The Room Syndrome

About

Explore the mysterious room by traversing time, while you watch a man succumb to the room syndrome.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 266 reviews

story37 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Engaging story with interesting puzzles that keep players intrigued.
Multiple endings provide replayability and encourage exploration of different outcomes.
The game is free, making it accessible and a great value for the experience it offers.

Lack of save states makes replaying for different endings tedious and time-consuming.
Controls can be confusing, particularly with the radio mechanics, leading to frustration.
Some players found the characters and their development less compelling, impacting the overall narrative experience.

story
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
32%
5%
The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing and immersive qualities, with many players appreciating the unique time travel mechanics and the challenge of piecing together the narrative through exploration and notes. While some found the characters less compelling and the story implementation somewhat confusing, the overall consensus highlights a captivating plot with multiple endings that enhances replayability. Despite its simplicity, the storytelling effectively engages players, making it a noteworthy aspect of the game.
- “The atmosphere building is quite interesting and while some dialogue does feel somewhat cheesy at times, the overall feeling I experienced from this was quite an intense one; the story-building really did strike a chord with me.”
- “Amazing storytelling, really got me involved in the tale of these two people.”
- “The art, story, puzzles, and ambiance will keep you enthralled every step of the way.”
- “The story is fascinating, but I don't find the characters that compelling.”
- “Story-wise, it's confusing at first, but as you read the notes scattered around, you will understand.”
- “And in the end, the story isn't worth that level of effort.”
gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
49%
9%
The gameplay features unique time travel mechanics that, while initially confusing and clunky, become engaging as players progress. The use of radios and paradoxes adds depth to the puzzle-solving experience, and the multiple endings encourage exploration. Overall, the game offers a compelling narrative and intriguing mechanics, making it a worthwhile short play despite some design flaws.
- “It's a nice short game with an intriguing story and interesting mechanics that's worth spending your time on.”
- “While figuring out the mechanic may or may not be difficult at first, once you got it you're set to finish the game.”
- “Interesting story and mechanics, different endings depending on what you do... what more can you ask for?”
- “The time travel mechanics are a bit clunky and tedious.”
- “I liked the concept and time travel gameplay, but it's held back by poor design and unnecessary complications.”
- “There's really only so much in the way of puzzle mechanics in this game.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic, retro aesthetic that resonates well with fans of minimalist art styles, often drawing comparisons to classic titles like Undertale. While some players find the visuals basic and reminiscent of old arcade games, many appreciate how they effectively contribute to the game's eerie atmosphere and immersive experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strength, enhancing the gameplay without detracting from the intriguing storyline and puzzle elements.
- “The graphics are absolutely perfect for the eerie feeling and have an old arcade vibe.”
- “Being a fan of all things retro in gaming, I absolutely love the simple-but-effective art style; a perfect example of 'less-is-more'.”
- “The spaced-pixel art style is absolutely stunning, and only heightens the game's already gripping atmosphere; in my opinion, it stands out among other, similar games.”
- “The graphics are about as basic as it gets, mostly black and white pixels, but it doesn't bring the game down at all.”
- “Sure, it wasn't that fancy or the highest graphics and there's no large focus on the story.”
- “It has very simple graphics, and not the best dialogue, but it is simple and doesn't require much brain power to do.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating setting and unique pixel art style, which effectively conveys a sense of being "stuck in time." While some dialogue may come off as cheesy, the overall experience is intense and immersive, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and engaging puzzles that complement the science fiction theme. Collectively, these elements create an incredible and memorable atmosphere that distinguishes the game from others in its genre.
- “The idea is incredibly interesting, the setting is great, the atmosphere is very well made, it's awesome!”
- “An atmospheric puzzle game with a unique take on the indie pixel art style.”
- “The spaced-pixel art style is absolutely stunning, and only heightens the game's already gripping atmosphere; in my opinion, it stands out among other, similar games.”
- “The music is simple and repetitive after some time, but it suits the atmosphere and highlights the feeling of being 'stuck in time.'”
- “Some parts of the writing are a little cheesy, but the majority of it establishes the atmosphere really well.”
- “The spaced-pixel art style is absolutely stunning and only heightens the game's already gripping atmosphere; in my opinion, it stands out among other similar games.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly when trying to achieve all endings, which can take considerable time and effort. The clunky time travel mechanics and slow dialogue delivery contribute to the overall sense of frustration, although some players appreciate the challenge and patterns that emerge over time.
- “To get any of the better endings is quite a grind that takes like 10 minutes each and feels really repetitive, so getting all of the endings is just tedious.”
- “Dialogues appear slowly, which becomes tedious because players will see the same messages over and over. The typewriter-style text is not necessary and adds nothing but delay to the game, and anticipating a command like 'open drawer' will close it, because 'do nothing' is the default.”
- “The time travel mechanic gets tedious after a while, but there's a pattern to it that saves a good bit of time once you catch on to it.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The music in the game is generally well-received, enhancing the atmosphere and complementing the theme of being "stuck in time." While some players find it simple and repetitive over time, others appreciate its fitting style and the unique sound effects during conversations. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gameplay experience, aligning well with the game's intriguing narrative and visual elements.
- “This game was not what I was expecting it to be; I love the mechanic of the radio, the style, effects, music, gameplay, everything!”
- “I adore the background music and the concept is interesting... I love a good paradoxical, supernatural mystery.”
- “Music, story, puzzles, I thought it was great!”
- “The music is simple and repetitive after some time, but like the graphics, it suits the atmosphere and highlights the feeling of being 'stuck in time.'”
- “The music didn't meet my expectations; it felt lackluster and uninspired compared to the rest of the game.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it fun and challenging with opportunities for exploration, many feel that once all endings are achieved, the experience becomes repetitive and lacks significant variation, making it less engaging for subsequent playthroughs.
- “Good game, replayable and quite tricky.”
- “This allows for deep, open-ended exploration, as well as extended replayability.”
- “I'd say it doesn't really have any replayability after you get all the endings, but it's really fun regardless.”
- “The replay value is low after you figure out the 'right' way to escape, because all the other endings require you to do pretty much the same things, making it a chore to get all the endings.”
- “Not much replayability; it seems like the endings are shoehorned in and most of them required the player to do the same thing at the beginning of the game and change one small factor like annoying David or changing all of the TVs.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its gripping narrative and a deeply touching true ending that evokes strong feelings, even leading some players to tears. While it incorporates horror elements that can be irritating, the overall experience is described as heartfelt and thought-provoking, making it a memorable journey for players.
- “Confusing yet heartfelt, the true ending drove me to tears. 10/10.”
- “The narrative is gripping, and the reward for following it to the end is one of the most touching and thought-provoking scenes I've ever experienced playing a video game.”
- “Very nice game; I got emotional at the true ending.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its variety, with seven distinct endings that include comedic elements, though one ending is considered minor and lacks an achievement. Additionally, some players report a humorous visual experience, albeit one that may lead to eye strain after extended play.
- “There are 7 total endings, with another one you don't get an achievement for; it is just a little funny but not important.”
- “I don't know if eye strain would be the best way to describe it, but my vision was all funny after playing for around 30 minutes.”