The Lancaster Leak - Crisis At Call Center | Game Brain

The Lancaster Leak - Crisis At Call Center Game Cover

About

In "The Lancaster Leak - Crisis At Call Center," players must uncover the mystery behind a leaked tape and the disappearance of an FBI intern. The game is a 30-minute linear story that can be played from the perspective of security cameras, hacked computers, and wiretapped phones. A new entity is introduced in this episode, adding to the tension and fear. Playing the first game is recommended but not required. This game is listed on Steam with the ID 2519560.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Lancaster Leak - Crisis At Call Center screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 128 reviews

story18 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game effectively creates a creepy atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror games, utilizing fixed camera angles and tank controls that enhance the tension.
The story is engaging and builds on the lore from previous installments, keeping players invested in the unfolding narrative.
As a free game, it offers a surprisingly enjoyable experience with well-executed jump scares and a unique premise that draws players in.

The controls are clunky and can be frustrating, often leading to awkward movement and difficulty navigating the environment.
Many players noted the presence of typos and poor translation quality, which detracts from the immersion and overall experience.
The gameplay can feel repetitive, primarily consisting of mundane tasks that may not hold the player's interest throughout the short playtime.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The game's story is widely praised for its compelling narrative and depth, effectively expanding the lore and world-building from previous installments. Players appreciate the unique storytelling format, which utilizes a fixed camera perspective and security footage to create tension and immersion, while the plot keeps them engaged throughout. Although some find the story familiar, its execution and atmosphere are deemed captivating, leaving many eager for future developments in the series.
- “I believe this game is easily the best of the three games, and has the most compelling story.”
- “My favorite aspect was how it greatly expanded on the story and brought more depth to the world-building.”
- “The lore is very intriguing and the entity description and how the story was presented is absolutely perfect.”
- “Not sure I'm that keen on the framing device as a story though - it's not like we haven't seen this stuff a bunch of times before.”
- “The story this time around is that you're reviewing security footage from an office building, where a member of staff was killed by a monstrous entity.”
- “Tension increases as the days (or nights) pass and the story (as you can guess) comes to a fatal conclusion on night 3.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
67%
12%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique perspectives and atmospheric elements, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth. Many noted that the mechanics often revolve around mundane tasks, which can detract from the overall experience, despite some interesting puzzle elements and nostalgic camera angles reminiscent of classic horror games. Overall, while there are moments of intrigue, the gameplay is often described as uninspired and occasionally frustrating due to performance issues.
- “I actually really dug the gameplay, overall feel, and the story was cool too.”
- “The gameplay this time consists mainly of carrying out office chores while a cryptid stalks you, and the second-person CCTV perspective is an inspired choice: it means you as a player have information the blissfully ignorant office lady doesn't.”
- “The gameplay isn’t too complicated and allows for the player to quickly understand what they have to do; this lets the player become more immersed in the environment.”
- “Park has some cool audio towards the end of the game, but for the most part is entirely devoid of gameplay except for walking along a dirt path.”
- “I don't think the gameplay does anything particularly new as it consists of chores, edging into the eventual horror.”
- “Utterly uninspired gameplay paired with underwhelming reddit-creepypasta.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
24%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its effectiveness in creating a spooky and immersive experience, particularly through the use of retro mechanics and a well-executed VHS filter. While some players noted that the graphics and gameplay mechanics could be improved, the overall ambiance, sound design, and clever storytelling contribute to a compelling analog horror experience that many found engaging and memorable.
- “Very cool atmosphere with retro mechanics.”
- “Skimpy on mechanics and plot, but has decent atmosphere.”
- “Visual and sound design has been handled well, giving the game a sufficient degree of spooky atmosphere to creep the player out.”
- “This game effectively creates the atmosphere of analog horror and turns it into a playable experience.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the retro aesthetic reminiscent of early PS1 titles is intentional and well-executed, the overall quality appears dated and subpar by modern standards. Some appreciate the unique CRT and VHS effects, which enhance the atmosphere, but performance issues and janky controls detract from the experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as fitting for the game's style, though they may not satisfy those seeking high-quality graphics.
- “Great game! Would recommend. Short but good, great story and visuals.”
- “Best use of the CRT+VHS aesthetic I've seen in a game so far.”
- “The graphics fit the theme of the game; however, the performance is absolutely atrocious at times, which takes away from it.”
- “It was about what you would expect for a free indie game; the graphics are not very good and the game is really short... would still recommend playing.”
- “Bad graphics and boring gameplay.”
- “The graphics fit the theme of the game; however, the performance is absolutely atrocious at times, which takes away from it. The controls are annoying and janky, and the gameplay is very mediocre (however, it is still an improvement over the gameplay from the last one).”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its clever juxtaposition of comedic elements within a serious context, effectively mocking horror tropes. While some players found it consistently funny, others felt that the humor was not the primary intention of the game, suggesting a mix of comedic moments alongside more serious themes. Overall, it is recognized as a comedic and entertaining experience.
- “It's funny in such an otherwise serious scenario to see her furiously constipated power-walk speeding up and down the hallway.”
- “If this was supposed to be a funny game mocking horror tropes, I would say it did a great job.”
- “Very comedic and funny game!”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game is criticized for its poor optimization, with performance issues significantly detracting from the experience, earning a low score of 4/10. While the graphics align with the intended retro style and receive a more favorable 7/10, the overall gameplay suffers due to janky controls and mediocre performance.
- “The game is styled to look like something out of an early PS1 game, meaning the graphics by today's standards are not the greatest; however, that is the style the game is going for, so I have no complaints there.”
- “I give the graphics a good 7/10, and the performance a 4/10.”
- “That said, it is poorly optimized.”
- “My complaints are with the game's performance.”
- “The graphics fit the theme of the game; however, the performance is absolutely atrocious at times, which takes away from it. The controls are annoying and janky, and the gameplay is very mediocre (however, it is still an improvement over the gameplay from the last one).”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding in the first two games to be tedious and time-consuming, often feeling that the effort required is not justified by the rewards. The experience is described as monotonous, with some expressing frustration at the slow pace and repetitive nature of the tasks involved.
- “The first two games are actually pretty tedious and not really worth the time they take to complete.”
- “I found myself jumping at the sound of taps turning on and the slow, tedious ticking of old PCs.”