The Telephone

About

The Telephone is a single player survival action adventure game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by Daniele Doesn't Matter and was released on October 13, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The Telephone is a first-person psychological horror game that will transport you to a world governed by anxiety. You will have to explore the house in which you are locked and the mysterious town of Lonely Plain, searching for clues that can help Roberta regain her memory.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

atmosphere5 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Captivating horror adventure with a deep, dark story and immersive atmosphere.
Well-designed puzzles and a variety of locations to explore, keeping the gameplay engaging.
Strong sound design and voice acting, enhancing the overall creepy experience.

Game creates unnecessary text files on the desktop, which is intrusive.
Only available in Italian voice acting with subtitles, limiting accessibility for non-Italian speakers.
Frequent bugs, including game freezes and lack of save points, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.

story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's story is a captivating and atmospheric horror adventure that revolves around the mystery of ten missing girls, drawing comparisons to "Silent Hill" with its mature and dark themes. Players find the narrative engaging and suspenseful, particularly in the first few hours, culminating in a phenomenal and unexpected conclusion. While some elements may feel less meaningful, the overall experience is praised for its depth and creepiness.
- “The setting is a bit 'Silent Hill'-like, a bit open world, but with a much more mature, deep, dark story.”
- “The way the story wraps up at the very end of the game is absolutely phenomenal.”
- “I read a few, most were meaningless story game info.”
- “The story is very mysterious and will keep you in suspense the whole game.”
- “You find out 5 of them are dead, so your quest is to find the remaining 5 women to see if they are still alive.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The gameplay features a unique eating mechanic that can be distracting, particularly due to the emphasis on a hunger bar, which some players find annoying. While the linear structure prevents players from getting lost, the game includes various mechanics such as inventory management, healing items, and simple puzzles, contributing to a psychological horror experience that unfolds over approximately six hours. Despite a slow start, the intriguing elements, including the phone mechanic, help maintain player engagement.
- “The game has very unique mechanics like the telephone, or having to keep yourself fed.”
- “About a 6-hour long psychological horror game with several mechanics, inventory, healing items, etc., as well as several relatively simple puzzles.”
- “The hunger bar is such a focus in the game that you are distracted by it over all the other gameplay.”
- “There is an eating mechanic in this game that can be annoying.”
- “The game starts off slow with the need to sleep to get the phone mechanics in, but the intrigue keeps you going.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for being unparalleled, mysterious, and creepy, effectively complemented by strong sound design. While the graphics may be mid-range, the overall ambiance creates an immersive experience that enhances the storytelling and horror elements.
- “The graphics are a bit mid-range; however, the atmosphere in this game is unparalleled.”
- “The atmosphere and sound design are well done.”
- “Sure it's not perfect, but it's incredibly atmospheric, mysterious, and creepy, with a very good story.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report significant stability issues, particularly with game freezes occurring during inventory management, which can lead to frustrating restarts from earlier checkpoints.
- “The game freezes while examining the inventory, causing me to die and forcing me to start over from the beginning of the chapter.”
- “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay, making it frustrating to progress.”
- “The stability issues are so severe that I often lose my progress due to unexpected shutdowns.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The graphics in the game are generally considered mediocre, with some reviewers noting a mid-range quality. However, the atmospheric design is praised as exceptional, enhancing the overall experience despite the visual shortcomings.
- “Great visuals.”
- “The graphics are a bit mid-range; however, the atmosphere in this game is unparalleled.”
- “It's not worth $15. The jump scares are so bad, and the graphics are mediocre at best. The game involves lots of revisiting the same places again and again, and the puzzles are bad... maybe at $5 it's worth it.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and engaging soundtrack, often described as a "banger" that enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “The soundtrack is an absolute banger!”
- “The music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive experience.”
- “Each track is carefully crafted, enhancing the emotional depth of the game.”