The Padre

Taking on the role of demon-hunting, wisecracking priest Alexander and exploring a visually-distinctive voxel mansion is pretty enjoyable. If you can survive the awkward controls and story, it's a cozy, competent creepfest.

53%Game Brain Score

graphics, humor

story, atmosphere

71% User Score Based on 28 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.24

Buy NowGet on Steam$19.99

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About

"The Padre" is a 3D horror adventure game with a retro style and dark, striking atmosphere, featuring a witty priest who uses brains and brawns to solve puzzles and fend off monsters. Players must unravel the mysteries of a mansion, their own past, and the eternal fight between good and evil, all while avoiding making the angels cry. The game is known for its wicked humor and challenging puzzles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The art and music are well done, creating a captivating atmosphere.
The game is a nostalgic homage to classic titles like Alone in the Dark, appealing to fans of 90s adventure games.
Some puzzles are challenging and rewarding, providing a sense of accomplishment when solved.

The combat system is clunky and frustrating, making it difficult to aim and engage with enemies effectively.
The game suffers from a lack of direction and unintuitive puzzle design, leading to potential player frustration.
The threat of permadeath and unclear communication about progress can discourage players from exploring and experimenting.

story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The story revolves around the protagonist, Padre, who is on a quest to find the missing Cardinal Benedictus, blending a simple yet intriguing narrative with a unique atmosphere. While some find the story to be nonsensical at times, it is generally appreciated for its engaging nature and integration with the game's art and gameplay. Overall, the narrative is described as interesting without being overwhelming, contributing to a cozy yet creepy experience.
- “I'm not usually into point-and-click games, but this one is so much fun. The story is interesting while not being overbearing, the puzzles are challenging, and the graphics are lovely.”
- “I really like how well the art, gameplay, and story are put together.”
- “Top that off with a nonsensical, yet serious story, and I just didn't know what to make of it.”
- “The story is rather simple at the time of writing; you play as the eponymous padre, on the search for one Cardinal Benedictus who has gone missing.”
- “If you can survive the awkward controls and story, it's a cozy, competent creepfest.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for effectively capturing the essence of mid-90s survival horror, creating a spooky and immersive experience that hints at a dark backstory within the mansion. While the creepy ambiance is compelling, some players note that the respawning enemies and plentiful resources diminish the sense of true danger. Overall, the combination of unsettling scenes and a mysterious narrative keeps players engaged and eager to uncover more.
- “Great creepy atmosphere.”
- “The scenes are amazing and the atmosphere is spooky; it feels like something bad happened in that mansion, can't wait to find out what.”
- “The atmosphere nails that mid-90's survival horror feeling perfectly, though enemies do respawn and drop ammo and health items so you're never truly up against the wall (especially as the basic zombie enemy is one of the easiest to kill I've ever encountered).”
- “The scenes are amazing and the atmosphere is spooky; it feels like something bad happened in that mansion. Can't wait to find out what.”
- “The atmosphere is spooky; it feels like something bad happened in that mansion. Can't wait to find out what.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
13%
13%
The graphics of the game have been positively received, with many users praising the art style as "lovely" and "fancy." The visuals are described as a blend of voxel graphics reminiscent of Minecraft, contributing to a unique aesthetic that complements the game's intriguing story and challenging puzzles. Overall, the graphics enhance the fun and engaging experience of the game.
- “I'm not usually into point and click games but this one is so much fun, the story is interesting while not being overbearing, the puzzles are challenging, the graphics are lovely.”
- “Fancy graphics, nice jokes, scary tale :)”
- “The padre can best be described as Alone in the Dark 1 meets Van Helsing (the book, not the movie/game) with Minecraft (aka voxel) graphics.”
- “The game can best be described as Alone in the Dark 1 meets Van Helsing (the book, not the movie/game) with Minecraft (aka voxel) graphics.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its hilarious voice acting and surprising elements, with deep references that add to its quirky charm. While some find the humor effective and entertaining, others feel that the pop culture jokes fall flat and the overall comedic tone can be inconsistent. The character of Padre stands out as a particularly memorable and amusing figure amidst the game's mix of weirdness and creepiness.
- “The voice acting is hilarious in a good way.”
- “Surprising humorous elements and deep references.”
- “It's weird, it's funny, it's creepy, and Padre is such a fantastic character.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and integration, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the creativity in its use, ranging from straightforward applications to more abstract interpretations, though some find certain puzzles frustrating.
- “Wanted to like this game so much, as the art and music are really well done.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been criticized, with players experiencing character freezes and glitches that disrupt gameplay. Many reviewers liken these issues to those commonly found in early access titles, suggesting that improvements in content and control revisions are necessary for a smoother experience.
- “Suddenly, my character freezes and menacing laughter fills the air as he convulses, giving the shambles mcgee the opportunity to come up and land a few good blows.”
- “This would hang a lot on the promise of more content and revisions of current controls and glitches, really the same as any early access game.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the knot puzzle to be extremely frustrating, comparable to the piano puzzle from Silent Hill 1, as it requires a specific solution that, once discovered, makes the task significantly easier. This aspect of grinding can lead to a mix of irritation and satisfaction as players navigate through the challenge.
- “The knot puzzle in particular is right up there with the piano puzzle from Silent Hill 1 for teeth-grinding frustration until you figure out the one way to do it; then it becomes a breeze.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers appreciate the seamless integration of art, gameplay, and story, highlighting how these elements work together to enhance the overall gaming experience.
- “I really like how well the art, gameplay, and story are put together.”