THE UNCLEARNESS

About

You are going to try your luck in the role of a private detective Stan Ingram and try to solve a tricky case of suicide.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+17

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 18 reviews

story5 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features an interesting science-fiction story set in a cyberpunk world, which keeps players intrigued.
Voice acting is generally decent, and the music complements the atmosphere well.
The vehicle controls are surprisingly good, adding a fun element to the gameplay.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, poor optimization, and clunky gameplay mechanics.
The writing and dialogue are often confusing and poorly translated, leading to a lack of coherence in the story.
Combat can be tedious and frustrating, with enemies having pinpoint accuracy and the player facing significant challenges due to unresponsive controls and long loading times.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The game's story is described as an intriguing yet convoluted science-fiction narrative that suffers from poor writing, grammatical errors, and pacing issues. While some players appreciate its charm and atmosphere, they note that the execution is rough, with clunky gameplay elements and a plot that can border on absurdity. Overall, despite its flaws, the storyline has potential and captivates some players, making it worth exploring for those who enjoy unique narratives.
- “This presents a very interesting storyline that I would love to be able to pursue further.”
- “It has a pretty intriguing storyline for you to uncover, but the pacing is very slow at the beginning.”
- “I immersed myself in an exciting atmospheric storyline, and despite all limitations, I liked it and recommend trying it, at least to support new developers.”
- “It feels like the Eye of Argon game where you have to read the story, typos and all, without correcting them while trying not to laugh.”
- “- Poor writing (or was it translation?) - these are direct quotes from one of the missions you get in the game (@ 57:26), 'get a vial of lieutenant for analysis' and 'use the electronic key of the lieutenant who gave the homeless'... yup.”
- “The storyline is so long that it overshadows the gameplay itself.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game are generally considered average, with some users noting that they meet expectations for an indie title but fall short of what is typically expected from a 2019 release. While the visuals are described as good enough, there is a lack of graphical options, and performance is deemed satisfactory for the engine used.
- “Not exactly something I'd expect from a 2019-released game, but the visuals are still good enough.”
- “The graphic is awesome for indie level.”
- “The developers managed to surprise with graphics as well.”
- “There are hardly any graphical options.”
- “The graphics are pretty average for the used engine.”
- “The graphics seem alright.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the dark atmosphere and complement the setting, with some users highlighting its enjoyable quality during gameplay. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of subtitle options and sound sliders, which can lead to music and sound effects overshadowing dialogue. Additionally, some players noted the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, which detracted from the overall experience.
- “Enjoyed greatly the music that blends very well with the dark atmosphere - the setting/city, the main character/voice, liked the 2 guns design, the video scales automatically to your native resolution (ultra widescreen in my case)!”
- “Felt like a cyberpunk themed Max Payne style as others have stated, the music was wonderful, and driving the car with nitro was fun.”
- “Good voice acting, good music.”
- “There are no options for subtitles, nor are there sound sliders, and music or some other sound effect will often play over dialogue.”
- “Noticed that 90% of the time the same soundtrack will be repeated in the background.”
- “The whole three minutes trailer feels a little bit like clickbait.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as hilariously engaging, often stemming from its amusing English translations and the chaotic gameplay that encourages laughter, especially when played in a group setting. However, the frequent interruptions for juggling challenges can detract from the comedic experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of absurdity and fun that resonates well with players.
- “The fun in unclearness comes from playing with an audience, or watching someone else play, sitting there laughing at it.”
- “Most of the comedy comes from the hilarious English translation.”
- “You get to drive a car every now and then, and it’s pretty hilarious.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dark, immersive setting complemented by a fitting musical score and engaging storyline elements, such as magazines that enrich the world’s history. While some players feel that the focus on gunplay detracts from the overall experience, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates and draws players into the narrative. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate a strong atmospheric experience.
- “Enjoyed greatly the music that blends very well with the dark atmosphere of the setting and city, along with added magazines that reveal the history of the world.”
- “The game has a pleasant atmosphere and an interesting idea.”
- “I immersed myself in an exciting atmospheric storyline, and despite all limitations, I liked it and recommend trying it, at least to support new developers.”
- “Personally, I think the game might have been a bit better if it just did away with the gunplay (and lockpicking) entirely and focused more on the storyline, the dialogues, and the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I expected from a game of this genre.”
- “While the music is decent, it doesn't do enough to enhance the overall atmosphere, which feels disconnected and lifeless.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during lengthy combat sections that feel drawn out. While there are some features to alleviate this tedium, they seem more like temporary fixes rather than effective solutions to the underlying issue.
- “The combat is tedious and annoying, and there are a few sections that just drag on.”
- “The auto-saving makes some very long combat sections feel very tedious.”
- “You have some things to counteract this, although I suspect they were added as a crutch since the combat would be even more tedious without them.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting excessively long loading screens and significant strain on hardware, such as loud fan noise. Additionally, the overall design and translation issues contribute to a frustrating experience, making it feel poorly optimized and difficult to navigate.
- “The graphics and performance are impressive, showcasing a well-optimized game experience.”
- “The game runs smoothly with minimal loading times, indicating excellent optimization.”
- “From the very long loading screens that made you think the game or your computer froze to the loud whirring sound of my laptop's fan going into overdrive, I'm pretty sure the game isn't very well-optimized.”
- “The unclearness is a horribly translated, poorly designed, unoptimized car crash, an endurance exercise where the player stumbles from one badly explained set piece to another with only the faintest grasp of what their purpose is supposed to be.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players criticize the gameplay for its lack of cohesion, noting abrupt transitions between locations that disrupt immersion, such as sudden loading screens. Additionally, the storyline is perceived as overly lengthy, overshadowing the actual gameplay experience.
- “There is no cohesion to the gameplay; in the first mission, you reach a checkpoint in the middle of a crossroads, and all of a sudden, there's a loading screen and you're in a room somewhere.”
- “The storyline is so long that it overshadows the gameplay itself.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including poor gunplay and buggy AI, leading to a frustrating experience for players. Many reviewers express disappointment over the game's lack of polish and coherence, deeming it a poorly executed indie title despite a few redeeming qualities.
- “From its poor gunplay, buggy AI, and a pretty boring start, I could quickly see that the unclearness is by no means a well-made indie game, but it does have a couple of redeeming factors in the face of a mountain of negative ones.”
- “The absolute cheek to cobble together such a wasteful, incomprehensible, buggy mess of a game, to charge £15 for it...and then to try and string said players along with a cliffhanger ending?”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is considered fairly short and lacks significant replay value, as players may only find enjoyment in revisiting the same humorous moments.
- “It is fairly short and has no real replay value unless you think you can laugh at the same things again.”
- “Once you complete the game, there’s little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of diverse outcomes makes replaying the game feel redundant.”