The Corruption Within

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The Corruption Within is a psychological thriller first-person point & click adventure game set in the Victorian era, with an emphasis on strong narrative, intriguing characters and puzzle-solving.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews

story32 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating atmosphere with beautiful pixel art and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The story is intriguing, with elements of mystery and horror that keep players invested, and the inclusion of decision points adds a nice touch to the narrative.
Puzzles are generally fair and not overly difficult, allowing for a smooth gameplay experience that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures.

The game is quite short, typically taking only 1-3 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Progression can be frustrating at times, as players may need to click on objects multiple times or revisit areas without clear indicators of what to do next.
The writing and character development are sometimes lacking, leading to a feeling of superficiality in the story and characters.

story
71 mentions
45 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its engaging atmosphere and intriguing plot set in a Victorian-era mystery, while others criticize it for being rushed, convoluted, or lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the potential of the narrative, but note that it often falls short due to mediocre writing and superficial character development. Overall, the story is seen as a key element that can enhance the experience, particularly for fans of point-and-click adventures, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex or impactful narrative.
- “The story takes place in Victorian-era Britain: you play as a father whose family became lost during a trip to the countryside, and the tracks to their disappearance lead to a mysterious mansion inhabited by a wealthy family whose members harbor their own secrets and hidden agendas.”
- “The story is engrossing despite the linearity, although there are five 'decision' points that determine what happens in the epilogue to the main plot resolution.”
- “The atmosphere and story are the highlights by far, achieved by good music and fine art.”
- “The story is too boring and rushed to want to read, even if the font was more legible.”
- “The story is lacking and rather underwhelming, with its reveals being weak at best and painfully obvious at worst.”
- “The story was convoluted and not very interesting.”
music
34 mentions
68 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a beautiful and eerie soundtrack that fits the Victorian-era setting perfectly. Many reviewers highlight the music as a standout feature, noting its ability to evoke emotions and complement the game's visuals and narrative effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's enchanting and creepy ambiance.
- “The music is absolutely gorgeous, the art/graphic style has a neat vintage quality, and the whole game has a classic point-and-click adventure game feel.”
- “The music is wonderful and I loved it - it was extremely atmospheric and fit the time period.”
- “Atmospheric art and an excellent soundtrack, awesome combination and an experience not to miss.”
- “I'm quite stuck by the soundtrack for this game.”
- “While the pixel graphics and the music are fine, the story itself is rather bland, the characters (including the protagonist) are very superficial and do not provoke any emotions, the puzzles are meh, and the game time was (mercifully) less than three hours.”
- “On the other hand – art and music are of remarkable quality and something that might make you wish for a longer game, just to savor those a bit more.”
atmosphere
32 mentions
63 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful music and enchanting pixel graphics. Reviewers note that it effectively captures a gloomy, suspenseful vibe reminiscent of Victorian horror, although some feel it could have committed more fully to its darker themes. Overall, the combination of atmospheric art, sound, and engaging storytelling creates a captivating experience that resonates well with fans of point-and-click adventures.
- “Eerie vibes, wonderful atmosphere, beautiful music.”
- “Atmospheric art and an excellent soundtrack, awesome combination and an experience not to miss.”
- “You won't be disappointed giving this one a shot, it just misses the mark a bit for me by not committing wholeheartedly to the dark atmosphere it opens with.”
- “Story is linear, as is common for most point-and-click adventures, and it succeeds to maintain the atmosphere of dreadful suspense all the time, culminating in several moments that are downright scary.”
- “The atmosphere and story are the highlights by far, achieved by good music and fine art.”
graphics
31 mentions
39 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style that evokes a nostalgic, old-school feel, complemented by a limited but effective color palette. Many reviewers appreciate the vibrant and atmospheric visuals, which enhance the game's eerie themes and storytelling, although some note that the animations are minimal. Overall, the art style is praised for its beauty and ability to create an engaging atmosphere, making it appealing to fans of retro point-and-click adventures.
- “Great point-and-click adventure game featuring beautiful artwork.”
- “The music is absolutely gorgeous, the art/graphic style has a neat vintage quality, and the whole game has a classic point-and-click adventure game feel.”
- “The art style is a real treat, with both wide, outdoor landscapes and zoomed-in portraits for the main cast of characters.”
- “The graphics are pixel art with minimal animations and sound effects.”
- “While the pixel graphics and the music are fine, the story itself is rather bland, the characters (including the protagonist) are very superficial and do not provoke any emotions, the puzzles are meh, and the game time was (mercifully) less than three hours.”
- “Old-school in both graphics and sentiment, without any of the hip self-awareness that one often encounters in today's retro-styled games.”
gameplay
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by repetitive mechanics, requiring players to revisit scenes and interact with objects until progress is made, resulting in a lack of engagement. While it features straightforward puzzles and an intriguing decision tree mechanic, the choices ultimately lead to minimal narrative variation, contributing to an overall unsatisfactory experience for many players. Despite decent music and design, the gameplay is deemed hollow and not worth the price for its limited duration.
- “There's a good two hours of gameplay here, with fairly straightforward puzzles.”
- “It has what at first glance appears to be an interesting decision tree mechanic.”
- “The story turned out to be pretty hollow and the gameplay fell back to constantly revisiting scenes and re-clicking on things until they worked.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's both a simple point-and-click adventure game, but there were three issues I had that just made it a miserable experience.”
- “Although these decision points have a feel of weight to them during gameplay that makes them feel 'high risk', at the completion of the game, these ultimately only lead to a slightly different narration.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that there is little incentive to play it again after the initial experience.
- “Zero replayability.”
- “Beyond that, sadly there's not much replayability.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a wholesome experience that allows players to engage with various personalities, despite the brevity of the adventure. While it tackles a serious subject matter involving murder, it remains surprisingly accessible and suitable for younger audiences.
- “Within the limited timespan, it works well enough for you to form opinions about different personalities, creating a wholesome experience overall, though you can't help but notice how brief this adventure is.”
- “Surprisingly wholesome (pretty sure younger audiences could play this as well despite the subject matter) for a mystery game involving murder.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players praise the game's optimization for its easy controls and smooth performance, indicating a well-polished experience.
- “The controls are easy to master, and the game runs smoothly without any hiccups.”
- “I love how well-optimized the game is; it runs flawlessly on my system.”
- “The performance is impressive, with quick load times and no lag during gameplay.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While the character design received positive feedback, there is a lack of depth in character development, suggesting that the characters may not evolve or grow significantly throughout the game.