The Inpatient

  • January 23, 2018
62%
Game Brain Score Based on 19 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • grinding
The Inpatient Game Cover
Supermassive Games places you in the driver’s seat yet again for another mysterious, chilling adventure. Unsettling, intriguing, and enveloping, you’ll be itching for another go right after the credits.

Discover who you are before it’s too late in The Inpatient; a PS VR Exclusive set in the Blackwood Sanatorium, over 60 years prior to the 2016 BAFTA award-winning Until Dawn. With deep immersion that places YOU in the game, you take on the role of an amnesiac inpatient who must find out who you are and why you are in the Sanatorium. With a branching narrative, and different endings; every choice …

  • Virtual Reality
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 19 reviews
atmosphere3 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Excellent sound design and beautifully detailed environments create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Intriguing story with a strong opening that ties in nicely as a prequel to Until Dawn.
  • Innovative voice controls and the 'Butterfly effect' allow for player-driven narrative choices.
  • The pacing is sluggish, with long scenes of slow walking and exposition that detract from the experience.
  • The story becomes rushed and convoluted in the final act, failing to build on earlier tension.
  • Character development is weak, leading to a lack of connection with new characters.
  • story10 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is a mixed bag, featuring an intriguing and immersive narrative with strong voice acting and sound design that enhances the horror atmosphere. However, many players find the pacing uneven, with a rushed finale and a fragmented storyline that detracts from the overall experience. While the game offers replayability through divergent storylines and player choices, some feel it ultimately lacks depth and coherence, leaving the narrative feeling flat.

    • “A strong opening that fully immerses the player into a gradual descent into hysteria, ties in nicely as a proper prequel to Until Dawn, with divergent storylines based on character choices and actions.”
    • “Immersive storytelling, tense moments, and some great jump scares; the 'butterfly effect' lets you play with the narrative.”
    • “A grim, captivating portrayal of mental decay, with a bone-chilling soundscape that creates an oppressive sense of dread. Expert storytelling leaves its mysteries for you to solve on your own, and the voice recognition option adds to the game's immersive qualities.”
    • “The inpatient’s strong opening is undone by a rushed finale, and while the various plot permutations add replayability, they come at the cost of a fulfilling narrative.”
    • “As a PlayStation VR experience, this is a fine-looking spook-'em-up with some neat innovations that help create a tactile world, but the story is far too fragmented and, frankly, flat to do justice to the universe it’s inspired by.”
    • “Final act can fail to build on previous tension and terror, and it can sometimes be unclear what actions are impacting the story.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its impressive visuals and effective use of sound, creating a smart and creepy environment. Players appreciate the immersive horror elements and the ability to shape the story through their actions, contributing to a strong overall atmosphere.

    • “One of the best-looking PSVR games to date, with smart, creepy use of sound and some undeniably effective atmospheric moments.”
    • “A visual treat in VR that creates a horror atmosphere, allowing you to shape the story with your words and actions.”
    • “Strong atmosphere and great visuals.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, with a short length that doesn't justify the price. Additionally, the story fails to engage, contributing to a lack of excitement and immersion.

    • “The story is disappointingly tedious.”
    • “Grinding feels excessively repetitive and lacks meaningful rewards.”
    • “The short length of the game doesn't justify the amount of grinding required.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    While "The Inpatient" offers multiple plot permutations that enhance replayability, the rushed finale detracts from a satisfying narrative experience, leaving players feeling that the replay value may not fully compensate for the story's shortcomings.

    • “The game's strong opening is undone by a rushed finale, and while the various plot permutations add replayability, they come at the cost of a fulfilling narrative.”
    • “After completing the game once, there’s little incentive to go back; the choices feel superficial and don’t significantly alter the experience.”
    • “While the game offers multiple endings, the lack of meaningful differences between them makes replaying feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
  • graphics1 mentions

    The graphics are praised for creating a strong atmosphere and delivering great visuals, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

    • “The game creates a strong atmosphere with its stunning visuals.”
    • “The graphics are absolutely breathtaking, immersing you in the game world.”
    • “Every detail in the environment is beautifully rendered, making the experience visually captivating.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development in the game is criticized for being poor, with a convoluted narrative that hinders growth and engagement, further exacerbated by sluggish controls that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The character development is poor, leaving the players feeling disconnected from the story.”
    • “The convoluted narrative makes it difficult to understand the characters' motivations and growth.”
    • “The sluggish controls hinder the ability to engage with the characters and their development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

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