The Pale Beyond

The Pale Beyond is a masterclass in tone and atmosphere informing gameplay. As Captain Robin Shaw, you’ll need to make tough decisions constantly, but this stressful journey is well worth seeing through to the end.

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"The Pale Beyond" is a narrative-driven horror adventure game where players uncover the mysteries of a ghost ship, the HMS Eidolon, and its crew. Through environmental storytelling, puzzles, and interactions with supernatural entities, players must navigate the ship's dark past and their own sanity. The game features a unique art style that enhances the eerie atmosphere and adds to the tension as players delve deeper into the secrets of the cursed vessel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,316 reviews

story398 positive mentions

stability36 negative mentions

Engaging and emotional story that keeps players invested in the characters and their fates.
Beautiful artwork and music that enhance the atmosphere and immersion of the game.
Meaningful choices that impact the narrative and character relationships, making each decision feel significant.

Numerous bugs and UI issues that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
The save system only allows for saves at the beginning of each week, which can be tedious if players need to reload due to mistakes.
Some players may find the resource management mechanics too simplistic or unchallenging, leading to a lack of replayability.

story
884 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "The Pale Beyond" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and emotional depth, often drawing comparisons to classic survival tales like those of Ernest Shackleton. Players appreciate the meaningful choices that impact the storyline, creating a sense of investment in the characters' fates, though some note that the gameplay mechanics can occasionally detract from the narrative flow. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy immersive storytelling combined with resource management elements, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and certain plot points.
- “The story is engaging and the characters are well-written, making you feel invested in their fates.”
- “A stunning story with vibrant characters and lovely gameplay, this is a piece of art and a display of skill and creative storytelling I rarely see in a game nowadays.”
- “The pale beyond presents a deeply engaging story, backed with great quality sound, art, and writing.”
- “The problem is that the story arc is very clumsily put together in an attempt to force you down the intended path.”
- “The moment you progress into the ending, your gritty story of hardship and survival becomes a fairy tale riddled with plot holes, and dialogue cohesion falling apart and erratic behavior of some characters makes it even worse.”
- “The story is decent, but there are major mechanical issues.”
gameplay
346 mentions
26 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Pale Beyond" is primarily focused on resource management and decision-making, with a narrative-driven approach that intertwines character interactions and survival mechanics. While some players appreciate the engaging story and character depth, many criticize the gameplay for being simplistic, repetitive, and lacking in depth, often feeling more like a visual novel with minimal gameplay elements. Overall, the game offers a compelling narrative experience, but its mechanics may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional or challenging gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is challenging enough without being punishing, and gives you a sense of the struggle of surviving on the ice.”
- “The gameplay loop is surprisingly compelling--it's just a shame that it all goes out the window in the last act in favor of progressing the story to a conclusion.”
- “The gameplay is more about decision making.”
- “The game is a glorified visual novel with little to no gameplay.”
- “There is no gameplay.”
- “The journey itself is marred by uninspired gameplay mechanics that fall short of capturing the full potential of the experience.”
music
207 mentions
68 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience, with many players describing it as beautiful, immersive, and perfectly suited to the game's themes. Original songs and haunting melodies contribute to a captivating soundscape that complements the stunning artwork and well-crafted narrative. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly elevates the gameplay, making it a memorable aspect of the experience.
- “The music perfectly matches the ambience of the game and creates an atmospheric experience.”
- “The music is phenomenal and sets the mood impeccably.”
- “The art and music are exceptional and really add to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Occasionally, controls and music (loop) felt a bit awkward.”
- “My only negative is that I didn't get to hear a new song by Grimley once I fought all game to get his loyalty!”
- “It has one of the cheapest drama moments I've seen in years where the narrative [spoiler] tells the player 'you have no choice but to do this sad but necessary thing, how sad, hear this dramatic music playing?'.”
graphics
184 mentions
71 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn art style that effectively captures the game's atmospheric setting and enhances the storytelling experience. While some users noted minor graphical bugs and a lack of complex animations, the overall aesthetic, combined with a compelling soundtrack, creates an immersive environment that resonates with players. The visuals are described as stunning and charming, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and engagement.
- “Beautiful, hand-drawn graphics do a wonderful job of capturing the harsh environment you're set to survive, whilst expressing the individual members of the crew really well.”
- “The artwork is stunningly beautiful and well done, but also imprints upon you the dire circumstances you find yourself in.”
- “The visuals are often stunning, and the music and sound design work incredibly well.”
- “It really threw the experience for me sadly as I had dialogue options running with no graphics and scenes playing.”
- “That said, when I played through it, it has some annoying bugs, mostly in a couple of choices not being reflected in the graphics while being reflected in the gameplay or the other way around.”
- “The graphics are nothing to write home about, but are decent at immersing oneself in a heavy story-driven game.”
atmosphere
92 mentions
72 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively capturing the struggles of survival in a harsh, wintery environment. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals, evocative music, and strong storytelling, which together create a palpable sense of tension and emotional depth. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric narratives.
- “The atmosphere, music, and art style blend together with the storytelling to create impactful events with characters.”
- “The pale beyond also has an incredible atmosphere, with haunting music and stunning visuals that really set the tone for the game.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is amazing; the story and situations seem real and compelling, and the art and music only emphasize the story and situation.”
- “While the artwork and music beautifully evoke the desolate beauty and haunting atmosphere of the Antarctic, their repetitive nature can become noticeable over time.”
- “I however do think that the game is trying to appear a bit better, or *smarter* than it is, especially with some of its themes in some of the endings, and would actually be better overall if it stayed true to its original atmosphere and presentation.”
- “Just don't expect anything like This War of Mine, Frostpunk, or Pathologic 2 in terms of atmosphere.”
emotional
75 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deep emotional engagement, with players frequently expressing that it made them cry and feel a strong connection to the characters and their struggles. The integration of resource management with a compelling narrative enhances the emotional weight of choices, leading to genuinely heartbreaking moments. While some critiques mention forced emotional manipulation, the overall sentiment highlights the game's ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, making it a memorable and impactful experience.
- “A brilliant game, grounded and emotional with an incredibly likeable crew joining you into the pale beyond.”
- “The characters have incredibly intricate, interconnected arcs, and the story is compelling and heartbreaking.”
- “I haven't felt such a connection to a group of NPCs in so long; it made me so emotional.”
replayability
59 mentions
37 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its potential for multiple playthroughs due to branching storylines and character choices, while others find it limited by repetitive dialogue and a straightforward narrative. Many agree that while there are interesting twists and variations, the overall experience may not warrant repeated runs, especially after achieving a satisfying ending. Overall, it offers decent replay value for those interested in exploring different outcomes, but may not appeal to everyone due to its narrative structure.
- “Super high replay value due to the plot, and you can jump around in the story.”
- “Overall, a great bite-size game with plenty of replayability that I'll definitely come back to plenty!”
- “Really fun game with a lot of very consequential decision making, great characters, and lots of replayability with checkpoints so you can replay at certain points without having to redo the whole game if you don't want to.”
- “Despite the replayability aspect being baked into the plot itself, there isn't as much wiggle room in the narrative as one would expect.”
- “Since it's a story-driven game, I'd say replayability is limited once you play it to the end.”
- “The main downside is that there's little replayability because it is tedious to repeat the dialogues in subsequent runs, even if the game encourages you to turn back the clock to improve on your mistakes.”
stability
40 mentions
10 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The game is generally playable but suffers from numerous bugs, particularly in the user interface, which can lead to frustrating experiences such as soft locks and graphical glitches. While many players find the game charming and engaging, the instability and frequent need to reload from saves detract from the overall experience. Active updates are expected to address these issues, but potential buyers should be aware of the current state of bugs.
- “I am sure Bellular Gaming will focus on their game until it's bug-free; I have absolutely zero doubt about that.”
- “The game is fantastic otherwise; just maybe wait a few weeks before buying it so you can have a bug-free experience.”
- “But the game 100% works, runs great, and is simple to grasp in concept and design. Solid production.”
- “The game is quite buggy and prone to crashing.”
- “Currently the game is very buggy, with much of it having to be replayed if you run into issues like UI buttons not working and some duplication of story decisions.”
- “Game is incredibly buggy, UI breaks all the time, often forcing the player into decisions before being able to fully understand them.”
grinding
24 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the cumbersome save system that forces them to replay lengthy sections and dialogues after failures. Many reviewers express that the lack of options to skip cutscenes and the repetitive nature of certain tasks detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like busywork than engaging gameplay. While some appreciate the resource management mechanics, they also note that the grind can diminish replayability and enjoyment over time.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, the full game has a level of tediousness and headaches that I wouldn't be willing to go through to make it past.”
- “The main downside is that there's little replayability because it is tedious to repeat the dialogues in subsequent runs even if the game encourages you to turn back the clock to improve on your mistakes, but this is inherent with most narrative adventures.”
- “The gameplay was interesting for the first couple of hours but doesn't do enough to keep you on your toes once you've identified the mathematically efficient resource patterns, so playing more just seems like tedious busywork.”
character development
16 mentions
56 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and emotional impact, with players noting that characters are memorable and shaped by player decisions. While many reviews highlight the integration of story and resource management, some critics feel that additional complexity and interaction could enhance the character arcs further. Overall, the writing and character design contribute to a rich narrative experience, making it a strong recommendation for fans of character-driven gameplay.
- “Such an engrossing story filled with rich character development and really tough calls to have to make, all whilst having to manage 2 vital resources being food and heat.”
- “Many of the characters are highly memorable, and their fates and character development are shaped by your actions.”
- “The writing and character development is great; most of the characters seem real and flawed.”
- “I do like the character designs and the concept of the story, but there isn't really much going on with all the characters.”
- “Needed much more complex character development, interaction, more 'side stories', more enjoyable mechanics, or at the least, varied mechanics.”
- “Otherwise the art, story, and character development are well done.”
humor
15 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is described as a well-crafted blend of funny, bittersweet, and harrowing moments, with many players finding the dialogue hilarious and emotionally resonant. The writing skillfully balances comedic elements with darker themes, creating a narrative that elicits laughter and tears alike. Overall, the humor is praised for its cleverness and ability to enhance the game's immersive experience.
- “All in all, I enjoyed the game and found quite a bit of the dialogue to be hilarious.”
- “There's something incredibly funny about 'one of us must die before this situation is settled, I propose a duel' and then simply not shooting.”
- “The writers know when to vary the mood (there are some genuinely funny bits among all the grim foreboding tension) without there ever being a jarring change in tone, and this game has the two most important things: a setting you can believe in, and characters you can care about.”
optimization
13 mentions
31 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While some players report smooth performance and good controller support, others experience significant issues such as crashes, softlocking, and poor navigation mechanics. Additionally, there are concerns regarding compatibility with ultrawide screens and specific devices like the Steam Deck, indicating that further optimization could enhance the overall experience.
- “Navigation can be optimized (zooming, panning, or moving from one objective to another) as other reviewers pointed out.”
- “There's a few issues with screen fit if you play on the Steam Deck, but you can tell the game was well optimized for both controller and mouse gaming.”
- “Game takes about 10 hours to complete, more if you have to go back due to deaths, and there is some replayability in the form of decisions, different endings, and optimization of relations/resources.”
- “Its main issue is that it experiences performance issues the more you play, majorly issues with crashing and softlocking.”
- “If you're a more gameplay-focused person who cares about optimization, this game may frustrate you with its sometimes obscure mechanics and interface.”
- “Not optimized for ultrawide screens, wish I could adjust to push the narrative towards the center.”