Skip to main content

The Emulator

46%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
story, music
50% User Score Based on 54 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationXboxXbox
Buy NowGet on SteamBuy NowGet on itch.io Store

About

In "The Emulator," players assume the role of Sean, who finds himself in a fight for survival when he visits his girlfriend Sarah's house. The Emulator, a horror from the deep web, is on the loose, and players must explore the house, find keys and items, and avoid being caught by the shapeshifting antagonist. This game offers a unique house with numerous rooms, a creative enemy, and five different endings to discover.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes

50%
Audience ScoreBased on 54 reviews
graphics4 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • The game has a good atmosphere and interesting lore, making it engaging for players who enjoy horror themes.
  • It features multiple endings, which adds replayability and encourages exploration.
  • The game is free to play, making it accessible for those who want to try out a horror experience without financial commitment.
  • The game suffers from poor graphics and clunky mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • There is a lack of clear instructions and objectives, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
  • The AI of the enemy is frustratingly unpredictable, often resulting in unfair deaths and a lack of effective gameplay strategy.
  • graphics
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for their outdated quality, reminiscent of early 2000s titles, which can hinder readability and immersion. While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the option for sharper visuals, many agree that the overall graphical presentation is in need of improvement. Despite these shortcomings, the game's atmosphere and design elements have received praise, contributing to a mixed reception regarding its visual appeal.

    • “Loved the aesthetic, loved learning the mechanics, loved the lore and world creation.”
    • “The gameplay is in first person aspect, and while the graphics may not be the best, they're pretty serviceable and not too bad.”
    • “The graphics are literally from 2004 (reminded me a lot of GMod).”
    • “I can get past bad graphics for the most part, except when I'm being expected to read things that are pixelated and unreadable.”
    • “The emulator nails the PS1 graphics... shame it does hurt to look at after a while, but at least they were generous enough to provide an option to make the game sharper, so that little attention to detail is warmly welcomed.”
  • story
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story features a dual narrative involving a mother-daughter dynamic and a son exploring the dark corners of the deep web, which some players found intriguing despite its execution. While the concept of multiple endings adds depth, the overall experience is marred by gameplay issues, leaving players wanting more from the storyline. Overall, it presents a short horror tale that combines elements of suspense and exploration, but its abrupt conclusion disappointed some reviewers.

    • “It's almost like there's some sort of a plot and a subplot, with the daughter and mother concerned for the father's cult interests, while the son explores the terrors of the deep web.”
    • “I think if you interpret the story as two separate plots that meet together during the game, then it kind of makes sense.”
    • “The whole 'multiple endings' and story does intrigue me, so it is disappointing my experience was hindered by the aforementioned aspects of the game.”
    • “It's almost like there's some sort of a plot and a subplot, with the daughter and mother concerned for the father's cult interests, while the son is exploring the terrors of the deep web in the subplot.”
    • “I think if you interpret the story as two separate plots that meet together during the game, then it kinda makes sense.”
    • “The whole 'multiple endings' and story does intrigue me, so it is disappointing that my experience was hindered by the aforementioned aspects of the game.”
  • gameplay
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration, with players appreciating the vent mechanic, storyline, and aesthetic, while also noting some mechanics as broken and limited interactivity with the environment. The first-person perspective and creative mechanics are generally well-received, though some players feel overwhelmed by the game's pacing and sound design. Overall, the gameplay is seen as decent but could benefit from more interactive elements and clearer objectives.

    • “I like the vent mechanic, the storyline, and the general gameplay of it.”
    • “Loved the aesthetic, loved learning the mechanics, loved the lore and world creation.”
    • “The music was overwhelming, and the thundering sounds were excessive. I didn't have much time to run and hide before getting hit. After getting the lock of hair, it says to try and find a way to survive, but I can't figure out what to do. I can't get the key lying next to the girl. The gameplay was okay, but I would have liked to interact with more items in the drawers; there were only very few items to find.”
    • “Honestly, the mechanics are just fine, if not pretty creative for a game made around this time of jumpscares and restrictions on movement galore.”
  • atmosphere
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive terror and exploration potential, despite some criticisms regarding sound design and graphical quality. While the level design contributes positively to the experience, players suggest improvements such as clearer objectives and varied music to enhance the overall ambiance. Overall, it appeals to fans of atmospheric horror, though some technical glitches detract from the experience.

    • “I was really enjoying the game; great atmosphere, the level design is decent, and there's a lot to explore. The sound design is okay, but it might be too monotonous at times.”
    • “I would prefer this game to keep the scare value exclusively on atmosphere, but it is still a cool game to experience!”
    • “The emulator is an interesting horror game that has some glitches in certain places, such as stairs or ventilation ducts. It has a good atmosphere of terror, although the graphics are improvable. Even so, I recommend playing it; it is short and free.”
  • music
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has been criticized for being overwhelming and not fitting the intended eerie atmosphere, detracting from the overall experience. Players expressed a desire for a more atmospheric soundtrack, clearer objectives, and the inclusion of a volume slider to adjust the music and sound effects. Overall, the current music choices seem to hinder gameplay rather than enhance it.

    • “If you were going for an eerie vibe, I recommend a different soundtrack.”
    • “If objectives were clearer, different atmospheric music was used, and even a simple 'music and sound' volume slider was added into the game's settings, maybe I would attempt to try it again.”
    • “The music was too much; the thundering was enough. I didn't get much time to run and hide before getting hit.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its high replayability, with players enjoying its dark humor and the added patches that enhance gameplay, particularly in evading the shapeshifter, which adds to the overall rewarding experience.

    • “I found the emulator to be a brilliant, darkly humorous, and highly replayable horror short.”
    • “These patches made the game much more enjoyable for the patient and attentive, making evasions from the shapeshifter all the more rewarding.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emulator is noted for its intriguing horror atmosphere but suffers from various glitches, particularly in areas like stairs and ventilation ducts. While the graphics could be improved, the game remains a recommended short and free experience despite these stability issues.

    • “The emulator is an interesting horror game that has some glitches in certain places, such as stairs or ventilation ducts. It has a good atmosphere of terror, although the graphics are improvable. Even so, I recommend playing it; it is short and free.”
    • “Bugs, glitches, and other issues.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized as darkly comedic, contributing to its replayability and enhancing the overall horror experience.

    • “I found the emulator to be a brilliant, darkly humorous, highly replayable horror short.”

Buy The Emulator

Videos

Games Like The Emulator

Darkwood Image
This game contains adult content
87%9.9kreviews

Darkwood

2017Survival Role Playing
Mac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPC+9
Cannibal Abduction Image
This game contains adult content
96%314reviews

Cannibal Abduction

2023Survival Action Adventure
Mac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPC+9
Stay Out of the House Image
This game contains adult content
93%1.3kreviews

Stay Out of the House

2022Survival Shooter
Mac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPC+7
The Outlast Trials Image
This game contains adult content
89%29.3kreviews

The Outlast Trials

2023Survival Action Adventure
PCPCPlaystation 4Playstation 4Playstation 5Playstation 5+9
Mad Father Image
This game contains adult content
92%4.1kreviews

Mad Father

2016Role Playing
Mac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPC+2
Hollow Cocoon Image
This game contains adult content
91%300reviews

Hollow Cocoon

2023Action Adventure
Nintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPCSteam DeckSteam Deck+1
Escape the Ayuwoki Image
83%697reviews

Escape the Ayuwoki

2019Survival Survival
Mac OSMac OSPCPCSteam DeckSteam Deck+2
Lakeview Cabin 2 Image
96%210reviews

Lakeview Cabin 2

2023Strategy
Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindows
Among the Sleep Image
76%3.9kreviews

Among the Sleep

2016Action Adventure
Mac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPC+9
Shadow Corridor Image
87%61reviews

Shadow Corridor

2019Role Playing
Nintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPCPlaystation 4Playstation 4+2