The Ritual on Weylyn Island
- December 4, 2015
- zemaGamez
In "The Ritual on Weylyn Island," players assume the role of a detective investigating supernatural occurrences on a secluded island. The game combines elements of horror, adventure, and puzzle-solving, as players uncover the dark secrets of Weylyn Island and its ritualistic past. Dialogue and exploration are key components in this atmospheric, story-driven experience.
Reviews
- The game has a cool atmosphere and effectively captures the essence of a B horror movie, making it enjoyable for a short play session.
- NPC behavior is well-designed, and the game features well-placed checkpoints, minimizing frustration when dying.
- The story has intriguing twists and a decent level of horror, with moments that can be genuinely unsettling.
- The game is very short, typically completed in under two hours, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Movement controls can be clunky, and there are reports of bugs that affect gameplay, such as auto-walking and glitches.
- The story and character development feel underwhelming, with a lack of depth and engagement that detracts from the overall experience.
- story32 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story of "Ritual on Weylyn Island" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its intriguing twists and dark atmosphere, while others criticize it for being clichéd, predictable, and poorly developed. Despite its potential, many reviews highlight a lack of depth and engagement, with monotonous moments and hollow characters detracting from the overall experience. While some find enjoyment in the narrative and voice acting, the consensus leans towards disappointment due to its execution and presentation.
“It's a very story-driven piece, in other words, but one which gets down to the nitty-gritty action nice 'n' quick, all things considered.”
“Really excellent game with enough dose of horror and intriguing storyline to keep you going forward.”
“Even if you see themes and tropes often used in other horror games, if you like story, there's plenty of fun here since it's done well, and the bottom line for the player was fun.”
“The story in Ritual on Weylyn Island is certainly in theory a high point and has the makings of a snub-nosed horror experience, but it drops the ball more than a wide receiver who decided to play the Super Bowl after taking a fistful of morphine.”
“The story has a lot of potential but is not developed enough.”
“But despite all of this, it’s Weylyn Island’s story that ruined the entire game for me.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, effectively evoking tension and intrigue throughout the experience. Players appreciate the well-designed environments, sound design, and visual elements that enhance the horror elements, making it a compelling setting for exploration and encounters with cultists and other eerie phenomena. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal as a short but engaging horror experience.
“The atmosphere built nicely in this game and the forest sections had the hair on the back of my neck standing up a couple of times.”
“Whether it be exploring the quiet coast of the island, evading a silent stalker in a basement, or investigating a strange altar with a music box, the game is full of interesting scenes matched with good atmosphere and a level of intrigue accomplished by good vision and direction.”
“The island’s dark and laced in shadows, and your first few minutes are spent soaking up the atmosphere.”
“I could really have done without the demonically possessed family members hissing and swearing; I think the atmosphere is better served by the hooded cultists, but if they have to stay, keep their mouths shut.”
“It has an atmosphere, and plenty of freaky things happen.”
“The island’s dark and laced in shadows, and your first few minutes are spent soaking up the atmosphere.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players noting a lack of engaging mechanics like hiding or healing, while others appreciate the variety of environments and tasks that keep the experience interesting. Despite its low-budget appearance, the game manages to deliver a solid core gameplay experience with a good pace and a cinematic horror feel, though it may not be enough to satisfy all players. Overall, while there are criticisms regarding execution and depth, the game offers a surprisingly varied gameplay experience for its short length.
“And this has twists, turns, a variety of environments, models, music, good sound effects & ambience, voice acting (though obviously lacking experience and/or good direction), and even surprisingly varied gameplay for such a small & short game!”
“The game mixes itself up and comes off as a low-budget attempt to make an interesting sort of cinematic horror experience, one that has actual diversity in gameplay, setting, tasks, and knows how to pace itself and keep things interesting.”
“In big part due to it being able to keep the player guessing, a variety of settings, tasks, and solid core mechanics, matched with feeling involved in every moment of the action going on.”
“It wouldn't be so bad if there were at least some hiding mechanics or interesting environments to traverse, but there absolutely are not.”
“As for gameplay, there’s little to speak of.”
“I played about a half hour of the game and was able to cut the gameplay down to 19 minutes.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charm of the grainy visuals and the overall design, while others criticize them as ugly and lacking detail. Despite the varying opinions, many agree that the graphics are sufficient to support the game's atmosphere, complemented by effective sound design. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the visuals contribute positively to the horror experience when paired with a solid narrative and gameplay.
“The graphics look great; I liked listening to the cassette tapes while running to the next location.”
“Good graphics, nice level of detail.”
“The visuals are on par with what you'd expect.”
“Short, bad movement, ugly graphics, and sometimes still bad performance.”
“The visuals are on par with what you'd expect.”
“Before going any further, we might as well talk graphics.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor movement mechanics, unattractive graphics, and inconsistent performance, indicating several optimization issues that detract from the overall experience.
“Short, poor movement, ugly graphics, and sometimes still bad performance.”
“There are also some optimization issues.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for enhancing the atmosphere and complementing the diverse environments and gameplay experiences. It effectively contributes to the overall intrigue and ambiance, making each scene more engaging.
“The game is full of interesting scenes matched with a good atmosphere and a level of intrigue accomplished by excellent music and direction.”
“The music adds a rich layer to the experience, enhancing the emotional depth of each scene.”
“The variety of environments is complemented by a diverse soundtrack that keeps the gameplay engaging.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is viewed positively, as it is perceived as well-thought-out and not merely a cash grab, distinguishing it from other titles that rely on lazy monetization tactics.
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game's bugs, noting that while they encountered some glitches, these added to the enjoyment and overall experience rather than detracting from it.
“I came across some bugs; none were game-breaking, though they made me laugh and enjoy the experience even more.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and hilarious situations that kept me entertained throughout.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that made my playthrough unforgettable.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment and tension, making it feel less engaging and more of a chore.
“Making the game not particularly scary nor fun, just tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I spent hours doing repetitive tasks that added little to the experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability, as it features only a single collectible that is easily visible and concludes with just one ending, leaving little incentive for players to revisit it.
“There is no replay value - the single collectible in the game is always in plain sight, and there is only one ending.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play again since the experience remains the same.”
“The lack of branching paths or multiple endings makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits stability issues, including unintended auto-walking and spinning when the controller is plugged in, as well as glitches with the flashlight functionality.
“The game is decent, but when I plug in the controller, my character starts to auto-walk and spin to the left, and the flashlight glitches out when I try to use it.”
“The stability issues are frustrating; my character often moves uncontrollably when the controller is connected, and the flashlight frequently malfunctions.”
“I enjoy the game, but the stability problems are hard to ignore, especially with the auto-walking and the glitchy flashlight.”