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The Initiate

The Initiate Game Cover
81%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, stability
80% User Score Based on 163 reviews
Critic Score 85%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCMac OSWindows
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The Initiate Game Cover

About

The Initiate is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Deceptive Games Ltd. and was released on July 31, 2017. It received positive reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"The Initiate: Heresy' is a narrative-driven puzzle adventure game where players uncover the secrets of an ancient Egyptian society. As an initiate of a mysterious order, you must solve puzzles, explore tombs, and decipher hieroglyphs to progress. With a strong focus on story and atmosphere, players will be immersed in a world of intrigue and deception. However, beware, for not everything is as it seems."

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The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
The Initiate screenshot
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80%
Audience ScoreBased on 163 reviews
story16 positive mentions
stability14 negative mentions
  • The game features a variety of interesting and challenging puzzles that require careful observation and note-taking.
  • The atmosphere is well-crafted, providing a creepy yet engaging experience without relying on jump scares.
  • The voice acting and overall presentation are commendable, enhancing the immersive quality of the game.
  • The game suffers from several bugs and glitches, including issues with saving progress and items reappearing in inventory.
  • Some puzzles can be overly complex or frustrating, leading to moments of confusion and requiring external hints.
  • The story lacks depth and resolution, leaving players with unanswered questions and a sense of incompleteness.
  • story
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is often criticized for being generic and lacking depth, with many players feeling that it serves merely as a backdrop for the puzzles rather than a compelling narrative. While some appreciate the engaging atmosphere and the presence of a sarcastic narrator, others express disappointment over the lack of character development and a satisfying conclusion. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with potential for intrigue but ultimately falling short in delivering a meaningful payoff.

    • “It's very engaging, and the story, although not deep, gives your journey a bit of purpose; that combined with a GLaDOS-esque (albeit human) narrator that sarcastically comments on your progress and is also tied into the story, makes for a fun and interesting playthrough.”
    • “The game has fun challenges, an interesting little story, and good atmosphere.”
    • “It balances a good variety of puzzles, a very simple, fun story and it all works for everyone.”
    • “But the story is non-existent here.”
    • “The story is incredibly boring--and the ending was a huge boring letdown.”
    • “There is absolutely no character development or story advancement; you could shuffle the notes and place them randomly - or omit them entirely - without causing any confusion.”
  • graphics
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game are generally described as decent to good, with some players appreciating the crisp visuals and atmospheric design, while others noted issues like texture glitches and a lack of advanced settings such as 4K support. Despite some optimization problems that affected performance, many found the graphics satisfactory for a low-budget indie title, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, there are mixed feelings about the attention given to graphics compared to other aspects of the game, with some suggesting that improvements could be made.

    • “The graphics are crisp, and even though I usually get motion sick in first-person games, I didn’t have that trouble with this one.”
    • “The graphics were great, voice acting, story, all top notch.”
    • “Great rendered graphics, really good puzzles and a good length of game.”
    • “As much as this game nails everything you want from gameplay, performance, and fun, the neglect in the graphics settings menu is disappointing.”
    • “Even on a $700 gaming PC (which can stream games like Overwatch and League of Legends at maximum graphics and high FPS), this game with Nancy Drew-level graphics ran at about 60 seconds per frame.”
    • “My review is positive, but I must admit the programming was really poorly optimized; I was running temps over 75ºC with my GTX 1080 Ti, that's absurd for such small games with poor graphics.”
  • atmosphere
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the well-designed environments, strong sound work, and a thrilling ambiance that complements the puzzle-solving elements. While it leans more towards a puzzle game than a horror title, the dark and tense atmosphere successfully engages players throughout.

    • “The milieu is well-designed and atmospheric with decent graphics and sound work.”
    • “However, the music and narrative work wonderfully to create a thrilling - and sometimes creepy - atmosphere.”
    • “I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the game; it was very immersive.”
    • “The game partially achieves the atmosphere it wants.”
    • “It has a creepy atmosphere, but it is more of a puzzle game than a horror game, so it's not really scary.”
    • “No monsters, just a sometimes creepy atmosphere.”
  • gameplay
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay in the game is primarily first-person and set in a detailed environment, but it suffers from clunky mechanics and uninspired puzzles that often rely on tedious item collection. While some players found enjoyment in solving the puzzles, many criticized the gameplay for being glitchy, requiring excessive note-taking, and featuring frustrating elements like a poorly implemented crawl mechanic and hard-to-find items. Overall, the gameplay experience is mixed, with some fun moments overshadowed by mechanical issues and a lack of depth in puzzle design.

    • “Gameplay in the initiate is first person and is set in a very detailed house that feels like an actual house.”
    • “The puzzles made the gameplay long enough to be worth the price of the game.”
    • “Gameplay is simplistic but it works well.”
    • “Honestly, the trailer is not representative of the actual gameplay.”
    • “There are no real mechanical puzzles except for some levers or items needing to be rotated into certain arbitrary positions to open up other parts of the house.”
    • “Puzzles were unimaginative (find five of this, eight of that) and required lots of running around; gameplay was clunky and doors always opened in your face.”
  • stability
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been criticized for various minor glitches and bugs, including issues with achievements not triggering, environmental clipping, and problems after loading saved games. While some players experienced significant crashes and freezing, many found the game enjoyable despite these issues, suggesting that it remains worth the price for those willing to overlook the imperfections. Overall, the game is described as somewhat unpolished but still engaging.

    • “Very buggy; most achievements did not register; some puzzles gave a completion event in spite of not being complete, while others did not register as complete in spite of being completed.”
    • “Couldn't play the game; after the first cutscene it loads and crashes at different stages. The most I could get was a black screen and then it freezes.”
    • “There were a few glitches that typically happened after loading a saved game.”
  • music
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, contributing effectively to a thrilling and creepy atmosphere that enhances the puzzle and mystery elements. While some players noted a lack of music at times, others praised the quality of the sound design, particularly in creating horror vibes. Overall, the background music and sound effects are considered a strong aspect, adding to the game's immersive experience.

    • “However, the music and narrative work wonderfully to create a thrilling - and sometimes creepy - atmosphere.”
    • “The music was great and also the sounds around the house.”
    • “The music is very good horror-stress fare; kudos on that.”
    • “And music is almost nonexistent.”
    • “There's no music, just your industry standard spooky sounds.”
    • “Mute the sound and listen to your own music.”
  • optimization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance even on high-end systems, frequent stuttering, and issues with graphics settings, including the absence of 4K resolution. While some players found smoother performance by adjusting graphics options, the overall programming is viewed as subpar, leading to frustration despite the game's enjoyable gameplay.

    • “And then there's a lack of 4K resolution for some reason, poor performance even on a high-end rig, and various other little bugs and omissions.”
    • “There's major stuttering quite often (mostly when I turn around and swing the camera back), and the player gets stuck on random geometry a lot.”
    • “My review is positive, but I must admit the programming was really poorly optimized; I was running temps over 75ºC with my GTX 1080 Ti, that's absurd for such small games with poor graphics.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players found the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while one underground section was tedious yet brief, the persistent and irritating metallic grinding noise accompanying movements detracted significantly from the overall enjoyment, leading some to turn off the game.

    • “However, it wasn't good enough to overcome the grinding noise, so I had to switch it off.”
    • “Irritating noise - your every move is accompanied by the most awful metallic grinding noise.”
    • “Only one underground scene was really tedious, but it was thankfully short enough not to ruin the game.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it amusing despite some shortcomings, such as poor voice acting and a lackluster plot. While one achievement may be considered quirky, these flaws are often overlooked in favor of the overall comedic experience.

    • “Pretty good and kind of funny; one of the achievements is a bit wonky, though.”
    • “There is some bad voice acting and a hilariously lazy plot, but it can be overlooked.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game has been criticized for its boring story, suggesting that the narrative lacks depth and engagement, which detracts from the overall emotional experience. Reviewers emphasize the importance of hiring skilled writers to enhance storytelling in games.

    • “The story felt incredibly boring and lacked any emotional depth. Not all game developers are good writers; perhaps they should consider hiring someone with experience in storytelling.”
    • “I found it hard to connect with the characters, as their emotions seemed forced and unconvincing.”
    • “The game tried to evoke emotions, but the execution fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent rather than moved.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate a significant lack of character development, with players noting that the story and character arcs are so minimal that they could be rearranged or removed without impacting the overall experience.

    • “There is absolutely no character development or story advancement; you could shuffle the notes and place them randomly - or omit them entirely - without causing any confusion.”
    • “The characters feel flat and one-dimensional, making it hard to care about their journeys or decisions.”
    • “I expected a rich narrative, but the lack of meaningful character growth left me feeling disconnected from the story.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers limited replayability typical of its genre, primarily appealing to players interested in completing additional achievements. However, it does feature a post-storyline 'phase two' section that introduces further puzzles for those seeking more content.

    • “The game offers a post-storyline 'phase two' section with additional puzzles, which adds to its replay value.”
    • “While the replay value is typical for this genre, there are lingering achievements to pursue for those who enjoy completion.”
    • “The inclusion of further puzzles after the main storyline encourages players to revisit the game for a fresh experience.”
    • “There's not much replay value (normal for this genre) unless you want to mop up a few lingering achievements, but there is a post-storyline 'phase two' section with further puzzles.”
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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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5h Median play time
5h Average play time
5-5h Spent by most gamers
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Initiate is a action adventure game.

The Initiate is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing The Initiate.

The Initiate was released on July 31, 2017.

The Initiate was developed by Deceptive Games Ltd..

The Initiate has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Initiate is a single player game.

Similar games include Quern - Undying Thoughts, The Guest, The Initiate: The First Interviews, The Inheritance of Crimson Manor, Lake Ridden and others.