The Upturned

99%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,687 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • story
The Upturned Game Cover
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"The Upturned" is a relaxing, open-world sandbox game where players help rebuild a colorful village by solving puzzles and gathering resources. With a variety of vehicles, tools, and decorations to unlock, players can customize their experience and enjoy a peaceful, creative atmosphere. The game also features a dynamic weather system and day-night cycle, adding to the immersion and tranquility of the virtual world.

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Reviews

99%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,687 reviews
humor301 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • The game features amazing gameplay and a fun story, blending horror and comedy seamlessly.
  • The characters, especially Ik and Shrimp, are charming and memorable, adding depth to the experience.
  • The level design is creative and varied, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging throughout.
  • Some players experienced bugs and issues with controls, such as the jump function not working at times.
  • The ending left some players feeling unsatisfied or confused, with unanswered questions about the story.
  • The bonus levels can be frustratingly difficult, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • humor301 mentions

    The humor in "The Upturned" is widely praised for its quirky and chaotic nature, seamlessly blending comedic moments with genuine scares. Players appreciate the clever dialogue, funny character interactions, and absurd situations that evoke laughter even amidst tense gameplay. This unique mix of humor and horror creates a memorable experience, making it both entertaining and engaging, with many reviewers highlighting the game's ability to elicit simultaneous laughter and fear.

    • “I'm amazed at how Upturned managed to create such a quirky, humorous game while still sneaking in some genuinely scary jump scares.”
    • “It somehow manages to be both hilarious and terrifying all at once, and is one of the few horror games I can stomach to play because it doesn't take itself very seriously most of the time.”
    • “The upturned strikes the perfect balance of terror and humor and I love it.”
  • gameplay183 mentions

    The gameplay of "The Upturned" is widely praised for its engaging blend of humor and horror, utilizing a simple yet effective physics-based mechanic centered around throwing objects. Players appreciate the variety in level design and mechanics, which keeps the experience fresh and entertaining, while the charming characters and witty dialogue enhance the overall enjoyment. Despite some minor criticisms regarding repetition and difficulty, the game is celebrated as a unique and fun adventure that successfully balances chaotic gameplay with a compelling narrative.

    • “The gameplay is engaging and the story is surprisingly well told.”
    • “The gameplay is very fun and hectic, but also the perfect recipe to cause you to panic so hard.”
    • “The gameplay is a physics-based platformer where every level is completely unique from all the others.”
    • “To be completely honest, I found the gameplay to be frustrating more often than I found it fun.”
    • “The only negative point about this game for me is that the gameplay stagnates a bit at parts in the latter half in my opinion, but for a game this short and in the face of everything it does well, this is barely a complaint.”
    • “I really enjoyed it, but if I have to criticize something I would argue that the later half of the game is quite easy (easier as it is quite easy in general), loses most of the horror aspect at that point and some mechanics that are introduced were not fleshed out properly.”
  • story181 mentions

    The game's story is a delightful blend of humor and horror, featuring engaging characters and a surprisingly profound narrative that keeps players invested throughout. Many reviewers praised its unique storytelling style, which combines absurdity with emotional depth, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. While some felt the plot could have been more developed, the overall consensus is that the story is enjoyable, quirky, and enhances the gameplay experience significantly.

    • “The story and characters are surprisingly fleshed out and likable!”
    • “The story is deceptively simple, yet effective and powerful once you fully absorb its themes and narrative.”
    • “The story, the dialogue, character design, and the music are all so great!”
    • “The story doesn't feel developed and it's a bit disappointing.”
    • “For the most part, the story happens in the background, and you don't really get to interact with it nor with the actors involved in it.”
    • “The only part that could do with a little bit more work is the story, especially the ending.”
  • music74 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall experience, blending humor and horror effectively. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as both unique and fitting, with many tracks described as catchy and memorable, contributing to the game's quirky atmosphere. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, elevating gameplay and complementing the game's tone beautifully.

    • “The writing, the music, and even the game's design choices create such a profoundly unique identity for the game, and it's for this reason that I wish it got more attention.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing too.”
    • “I simply love everything about this title: the story, the level design, the challenge, the music (I had to go back and buy the soundtrack, something I rarely do but I simply had to do it, every single track in the game was a jam and a banger)... I cannot recommend it enough.”
    • “I hear boss music' is not a one-off sentence in the trailer; it's the entire style of the game: goofy all around.”
    • “The soundtrack also sets the tone for how it can make you so worried and how a good soundtrack can really elevate the experience and change everything.”
    • “The music is top-notch, with the theme for the fat pajama man being my favorite, short as it is.”
  • graphics62 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which combines cartoonish elements with a lighthearted horror aesthetic. Players appreciate the fun character designs and the nostalgic, low-poly visuals that enhance the gameplay experience, creating a whimsical yet eerie atmosphere. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it accessible for newcomers to the horror genre while maintaining a distinct and engaging visual identity.

    • “The graphics are always on point and give a real original touch to the game, maybe a bit repetitive with the gameplay on some floors but it's always fun discovering new creatures and gameplay elements!”
    • “Amazing visual appearance and art style.”
    • “Genuinely good fun in a goofy horror format with plenty of humor and charming graphics.”
    • “It definitively isn't for everyone but it's way more coherent than it seems at first glance, don't let the low-res graphics and kind of dank video presentation fool you, although don't expect an award-winning story since the game doesn't take itself very seriously.”
    • “Going with the low-poly, pixelated graphics instead of hi-res detail.”
    • “There's no jumpscares, the ambience and tension can be good, but aren't what bring the horror, and there's no spooky visuals.”
  • atmosphere34 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of horror and comedy, creating a captivating and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective sound design, creative world-building, and the ability to balance genuine scares with humorous elements, making it stand out in the horror genre. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as both engaging and entertaining, successfully evoking feelings of suspense while maintaining a lighthearted tone.

    • “It has a really great atmosphere and the setting and characters are very creative.”
    • “Amazing game with fun platforming, genuinely good horror, a distinct and endearing atmosphere and charming, well-written dialogue paired with a story that sneaks up on you but has real effort and emotion behind it.”
    • “The fact that it doesn't rely on a spooky JPEG with a loud noise and instead focuses on the atmosphere and how to set up monsters to make you feel unsettled and eventually scared rather than forcing a scream out of you with a screamer.”
    • “Although the game doesn't ever really try to build a creepy atmosphere, be prepared to get jumped during the game as it likes to have enemies pop up from the darkness from time to time.”
    • “The fact that it doesn't rely on a spooky JPEG with a loud noise and instead focuses on the atmosphere and how to set up monsters to make you feel unsettled and eventually scared rather than forcing a scream out of you with a screamer.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is very much comedy/horror (think of Courage the Cowardly Dog).”
  • emotional25 mentions

    The game is praised for its unique blend of humor and emotional depth, with many players noting that it features touching dialogues and unexpected heartfelt moments. Reviewers describe it as an emotional rollercoaster, often leading to tears, especially during the impactful ending. Overall, it successfully combines quirky mechanics with a compelling narrative that resonates emotionally with players.

    • “The upturned has to be one of the most enjoyable indie games I have ever played, with what's probably both the funniest and most emotional dialogue I've encountered.”
    • “I cried by the end of this game and wished for more.”
    • “It's a game that manages to have excellent humor while still having a really nice and touching story.”
  • character development13 mentions

    Overall, the character development in the game is highly praised for its unique and abstract designs, which are described as fun, endearing, and visually appealing. Players appreciate the creativity in character aesthetics and the integration of humor, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience. The lore and distinct personalities of the characters further enhance the game's charm.

    • “The story, the dialogue, character design, and the music are so great!”
    • “I like the character designs; while simplistic, they're very fun and endearing.”
    • “Love it, love the character designs, creatures, lore, etc.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of meaningful growth or change in the characters is disappointing.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited, primarily due to its structure and the nature of its genre, with many players noting that while there are secret levels and collectibles to discover, they don't significantly enhance the experience beyond the initial playthrough. Some players appreciate the unique levels and memorable characters, which contribute to a satisfying first experience, but the lack of substantial replay value is a common sentiment. In summary, while there are elements that encourage replay, such as collectibles and bonus levels, the overall replayability is deemed just okay, with most players not expecting extensive replay value.

    • “It's very replayable because of its short-term dialogue options that sometimes temporarily affect the way you play and the collectibles you can find.”
    • “The story's intriguing, and there's even replayability in the form of collectibles and bonus levels!”
    • “Each level is unique, the characters are memorable, it has wonderful sound design, and I've found it quite replayable.”
    • “However, aside from the secret levels, the game has little replay value, though because of how it's structured, it doesn't need to be.”
    • “Sadly, there isn't much replayability, but at least you're going to have an amazing experience playing through the game for the first time.”
    • “There are secret collectibles that allow you to play bonus levels, which does help boost the replayability; that being said, they most likely won't add more than 1-3 hours (depending on how many collectibles you missed).”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report minor glitches that resolve themselves, others experience significant bugs that detract from the experience and lead to frustration. Despite these issues, some users still find enjoyment in the gameplay, indicating that the fun can sometimes outweigh the technical problems.

    • “It just doesn't run well and is a lot more buggy than when I first played it.”
    • “Y, so buggy, and so much random crap out of your control happens that you will 100% regret buying this once you get to a certain point.”
    • “Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was proved wrong. It has its quirks and a couple of glitches that still need fixing, which tested my patience.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, with puzzles that can feel repetitive, but they appreciate the overall silliness and fun mechanics. The battle music adds an exciting element, though it often induces anxiety rather than fear.

    • “While a little tedious at times.”
    • “The grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game suffers from poor optimization, with users noting that vsync is consistently disabled upon launch, leading to potential performance issues.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
6-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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