The Tape

About

"The Tape" is a first-person horror game that utilizes a found footage style to create a heavy, creepy atmosphere. As a detective searching for a missing girl in an abandoned house, you'll face horrifying creatures and enemies while uncovering a disturbing mystery. The game focuses on creating a slow-paced, unsettling experience, with some scenes being among the most disturbing in horror game history. Your goal is to uncover the truth or simply try to escape.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

47%

Audience ScoreBased on 186 reviews

atmosphere23 positive mentions

story9 negative mentions

The game has a strong atmosphere that effectively creates a sense of unease and tension.
The VHS-style visual effects add a unique aesthetic that enhances the horror experience.
Some players found the mini-games enjoyable and a nice addition to the main story.

The game is very short, with the main story lasting around 30-45 minutes.
Gameplay is hindered by slow movement speed and lack of a sprint option, making it feel tedious.
There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt the experience, including issues with AI and object interactions.

story
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
78%
14%
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and poorly developed, often described as a disjointed collection of horror tropes involving cults and sacrifices. Players note that the narrative lacks coherence and depth, with many elements feeling like an afterthought, resulting in a short experience that fails to engage meaningfully. While the atmosphere is praised, it does not compensate for the overall lack of a compelling storyline, making the game feel more like a walking simulator than a narrative-driven horror experience.
- “But, in a way, I suppose it's refreshing to know that a game doesn't need a whole lot of story to tell a creepy, unsettling narrative, of sorts.”
- “The loose plot hangs on the back of a detective searching for a missing girl in 1960s rural America with the gameplay conducted through the nauseous jitter-laden lens of a camcorder.”
- “The 'story' - what little there is of it - is furthermore highly intriguing, and the scenery is suitably compelling.”
- “There doesn't seem to be much of any story in-game, other than cult, evil, bad people, sacrifice.”
- “The story is barely there and the assets are clumsily placed on maps with weird angles as well as some people floating in some scenes while walking in place.”
- “The whole storyline told by the game does not make sense at all when summarized.”
atmosphere
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is frequently praised for its creepiness and effective use of sound and visual design, creating a strong sense of unease and psychological horror. However, some players note that the slow pacing and simplistic gameplay can detract from the overall experience, with a few mentioning that the atmosphere diminishes once enemies are introduced. Overall, while the atmosphere is a standout feature, it is often accompanied by criticisms regarding the game's length and narrative depth.
- “The atmosphere is solidly spooky.”
- “The atmosphere is great; there is voice acting, a proper menu, a proper introduction cinematic, and a decent amount of creepiness/horror elements in the game.”
- “The atmosphere is spectacular, the mystery is intriguing, it’s got some awesome concepts, and it’s creepy as hell.”
- “No atmosphere, everything happens very slowly and boringly.”
- “This game is basically a walker simulator that can last around 30 minutes for its main 'story/content', which is pretty much nonsensical and doesn't really explain anything at all, besides making some attempt at atmosphere. The rest seems to be a few sections where you have to sneak through enemies (which seem to be pretty much blind) and then some jumpscares, which is the only thing about this game that may take you by surprise.”
- “Everything in this game is just so slow, from your character to cutscenes as well, so much so that it has gone way past the point where it tries to build an atmosphere more than it actually tries to round the two hours of gameplay so that you can’t ask for a refund.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The gameplay has been widely criticized for being tedious and minimalistic, often described as a walking simulator with very limited mechanics and slow movement that detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and occasional stealth segments, many find the gameplay lacking in depth and engagement, leading to a sense of boredom. Overall, the game offers a brief experience with a focus on exploration rather than traditional gameplay, which may not satisfy those looking for more interactive elements.
- “Definitely an interesting piece of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fairly intuitive.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and good.”
- “However, the gameplay is tediously boring; you move painfully slow even for horror games, and the camera effects become seriously annoying after a while.”
- “This game is more of a walking simulator than anything, with its gameplay being very limited as you slowly plod along throughout creepy environments, with minimal stealth elements requiring you to hide from cult members in a variety of locales.”
- “In and all, the main scenario presents barely an hour of gameplay - even with the frustration for the demon head.”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique VHS aesthetic and atmospheric design that effectively contributes to the horror experience. However, some players found the visuals to be overwhelming or poorly executed, leading to discomfort and a lack of detail in certain areas. Overall, while the graphics may not be top-tier, they align well with the indie horror genre and enhance the game's eerie ambiance.
- “Loved the graphic style; it added to it all.”
- “The vhs aesthetic was done very well, and the mood was great.”
- “The found footage aesthetic works nicely with the game, and the cabin in the beginning has a wonderful atmosphere.”
- “The visuals are terminal eye cancer, which is fitting since you'll want to die after playing this game.”
- “Graphic is awful and gameplay is laggy.”
- “The tape's main graphic feature, which is a heavy 'camera' filter setting, actually bothered my eyes more than it did to help my experience within the game.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, some of which are game-breaking. While some players acknowledge its potential as an indie title, they emphasize the need for updates and patches to improve overall stability.
- “The game is also incredibly buggy; some of the bugs are game-breaking.”
- “But the filters send all kinds of messages because besides the CRT filter, there are digital glitches and, most baffling, the kind of scratches you'd see on some old theatrical reels.”
- “Also, this game is really buggy.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The music in the game is characterized by ambient sounds that create a relaxing yet tense atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience, particularly in horror settings. While some users found the music to be more of a placeholder, the sound effects and background music effectively contribute to the game's unsettling ambiance.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “The sound effects and background music really add to the tension that the developer was trying to create in this game, and really help to tie the experience into an almost complete package.”
- “A little bit of looping ambient sound that acted as a placeholder for music.”
- “The VHS-like video effect and fitting creepy music make the atmosphere really unsettling, in a good way for a horror title.”
- “The sound effects and background music really add to the tension that the developer was trying to put forth in this game, and really help to tie the experience into an almost complete package (barring a shallow story).”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely unintentional, with poorly executed jumpscares and absurd scenarios, such as stealth missions involving chanting cultists and a grotesque giant head, leading to more laughter than fear. While there are some tense moments, the overall tone leans towards the comedic, making the experience feel more amusing than terrifying.
- “First you do a stealth mission, hiding from hilariously chanting cultists.”
- “Then there's a hilarious section where a giant dead girl's head hunts you in the water, jaws-style -- the whole thing is so grotesque it's the opposite of scary.”
- “Some unintentionally funny moments (a lot of them actually). It's got a few tense moments too, and the end in particular is actually a pretty original and cool boss fight (a rare thing in a walking simulator).”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and boring, with slow movement and frustrating camera effects contributing to a lack of engagement. The absence of enemies in certain areas further exacerbates the feeling of monotony, making the gameplay experience feel more like a chore than an adventure.
- “However, the gameplay is tediously boring; you move painfully slow even for horror games, and the camera effects become seriously annoying after a while.”
- “Aside from a basic charm and some potential, it ends up being tedious anyhow.”
- “This was pathetically tedious and annoying.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy has been criticized for being exploitative, with accusations of plagiarism due to the lack of credit given to original artists and developers, leading to perceptions of the game as a cash grab.
- “The developers didn't credit any of the artists and real game developers who created the assets, which feels like plagiarism and a cash grab.”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it difficult to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “It feels like the game is designed to push players into spending more, rather than providing a fair experience.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
While the game can be completed in about 40 minutes, it offers some replay value that encourages players to revisit it despite its brevity.
- “The game is incredibly short, taking me only 40 minutes to finish, but it has a surprising amount of replay value.”
- “Each playthrough offers new choices and outcomes, making me want to dive back in and explore different paths.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies keeps the gameplay fresh, encouraging multiple runs.”
- “The game is incredibly short; it took me only 40 minutes to finish it, and while it has a bit of replay value, it's not enough to keep me coming back.”
- “After completing the game, I found little incentive to replay it, as the experience felt too linear and predictable.”
- “While there are some choices to make, the lack of significant changes in subsequent playthroughs makes it hard to justify replaying.”