The Mildew Children: Chapter 1

About

The Mildew Children: Chapter 1 is a single player action game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by The Growing Stones and was released on October 17, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Featuring a blend of 2D adventure and visual novel, The Mildew Children: Chapter 1 is the very beginning of the grim tale about a village inhabited only by children who follow savage pagan traditions. Guide a young witch named Kyrphel, along with her sisters and make sure they survive the macabre Ritual in order to save the village. A witch's demise during the ritual is not extraordinary, since no…

The Mildew Children: Chapter 1 screenshot

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews

story21 positive mentions

monetization9 negative mentions

The game features a captivating and intriguing dark story with unique folklore and mysterious atmosphere that hooks players.
Beautiful and evocative 2D art style, animations, and atmospheric music contribute significantly to immersion.
Gameplay offers a mix of visual novel elements, puzzles, and mini-games that add interactivity beyond just reading.

The heavy text and reading may be tedious or overly abundant for some players, with pacing issues and insufficient explanations.
Some gameplay elements, such as timed dialogue choices and unclear mini-game instructions, create frustration and disrupt flow.
Optimization and technical aspects are lacking, with bugs, poor controls, no graphics options, and uneven performance on some systems.

story
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
45%
7%
The story of "The Mildew Children: Chapter 1" is widely praised for its intriguing, dark, and atmospheric narrative set in a mysterious village inhabited solely by children following primitive traditions. While some find the plot captivating and full of potential, others see it as clichéd or uneven, with limited interaction and occasional pacing issues. Overall, the story's unique setting and eerie tone engage players, leaving many eager for future chapters despite some narrative shortcomings.
- “Loved the premise, the creepiness and the pagan/occult lore, and I'm excited to see how the story ends.”
- “The mildew children: chapter 1 is a game that completely enticed me with its intriguing story and exciting gameplay.”
- “The eerie setting, enigmatic characters, and a plot full of twists and turns drew me in and left me eager to uncover more.”
- “The plot is not very interesting, but rather clichéd; the gameplay is as monotonous as possible. The music and graphics on the screenshots promise to be of high quality, but in the game, all this does not look very impressive.”
- “Story, script, characters are very boring.”
- “The short time given to choose dialogue options is frustrating in a game where reading and responding seems to be the main way you interact with the story; that should not feel jarring, but it does (as it often does when you put dialogue choices on a timer).”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
37%
11%
The graphics receive mixed feedback, with many praising the beautiful, unique, and atmospheric art style that enhances the game's ambiance and storytelling, while others find the visuals mediocre, unoptimized, and uninspiring. Overall, the art and design are often considered a strong point, though performance and graphic options can be lacking.
- “The art style is evocative, with meticulously detailed visuals that enhance the overall experience.”
- “I love the aesthetic of this game, the art is gorgeous and I love how each character has a different personality, even with the way they walk.”
- “The first thing that caught my attention was the great graphics and design.”
- “This game has some really mediocre looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of gamers, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost.”
- “The plot is not very interesting, rather clichéd, and the gameplay is as monotonous as possible. The music and graphics on the screenshots promise high quality, but in the game, all this does not look very impressive.”
- “There are no graphics options at all.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game is widely praised for its strong, immersive atmosphere, combining eerie, dark visuals with a haunting soundtrack and detailed animations that deepen the player's engagement. Its spooky, mysterious setting and atmospheric storytelling create a compelling and emotional experience, appealing especially to fans of atmospheric and narrative-driven games.
- “It does not take long before the bizarre and depressing atmosphere of the world of Mildew shows itself, so anyone interested in spooky mystery stories will probably perk up at this point.”
- “Every face, every animation, creates an atmosphere that completely immerses me in the game world.”
- “The sounds of the environment, voice accompaniment, and music - all this creates a unique atmosphere and plunges into the game even deeper.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Gameplay in this game is a mix of visual novel storytelling and mini-game mechanics, offering a balance between puzzles and action that is easy to grasp but skillful to master. While some find the gameplay engaging and creatively integrated with the story, others consider it monotonous and disconnected from the narrative steps, particularly in the ritual mini-game. Overall, the gameplay adds depth and challenge without being frustrating, though the demo's limited content may underwhelm some players.
- “An interesting story and creative gameplay.”
- “The gameplay in The Mildew Children: Chapter 1 is a balance between puzzles and action.”
- “Gameplay-wise, The Mildew Children offers a seamless blend of adventure elements and visual novel mechanics.”
- “The plot is not very interesting, but rather clichéd; the gameplay is as monotonous as possible. The music and graphics on the screenshots promise to be of high quality, but in the game, all this does not look very impressive.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it was a bit disappointing—mostly because the game tells you the steps needed to perform the ritual, but the actual ritual gameplay is a mini-game that has nothing to do with the steps described.”
- “The demo has very little to it in terms of gameplay (there is one 'reactive choice' and two mini-games), so it doesn't make me expect much of this as a game.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The music in the game is generally praised for being well-crafted, atmospheric, and appropriately eerie, effectively enhancing the emotional and immersive experience. Some users note a lack of audible music despite a music slider, while a few feel the music can occasionally feel slightly out of place. Overall, it contributes significantly to the game's unique and engaging atmosphere.
- “The art design is beautiful and the music is appropriately creepy for the story.”
- “In addition, I want to mention the atmospheric soundtrack, which complements the gaming experience and emphasizes emotional moments.”
- “The sounds of the environment, voice accompaniment, and music - all this creates a unique atmosphere and plunges into the game even deeper.”
- “The plot is not very interesting, but rather clichéd; the gameplay is as monotonous as possible. The music and graphics on the screenshots promise to be of high quality, but in the game, all this does not look very impressive.”
- “Why is there a music slider? I didn't hear any music.”
- “Why is there a music slider? I didn't hear any music.”
monetization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Monetization is heavily criticized as misleading and exploitative, with the game being labeled as an advertisement rather than a full title, created by a publisher linked to shady tactics including fake reviews and asset flipping. This approach is seen as harmful to both genuine developers and players, as it exploits marketing channels without offering real value.
- “This is only free in the same way that adverts on YouTube and banner ads in your browser are.”
- “Often developers may choose to incorrectly publish demo/advertisements as separate games as a cheap way to bypass paying Valve for marketing presence on the Steam front page, which may seem clever to them, but it's harmful behaviour and it's not good for gamers.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience through impactful decision-making and meaningful character interactions, enhanced by an atmospheric soundtrack that heightens the mood. Players engage with a poignant narrative that challenges traditional norms, creating a unique and immersive emotional journey.
- “Every decision I made had consequences, and meetings with other characters were full of emotional moments.”
- “In addition, I want to mention the atmospheric soundtrack, which complements the gaming experience and emphasizes emotional moments.”
- “Explore, converse, and challenge the village's grim traditions in this unique, emotional adventure.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The character development is praised for its depth, with each child thoughtfully navigating their place in the dark setting. This is complemented by an intriguing world, striking art, and appealing character designs.
- “The character development is commendable, as each child grapples with their role in this macabre society.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates strong stability with no reported bugs or glitches, delivering a smooth and glitch-free experience. Users appreciate its polished presentation and reliable performance throughout the demo.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is characterized by clever wordplay and smoothly shifts between lighthearted, funny stories and darker, horror-themed moments, creating a unique and engaging tonal contrast.
- “Play on words, transitions from funny stories to horror and dark moments.”

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