The Dark Method

About

The Dark Method is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Analog Joker LLC and was released on November 19, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"The Dark Method" is a horror-themed, puzzle-based survival game. Players must navigate through a dark and ominous mansion while avoiding terrifying creatures and solving intricate puzzles to uncover the dark secrets within. With a focus on strategy and resource management, players must carefully plan their movements and conserve resources to survive. The game features a unique analog stick control system that adds an extra layer of challenge and tension to the gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful scenery and an immersive atmosphere, making it a visually stunning experience.
It offers a clever blend of old-school puzzle mechanics and engaging storytelling, providing a nostalgic challenge for fans of classic adventure games.
The developer is responsive and actively works on improving the game, making it feel like a labor of love and a hidden gem in the VR space.

The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and control problems, particularly on certain VR platforms like Oculus Quest 2.
Players have reported a lack of clear direction and guidance, leading to confusion and frustration when trying to progress.
Some puzzles can be overly cryptic or difficult, and the absence of a robust save system can lead to repetitive gameplay experiences.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
9%
The game's story is praised for its intriguing narrative that blends exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of classic adventure games. Players appreciate the atmospheric graphics and engaging voice acting, noting that the story develops as they progress, enhancing the overall gameplay. While some encountered technical issues, the majority found the story compelling enough to warrant multiple playthroughs and community contributions, indicating a strong connection to the narrative.
- “This game is a fantastic blend of old-school puzzle mechanics, a cool atmosphere, and an intriguing story.”
- “The story and puzzles keep you going for more, and is just the right amount of difficulty.”
- “Instead, this game feels like a labor of love where the dev made an honest effort at creating a quality game with a cool atmosphere, old school puzzles, and an interesting story.”
- “Eventually you might figure out you can start missions from a book, but no one explains what is what and what does what.”
- “Apart from that, I started two missions and in both I managed to get stuck rather quickly: once in a car in the garage, once on a corner in a building.”
- “The new mansion is scary, not like the story mode which feels more like a Resident Evil game; this new haunted mansion is like the original Slender Man game chase to collect pages combined with some Phasmophobia-like ghost hunt.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
8%
21%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its blend of engaging environments, intricate details, and a hauntingly immersive experience that keeps players on edge while encouraging exploration. Reviewers highlight the effective use of old-school puzzle mechanics, a captivating soundtrack, and strong voice acting, all contributing to a rich, atmospheric setting that feels both unique and lovingly crafted. Despite some repetitiveness in room design, the overall ambiance remains captivating and enhances the gameplay experience.
- “This game is a fantastic blend of old-school puzzle mechanics, a cool atmosphere, and an intriguing story.”
- “For those who enjoy action-shooter elements mixed with a deep, atmospheric experience, this game delivers in spades.”
- “It's a game that wears its love for its genre on its sleeve, with environments filled with such atmosphere and attention to detail that I'm frequently amazed that just one person did all this.”
- “The horror elements are mainly a set piece, and the game is fairly tame in horror, relying on a creepy atmosphere and environments more than anything else.”
- “The environments, the atmosphere, the puzzles, the story, the voice acting, the soundtrack, the visuals, the weapons... so much to love in this game.”
- “The reward comes from unlocking more areas to explore and soaking in the atmosphere.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
The gameplay is praised for its blend of old-school puzzle mechanics and engaging atmosphere, requiring players to think critically while navigating intriguing challenges. Users highlight the smooth execution and captivating puzzles, complemented by impressive graphics and voice acting. Overall, the gameplay experience is described as both enjoyable and thought-provoking.
- “This game is a fantastic blend of old-school puzzle mechanics, a cool atmosphere, and an intriguing story.”
- “The gameplay is good, the atmosphere is on point, and the voice acting is awesome.”
- “Most of them play off the same few mechanical tricks, but in interesting ways that require you to stop and think about what you're trying to accomplish.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their potential, with many users highlighting the exceptional visuals, immersive environments, and overall aesthetic appeal. However, some criticism arises regarding outdated and washed-out graphics, despite the game's significant file size. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, enhancing the adventure and storytelling elements.
- “This game looks like it has a lot of potential, and the graphics and sound are great.”
- “Story mode has you on an adventure exploring, fighting, solving puzzles, and seeing some amazing graphics along the way.”
- “The environments, the atmosphere, the puzzles, the story, the voice acting, the soundtrack, the visuals, the weapons... so much to love in this game.”
- “The graphics also seemed outdated and washed out, and still the game somehow takes up almost 25 GB of hard drive space.”
- “There are no graphical options and no way to save the game.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The music in the game is highly praised for its engaging and atmospheric qualities, evoking a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic video games. Reviewers highlight the exceptional audio alongside the game's visuals, story, and gameplay, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
- “Engaging puzzles, sprawling, varied, atmospheric environments populated by enemies that you won’t have to waggle a sword at, and a soundtrack that evokes classic video games.”
- “The audio/music, gameplay, and graphics are exceptional throughout the entire game.”
- “Wonderful graphics, story, voices, music, special effects, amazing enemies, captivating puzzles, and extra gameplay – all is incredible.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during longer play sessions.”
- “While the game has many strengths, the music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
- “The audio design is disappointing; the music doesn't match the atmosphere and often feels out of place.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing visuals, such as the minions wearing pumpkins on their heads, which elicits genuine laughter from players.
- “I was laughing at the minions when I saw they had pumpkins over their heads.”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me chuckling throughout the game.”
- “The absurd situations and quirky characters had me in stitches from start to finish.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly and visually appealing even on gaming laptops with medium specifications.
- “It runs smoothly and looks great on a gaming laptop with medium specs.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains high performance without sacrificing visual quality.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is currently in early access and users report experiencing various bugs and glitches, particularly with the teleportation feature, which can lead to frustrating gameplay and the need to use less comfortable movement options.
- “Yes, it is early access and there are some bugs and glitches.”
- “Teleportation seemed buggy, and I had to resort to nausea-inducing free locomotion to get me out of some strange places.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed negatively, as it is overshadowed by a market filled with low-quality titles, leading to a lack of recognition for its quality and potential.
- “In a market flooded with wave shooters, glorified tech demos, and shallow cash grabs, it is criminal that a game this good is so unknown.”