The Complex: Expedition

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,559 reviews
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
  • story
The Complex: Expedition Game Cover
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"The Complex: Expedition" is a psychological horror game set in 1988, where you play as a Magwave researcher exploring a mysterious and infinite maze known as The Complex. The game is inspired by the "Backrooms" urban legend and features a VHS camera perspective, immersive atmosphere, and a harrowing storyline. This game is not affiliated with Kane Pixels' Backrooms or the Backrooms Wiki/Fandom.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,559 reviews
graphics181 positive mentions
optimization10 negative mentions
  • Incredible graphics and atmosphere that perfectly capture the essence of the Backrooms.
  • The game effectively creates a sense of dread and isolation without relying on jump scares.
  • Great level design with multiple paths to explore, enhancing the exploration experience.
  • The game is quite short, with many players completing it in under two hours.
  • Some players experienced performance issues and bugs, such as falling through the map.
  • The entity presence feels underwhelming and lacks the tension found in the previous game.
  • graphics335 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning realism and immersive quality, often described as some of the best seen in backrooms games. Players appreciate the detailed environments, effective use of VHS aesthetics, and the overall atmospheric design, although some have noted performance issues and optimization challenges, particularly on lower-end systems. Despite these minor drawbacks, the visuals significantly enhance the game's eerie and unsettling atmosphere, making it a standout experience in the horror genre.

    • “The graphics are fantastic and amazingly realistic.”
    • “This is the most realistic graphics I have ever experienced in a game.”
    • “The visuals in this game are nothing short of phenomenal.”
    • “However, it seems to be poorly optimized and the graphics options don't work.”
    • “But this game runs the exact same, in fact the options are completely useless once again, the resolution options are broken, mouse sensitivity doesn't work at all, and graphical changes don't change performance at all just make the game uglier.”
    • “I do like the graphics, but they're not well optimized and it takes a toll on performance.”
  • atmosphere279 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, effectively capturing the essence of liminal horror through detailed environments, sound design, and visual effects. Players appreciate the tension and nostalgia evoked by the oppressive settings, which create a sense of dread without relying on jump scares. Overall, the game is considered a masterclass in atmospheric design, making it a standout experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The environments are masterfully crafted with incredible attention to detail, and the resulting atmosphere is wonderfully tense.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible and the graphics are perfect.”
    • “This game perfectly encapsulates the pure terror that can be felt only by atmosphere.”
    • “The previous game was more fun and free; there are literally no improvements and the atmosphere feels dead in most of the game, unlike the previous one.”
    • “While I praised the atmosphere, I found myself getting more frustrated and bored than scared when a large chunk of my playtime was spent simply blindly roaming nearly identical looking areas with no clear landmarks looking for some sort of exit.”
    • “Yes, it is very 'walking simulator,' but the atmosphere is so uncomfortable, dark, and claustrophobic.”
  • story163 mentions

    The game's story, set in a backrooms environment, follows a team of researchers exploring a complex, but many players feel it lacks depth and is too brief, often completing it in under two hours. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and visual storytelling, there are widespread calls for more content, character interaction, and a more developed narrative, as the current storyline feels linear and unfinished. Overall, the game is seen as a promising foundation that needs further expansion to fully realize its potential.

    • “The story part of the game is truly exceptional.”
    • “It combines stunning visuals with engaging storylines and fascinating characters that will captivate your attention from beginning to end.”
    • “The story was well written, not overly focused on dialogue and with enough simplicity to be both curious of the plot yet having a solid understanding of it.”
    • “To me, a $10 price tag is too much for the little story/content it has.”
    • “There's not much in terms of story.”
    • “Moving on, a major issue I have is that there really isn't a whole lot of story in a game where the new/continue game button is literally labelled 'story'.”
  • gameplay120 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator set in eerie, liminal spaces, lacking traditional horror mechanics like chase sequences or survival elements. While the atmosphere and graphics are praised, many players find the experience repetitive and short, with gameplay lasting around 1.5 to 3 hours, leading to disappointment regarding content and replayability. Overall, the game is seen as visually impressive but in need of more engaging mechanics and variety to enhance the experience.

    • “Great game, amazing graphics, fun gameplay, good story.”
    • “Visually stunning, gameplay is a big step up from the original!”
    • “Fun game to explore, especially if you like liminal spaces / the backrooms, the graphics are crazy good and I just overall enjoyed the gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, $10 for less than two hours of gameplay is a bit disappointing.”
    • “Playing out like a horror-inflected walking simulator, the minute-to-minute gameplay may not be enough to hold the attention of an action-hungry audience.”
    • “The rooms are all copy and pasted with almost no memorable rooms, the gameplay is slow, even for a backrooms walking simulator, the story is full of holes and questions, and the creature--or creatures--aren't even scary.”
  • music66 mentions

    The music in the game is described as eerie and haunting, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and sense of dread throughout the experience. While some players noted the minimal use of music, those moments that do occur are impactful, often evoking feelings of unease and tension. Overall, the sound design, including ambient noises and occasional music, contributes significantly to the game's unsettling vibe, making it a memorable aspect for many players.

    • “On rare occasions, the sound of music will carry across the dead air, emerging from some uncertain origin.”
    • “The way this game is made is amazing; the sounds and music, along with the video graphics, make it so terrifying and eerie.”
    • “There are some eerie moments, and the music, when it's present, definitely sets the mood.”
    • “When the player stops to really listen, the content of the song feels deeply sinister and insidious.”
    • “I can't tell you how many times I had to put on music because I was bored.”
    • “The way your character opens doors and walks stairs looks very good and believable, and my only real complaint is the lack of sound or music in most of the areas.”
  • optimization33 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting poor performance and ineffective graphics options. Despite the hyper-realistic graphics, players feel that the game is overly demanding and lacks necessary optimization improvements, especially given its early access status. While some express hope for future updates to address these issues, the current state is seen as a major drawback.

    • “It was said the performance would only be an issue in found footage, the first (free) game, which made sense, and that this one would be much better optimized.”
    • “The optimization is also impressive.”
    • “It runs well enough to be an amazing experience, but more optimization would definitely help the atmosphere reach its full potential.”
    • “However, it seems to be poorly optimized and the graphics options don't work.”
    • “But this game runs the exact same; in fact, the options are completely useless once again. The resolution options are broken, mouse sensitivity doesn't work at all, and graphical changes don't change performance at all, just make the game uglier.”
    • “This is a very, very empty game. I'm a game dev too, so I know how heavy lighting and huge normal maps can be, but either way, there is no way this game needs to be this heavy. This is heavier than most AAA games I've played; that's just an egregious lack of optimization.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game exhibits notable stability issues, including buggy animations, graphical glitches, and occasional save losses, particularly on lower-end hardware. While these problems can disrupt immersion and gameplay, many players still find the experience engaging and atmospheric, indicating potential for improvement as the game develops in early access.

    • “The game runs smoothly and is incredibly engaging, despite a few lost saves.”
    • “Overall, the stability of the game is impressive, making for a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the game is; it really enhances the overall enjoyment.”
    • “The only bad thing is the buggy animations for the other explorers.”
    • “A low-end card like that one breaks the immersion (you see graphical glitches a lot).”
    • “This game entered early access recently and it shows a massive ton of potential, but there are some graphical glitches, and if you fall out of bounds in some places, you will fall forever.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The game evokes intense emotions, particularly dread and loneliness, effectively utilizing its visuals and sound design to create an immersive atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror titles. Players appreciate the strong opening and the sense of uncanny isolation, which together foster a deep emotional connection to the game's world. Overall, it stands out as a powerful experience that resonates on a profound emotional level.

    • “Few games have made me feel intense dread quite like this one, which I think is especially impressive for a walking simulator.”
    • “I like the little noises like the mall music and the orchestra sounds; it made the area feel alive and at the same time gave me a sense of uncanny loneliness.”
    • “The developer not only executed the backrooms and Kane Pixels aesthetics and concepts beautifully, but they also managed to harness this universe to create such a creatively compelling and imaginative sequence of locations and events that made me feel a specific sort of way I haven't felt honestly since playing the original Silent Hill quadrilogy.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the unique atmosphere and engaging horror elements that encourage multiple playthroughs, many feel that the repetitive environments and lack of multiple endings limit the overall replay value. Despite being enjoyable for a single experience, several reviews suggest that the game could benefit from additional content to enhance its longevity.

    • “For 10 euros it was worth it for me. It has replay value; you can play it more than once and explore and be scared. I recommend this game to any horror and paranormal lovers out there.”
    • “Sometimes the areas in this one can feel repetitive as you'll often travel through the same looking rooms, but each area is vastly different or has something unique about it, which kept the gameplay from getting stale. It would also be great if multiple endings were added to encourage replayability.”
    • “Replay value all day.”
    • “Sometimes the areas in this one can feel repetitive as you'll often travel through the same looking rooms. In found footage, each area is vastly different than the other or has something unique about it, which kept the gameplay from getting stale. It would also be great if multiple endings were added to encourage replayability.”
    • “Short, great, but no replayability.”
    • “On a final note, I don't think there is any replay value in here.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly indicate that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, with players feeling it requires an unrealistic amount of effort, likening it to needing a "second life" to manage. Additionally, repetitive encounters with a specific antagonist detract from the experience, turning what could be a creepy element into a tedious and humorous nuisance.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game stems from the repetitive appearance of a creepy doll entity, which transforms a potentially frightening antagonist into a tedious yet amusing nuisance. Players find the cutscenes that precede the entity's appearances—where control is taken away and the character is forced to react to the looming figure—both comical and frustrating, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.

    • “The funny part is people think there is only one entity.”
    • “This one replaces any type of anomaly with the creepy doll outfit from the creepy dark web video 'blank room soup,' but it does so repeatedly and with no change between appearances, which turns a potentially creepy antagonist into a tedious/funny nuisance. It usually prefaces his appearance with a cutscene that takes away your control and makes you watch as your character turns around suddenly and sees a big figure standing there before your character would no-clip into the ground or fall down a hole or something similar.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews highlight that character development is intricately tied to world-building, with a focus on the depth and background of the characters rather than the setting itself. This suggests that the characters are well-crafted and their personal stories enhance the overall narrative experience.

    • “The character development feels shallow, lacking depth and meaningful progression throughout the game.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they felt static and unchanging despite the events of the story.”
    • “The backstory provided for the characters is minimal, making it hard to connect with them on any emotional level.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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