The Lodge
- March 9, 2021
- Professor David Lopez
Get on SteamA first-person, psychological horror game, The Lodge takes players on a journey into the horrors of a twisted mind.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a good concept with interesting puzzles that can be rewarding to solve.
- It features a spooky atmosphere and some genuinely scary moments that enhance the horror experience.
- The visuals and sound design are praised, contributing to an engaging experience despite performance issues.
- The game suffers from severe performance issues, with many players experiencing low frame rates and lag.
- Puzzles often lack clear clues or guidance, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
- The game feels unfinished, with many players reporting glitches, bugs, and an abrupt ending that leaves the story feeling incomplete.
- story8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story has potential, with some users finding it interesting and atmospheric, particularly regarding characters like Owen and Hiram. However, many critiques highlight a lack of coherence and context, leading to a messy and incomplete narrative experience, with an abrupt ending that leaves players wanting more. Overall, while there are intriguing elements, the execution falls short for many reviewers.
“The story was good.”
“It was good in the sense of it had a very interesting story and it was very atmospheric.”
“I for one would love to get to know more of the story of Owen and Hiram!”
“Storywise, there is none; there are just a bunch of things happening with no context whatsoever. There is a place where you need to throw some papers into the fireplace, and while I was doing it, I randomly died, and it displayed the famous 'you died' message just like Dark Souls, and my character made a very weird crying voice.”
“Lastly, this is more of an opinion, but the ending felt a little abrupt and short. Maybe I missed some things, but the story felt a little messy and incomplete, like it was missing parts and still had lots of mystery.”
“Story seems like it would have been interesting if the frames weren't so poor and if the puzzles actually worked.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals, but many users report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and poor optimization, particularly on mid-range hardware like the Nvidia GTX 970. While the aesthetic quality is appreciated, the demanding nature of the graphics hampers the overall experience, making it difficult to fully enjoy the visuals.
“Best part is the visuals, but you can't appreciate that in a slideshow at full specs.”
“Also, the visuals are just incredible.”
“I loved the graphics and the gameplay wasn't too bad until it started lagging.”
“However, there is still a problem to mention: it's too bad how laggy and demanding the graphics are.”
“Graphics were bad also.”
“Not optimized for a NVIDIA GTX 970 4GB, no options to adjust graphics.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance on various systems, particularly low-spec PCs. While some appreciate its free offering and potential, many recommend waiting for improvements before playing, especially for those with specific hardware like the Nvidia GTX 970. Overall, the lack of adjustable graphics settings further exacerbates the performance issues.
“It's worth a try if you're into survival/horror; maybe when it's optimized, I'll give it another shot.”
“A fine free game from some indie devs. It's not optimized, so low-spec PCs beware, but otherwise, it's a fine free short walking simulator.”
“Worth a try if you're into survival/horror; maybe when it's optimized, I'll try again.”
“Not optimized for a NVIDIA GTX 970 4GB; no options to adjust graphics.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple yet effective, with solid mechanics and a chilling soundtrack enhancing the experience. However, players have reported significant performance issues, including low frame rates and lag, particularly during critical moments, which detracted from the overall enjoyment. Additionally, visibility problems due to brightness settings have been noted, indicating a need for clearer guidance on gameplay mechanics and order of actions.
“Music was solid with chilling themes in the background; gameplay was simple but effective, same with mechanics.”
“For some reason, when my gameplay got all fuzzy, I couldn't see very well and it was because of the brightness.”
“(Was there anything to indicate that something had to be done or that it had to be done in a certain order?) After I got through that, I experienced really choppy gameplay while running from that lady; it felt like I was moving in slow motion.”
“Gameplay was simple but effective, same with mechanics.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for being immersive and effectively scary, with elements like fiery scenes and a sense of cold emptiness enhancing the experience. However, some players noted that certain features, such as reading in-game notes, could be frustrating due to visibility issues. Overall, while the atmosphere is compelling, there are areas that could benefit from improvement.
“It was good in the sense that it had a very interesting story and was very atmospheric.”
“The atmosphere was solid; I loved the fiery parts with the heat, the pure darkness, and the cold empty room feeling. All wonderful.”
“The notes you could press 'E' to read, which often showed gibberish, added to the atmosphere. However, for those who sometimes have trouble reading due to light or blurriness, it could be frustrating to open the inventory just to try and read them.”
“The atmosphere is really scary, but it needs work.”
“The game tries to create a tense atmosphere, but it often falls flat.”
“While the atmosphere has potential, it feels incomplete and lacks depth.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as solid, featuring chilling themes that enhance the atmosphere, though some players found the ending abrupt, with only an oldies song playing in the background and no credits or cast presented. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gameplay experience.
“Music was solid with chilling themes in the background; gameplay was simple but effective, same with mechanics.”
“After I solved the same puzzle for the third time, I was greeted by the end, and the game just goes black with some oldies song playing in the background.”
“No cast/credits... just dark and a song playing...”
“After solving the same puzzle for the third time, I was greeted by the end, and the game just goes black with some oldies song playing in the background.”
“No cast or credits, just darkness and a song playing.”
“The music was solid with chilling themes in the background, but it felt out of place with the simple gameplay.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly for those unfamiliar with puzzle games that offer limited hints, which can lead to frustration during gameplay.
“The puzzles can be a little tedious if you're not used to a lot of puzzle games that don't give a lot of hints.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while there are occasional bugs and glitches, they are minor and do not significantly impact the overall stability of the game.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
“There were a few bugs and glitches here and there, which affected my enjoyment of the game.”
