The Descent
- August 11, 2022
- Viksy Productions
Get on itch.io Store"The Descent" is a single-player Horror Adventure game, where you must lift your town's curse, inspired by Daniel Buckley's 'The Crypt Terror'. With a gripping story, it's best experienced in the dark, with headphones on for maximum immersion. As a first-time horror game developer, feedback is highly encouraged.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The film features a strong all-female cast that showcases resourcefulness and resilience in a horror setting.
- It effectively creates a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere, keeping viewers engaged and on the edge of their seats.
- The cinematography and use of lighting enhance the eerie and suspenseful mood, making it a visually compelling horror experience.
- The character development is minimal, making it difficult for viewers to connect with or care about the characters.
- The pacing is slow in the beginning, which may lead to viewer frustration before the action picks up.
- Some viewers found the jump scares predictable and felt the film relied too heavily on horror clichés.
- story35 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story centers on a group of six women on a spelunking trip, with one character's tragic backstory serving as a key emotional anchor. While the film features an interesting premise and an all-female cast that enhances its appeal, some reviewers noted a lack of depth in character development and predictability in the plot. Overall, the narrative is described as gripping and entertaining, with effective suspense and horror elements, though opinions vary on its originality and execution.
“The story flows very well.”
“It features a great story, relatable and well-written characters (an all-female cast too, which actually makes the film better), deceptive set pieces, moody music, and impressive cinematography.”
“The story is gripping because of the great directing and interwoven relational conflicts; then we are shocked into a horror, thriller.”
“Of the six friends, only one is really given a backstory, namely that her husband was killed in a freak accident after a white-water rafting trip with a couple of her friends (who are in the main group).”
“I also thought that the story and character development could have been a bit more substantive.”
“The characters had barely anything to say and the storyline screamed we thought of the setting and nothing else.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The film excels in creating a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere, particularly through its underground cave setting, which effectively utilizes both natural and artificial lighting to enhance the sense of mystery and dread. Reviewers praise its ability to maintain suspense and build tension, culminating in a gripping experience that keeps viewers engaged and on edge throughout. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout element, contributing significantly to the film's horror and intensity.
“A lot of the film takes place in a cave underground, and it made good use of natural and artificial light to create a dark and mysterious atmosphere that kept you involved in what you were watching.”
“It's most effective at establishing and maintaining a tense mood and claustrophobic atmosphere that really works.”
“Things pick up once the 'descent' begins, with a suffocating atmosphere and copious, skillfully directed action sequences.”
“The claustrophobic atmosphere of the film is what impresses me the most, and the amount of buildup before things go from worse to savage underground madness shows a level of class that horror films at the time were forgoing, but still delivered in the end with what everyone was waiting for.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the film is characterized by a gripping and claustrophobic atmosphere that evokes feelings of fear and triumph as the characters navigate their harrowing journey. While some viewers felt a lack of emotional investment in the characters, the film successfully instills a sense of dread and highlights the psychological struggles faced by the protagonists. However, there are mixed reactions regarding the portrayal of gender dynamics, with some critiques suggesting a negative depiction of female characters.
“Without giving anything away, this film is a gripping, harrowing, emotional, and surreal psychological thriller that is sure to never let your mind rest as you watch.”
“There's a lot of feeling of claustrophobia, fear, and triumph the deeper they descend because, you know, they do a lot of crawling and climbing, and the real action doesn't happen until you reach half the movie, and by the time the credits roll you'll understand the further you descend, the stronger you'll become spiritually, physically, and emotionally.”
“While I'm not scared of this movie, it made me feel scared (claustrophobic), so that's always a good thing.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the film has received mixed reviews; while some praise the quality of the soundtrack, others feel it often detracts from the on-screen action by feeling disjointed or overly manipulative in conveying emotions. Overall, the moody music complements the film's strong narrative and character development, but its execution may not resonate with all viewers.
“The soundtrack is actually really good; I enjoyed it, but it felt totally disjointed from what you're seeing on screen.”
“It features a great story, relatable and well-written characters (an all-female cast too, which actually makes the film better), deceptive set pieces, moody music, and impressive cinematography.”
“I don't really like when a film's music telegraphs how you're supposed to feel in a particular moment, and the music here gets used like that occasionally.”
“Like they cut the soundtrack from another movie.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players felt that the characters were initially well-established and elicited care during critical moments, others criticized the overall depth and substance of their development. Despite these varying opinions, some reviews noted that the character arcs contributed positively to the horror experience.
“That being said, the descent is a solid horror movie with good character development and amazing creature effects.”
“There wasn't too much in the way of character development, but they were established well enough in the beginning that once things started to go south, you cared about what happened to them.”
“I also thought that the story and character development could have been a bit more substantive.”
“The character development was lacking terribly.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are noted for their impressive quality, with some scenes being particularly graphic and intense, such as a character's compound fracture. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals and impactful character development, which enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling.
“Awesome screen graphics.”
“Personally, I enjoy good character building throughout a story and some graphic kills to help set the mood.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be hit-or-miss, with some players finding it genuinely funny, particularly in the absurdity of character interactions and situations. However, there are mixed feelings about the portrayal of certain themes, with some humor being perceived as a critique of emotional responses. Overall, it elicits laughter through its blend of monster antics and character dynamics.
“Sometimes it was actually funny.”
“I was constantly laughing at this movie between the monsters and some of the reasoning of the characters.”
