The Park

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,082 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • graphics
The Park Game Cover
A chilling story about simple horrors, strong art design, and voice acting help tie together this horror short into a package worth checking out for horror fans.
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The Park is a psychological horror experience and Funcom's first single-player game since its award-winning adventure 'Dreamfall: The Longest Journey'. Releasing on the PC in October this year, 'The Park' puts you in the shoes of a mother whose son goes missing. When night falls and the lights go out, what follows is an intense story set against the backdrop of an amusement park where a dark and s…

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,082 reviews
story552 positive mentions
replayability31 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and visuals that create a creepy and immersive experience.
  • Interesting story that explores themes of mental illness and motherhood.
  • Effective use of sound design and voice acting that enhances the overall experience.
  • Extremely short gameplay, typically completed in under two hours, making it feel overpriced.
  • Linear gameplay with minimal interaction, leading to a lack of replayability.
  • Confusing narrative that leaves many questions unanswered and may require knowledge of The Secret World for full context.
  • story1,885 mentions

    The story of "The Park" is a psychological horror narrative centered around a mother searching for her lost son in a haunted amusement park, exploring themes of mental illness and trauma. While the atmosphere and storytelling are praised for their depth and emotional impact, many players find the plot predictable and the game too short, often feeling that it leaves unresolved threads and relies heavily on the lore from the connected MMO, "The Secret World." Overall, the game is seen as a compelling but brief interactive story experience, appealing primarily to fans of narrative-driven horror.

    • “The story is dark and mysterious as it unfolds.”
    • “The park is a beautifully done story experience.”
    • “The story is well done; it stands on its own but if you are a player of the secret world mmo, the story becomes so much better as this is a spin-off of that game.”
    • “You are a young mother walking around in the worst excuse for an amusement park ever, looking for her son who most definitely is there..., all while you prattle a monologue that reads as a parody of a r/childfree post, find notes mostly referencing another game and suffer during a 7-minute long unskippable ride on the slowest swan boat known to man while you get a retelling of Hansel and Gretel because the devs think they have a clever way of connecting that to the story of this game (spoiler, they don't).”
    • “I completed a blind run where I found every note I could in well under 2 hours and the entire experience feels like a fragment of a larger story because it feels like there's so much missing context and abandoned plot threads.”
    • “The story is pretty predictable, but that doesn't take away from the experience.”
  • atmosphere562 mentions

    The atmosphere of "The Park" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and suspense throughout the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the game's stunning visuals, sound design, and the haunting ambiance of the abandoned amusement park, which contribute to a chilling experience that resonates with fans of psychological horror. While some note the game's reliance on atmosphere over traditional gameplay elements, many agree that it successfully captivates players with its unsettling narrative and rich environmental storytelling.

    • “With its haunting atmosphere, compelling storytelling, and chilling imagery, it stands as a testament to the power of horror gaming to terrify, captivate, and ultimately, leave a lasting impression on those brave enough to venture into its twisted depths.”
    • “The park excels in creating an atmosphere of relentless dread and suspense.”
    • “The atmosphere is beautifully made, the visuals are gorgeous.”
    • “There were some jump scares, for sure, but it was more the tone, atmosphere, and unsettling nature of the places you visit that had me afraid to take the next step.”
    • “The atmosphere is oppressive and keeps getting more and more oppressive, after its start lulled you into a false sense of comfort.”
    • “The atmosphere was uncanny and the feeling of something being terribly wrong was constantly hanging over me, like a heavy, soaked blanket.”
  • graphics343 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the beautiful and immersive visuals that effectively create a creepy atmosphere. However, some critiques highlight unpolished character models and occasional graphical glitches, suggesting that while the overall aesthetic is appealing, it may not meet the standards of modern gaming. Overall, the graphics are generally considered good, contributing positively to the game's storytelling and ambiance.

    • “The graphics and atmosphere in the game are excellent.”
    • “The visuals are amazing, and the story is right on.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, creepy, and dark.”
    • “Unpolished visuals, and uncanny character models are weird.”
    • “The graphics are a bit subpar compared to modern games, but you stop noticing about five minutes into the game because it really is that immersive.”
    • “The graphics suck and are early Xbox 360/PS3 era, yet due to the poor optimization of this, my gaming rig ran this incredibly laggily until I turned the graphics as low as they would go.”
  • gameplay298 mentions

    The gameplay of "The Park" is primarily a walking simulator, characterized by minimal interaction and a linear progression that focuses on narrative rather than traditional gameplay mechanics. Players navigate through a spooky theme park, engaging with the environment mainly by walking, reading notes, and using a unique shout mechanic to guide their exploration. While the atmosphere and story are praised, many reviewers express disappointment over the short gameplay duration (approximately 1-2 hours) and the lack of depth or challenge, making it feel more like an interactive movie than a game.

    • “The gameplay in 'The Park' is more of an interactive storytelling experience than a traditional game.”
    • “The simple gameplay combined with the intricately dark history makes for an all-encompassing experience.”
    • “The narrative just adds to the creepy and weird atmosphere at the park, and while seeming spooky, more and more jump scares are woven into the gameplay as the narration takes dark and twisty turns.”
    • “The beginning started relatively slow and the gameplay is very linear with very little exploration beyond that.”
    • “However, the lack of real challenges or complex gameplay mechanics may disappoint those looking for more interactive elements in their horror games.”
    • “There is nearly no gameplay here, which is intentional.”
  • replayability87 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its extremely low replayability, with many reviewers noting that it can be completed in under two hours and offers little incentive to play again beyond achievement hunting. While some players appreciated the atmospheric experience and intriguing story, the consensus is that the lack of choices or varied gameplay significantly diminishes its replay value, making it more suitable for a one-time playthrough, especially at a discounted price.

    • “The park is not very long and doesn't have high replay value, but the story is intriguing enough as you try to figure out what's actually going on.”
    • “Just finished the game, 4 achievements I did not get (so a little replay value if I want to get those). It is very short, but that was announced so that didn't bother me; in my opinion, it's not worth the full price, a nice little story-driven game.”
    • “I was so hyped for this game upon release because it seemed like there were so many options and a lot of replayability, but in reality, it's a 90-minute thriller that is fun but extremely limited.”
    • “The game has zero replay value, very little horror, and as little gameplay time as there was, I was just wanting it to end or for someone to put me out of my misery.”
    • “It's hard to recommend buying a game that you can beat in just over an hour for 12 dollars, especially when there's basically no replay value.”
    • “As far as replayability goes, there really isn't much since you will already know what is going to happen the second time around.”
  • music72 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for effectively enhancing the creepy atmosphere, with a mix of ambient sounds and well-placed tracks that contribute to the overall tension. While some players found the soundtrack to be repetitive or poorly timed, many appreciated its ability to evoke feelings of unease and nostalgia, reminiscent of classic horror games. Overall, the audio design, including sound effects and voice acting, is considered a strong point, adding depth to the immersive experience.

    • “The overall atmosphere is great, the music and sound effects fit perfectly and the story is deep and addresses current human fears, apathy, and drama.”
    • “The music is dynamic and seamlessly builds as the tension increases.”
    • “Good voice acting and a beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “In the last chapter, I had to turn on happy background music on YouTube to go on further...”
    • “The build-up of the music too far in advance of a 'scare' made the scare too predictable to have any real effect, and the build-up music often lasted for long minutes before the 'scare' or 'event' occurred.”
    • “There's a giant spinning ride in the center of a pier, with extremely loud, overused carnival music.”
  • emotional49 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is deeply impactful, often eliciting strong feelings of distress and heartbreak, particularly for players with personal experiences related to loss or mental health struggles. While some players found the narrative predictable and lacking in character investment, others praised its haunting atmosphere and the poignant exploration of a mother's emotional turmoil. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to evoke a powerful emotional response, making it a compelling yet potentially distressing experience.

    • “The story is excellent and heartbreaking.”
    • “A beautiful, emotional, sad, raw and realistic history about some things of life, wrapped and narrated through a twisted and sinister plot.”
    • “The strongest element is the story, with an immersive environment and a captivating, emotional lead character that draws you into the story.”
    • “The emotional narrative felt flat and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the characters.”
    • “I expected a deep emotional experience, but instead, I was met with repetitive gameplay and a lackluster story.”
    • “The cutscenes were dull and failed to evoke any real feelings, making the overall experience forgettable.”
  • optimization41 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on lower-end hardware and smooth frame rates, while others report severe stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly on higher settings. Many users noted that despite the game's appealing graphics and atmosphere, the overall performance issues detracted from the experience, indicating a need for further optimization. Overall, while some players enjoyed a stable experience, others found the game poorly optimized, leading to significant immersion-breaking problems.

    • “I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this game, between the ambiance, the visual aesthetic, and quite honestly the build-up of suspense. The controls were simple yet responsive, and there weren't many issues regarding performance as this game is very well optimized for lower-end hardware (even on higher settings).”
    • “The frames are smooth and not choppy; the game actually seems optimized.”
    • “It's well optimized; I'm getting a constant 60fps on ultra settings, and it offers some in-game bonuses for TSW players such as a chipmunk costume and three QL 10.9 talismans for DPS, healer, and tank.”
    • “It's short, the story is bad, the graphics aren't so good for this really bad performance and even for a walking simulator there is almost no gameplay.”
    • “I had severe stuttering, huge FPS spikes, and a few almost rubberbanding incidents, dropped to 1 FPS and then shot back to 45+ FPS suddenly for no apparent reason while moving me a wee bit backwards.”
    • “For a game as short as this one, I expected solid performance, so it’s quite disappointing to see that it hasn’t been optimized properly.”
  • grinding19 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, particularly in the latter stages where repetitive mechanics detract from the initial enjoyment. While some appreciate the use of grinding to enhance certain themes, many feel it ultimately leads to a frustrating experience that undermines the game's atmosphere and narrative impact.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Combat felt like a chore; it was grindy as hell, and I still have nightmares about how confusing everything was.”
    • “Honestly, the game is very short, but the themes and psychological thrills the game is trying to accomplish can only go so far before they become tedious and uninteresting.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant technical issues such as random crashes, freezes, and buggy achievements, while others report a smooth experience with no major glitches. Although the graphics are praised for their quality, particularly on modern hardware, many users highlight distracting visual glitches and inconsistent performance. Overall, the game's stability appears to be unreliable, with a notable divide in player experiences.

    • “The game is quite polished in my opinion and runs great on today's modern hardware, provided you at least have some sort of dedicated graphics card. To sum it up, the graphics are wonderful.”
    • “Runs great, for me at least.”
    • “The park uses the Unreal Engine 4, so it not only looks great but runs great as well.”
    • “I like the premise, but there were too many technical problems for me to keep trying to play it (random crashes, freezes, etc.).”
    • “I wish I could say that this game had an engaging storyline with interesting characters and a good fear factor; however, the damned thing glitches out and doesn't let you play.”
    • “Performance is all over the place and there are some visual glitches.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is often unintentional, with players noting that attempts at scares frequently come off as goofy or poorly executed, leading to moments that are more amusing than frightening. While some elements, like quirky glitches and absurd scenarios, elicit laughter, the overall comedic tone detracts from the intended horror experience. Players appreciate the occasional funny moments but feel that the game ultimately fails to deliver genuine scares, resulting in a mix of humor and frustration.

    • “It gave off a P.T.-esque style of gameplay with disturbing (and sometimes funny) notes and a creepy atmosphere.”
    • “I thought the roller coaster was pretty funny because with the monster guy's hand/weird claw finger next to the player's character, it made it seem like she was riding on his lap.”
    • “There were also random things that made me laugh to myself and be like 'what lol?'.”
    • “Not funny, just a waste of time.”
  • character development11 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciated the intriguing and eerie character designs, many criticized the lack of depth and subtlety in character growth. The narrative is described as fast-paced and somewhat forced, leaving little room for meaningful development. Overall, the game's atmosphere and design were praised, but the character development was seen as a weak point.

    • “Enjoyed this like I would a horror film (I played it on Halloween and it took me approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete). Interesting character development, especially towards the end.”
    • “The creators outdid themselves in every department when making this game, and the only thing that could be improved is the length. However, even the short game time was perfectly suited to the game's story and character development.”
    • “That combined with old school grim-esque fairy tale allusions and the character designs gives this game a really good old-school horror movie air about it.”
    • “I want to like the game more, but it just didn't have the legs to last. The content was overall light and unfortunately didn't allow for much in the way of character development.”
    • “To expand: there is no way of dying, there is no open world aspect, the character development is not subtle in any capacity and is forced upon you in an aggressively fast-paced environment.”
    • “However, the character design leaves something to be desired.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The monetization of "The Park" has been criticized as a deceptive cash grab, with players feeling they paid for a short experience that primarily serves as an advertisement for another game. While some appreciate its quality compared to other indie titles, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game feels more like a promotional tool than a standalone product, leading to disappointment among buyers.

    • “Why did I buy this if I had no intention to play it? 'The Secret World', or as it's called now 'Secret World Legends: the cash grab', this game takes place in that world.”
    • “This makes me feel like I paid for a playable advertisement for an MMO I have no interest in playing.”
    • “It's pretty much an advertisement that you pay $10 to experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 29 analyzed playthroughs

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