The Curse of Elmwood

About

"The Curse of Elmwood" is an atmospheric horror game where you investigate an old mansion rumored to be haunted by ghosts and under a powerful curse. You must explore the dark and damp corridors, uncover secrets of the mansion's past owners, and survive the chilling whispers and supernatural occurrences as you spend the night in the Elmwood Mansion. The game promises a thrilling and nerve-wracking experience as you delve deeper into the mansion's mysteries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

graphics12 positive mentions

music6 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a well-developed atmosphere that immerses players in a hauntingly beautiful world.
The puzzles are intriguing and varied, providing a good challenge for players who enjoy atmospheric horror.
The game has a captivating storyline with potential, and some players found it to be a fun experience with good jump scares.

The game suffers from poor optimization, making it difficult to run on medium settings and causing frustration for players.
There is a lack of clear direction in the gameplay, leading to confusion and players getting stuck without guidance on puzzles.
Many players experienced bugs and technical issues, including game crashes and unresponsive controls, detracting from the overall experience.

graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
22%
11%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and ability to create a well-developed atmosphere, particularly in the context of an old mansion setting. While many players appreciate the smooth performance even on lower settings, some note that the repetitive design of certain rooms detracts from the overall aesthetic. Overall, the combination of excellent graphics and sound contributes to a unique sense of tension, appealing to fans of atmospheric horror.
- “The graphics are beautiful.”
- “Cozy atmospheric horror with excellent graphics and interesting riddles.”
- “Excellent graphics and sound create a unique feeling of tension.”
- “Doesn’t fit the aesthetic at all.”
- “It's based on UE engine and has a bunch of graphic settings including 30 fps lock (my preferred option).”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive depiction of an old, mysterious mansion, enhanced by excellent graphics and a dark, cozy ambiance. Players report feeling captivated and even experiencing goosebumps as they explore the haunted setting and solve intriguing puzzles. Overall, it is considered a standout choice for fans of atmospheric horror.
- “The atmosphere of an ancient mansion, immersed in mysteries and horrors, captures from the first minutes.”
- “Cozy atmospheric horror with excellent graphics and interesting riddles.”
- “This horror has a really well-developed atmosphere of an old mansion. I really liked the graphics, and the gameplay is standard for this genre.”
- “Horror game with a dark atmosphere where you explore a cursed mansion, solving puzzles and uncovering its secrets.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game has been universally criticized as the worst ever experienced by players, described as annoying and reminiscent of low-quality 8-bit sound. Users report that the volume controls are non-functional, forcing them to endure the music at full volume, and many resorted to muting the game entirely. Overall, the music detracts significantly from the gaming experience.
- “The worst music I think I’ve ever heard in a game.”
- “I had to play the game on mute with headphones listening to my own midnight jazz music.”
- “Now to add, the music is extremely annoying, with a few randomly shifting pieces and the quality of an 8-bit Nintendo game sound. (Maybe the scariest part of the game) - the volume controls are not working!”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game's story has been noted for its intriguing potential and well-crafted narrative, particularly with its integration of puzzles and a ghostly theme. However, many players feel confused due to a lack of backstory and clear guidance, leading to a reliance on external solutions and a sense of frustration. Overall, while the foundation is promising, there is a strong desire for more depth and clarity in the storytelling.
- “The storyline is well-crafted, offering intriguing puzzles that weave seamlessly into the narrative.”
- “There is a bit of an interesting ghost story.”
- “The story of the game had so much potential to be great, but I was left more confused than anything.”
- “You ought to be one smart cookie if you're going to beat this game by yourself. I had to look up some solutions... I hope to see some optimization and more substance to the story and clues to the puzzles in the future, as it just feels like a guessing game at this point.”
- “Without any backstory or introduction, you are thrown into a reddish castle or manor with seemingly endless corridors and closed doors.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with players noting significant issues such as clipping, stuttering, and problematic door mechanics that can hinder progress. While the visuals are praised for their quality, especially on lower settings, many users feel that the overall experience suffers from poor optimization, making navigation and puzzle-solving frustrating. There is a call for improvements in optimization and clearer clues to enhance gameplay.
- “Don't get me wrong, the game looks amazing and runs smoothly on the lowest graphics settings.”
- “You ought to be one smart cookie if you're gonna beat this game by yourself. I had to look some solutions up... I hope to see some optimization and more sustenance to the story and clues to the puzzles in the future as it just feels like a guessing game at this point.”
- “I spent more time optimizing the settings and trying to find notes and items that I didn't find in the correct order because I had so much trouble seeing due to poor game optimization.”
- “You ought to be one smart cookie if you're going to beat this game by yourself. I had to look up some solutions... I hope to see some optimization and more substance to the story and clues to the puzzles in the future, as it just feels like a guessing game at this point.”
- “Not bad for a single-person development, but it needs work: clipping, stuttering, and doors that push you out of the room and lock you out if you don't enter fast enough.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay of "The Curse of Elmwood" is characterized by a standard horror experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Resident Evil, featuring first-person exploration of a detailed mansion and puzzle-solving elements. Players appreciate the well-developed atmosphere and graphics, making it appealing to fans of the genre.
- “The Curse of Elmwood is similar to Resident Evil in first person and features good graphics. We also walk around a huge mansion and solve riddles; fans of this kind of gameplay should like it.”
- “This horror has a really well-developed atmosphere of an old mansion. I really liked the graphics, and the gameplay is standard for this genre.”
- “The gameplay is standard for this genre.”
- “Fans of this kind of gameplay should like it.”