The Fan

About

In "The Fan," you play as a stalker, obsessed with a famous actress. Use clues, hide in shadows, and avoid security as you infiltrate her events to get closer to your obsession. Will you maintain the line between fandom and madness, or will your fixation lead to darker places? For a more immersive experience, check out the game on Steam with the ID 572330. Please note that this game contains intense themes, including stalking, which may not be suitable for all players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews

story17 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features a unique concept where players take on the role of a serial killer, providing a disturbing yet intriguing perspective.
The use of photorealistic images creates an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience and storytelling.
Despite its short length, the game showcases a lot of detail in its environments and items, contributing to a sense of realism.

The game is extremely short, with most players completing it in under an hour, leading to concerns about its value for the price.
Gameplay is largely linear and lacks depth, with minimal choices that do not significantly impact the story or endings.
There is a lack of dialogue and character development, making the narrative feel shallow and unsatisfying.

story
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
8%
The game's story, centered around a serial killer and his gruesome acts, is criticized for being shallow and lacking character development, with minimal choices and a simplistic plot. While some players appreciate the ambient storytelling through detailed environments, many feel that the narrative fails to deliver on its promises, resulting in a short experience that lacks depth and replay value. Overall, the story is seen as an interesting concept that ultimately falls flat due to poor execution and limited engagement.
- “The fan is an interactive horror point-and-click game made completely with pictures, where you play as the killer and uncover a gruesome story of kidnapping and murder.”
- “Not gonna spoil any of the story, it's only a few chapters and locations, but there are multiple endings based on a couple of decisions.”
- “A fun and gritty short story from the eyes of a serial killer.”
- “I hate to say it but it's a poorly written game with little plot, less story, and no replay value.”
- “Sadly though, there is not much of a story here to be found despite it being the whole promise of a story-focused game.”
- “Another factor about the story is that there is no real beginning and no development for any character.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
80%
10%
The gameplay is primarily a point-and-click experience that involves finding objects in still images and videos, reminiscent of old-school hidden object games. While the unique theme adds some intrigue, players find the gameplay to be overly simplistic and short, often completing it in under an hour with minimal challenge. Despite its lack of depth and abrupt ending, the game manages to engage players through its immersive atmosphere and subtextual elements.
- “It's very old school mechanically in that most of the game consists of still images overlaid with indicators of interactivity; at heart, it's basically a hidden object game but the unique topic lifts it above the mass of those games out there.”
- “Though as shallow as the gameplay and story may be, what the fan really has going for it is its ability to suck players in with captivating immersion.”
- “Reviewing the things that this sick and twisted serial killer has collected, or discovered in the two apartment locations, adds some much-needed depth to the gameplay, however empty these interactions may be.”
- “This Se7en-knock-off meets-peeping tom inspired FMV has some interesting subtextual ideas behind its mechanics, but, as others have pointed out, the game is incredibly short (I managed to beat my first run in under an hour), too easy for it to be challenging, and ends abruptly and anticlimactically for it to have any strong impact.”
- “The gameplay isn't that fun, mostly finding objects at the furthest corners of the locations, so I expected this point-and-click narrative to have some kind of interesting story themes.”
- “As far as gameplay is concerned, this title can be compared to a point-and-click equivalent of a walking simulator; without the in-depth story that most of them carry, however.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The game's graphics are praised for their photorealistic quality, utilizing real locations and photography instead of traditional animation, which creates a unique and immersive atmosphere. This approach contributes to a creepy and intense experience, although it may take some time for players to adjust to the unconventional visual style. Overall, the combination of striking visuals and effective sound design enhances the game's storytelling and emotional impact.
- “Incredibly immersive atmosphere; everything about the game, the visuals, and the sound design really pushes the entire premise into solid creepy/terrifying territory.”
- “The graphics are photorealistic; literally, the game environments are real locations.”
- “I like the concept, the art style is impressive, and the audio is quite good.”
- “Basically, the fan is a point-and-click adventure game like any other, but due to the photographic scenes rather than animated scenes, navigating through this game does take some getting used to.”
- “This is attributed primarily to the use of photography over computer rendered graphics, as well as the droning industrial soundtrack.”
- “It is quite intense and has some violent scenes, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially because of the art style used.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The game's atmosphere is described as incredibly immersive and unsettling, effectively utilizing visuals and sound design to create a dark, creepy environment. While the attention to detail and ambient music enhance the experience, some reviewers feel that the overall execution falls short, leading to a mixed reception regarding its atmospheric impact. Despite its promising start, the game struggles to maintain a meaningful narrative within its grim setting.
- “Incredibly immersive atmosphere; everything about the game, the visuals, and the sound design really pushes the entire premise into solid creepy/terrifying territory.”
- “The ambient music is heavy, doomy, and thus serves to emphasize the dark atmosphere of the game.”
- “All in all, the game starts out with an extremely disturbing atmosphere; you're surrounded by pictures of this girl that you were apparently stalking, implements of torture, padlocked doors with the names of your previous victims, and when you head into the back room, you find your latest victim tied up and terrified.”
- “The atmosphere is gritty, and the fact that you actually play as the serial killer is a thumbs up galore.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
62%
23%
The music in the game is characterized by heavy, doomy ambient tracks that enhance its dark atmosphere, complemented by a droning industrial soundtrack. Reviewers appreciate the atmospheric quality of the music, noting that it effectively fits the mood and adds depth to the overall experience, making it both intriguing and creepy.
- “A lot of very interesting detail on the three characters, good imagery and music, and a short but intriguingly creepy experience.”
- “The ambient music is heavy, doomy, and thus serves to emphasize the dark atmosphere of the game.”
- “This is attributed primarily to the use of photography over computer rendered graphics, as well as the droning industrial soundtrack.”
- “Music and sound effects are simple yet fit the mood, serviceable.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
13%
75%
Overall, the game's replayability is heavily criticized, with many users noting a lack of engaging content and a poorly developed plot. While some mention the potential for multiple outcomes based on choices, the consensus is that the game offers minimal incentive to replay, often described as boring and lacking depth.
- “Of the three choices, gamers can expect to find four different outcomes, and thus replayability is born.”
- “This 'game' only takes around 45 minutes if you are not rushing it and has no replay value at all.”
- “And zero replay value too... it's so very boring also!”
- “I hate to say it but it's a poorly written game with little plot, less story, and no replay value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that a significant portion of their gameplay time is spent on grinding, particularly in farming cards, with one user noting that 90% of their five hours played was dedicated to this activity.
- “I have played for 5 hours, but it feels like 4 and a half of those were just spent farming cards.”
- “The grinding in this game is excessive; it takes away from the overall experience.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while the game attempts to incorporate humor, it ultimately falls flat due to a lack of substance and meaningful content, leaving players feeling that the comedic elements are overshadowed by the game's shortcomings.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly rated, receiving a perfect score of 10/10, but it is strongly advised to keep it away from children under 18 and emotionally unstable adults due to its intense themes.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users consistently report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no glitches, crashes, or errors encountered during gameplay.
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches, crashes, or errors.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or errors while playing.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; there are no glitches at all.”