The Door in the Basement

About

The Door in the Basement is a single player survival survival game with a horror theme. It was developed by Aegon Games and was released on April 21, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

In "The Door in the Basement," you enter a mysterious door in your family's basement and find yourself trapped in a dark, subterranean world filled with puzzles, horrific creatures, and eerie secrets. With only your wits and the surroundings to guide you, you must navigate the tunnels to find a way out and uncover the truth behind this strange place. This first-person pixelated horror game will keep you on your toes as you try to outsmart the monsters lurking in the shadows.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 118 reviews

atmosphere25 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features an incredibly immersive atmosphere, enhanced by excellent sound design and pixelated graphics that contribute to its horror aesthetic.
Players have noted the effective use of tension and well-placed jump scares, creating a genuinely unsettling experience throughout the game.
Despite being a short game, it offers a unique story and engaging environments that keep players invested and on edge.

The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with minimal puzzles and lacks depth, leading to a feeling of repetitiveness and limited engagement.
Many players found the story presentation lacking, relying heavily on notes that can become repetitive and fail to provide a satisfying narrative payoff.
Some reviews criticized the enemy encounters as being too easy to evade, diminishing the sense of danger and tension that a horror game typically aims to create.

atmosphere
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
35%
7%
The atmosphere of "The Door in the Basement" is widely praised for its immersive and anxiety-inducing qualities, drawing comparisons to classic horror titles like Silent Hill and Amnesia. Reviewers highlight the game's effective use of sound design, unsettling visuals, and a captivating, eerie environment that keeps players on edge, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay elements and enemy encounters. Overall, the game excels in creating a haunting atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
- “A wild ride that creates a fantastic atmospheric experience!”
- “The atmosphere and sound are fantastic and keeps you on edge the whole time.”
- “Where the door in the basement really stands out is with its superbly crafted atmosphere, filled with fog, dust, rattling chains, scraping metal, and other unexpected sound effects that will keep you looking over your shoulder.”
- “The atmosphere is oppressive to the extreme, and the lo-fi graphics really suit what they're going for.”
- “The atmosphere was well developed and the game mechanically sound.”
- “The atmosphere is top-notch, but in my opinion, certain enemy encounters aren't well-executed, which ruined the tension for me and made this more of a chore to get through.”
story
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The game's story is primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and numerous notes, creating a rich but fragmented narrative experience. While some players appreciate the intriguing atmosphere and the depth of lore, others find the story lacking in development and coherence, particularly in its handling of themes like mental illness. Overall, the narrative is seen as compelling enough to engage players, though it may leave some feeling unsatisfied by its execution and conclusion.
- “The game is rich in story, especially throughout the environment, and how things subtly change.”
- “A fun and unique little experience that manages to keep you on your toes not with a barrage of jumpscares (though it has a few effective ones), but with a creepy atmosphere and an intriguing story!”
- “These graphics, combined with the sound design, as well as the haunting story, make for an incredibly immersive and horrific journey from start to finish.”
- “Also, there is no story development through gameplay. If you want to have any idea of what's going on, I hope you're ready to read approximately 47 notes (and the eyeball lady hand thing).”
- “The pixelated graphics give it a somewhat unique look, but the world you walk through isn't all that interesting, and neither is the mystery of the title-giving gimmick of a door in the basement. What little story there is kept vague with the usual 'or maybe you are actually just traumatized/crazy' edge and little payoff.”
- “Contrary to some other reviews here, my biggest critique, however, is the story and the way it is presented.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro, pixelated aesthetic that enhances the horror experience, creating a haunting atmosphere that many players appreciate. While some find the visuals unnecessary, they generally complement the game's unsettling narrative and sound design, contributing to an immersive experience. Overall, the lo-fi graphics are well-received, with many praising their ability to evoke a strong emotional response and build tension throughout the gameplay.
- “In general, the use of light and shadows was well designed, resulting in a very strong and haunting aesthetic.”
- “The grainy, pixelated graphics are completely complimentary to its horror as the first time you meet this gnarled, fleshy man-shaped monster... well, it's a jarring experience.”
- “These graphics, combined with the sound design, as well as the haunting story, make for an incredibly immersive and horrific journey from start to finish.”
- “The only problem I had was input lag; I had to tone down the graphics to get a reasonable response delay.”
- “The pixelated graphics give it a somewhat unique look, but the world you walk through isn't all that interesting, and neither is the mystery of the title-giving gimmick of a door in the basement because what little story there is being kept vague with the usual 'or maybe you are actually just traumatized/crazy' edge and little payoff.”
- “Do not let the PS1 graphics style fool you; this game is terrifying.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay is generally described as a walking simulator with limited puzzles and mechanics, focusing more on atmosphere and immersion than complex interactions. While some players appreciate the unique cosmic horror setting and smooth animations, others find the lack of story development and minimal gameplay elements disappointing, resulting in a short experience with few scares. Overall, the game captivates with its ambiance but leaves players wanting more in terms of gameplay depth and challenge.
- “This game makes me hope they release more games with more complex gameplay.”
- “Although it may be light on its puzzles and gameplay elements, it's heavy on atmosphere and immersion.”
- “While it does not have any crazy mechanics, it makes up for that in its unique world and setting and mind-boggling presentation.”
- “Also, there is no story development through gameplay. If you want to have any idea of what's going on, I hope you're ready to read approximately 47 notes (and the eyeball lady hand thing).”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's not as strong; few puzzles mainly just a walking sim with some running from enemies. I would have liked to see more puzzles, survival elements, items, etc.”
- “The gameplay is a walking sim with running away from threats.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heart-wrenching atmosphere, which effectively conveys the protagonist's struggles and emotional state, while also providing hints for gameplay objectives.
- “His travails give clues as to your next objective at times, as well as detail his emotional state.”
- “- Heart-wrenchingly atmospheric and scary.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has limited replayability due to the presence of only one ending, which diminishes the incentive for players to replay it.
- “Apparently only one ending, so replay value is nil.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
- “The lack of diverse choices means that replaying feels more like a chore than an adventure.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as dark and relatable, with players finding amusement in the juxtaposition of childhood fears, such as a shadowy figure in the basement, and the game's lighthearted approach to these themes.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization is praised for delivering very good performance, indicating that it runs smoothly across various systems.
- “The performance is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even in the most demanding scenarios.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it runs seamlessly on my system without any hiccups.”
- “The optimization really shines through, providing a stable frame rate and quick load times.”

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4h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Door in the Basement is a survival survival game with horror theme.

The Door in the Basement is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing The Door in the Basement.

The Door in the Basement was released on April 21, 2021.

The Door in the Basement was developed by Aegon Games.

The Door in the Basement has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its atmosphere but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Door in the Basement is a single player game.

Similar games include Layers of Fear, From The Darkness, Welcome to Kowloon, Lost in Vivo, The Shore and others.

The Door in the Basement

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