The Radio Station
- October 30, 2021
- Chilla's Art
Get on Steam"The Radio Station" is a Japanese psychological horror game with a focus on atmospheric, photo-realistic graphics and VHS film aesthetic. Players will explore and solve puzzles in a horror-filled environment inspired by Japanese horror films. The game features multiple endings and an autosave system, with supporters' content available to turn on or off on the title screen. This walking simulator aims to provide a deeply immersive and insane experience for players.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a captivating atmosphere and effective sound design that enhances the horror experience.
- The story is engaging, with interesting audio tapes that add depth to the narrative and multiple endings to explore.
- Despite some clunky driving mechanics, the game offers a unique experience that fans of Chilla's Art will likely enjoy.
- The driving mechanics are frustrating and can detract from the overall experience, making navigation tedious.
- The game can feel dark and confusing at times, leading to moments of aimlessness and reliance on guides.
- While there are some good scares, the pacing can be slow, with too much time spent on backtracking and searching for items.
- story58 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging and creepy narrative, often tied to Japanese folklore and personal themes like brotherly love. However, some criticize the execution, noting repetitive elements, weak puzzles, and a lack of character interaction that detracts from the overall experience. While the atmosphere and storytelling are praised, several players feel that the pacing and gameplay mechanics could be improved to enhance immersion.
“The story was very touching; it's about brotherly love and trying to get to the truth of his older brother's murder.”
“The atmosphere is spooky and all, but the story can be a bit slow.”
“The building of the story that they always pull off is always great.”
“Every time the exact same weak atmosphere, busy work, mostly generic ghost story and the same 25 assets - you can literally see how the pressure of regular releases and Patreon is causing the creative death of an actually cool team.”
“There are literally zero characters to talk or interact with, there are no interesting missions, there are no creepy monsters or whatever that you need to deal with.”
“The problem is, that while the game doesn't really have any storytelling or NPCs, it pretty much doesn't have any interactions at all.”
- atmosphere44 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its creepiness and effectiveness in creating a sense of dread, reminiscent of classic j-horror films. While many players appreciate the chilling environments and storytelling, some criticize the repetitive use of assets and the impact of driving mechanics on immersion. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, successfully enhancing the horror experience despite some gameplay shortcomings.
“The atmosphere was like a closing shift growing through the game, and the jump scares weren't forced or too many; they were perfect!”
“Atmosphere is top notch as always, reminded me of the few J-horror films I've seen that take place in mountains.”
“Wonderfully spooky with great atmosphere and some fantastic scares.”
“Every time the exact same weak atmosphere, busy work, mostly generic ghost story and the same 25 assets - you can literally see how the pressure of regular releases and Patreon is causing the creative death of an actually cool team.”
“Atmosphere was spooky but both jump scares wasted because of the poor driving mechanics.”
“Many bugs, and it was lacking the visual atmosphere of their other games.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the driving mechanics to be clunky and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate the attempt at innovation with the driving feature and the creepy atmosphere, others criticize the repetitive tasks, weak puzzles, and lack of engaging gameplay elements. Overall, the game offers a few interesting ideas but suffers from execution issues that hinder enjoyment.
“The driving mechanic wasn’t too difficult as I’ve played other driving games with keyboard controls, but it does make some of the turns a bit more challenging.”
“Late 2021 was clearly an experimental phase for Chilla’s Art, with the more traditional 'The Night Way Home' released just a couple of months before this, and the driving mechanic introduced here, albeit rudimentary, is a welcome innovation.”
“I feel like this game is technically/code-wise a step up from previous entries, and it's cool to see Chilla Games implement new features like the driving mechanics.”
“It has its moments, but the overall experience is ruined by the clunky driving mechanics.”
“The issue with this game is the annoying driving mechanic.”
“Unfortunately, this game is very janky compared to a lot of their others; the driving mechanic is incredibly bad, as others have said in their reviews.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic PS2 aesthetic, effectively contributing to a creepy atmosphere that aligns with its horror themes. While some players appreciate the retro visuals and VHS style, others criticize them as subpar and fuzzy, noting that they can hinder gameplay and visibility. Overall, the graphics are seen as dated but fitting for the game's intended mood.
“As with any other Chilla's Art game, the visuals work well to generate a creepy atmosphere.”
“I really like the art style of the game! It would have allowed for some interesting scares, and I would have loved to see the rest of the scenery.”
“The game has an older retro feel in controls and visuals that I really enjoyed.”
“If you like PS2-type graphics, then you are going to love this horror game.”
“Get it if you like Japanese horror short stories and movies, but don't expect high-end graphics and gameplay.”
“Graphics are subpar, driving mechanics are lagging and frustrating, gameplay is uninteresting.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to repetitive driving and back-and-forth navigation. However, many still enjoy the overall experience, citing the engaging atmosphere and effective scares as redeeming qualities.
“You also have to do some driving back and forth, up and down hills, and it's really tedious.”
“The driving is tedious and at times boring, but the atmosphere and scares are pretty neat.”
“As others have mentioned, the driving doesn't feel very good and gets tedious.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Replayability varies among games, with some offering multiple endings that enhance the experience, while others see diminished scare factors upon replay. Generally, games with shorter playtimes of 1 to 2 hours can still provide replay value through these alternative outcomes, though not all titles achieve this.
“Multiple endings (not in every game they make, but it's nice to have these options to keep replay value a possibility).”
“No real replay value as the scare is diminished, but I had a lot of fun.”
“Playtime is about 1 to 2 hours, but there are multiple endings, which adds a bit of replay value.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while it effectively evokes feelings of unease and features a touching narrative centered on brotherly love and seeking justice, it is undermined by predictable scares, weak puzzles, and a tedious gameplay experience.
“The story was very touching; it's about brotherly love and the quest to uncover the truth behind his older brother's murder.”
“The emotional depth is lacking; the story feels flat and fails to engage the player on any meaningful level.”
“Despite some interesting concepts, the emotional impact is minimal, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters.”
“The attempts at emotional storytelling fall short, resulting in a narrative that feels clichéd and uninspired.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed stability experiences, noting occasional technical glitches and driving issues, particularly with vehicle handling. While some players encountered bugs infrequently, others found them more disruptive, suggesting a need for further refinement in the game's stability.
“Whether because of their sense of game design or the usual suspects of technical glitches and quirks that obscure the way forward.”
“It's another full Chilla's Arts game; the truck is kind of buggy when driving and will veer hard.”
“Sometimes the driving glitches, but that only happened once for me.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from the absurdity of its mechanics, such as the terrible driving, which players find both frustrating and funny. Additionally, engaging characters and quirky missions contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
“The driving is terrible but also hilarious.”
“There were characters to talk to, there was humor, and you had missions to check for food, sell items, combine items, etc.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report minimal performance issues during gameplay, though some have encountered specific bugs, such as the game resetting progress without proper respawn of items after completing an ending.
“I had very few performance issues throughout my playthrough, which made for a smooth gaming experience.”
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for seamless transitions and minimal lag.”
“I appreciate how well the game runs on lower-end hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
“I had very few performance issues throughout my playthrough, although the game bugged out and reset my tape count without respawning any of the tapes after achieving one of the endings.”
