The Archetype
- September 16, 2015
- MacKenzie Kaser
Get on Steam"The Archetype" is a psychological-horror game following 9-year-old Archty Tolomei, who fears his mother and sisters are still in the house after his father lied to authorities. Players navigate four chapters of Archty's life, managing his anxiety disorder and schizophrenia as meters for neurosis, psychosis, suicide, and homicide rise and fall. The game aims to help Archty confront his alcoholic and abusive father and uncover the truth about his family's disappearance.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a compelling and emotionally responsive gameplay experience, focusing on the protagonist's mental health and emotional traits.
- The developers are attentive to player feedback, frequently updating the game to address issues and improve the overall experience.
- The atmosphere and storytelling are well-crafted, providing a unique horror experience that stands out in the genre.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs, long loading times, and a lack of graphics adjustment options, which can hinder gameplay.
- Players may find the navigation and interface cumbersome, making it difficult to engage fully with the story and mechanics.
- The game can be confusing and lacks clear objectives, which may frustrate players who prefer more guidance in their gaming experience.
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story explores themes of resilience and mental illness, offering a rich and emotionally engaging narrative that stands out in the horror genre. While some players express frustration with certain gameplay elements, the overall storytelling and character development are praised, making it a recommended experience for those seeking depth in their gaming.
“Despite some annoyance and frustration, I would recommend this game to anybody looking for a good horror game with a rich storyline.”
“The game's superb, emotionally responsive gameplay and storytelling set it apart from many other titles in the genre, making it a worthwhile experience for players willing to overlook its minor technical hiccups.”
“When the game begins, it seems that the developers are hoping to tell a substantial story about mental illness.”
“I want to see how this affects the rest of the story, but really, I want closure to the first chapter without having to get killed or clicking on the 'please, let me out' button.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally engaging and emotionally resonant, offering a unique experience and rich storytelling. However, players may encounter mild glitches and a somewhat frustrating "lack of focus" mechanic that requires excessive mouse movement for orientation. Despite these issues, the developers are responsive to feedback, making it a worthwhile experience for those willing to overlook minor technical flaws.
“The game's superb, emotionally responsive gameplay and storytelling set it apart from many other titles in the genre, making it a worthwhile experience for players willing to overlook its minor technical hiccups.”
“While the archetype offers a uniquely compelling gameplay experience and rich storyline, it is not without its flaws.”
“There may be some mild glitches that affect gameplay; however, the dev is quick to respond to any reports.”
“I understand the whole 'lack of focus' mechanic, but it's kind of annoying to have to scroll the mouse around to orient myself.”
“The game can be somewhat uneven at times, with occasional mild glitches that may affect the overall gameplay.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its well-crafted tension and immersive experience, emphasizing a deliberate lack of brightness adjustment to enhance the mood, with developers recommending play in the dark. However, some reviewers note that while the atmosphere is effective, it lacks deeper substance.
“I really like the concept and atmosphere of the game.”
“Note that this is not a game that relies on jump scares, but rather a well-crafted and atmospheric game with the occasional nasty surprise in store.”
“First, there currently is no means by which to adjust screen brightness, and that’s deliberate (and significant to the atmosphere). This is so significant that the devs actually recommend that the game only be played in the dark.”
“First, there currently is no means by which to adjust screen brightness, and that’s deliberate (and significant to the atmosphere). This is so significant that the developers actually recommend that the game only be played in the dark.”
“Despite a successfully tense atmosphere, there's no substance here.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its innovative use of 16 emotional bars that significantly influence gameplay and character development, creating a unique and engaging experience. Players appreciate the emotionally responsive mechanics and storytelling, which elevate it above typical horror games, despite some minor technical issues.
“The game's superb, emotionally responsive gameplay and storytelling set it apart from many other titles in the genre, making it a worthwhile experience for players willing to overlook its minor technical hiccups.”
“Displayed on the HUD are eight emotional traits that players must monitor and maintain.”
“Whatever horror games, or 'emotionally responsive' games you’ve played, you have not played 'the archetype'.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's graphics, described as primitive and unadjustable, contribute to its unsettling atmosphere, effectively conveying themes of depression and schizophrenia through scary visuals and loud noises. Despite these limitations, the overall experience is considered worthwhile.
“This game feels like the person is trying to make you understand what it feels like to be depressed or angry, along with being schizophrenic, through scary visuals and loud noises.”
“This game was made in 2015, and you can’t adjust the graphics in it!”
“Overall, despite the primitive graphics and recycled sound effects, this game is well worth looking into.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by frequent bugs and crashes, particularly noted in chapter 2, which can lead to frustration for players. While there are occasional mild glitches that impact gameplay, the developers are responsive to reports, indicating a commitment to improving stability.
“However, due to literally no explanation of controls or what you're supposed to be doing, as well as mandatory HP hits for unknown reasons, the only thing this ends up doing is making you want to turn it off. Fortunately, the game is really buggy, so it crashed in chapter 2.”
“The game can be somewhat uneven at times, with occasional mild glitches that may affect the overall gameplay.”
“There may be some mild glitches that affect gameplay; however, the dev is quick to respond to any reports.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its calming and soothing qualities, providing a relaxing experience that can help players feel at ease.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
