The Survey

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 383 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
The Survey Game Cover
Starting at $3.70Buy now
Get on Steam

In "The Survey" , you are Marcus Walker, mysteriously waking up in a vacant house. As you unlock a phone and delve into the game's puzzles, past events haunt you through audio tapes and journal entries. With a sense of escalating dread, uncover the cryptic story while evading an unseen antagonist. This immersive horror experience offers a short, suspenseful adventure.

Play Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 383 reviews
story110 positive mentions
stability9 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fresh and intriguing horror experience with a great atmosphere and compelling narrative.
  • Excellent sound design and decent graphics enhance the overall immersion.
  • The story is engaging and unfolds well, making it worth the short playtime.
  • The game frequently crashes, especially when using the phone, leading to frustrating loss of progress.
  • Movement is slow, which can detract from the pacing and tension of the game.
  • Some players found the jump scares repetitive and the ending unsatisfying.
  • story258 mentions

    The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its dark and engaging narrative that unfolds through notes and audio cues. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, repetitive storytelling methods, and technical problems that detract from the overall experience. While the story is compelling and atmospheric, it can feel stretched and occasionally predictable, leading to mixed feelings about its execution.

    • “The story was compelling and made me want to read every note, and hear every line of dialogue.”
    • “The atmosphere and tension of the game is thick enough to cut with a knife, and as you continue to unravel various clues you will need to keep your wits about you as you learn the story of Lilith and Marcus.”
    • “The story is superb, the buildup is beautifully crafted, and the game itself is just extremely well polished (graphically speaking).”
    • “This horror game will only take up an hour or two of your time. It's got a decent storyline that unfolds, but this is more of a mixed review as I wasn't a huge fan of the overused mechanic of making the player stand and listen to something, whether it be a TV news report or a song on the radio that seems to continue for several minutes. Sometimes, it even traps you in a room with no other interactable items. I spent a few minutes furiously clicking on everything I could see and finally just gave up to play on my phone as the TV droned on, saying similar stuff that had been said already in the least concise way possible.”
    • “The story isn't complicated; we can deduce what is going on pretty quickly, but the game actually locks you in small rooms with nothing to do except listen to slow audio passages.”
    • “The story is poor, and the game itself bugged out multiple times on me (including the entire cellphone).”
  • atmosphere68 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the horror experience through strong sound design, graphics, and storytelling. While many players appreciate the tension and suspense it creates, some note that the pacing can detract from the overall experience, with certain moments feeling overly prolonged. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a recommended choice for fans of atmospheric horror games.

    • “The atmosphere is ridiculously creepy, the story enthralling, and the sound is incredible.”
    • “The atmosphere, lighting, sound, and storytelling is exceptionally well done, and I love that indie companies like these have an idea of what will scare the hell out of you more than most AAA companies these days.”
    • “The tense atmosphere and chilling soundtrack will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, white-knuckling your mouse the entire way through this two-hour adventure.”
    • “The game clearly was supposed to be a story-heavy, dark atmosphere piece, and that is where it ironically failed the most.”
    • “The atmosphere doesn't really change much, the scares are repetitive: the first jumpscare got me good but afterwards it was redundant and kind of foreseeable.”
    • “Creepy atmosphere but you'll see most of the actual scares coming a mile away.”
  • gameplay41 mentions

    The gameplay of this horror game is characterized by simple mechanics and a short duration of about one to three hours, with mixed reviews on its execution. While some players appreciated the engaging phone and survey mechanics, others criticized the repetitive nature of the gameplay, overused elements, and technical issues such as bugs and crashes. Overall, the game offers a decent narrative and atmosphere but suffers from a lack of innovation and polish in its gameplay design.

    • “The story and the creepy gameplay and atmosphere completely make the story more interesting!”
    • “Very good game with an interesting story and nice gameplay.”
    • “What I like about the gameplay is the realism; you see your body when looking down, your vision moves slightly with the steps and the camera movement, all in all makes this as realistic as it can be.”
    • “This horror game will only take up an hour or two of your time. It's got a decent storyline that unfolds, but this is more of a mixed review as I wasn't a huge fan of the overused mechanic of making the player stand and listen to something, whether it be a TV news report or a song on the radio that seems to continue for several minutes. Sometimes it even traps you in a room with no other interactable items. I spent a few minutes furiously clicking on everything I could see and finally just gave up to play on my phone as the TV droned on, repeating similar stuff in the least concise way possible.”
    • “An average Unity horror game by any metric, meaning and implication - a plotline you'd expect (even all the reading to be done, it just reeks of regurgitation), third-rate jumpscares (or better I say, jumpscare, since there's literally only one kind of scare, and a very cheap one) and overall cliché tricks and repetitive, unforgiving gameplay.”
    • “Main gameplay mechanic: walk around cluelessly, discover something, hear a sound, walk around cluelessly to find the source of the sound, find something new which wasn't there before, hear a sound, walk around cluelessly... and so on.”
  • graphics34 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many reviewers noting that they are impressive for an indie title, often described as "nice," "great," or "pristine." While some players experienced minor bugs and performance issues, the overall visual presentation contributes effectively to the game's atmosphere and horror elements. However, a few critiques mention the use of generic assets and a lack of polish, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are surprisingly nice and I didn't encounter any bugs on my playthrough.”
    • “Good story, strong flow, excellent graphics and animation.”
    • “The graphics are great, as well as the gameplay.”
    • “What killed it for me though was when this graphically crappy, buggy walking sim crashed after a particularly long winded verse of dialogue spewed to me through a TV.”
    • “Graphics are mostly just generic Unity assets that you've most likely seen in another game, and you spend most of the time walking back and forth the same 5 rooms or so, waiting for the game to decide to drop the next piece of paper.”
    • “Despite your character walking around at a fairly slow pace, and carrying a flashlight that already takes longer to whip around than the rest of his body, my extremely capable gaming laptop had lag spikes aplenty even after I lowered the graphics settings.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its ability to create a tense and immersive atmosphere that enhances the horror experience. However, others criticized the overuse of lengthy audio segments that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration. Overall, while the soundtrack is noted for its quality and effectiveness in building suspense, its implementation can be polarizing among players.

    • “I personally like the music choice and I like the story they used to pair with it.”
    • “The tense atmosphere and chilling soundtrack will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, white-knuckling your mouse the entire way through this two-hour adventure.”
    • “Although the whole atmospheric music, sounds, changes of your surroundings, keep you suspended.”
    • “This horror game will only take up an hour or two of your time. It's got a decent storyline that unfolds, but this is more of a mixed review as I wasn't a huge fan of the overused mechanic of making the player stand and listen to something, whether it be a TV news report or a song on the radio that seems to continue for several minutes. Sometimes, it even traps you in a room with no other interactable items. I spent a few minutes furiously clicking on everything I could see and finally just gave up to play on my phone as the TV droned on, repeating similar stuff in the least concise way possible.”
    • “You get downstairs only to have to answer more meaningless questions on the phone and then listen to a song on the radio, which was bugged, so I had to restart.”
    • “The story seems very interesting, but I keep crashing after I listen to the music in the living room.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players finding amusement in its cheesy jump scares and poorly written dialogue. Many reviewers noted that the game's absurdity and exaggerated animations turned potentially scary moments into laughable experiences, making it a fun, albeit unconventional, horror game. Overall, the blend of humor and horror creates an entertaining dynamic that keeps players engaged.

    • “It didn't help that the end of the game forces you to stare at a silly jump scare while the title screen slowly fades in for a good minute, which made me laugh, leaving the game ending just simply feeling cheesy.”
    • “Sadly, the best thing about this game was how humorously badly written it was.”
    • “I found it more humorous when she ran at me than scary because she did a lot of flailing and moving disproportionately to her steps.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability is generally criticized, with multiple users reporting bugs, crashes, and glitches that detract from the experience. Despite these issues, some players found the story and gameplay engaging enough to continue playing, indicating that while stability is a concern, it does not completely overshadow the game's merits. Overall, the stability is described as "slightly buggy," leading to a mixed reception.

    • “What killed it for me though was when this graphically poor, buggy walking sim crashed after a particularly long-winded verse of dialogue spewed to me through a TV.”
    • “Nice game with a much enjoyable story and game progression with a few nice jumpscares, but it is a little buggy and it kicked me 2-3 times as I was playing; however, the game was that good that it kept me getting back in after it kicked me out.”
    • “The controls at first were kind of tricky and I experienced several glitches throughout.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its graphic depictions of child abuse, which contribute to a horror atmosphere and evoke strong feelings in players. Despite a somewhat predictable storyline, players form deep emotional attachments that drive them to continue, often experiencing moments of heart-wrenching intensity and even tears. The gameplay mechanics, such as character movement tied to emotional states, further enhance the immersive emotional experience.

    • “The story is a little predictable, but you end up developing an emotional attachment still, one that makes you want to see that story through.”
    • “Good game, made me cry a little.”
    • “The story was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, with many tasks feeling pointless and overly long. Common complaints include the need to redo sections due to crashes and the lack of engaging content, leading to frustration and a loss of interest before completing the game. Overall, while some elements may hold interest, the grinding experience is often seen as a significant drawback.

    • “Just pointless walking around in circles, tedious puzzles, stupidly long diary entries, and even a section of audio you have no choice but to sit through.”
    • “I think I had about 20 minutes left until the end, but I had gotten sick of redoing tedious tasks, so I did not finish the game.”
    • “A lot of the game can feel very tedious very quickly.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The optimization of the game is highly variable among users; some report excellent performance with a stable 60 fps and no issues on high settings, while others experience severe performance problems and poor optimization, leading to frustration. Overall, while some players find the game polished and well-optimized, others feel it is broken and unsupported.

    • “The optimization is fantastic, as the game runs at a solid 60 fps at all times.”
    • “It was actually pretty polished and good looking; I didn't run into any bugs or performance issues.”
    • “Unsupported, poorly optimized, and broken.”
    • “I have the best computer in the world, but my FPS is still 0; poorly optimized.”
    • “Didn't have any performance issues, played on the highest settings with dual monitors and no lag.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being poorly executed, with repetitive designs and jumpscare sections that lead to a lack of engagement, ultimately making the experience feel tedious before it concludes.

    • “Character designs and jumpscare sections were poorly made and repetitive, leading to boredom after a while. Fortunately, the game ends before it becomes unbearable.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect has been criticized for misleading advertising, with users feeling that the game does not deliver on its promises, lacks engaging multiplayer features, and ultimately fails to provide an enjoyable experience.

    • “The monetization system feels exploitative and heavily favors players who are willing to spend money.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience and makes it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy The Survey

Play time

2hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games