The Backrooms 1998
- May 25, 2022
- Steelkrill Studio
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Backrooms 1998" is a found-footage survival horror game where you explore the ominous, infinite Backrooms, a maze of endless yellow, windowless rooms. Armed with only a camera, you must uncover the mysteries of this place while avoiding deadly entities. With limited resources and a sense of isolation, players must navigate through the labyrinth and survive.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a genuinely creepy atmosphere and effective sound design that enhances the horror experience.
- The unique microphone mechanic adds an interesting layer of tension, as players must manage their noise levels to avoid detection by the monster.
- The story, while dark and unsettling, is engaging and keeps players invested in the outcome.
- The game relies heavily on cheap jump scares, which can become repetitive and detract from the overall immersion.
- The save system is frustrating, with limited save points that can lead to significant backtracking after deaths.
- There are numerous bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, including problems with item interactions and crashes.
- story60 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as dark and unsettling, with a mix of engaging narrative elements and unexpected twists that leave players pondering its implications. While some reviewers appreciate the atmospheric connection to the backrooms lore, others feel the story is poorly integrated and relies too heavily on jump scares. Overall, the narrative is compelling for horror enthusiasts, though its execution may not resonate with everyone.
“Genuine dark story, and terrifying atmosphere.”
“The story, however, took a turn I was not expecting and actually caught me off guard, leaving me pondering the implications and overarching narrative during the credits.”
“Full of jumpscares and horror, the story is captivating and has an amazing twist at the end.”
“Overall, disgusting feeling to be involved in what's happening in the storyline.”
“It throws liminal horror out the window in favor of a poorly delivered plot about a little boy and how humans are monsters, which is painfully obvious and shoved in your face as soon as you start the game.”
“The story and scenes feel so out of place.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of unique mechanics, such as microphone input for player noise detection, which adds a layer of immersion, but it often falls into formulaic horror tropes typical of walking simulators. While some players appreciate the tension and scares, others find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with criticisms aimed at its limited mechanics and uninspired objectives. Overall, the experience can be thrilling for some, but it may not resonate with everyone due to its sensory overload and potential for monotony.
“The gameplay mechanics, with features like the use of a microphone to detect player noises, introduce a unique layer of realism and immersion.”
“Thrilling game... if you are in search of thrilling gameplay, this is the game.”
“Great game, loved it... great graphics... horrifying gameplay, I mean... scared the life out of me.”
“While the game crafts an eerie and memorable dive into the depths of internet folklore, with its unique mechanics and story, the game's stringent save system and potential for visual and auditory strain present challenges to be able to play it with appropriate breaks for someone with sensory issues.”
“The gameplay is unfortunately your formulaic horror walking sim stuff.”
“So aside from the boring, railroaded gameplay, terribly ineffective horror, bloated and useless mechanics, uninspired and repetitive objective design, total lack of story, and the way the game assaults your senses whenever you look at it, it seems like it's just a trend-chasing project that was rushed out the door for clicks.”
- atmosphere38 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Backrooms 1998" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the tension and dread associated with the backrooms concept. Players appreciate the game's authentic VHS-style visuals and sound design, which enhance the overall experience, although some criticize the reliance on cheap jump scares that can detract from the suspense. Overall, the game successfully creates a haunting environment that resonates with fans of horror, despite some mixed opinions on its execution and storytelling.
“Grim, sinister, and sombre atmosphere.”
“One of the few (indie) horror games that successfully creates a terrifying and eerie atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is very creepy, and I was worried that it wouldn't have much interaction, but it does.”
“Random jumpscares ruin the atmosphere of this game and come off as incredibly lazy.”
“Backrooms 1998 is not really a scary game at all; it's full of cheap jump scares, and the atmosphere wasn't doing it for me. The monster design isn't scary or creepy either, and the voice acting is bad.”
“[spoiler] I'm not overstating when I say 'abundance' because if you choose to play on normal mode, you'll be jumpscared approximately every 2-3 minutes by random jump scares along scripted sequences you encounter, ruining the tense and suffocating atmosphere.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique retro VHS aesthetic and attention to detail that enhances the horror experience. However, some players noted that the visuals can strain the eyes over time and that the lack of customizable graphics settings is a drawback. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, technical issues like freezing can detract from the experience.
“The graphics are phenomenal and I got really spooked a few moments (especially the legless, really long-armed doll thing lol).”
“Great game, loved the graphics and the jumpscares are insane!”
“The graphics are on point, overall the game was appealing.”
“The authentic VHS-style visuals, while atmospheric, might strain the eyes over time.”
“There are no options in the graphics settings, so I couldn't tinker with those.”
“Every 6 to 7 seconds or after doing something as basic as turning around, sprinting, or accessing the inventory, the game freezes up or pauses, which is very frustrating. I have messed with the graphics settings and video effects just in case it was that.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as camera malfunctions and unresponsive save files. While these bugs are frustrating, players remain hopeful for future fixes and generally appreciate the game's potential.
“Unfortunately, it is very buggy right now and any noise from the computer causes the gauge to be in an area that the monster can hear - it makes the feature unusable.”
“Every 6 to 7 seconds, or after doing something as basic as turning around, sprinting, or accessing the inventory, the game freezes or pauses (while the background noise of the game still runs), and it is very, very frustrating. I have messed with graphics settings and video effects just in case it was that.”
“What I realized was that the save file was very buggy.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively time-consuming and tedious, often likening it to needing a "second life" to manage the repetitive tasks involved. This sentiment highlights the frustration with the grind, particularly in relation to monster encounters.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“So the monster becomes really tedious to avoid.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed; while some users find the game lacks replay value and feel it's a one-time experience, others praise it for its high replayability, suggesting it offers significant value and enjoyment upon multiple playthroughs.
“Replayability is very high and definitely makes it worth your time.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“I don't find any replay value in this game, so once it's finished, adios!”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game significantly enhances its eerie atmosphere, contributing to a frightening experience that resonates well with horror fans. Reviewers note that the creepy soundtrack effectively evokes chills and raises questions, making it a fitting choice for those who appreciate unsettling audio in horror games.
“The music makes the gameplay even more frightening.”
“You can see right away that the game has its own atmosphere; the creepy music gives you chills. The player at the very start can have a lot of questions about the knuckle we are watching. For fans of horror movies, I think this is the right game.”
“One thing that always creeped me out in horror games was disturbing-looking monsters and a disturbing soundtrack, as well as tight spaces, atmosphere, and unpredictability.”
“The music makes the play even more frightening.”
“You can see right away that the game has its own atmosphere; creepy music gives you chills. The player at the very start can have a lot of questions about the knuckle we are watching. For fans of horror movies, I think this is the right game.”
“My suggestions for developers: one thing that always creeped me out in horror games was disturbing looking monsters (Silent Hill) and a disturbing soundtrack, as well as tight spaces, atmosphere, and unpredictability.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and impressive graphics, with dedicated teams ensuring that it runs efficiently.
“The graphics look great and the game runs smoothly.”
“Big teams have dedicated personnel who focus on optimization.”
“Big teams have people who work on the optimization side.”
“The game runs poorly on mid-range hardware, making it frustrating to play.”
“There are frequent frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its unique blend of scary and funny elements, with players appreciating the unsettling yet amusing audio cues, such as the sounds of a monster and the eerie laughter or crying of babies. This combination enhances the overall experience, making it stand out among similar titles.
“Better than any other scary/funny game out there.”
“It's not that huge of an issue since you can hear more things from the monster the closer it is to you, like blood gushing from its stomach or laughing/crying babies.”
