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THE DESCENT

82%Game Brain Score
story, atmosphere
optimization, replayability
82% User Score Based on 122 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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About

"The Descent" is a first-person psychological horror walking simulator set in the haunted Rockwell Mine. As an investigator, delve into the mine's chilling past, documenting your investigation through a camera to unravel the mysteries of its numerous accidents and disappearances. Evade the terrifying dangers lurking within while experiencing the harsh realities of a miner's life. Immerse yourself in this atmospheric, short horror game.

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THE DESCENT screenshot
THE DESCENT screenshot
THE DESCENT screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews
story30 positive mentions
  • The game features excellent sound design and a haunting atmosphere that immerses players in the eerie environment of the abandoned mine.
  • Jump scares are effectively timed and varied, providing genuine moments of fright throughout the gameplay.
  • The story, conveyed through notes and collectibles, adds depth to the experience and keeps players engaged with the mystery of the missing miners.
  • The game suffers from excessive backtracking and a reliance on finding keys and notes, which can lead to frustration and a feeling of repetitiveness.
  • Some jump scares feel predictable or poorly timed, diminishing their impact and making the horror experience less effective.
  • The AI narration detracts from immersion, and the overall story can feel generic and lacking in depth despite its intriguing premise.
  • story
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story, centered around a journalist investigating the eerie Rockwell mine, is conveyed through various notes and newspaper clippings, creating an intriguing atmosphere. While some players appreciated the depth and lore, others found the narrative predictable and clichéd, particularly criticizing the reliance on jump scares and the disjointed presentation of the plot. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag—promising yet flawed, with potential for improvement in pacing and engagement.

    • “The backstory of the forsaken mine ignites intrigue and leaves players yearning for further exploration.”
    • “The story unfolds through various newspaper clippings and notes strewn around the mines.”
    • “With a note system comes the realization that the story is going to be brief, and it was, but the writing was well done and successfully added layers to the story and felt interesting and worthwhile.”
    • “The story didn't really grab me.”
    • “The story was unrealistic and bizarre from the start.”
    • “A lame and super predictable plot combined with annoying jump scares and forcing the player to look in overly dark rooms for needed items like a 'key' endlessly.”
  • atmosphere
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its chilling and immersive qualities, effectively combining audio, visuals, and storytelling to create a haunting experience. Players appreciate the eerie environment and tension, although some note that certain elements, like jump scares, can be predictable. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, elevating the game despite its indie graphical limitations.

    • “However, it shines in crafting a chilling atmosphere that fully absorbs players into its eerie environment.”
    • “The atmosphere of the mine is top notch, it feels claustrophobic and as if it might collapse at any moment.”
    • “The combination of atmospheric design, surreal jumpscares, and the developers' commitment to community feedback makes it a worthwhile journey into the depths of fear.”
    • “Way too much to create a subtle atmosphere.”
    • “Atmosphere (5/10).”
    • “Despite its flaws, the descent does manage to evoke the proper kind of atmosphere this type of horror game should.”
  • graphics
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many players praising the hauntingly beautiful visuals that effectively create an unsettling atmosphere. While some users noted minor bugs and issues with graphics settings, the overall aesthetic quality is considered strong, reminiscent of indie standards, and complemented by solid sound design. The use of various illumination methods, such as night vision, enhances engagement and tension throughout the gameplay.

    • “The visuals are hauntingly beautiful, creating an unsettling ambiance that sets the perfect stage for the horror to unfold.”
    • “The controls are simple, the game is glitch-free from my encounter, the story progresses nicely through found newspaper clippings and notes, the graphics are gorgeous, the sound effects are solid, and the atmosphere is spot on.”
    • “This game has really nice graphics and assets used and purchased on the Unreal Marketplace.”
    • “Some bugs with the graphics settings not sticking to what you set them at, and v-sync on/off and frame rate limiter do not seem to work at all. There are a bug or two in the game, but the developer does seem to listen and fixes bugs quite quickly.”
    • “The graphical quality of the game is indie standard, and some of the happenings looked a little odd, especially any moving entities. However, the game managed to create some tension and trepidation with eerie noises and weird events, and although I was never really scared at any point, I did enjoy the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Heavily leans on the 'Outlast' night-vision camcorder aesthetic in order to see everything; maybe this could be limited to certain sections to ramp up tension.”
  • gameplay
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "The Descent" is primarily a walking simulator focused on item collection and puzzle-solving, with players searching for objects to unlock doors and progress through the story. While the pacing is generally well-received, the mechanics are criticized for being overly simplistic and formulaic, relying heavily on jump scares that often feel disconnected from the narrative. Overall, the experience is described as decent but lacking in innovative gameplay elements.

    • “The jumpscares in 'The Descent' are nothing short of surreal, and streaming the entire gameplay allowed me to share those intense moments with my audience.”
    • “Gameplay itself is very much a walking sim, though the pacing is excellent so I never once felt like I was moving too slow.”
    • “You'll search for items to unlock doors or use objects, read notes, and that's the primary gameplay loop.”
    • “There are no game mechanics other than walking, picking up things, and using them at the place they belong.”
    • “An interesting lore only made worse in the last minutes and the final outcome, mixed with an ungodly amount of key findings and event-based gameplay that will leave you wandering for quite a while until the game decides you can go through a door you've been through half an hour earlier.”
    • “The ones that haven't made it through would likely require a rework of the entire framework – somewhat generic writing and plot presentation, and a bad case of ludo-narrative dissonance (the gameplay elements – the jump scares – do not really correspond narratively to what you read about in notes – it all feels awkwardly disjointed).”
  • optimization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is generally considered good, with a playable state despite being resource-intensive, and players report that 60 frames per second feels particularly smooth. However, there are noted performance issues on the first map. Overall, it receives a strong performance rating of 9/10.

    • “Performance (9/10).”
    • “Performance (9/10).”
    • “As for the optimization of the game, it's not perfect - the game is very heavy, but it's in a very playable state, and for some reason 60 frames feels really good in this game.”
    • “Performance issues on the first map.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the effort put into the game, noting that the inclusion of collectibles and achievements enhances its replayability. However, the overall consensus suggests that the replayability is somewhat limited, with a rating of 4/10.

    • “The amount of effort put into this game is impressive, and the implementation of collectibles and achievements adds a significant level of replayability.”
    • “The game's design encourages multiple playthroughs, making each experience feel fresh and engaging.”
    • “With various paths and choices to explore, the replayability factor keeps drawing me back for more adventures.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
    • “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics significantly reduces replay value.”
  • music
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound design of the game are highly praised, with a focus on ambient elements that effectively complement the gameplay. Reviewers note that the soundtrack and sound effects enhance the overall experience, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The graphics are good, and the soundtrack and sound effects complement the gameplay.”
    • “Sound and music design falls in the ambient zone, and it's perfect in all the ways it needs to be.”
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2h Median play time
2h Average play time
2-2h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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