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THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME

81%Game Brain Score
story, atmosphere
replayability, optimization
88% User Score Based on 4,353 reviews

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About

"The Static Speaks My Name" is a free, short, first-person exploration game that focuses on mood and character. The game follows a man obsessed with the meaning behind a painting, while also dealing with explicit themes of suicide. It features 3D graphics in a limited color palette, and takes about ten minutes to play. Additional merchandise is available for purchase on the developer's website.

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THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
THE STATIC SPEAKS MY NAME screenshot
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88%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,353 reviews
story87 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and unsettling experience that effectively portrays themes of depression and isolation.
  • It's free and only takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, making it an easy recommendation for those interested in psychological horror.
  • The atmosphere and sound design create a haunting experience that lingers in the mind long after playing.
  • The game is very short and lacks depth, leaving players wanting more content and exploration.
  • It can be triggering for individuals dealing with mental health issues, particularly those sensitive to themes of suicide.
  • The lack of meaningful choices and the abrupt ending can leave players feeling unsatisfied and confused.
  • story
    456 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a brief yet impactful exploration of themes such as depression, obsession, and suicide, conveyed through minimalist storytelling and environmental cues. While some players appreciate its dark humor and atmospheric depth, many criticize its abrupt ending and lack of narrative clarity, leaving them wanting more context and development. Overall, the story is seen as intriguing but ultimately too short and vague, with potential for expansion in future updates.

    • “The narrative unfolds through fragmented moments that hint at a larger, darker story, all without relying on explicit exposition.”
    • “The story itself is very simple yet is a very powerful one, and you are left with a choice to either fulfill your psychopathy by killing a man or let a man out of his cage.”
    • “A striking experience leaving the player disturbed and uncomfortable, while telling a story most will not soon forget.”
    • “The story is very linear, and it ends abruptly in what feels like a break between chapters.”
    • “The story left so much up to interpretation and does not match the vibes it promotes on the store page.”
    • “For a 'story game' there wasn't much of a story at all.”
  • atmosphere
    171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie, unsettling tone, achieved through minimalist design, low-poly graphics, and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the psychological horror elements. Players report feeling a deep sense of discomfort and dread, with the atmosphere effectively immersing them in the protagonist's troubled mind, despite the game's short duration. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, creating a memorable and thought-provoking experience that lingers long after gameplay.

    • “The game does a great job setting the atmosphere and giving you an unsettling feeling that something isn't right and it just doesn't go away.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible.”
    • “Its unconventional storytelling, minimalist design, and atmospheric presentation create an experience that lingers in the mind long after completion.”
    • “The atmosphere itself was nothing short of exhausting, disgusting, and downright gut-wrenching.”
    • “Sadly, I couldn't be emotionally impacted by the message; the mind-numbingly simple and uncomfortable atmosphere turned me off from what was actually going on.”
    • “There is nothing to this game other than a mildly creepy atmosphere and some morbidity... not really sure what I was supposed to get out of it.”
  • graphics
    141 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic, low-poly art style that effectively contributes to its eerie and unsettling atmosphere. While many reviews note the graphics are basic and lack modern polish, they argue that this minimalism enhances the game's emotional impact and storytelling, creating a haunting experience that resonates with players. Overall, the visuals may not meet contemporary standards, but they serve the game's themes well, making it a compelling choice for those interested in horror and psychological narratives.

    • “The minimalism of the graphics only enhances the experience because it leaves more to the imagination and adds to the surrealism of the whole game.”
    • “The graphics being dark and atmospheric, as that was the feel that I was getting from it.”
    • “The use of low-poly graphics and a muted color palette contributes to the game's eerie atmosphere.”
    • “There are no graphics settings at all.”
    • “The graphics are awful, which yes don't always matter but when your game is 5 minutes long and about a minute of that is taken up by pressing g and h, both of which have no effect on the game.”
  • gameplay
    127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "The Static Speaks My Name" is minimalistic and primarily involves simple interactions within a confined environment, lasting around 10-20 minutes. While some players appreciate its atmospheric storytelling and emotional depth, many criticize the lack of traditional gameplay mechanics and content, feeling it serves more as a short experience rather than a fully developed game. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a narrative-driven experience rather than engaging gameplay.

    • “It's a beautifully made game and a lot of thought and hard work went into it, wonderful for the 10 minutes of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay may not be intense, but the story makes up for it.”
    • “The gameplay is straightforward, revolving around interacting with objects in your environment—many of which are tied to the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.”
    • “The gameplay itself is uncomplicated, so for gamers who are driven by mechanics to remain interested, this one is a very tough sell.”
    • “There's no gameplay elements whatsoever and, frankly, you'd get the exact same feeling from watching it as you would playing it.”
  • humor
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in this game is predominantly dark and often unsettling, eliciting mixed reactions from players. While some find it genuinely funny and appreciate its bizarre, ironic moments, others feel that the humor is overshadowed by the game's disturbing themes, particularly around suicide and mental health. Overall, it appeals to those with a taste for dark humor, but may not resonate with everyone due to its heavy subject matter.

    • “It's disturbing, with dark humor, and was stuck in my head for days after playing it.”
    • “It is, however, simultaneously weird and funny in a sad way.”
    • “The very definition of 'dark humor' or 'black comedy', you can finish it in minutes, but you may find that you remember it for much longer.”
    • “What this game covers and what you eventually end up having to do is not funny.”
    • “The static speaks my name is not scary, not fun, not artistic, not edgy, barely a game, not funny, short, low quality, and all around bad.”
  • emotional
    83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful, often leaving players feeling unsettled, confused, and profoundly moved. Many reviews highlight its ability to convey complex themes of depression and suicide through a brief, unconventional narrative, resulting in a haunting experience that lingers long after completion. While some players found it traumatizing and uncomfortable, others appreciated its unique approach to emotional storytelling, making it a memorable and thought-provoking indie game.

    • “It doesn’t force its message on you; instead, it lets you piece together the protagonist’s emotional turmoil through small details.”
    • “While the experience is short, lasting about 20 minutes, its emotional weight lingers long after.”
    • “Despite having a fairly simplistic art style and controls, the game tackles a really heavy topic, and does so in a heartbreaking way.”
    • “Just a 5-minute boring, storyless game.”
  • music
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its haunting and eerie qualities that complement the visuals and narrative. While some found the soundtrack to be immersive and chilling, others felt it could become repetitive or overwhelming over time. Overall, the music is considered a key element in establishing the game's unsettling tone and mood.

    • “The haunting and ambient music effectively complements the eerie visuals, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.”
    • “The music and atmosphere is really intense; I recommend using headphones.”
    • “The combination of the music, the white noise from the televisions, and the inability to turn on any lights make the atmosphere creepy.”
    • “The very loud background hum/music made me really nauseous within just a few minutes.”
    • “The 'music' was incredibly annoying.”
    • “The scenery is eerie, the music is nothing less than off-putting, and everything starts generally weird from the start.”
  • replayability
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is criticized for its low replayability, with many reviewers noting its short length and linear structure as significant drawbacks. While some players appreciate its unique representation of dark themes, they express a desire for more playable scenarios to enhance replay value. A few mention that limited choices do provide some replay potential, but the consensus leans towards a lack of incentive to revisit the game.

    • “A magnificent horror game, I only wish that the other four scenarios were playable, but hey, maybe in a future update. I highly recommend this though.”
    • “In the end, you are left lusting for more... the game offers some replay value, as there are some choices to be made throughout the game!”
    • “Free 10-minute game with a nice twist and even replayability.”
    • “This is a very short, very dark game with little replay value, but definitely has a cult following, and for good reason, in my opinion.”
    • “It has no replayability, looks horrible, and I guess it's supposed to have some kind of deep meaning.”
    • “Its a good game but it has 0 replayability because of the lack of levels.”
  • optimization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is highly inconsistent, with some players noting surprisingly good performance given its development quality, while others report severe performance issues, including significant drops and clunky controls. Overall, it appears to be poorly optimized, with some users labeling it as one of the worst in recent memory, though it does not crash like other notorious titles.

    • “Looking at the game's graphics, I was very surprised at how well optimized it is considering the development of the game was very poorly executed.”
    • “- Well optimized.”
    • “Better than Batman™: Arkham Knight; it doesn't crash or have performance problems.”
    • “This is a poorly optimized walking simulator explaining how bad art can make you want to kill yourself.”
    • “Performance is abysmal (don't press esc!) but you only have to deal with it for roughly 20 minutes anyway.”
    • “It is far from optimized; pressing escape exits the game, walking is clunky which is problematic as walking and pressing 'E' are all you do in the whole 15-minute experience.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious and poorly designed, with players expressing frustration over the need to replay levels and the slow, linear progression. Many find the experience to be a bore, detracting from overall enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The fact that you have to replay the 'level' again to figure out if you can choose another 'level' or what just happened during the last scene is just tedious and badly programmed.”
    • “Tediously slow, linear bore-fest.”
    • “It's arthouse gaming at its most tedious.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is notably inconsistent; while some players feel it lacks depth and fails to create emotional connections, others highlight a brief but impactful character arc that stands out in a short timeframe. Overall, the game's ability to engage with its characters varies significantly among players.

    • “Well, for only 10 minutes, you get probably the best character development I've seen in a game in a long time.”
    • “The game doesn't stick around long enough to really explore any lore or character development.”
    • “Character development is seriously lacking, thus it's hard to sympathize with the situation concerning the main character's suicide.”
    • “Don't give me the art defense because there have been suicides in movies and TV shows, but there was some build-up and character development.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is positively noted, as it is free of microtransactions and not pay-to-win, which sets it apart from many other free games. However, the gameplay is criticized for being too short and lacking depth, suggesting that it serves more as a promotional tool than a fully developed game experience.

    • “An above average game, considering that it is well optimized, not pay-to-win (like a lot of free games are). In fact, there are no microtransactions at all!”
    • “It's far too short and feels much too hollow to really pack a punch, but maybe it's better thought of as an advertisement for the sentiment instead of a novel or an article.”
    • “An above average game, considering that it is well optimized, not pay to win (like a lot of free games are), in fact, there are no microtransactions at all!”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report a generally stable experience with no significant bugs or glitches, although some mention minor gameplay issues that could affect performance.

    • “The static is fine, but the gameplay is a bit buggy.”
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7h Median play time
6h Average play time
0h Main story
0h Completionist
3-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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