patches.
- “Some players have reported bugs, visual glitches, or occasional lag during online sessions, though these tend to be manageable and are gradually being patched.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it frustrating to progress, especially during critical moments.”
- “I experienced constant disconnections from the server, which ruined my gaming experience.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is mixed; while it offers partial support for the Steam Deck and performs adequately for handheld play, players have noted significant issues with graphics quality and overall optimization, leading to a less than satisfactory experience.
- “There’s partial Steam Deck support, and although it may not be fully optimized, it runs well enough for handheld play in most situations.”
- “The graphics are also a bit concerning since the player model is relatively low quality, yet the assets in the world are clearly flipped and the game is horribly optimized.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the game profoundly impacted their emotions, describing it as a transformative experience that resonated deeply with their feelings and sense of belonging. The immersive world and its music left a lasting impression, making them feel connected and valued in a way that transcended typical gaming experiences.
- “Amazing game! It changed my life; it made me feel again, like the world finally spoke my language. Every moment inside it mattered more than anything outside. I still hear the music in my head and see the colors when I close my eyes. It wasn't just a game; it was a home, a heartbeat, a whole universe that loved me back.”