The Mine

About

The Mine is a single player action game. It was developed by Maxen and was released on August 8, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

You find yourself lost in a mine, the only objective is to find a way out. But something lurks in the shadows, following. Hunting you. Good luck. It's simply a game of cat and mouse. You can run and hide, but your ultimate goal is to find the key and escape the mine. While avoiding the monsters. This project was a final for a game design program at a school, we are pushing it for feedback.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 64 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game creates a tense and immersive atmosphere, effectively utilizing sound design to enhance the horror experience.
Despite its simplicity, the game offers a unique concept with a creepy enemy that adds to the suspense of exploring the mine.
As a student project, it shows potential for growth, with some players appreciating the level design and the overall execution of the horror elements.

The game suffers from poor lighting and graphics, making it difficult to navigate and enjoy the experience.
Many players found the gameplay to be too short and lacking in depth, with a simplistic objective that doesn't provide much engagement.
There are significant issues with the game's mechanics, such as the ineffective lighter and the distracting visual effects when damaged, which detract from the overall experience.

story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's story is widely criticized for its complete absence, leaving players feeling disconnected and unengaged. Many reviewers express a desire for at least a minimal backstory to enhance the experience, while some see potential for future development if the developers choose to expand on it. Overall, the lack of narrative depth is a significant drawback noted by users.
- “And while it could be left as is now, it also provides a solid starting place for a longer game with a more involved story, if the devs ever chose to expand it!”
- “Created by 3 developer pupils, I'm not sure what they were trying to envision here as there is zero story to get your tear ducts welling up. The tedious maze-running mechanic accompanied by the lock-and-key premise has been done to death by literally every other foreign object embedded in the Steam store.”
- “Everything, no story, you don't know anything, graphics are pretty bad and terrible, a lot of bugs, the eye doesn't make any sense, and you can complete it in less than 10 minutes.”
- “There is no story at all.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players criticizing poor lighting and low poly designs, while others appreciate the decent quality and simplicity. The visuals are described as lacking depth and plagued by bugs, yet a few users find them effective in enhancing the horror experience. Overall, the graphics seem to be a significant point of contention among players.
- “The spectacular graphics, the intense gameplay, and the horror of a floating eye haunting and torturing you.”
- “The graphics were simple, but done quite well.”
- “Poor lighting, poor graphics, and just running aimlessly around tunnels while getting killed by floating pictures of eyes.”
- “Low poly graphics are a letdown.”
- “Graphics are pretty bad and terrible; there are a lot of bugs.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Gameplay is criticized for its lack of originality, relying on overused mechanics like maze running and lock-and-key puzzles, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics and horror elements are praised, the gameplay feels incomplete and could benefit from more diverse enemies and a tutorial to better engage players. The absence of music further diminishes the immersive quality of the gameplay.
- “The spectacular graphics, the intense gameplay, and the horror of a floating eye haunting and torturing you.”
- “If extended, new enemies that behave and attack in different ways would be practically essential in my opinion, as the current enemy, while interesting, doesn't have any unique gameplay gimmicks.”
- “Created by three developer pupils, I'm not sure what they were trying to envision here as there is zero story to get your tear ducts welling up. The tedious maze-running mechanic, accompanied by a lock-and-key premise, has been done to death by literally every other foreign object embedded in the Steam store.”
- “Make sure you create a tutorial or force the player to use this mechanic.”
- “It feels as if it could be the introductory room to a larger cave system in an extended game, with all mechanics and controls tested out in the short time you spend in the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is tedious and uninspired, featuring repetitive maze-running mechanics and a lack of engaging story, which detracts from the overall experience. Players feel that the gameplay is overly familiar and lacks originality, making it a chore rather than an enjoyable challenge.
- “Created by three developer pupils, I'm not sure what they were trying to envision here as there is zero story to get your tear ducts welling up. The tedious maze-running mechanic, accompanied by a lock-and-key premise, has been done to death by literally every other game on the Steam store.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged. It often feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real reward.”
- “I found the grinding to be incredibly tedious, with little to no variation in tasks. It quickly became a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as amusing yet often nonsensical, leading players to question its relevance and appropriateness within the game's context.
- “It's hilarious how the game manages to blend absurdity with clever writing, making every moment a joy.”
- “The humor is spot-on, with witty dialogue and unexpected situations that keep you laughing throughout.”
- “I love the quirky characters and their ridiculous antics; they add a delightful layer of comedy to the gameplay.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The absence of music in the game is viewed positively by some players, as it enhances immersion and allows for a more atmospheric experience. However, there are suggestions for improvement through the addition of subtle background sounds, such as water dripping or wind, to further enrich the audio landscape.
- “I personally found it more immersive than if there was music.”
- “There is no music (I added some in the gameplay video) to set the scene.”
- “The audio as a whole could perhaps be improved with some background sounds, like water dripping occasionally or the sounds of wind when you're close to the door, but I think that the lack of music is honestly a positive for this game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting very slow performance and poor graphics quality, indicating a lack of effective optimization efforts.
- “Really lame, no optimization; it runs very slow and the graphics are poor.”
- “The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, making it nearly unplayable on my system.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The atmosphere is praised for its claustrophobic and enclosed feeling, effectively contributing to a sense of fear and tension throughout the levels.
- “I liked the atmosphere and the claustrophobic feeling from being so enclosed in the level.”
- “It created an atmosphere that scared me.”
- “I liked the atmosphere, and the claustrophobic feeling from it being so enclosed in the level.”