The Dark Room

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 206 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • story
The Dark Room Game Cover
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"The Dark Room" is a text-based interactive fiction game where players wake up in a dark room, with only their wits to escape. The game features permadeath, meaning any wrong move can lead to a game over. Players must explore their surroundings, solve puzzles, and make choices that could lead to freedom or a grim demise. With its unique blend of humor, suspense, and challenge, "The Dark Room" provides an engaging and immersive experience for fans of the genre.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews
humor56 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game is a hilarious and entertaining experience, especially for fans of the live show, with a great sense of humor and engaging gameplay.
  • It offers a unique blend of absurdist humor and challenging gameplay, making it addictive and fun to play with friends.
  • The motion capture and animation are impressive, enhancing the overall experience and bringing the comedic elements to life.
  • The game is currently in early access and suffers from bugs, crashes, and a lack of content, leading to a repetitive experience.
  • Many players feel that the game is too short and not worth the price, with limited replay value after the initial playthrough.
  • There is little communication from the developers regarding updates, leaving players frustrated with the game's current state.
  • humor56 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its hilarious, absurdist, and often darkly comedic elements, with many players enjoying the witty interactions with the narrator and the amusingly brutal ways to die. While the game starts off entertaining, some users noted that it can become repetitive after a short time. Overall, it offers a unique blend of challenging gameplay and laugh-out-loud moments, making it a memorable experience for fans of cheeky and macabre humor.

    • “I love the interaction with the narrator, and all the funny ways there are to die!”
    • “Something so different, so amazing, so hilarious that you are just blown away.”
    • “It had me laughing out loud repeatedly, which is pretty much exactly what I wanted out of it.”
  • gameplay10 mentions

    Gameplay is initially entertaining and humorous but tends to become monotonous after a short period. The game heavily relies on story and player choices, though some users find it frustrating due to the lack of a "back" button for incorrect choices, despite the helpful "auto-save" feature. There are hopes for the addition of new gameplay mechanics in future updates to enhance the experience.

    • “The gameplay is very story and choice-driven, making each decision feel impactful.”
    • “The 'auto-save' mechanic is really handy if you're on the right track, even though it can be slightly frustrating without a 'back' button for wrong choices.”
    • “I'm hoping that Stirfire Studios will add new gameplay mechanics that have probably never been seen before in the show's version.”
    • “Entertaining and funny at first, it becomes boring after 5 minutes of gameplay.”
    • “Slightly more frustrating than the YouTube version as there's no 'back' button if you pick the wrong options, but the 'auto-save' mechanic is really handy if you're on the right track.”
    • “I'm just hoping that Stirfire Studios will add new gameplay mechanics to the mix that are probably never seen or will ever be done in the show's version.”
  • story8 mentions

    The game's story is heavily influenced by player choices, creating a unique narrative experience, but it suffers from a lack of completion and repetitiveness, particularly due to the need to restart from the beginning after dying without reaching a checkpoint. While the quest to find the light switch is engaging, some players find certain achievements nearly impossible to obtain, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The story and gameplay are very story and choice defined heavy.”
    • “I will admit, there are three big flaws right now: 1) the game gets really repetitive (if you die and didn't reach a checkpoint, you start over from the beginning), 2) there are two achievements that are practically impossible to complete (apparently people have gotten them, but it's less than 1% for each, I believe), and 3) it's not fully finished story-wise.”
    • “I'm not going to spoil anything when it comes to the game as the story and gameplay are very story and choice defined heavy.”
    • “So despite your abundant deaths, you'll always be returning to continue your quest to find the light switch!”
  • graphics6 mentions

    The graphics of "The Dark Room" are described as well-rendered and solid, showcasing a significant improvement over traditional text-based adventure games. However, as the game is still in early access, some graphics elements are unfinished, and there are notable bugs present. Overall, the visuals are appreciated, but further refinement is needed.

    • “Well-rendered and well-produced, with solid graphics and excellent sound design and audio.”
    • “The game is currently in early access and as such the graphics need to be finished (though they could simply chuck them in the bin, it's a text-based game) and there are a number of bugs.”
    • “The graphics are underwhelming and feel outdated, which detracts from the overall experience of the game.”
    • “While the game has potential, the graphics are lacking and do not meet modern standards.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game exhibits several glitches and bugs, particularly with poorly timed subtitles, which can detract from the experience. While some instability is anticipated in early access titles, the frequency of these issues may still be a concern for players.

    • “There are a few glitches here and there, and the subtitles are horribly coded, sometimes coming in with a massive delay and not appearing when the guardian speaks.”
    • “The game is somewhat buggy, though this is to be expected with a game that is in early access.”
    • “However, it is a little buggy.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its humor and engaging writing, creating an enjoyable and promising experience for players.

    • “Good for a laugh, great atmosphere and writing with a very promising direction so far.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players consistently highlight the game's high replayability, noting it as a fun and entertaining option for passing time, making it a great choice for repeated playthroughs.

    • “This game is incredibly fun and entertaining, offering massive replay value that makes it perfect for passing those boring nights.”
    • “The replayability of this game is outstanding, keeping me engaged and entertained for hours on end.”
    • “I love how each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, making me want to dive back in time and time again.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
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Negative mentions (%)Negative

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