The Voidness - Lidar Horror Survival Game
- October 30, 2023
- Steelkrill Studio
- 2h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"The Voidness is a SCI-FI horror game where you must scan the dark, eerie environment with a range finder device to see and avoid the mysterious entity stalking you. With a warning for flashing lights, fear, blood, and jumpscares, players must unravel the story and try to escape the void."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and innovative concept using a scanner to navigate through darkness, creating a tense and immersive horror experience.
- Despite being a solo developer effort, the game successfully delivers a compelling story and atmosphere, with effective sound design and voice acting.
- Many players found the game to be genuinely scary, with well-placed jump scares and a sense of dread that kept them engaged throughout the short playtime.
- The game suffers from various technical issues, including bugs related to controls, performance drops, and crashes, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Some players felt that the game was too short and lacked replayability, with a desire for more content and depth in gameplay mechanics.
- The reliance on jump scares and loud noises for horror was criticized, with some players finding it repetitive and not as effective as building tension through atmosphere.
- story16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its compelling narrative and unique horror elements, particularly the concept of navigating a dark environment using a scanner. However, some critiques mention a lack of depth and coherence, particularly with an infodump at the end, suggesting that while the story has potential, it could benefit from more refinement. Overall, it effectively contributes to the game's atmosphere and horror experience, especially for an early access title developed by a single person.
“I kinda like the story and the concept of the void and its creatures, and visually it looks good.”
“The story was compelling and the gameplay was a very unique twist on a familiar style.”
“This is a really good horror game given that it's only developed by one developer. I really like the idea that you have to use a device to scan the environment in order to see anything. The story of the game is really interesting, especially the voice acting, which is incredibly good. I 100% recommend the game for anyone looking to get a good horror experience.”
“There's a bit of a story here, but mostly at the start and a big infodump at the end.”
“The story is decent (borrowing a bit from 'Soma' and 'Returnal'), but it's still fine for a horror game.”
“As the game description says, you have to navigate through a pitch black area called the void during the story, and your only way to see is with a scanner gun.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique range finder mechanic that creates an oppressive atmosphere, drawing comparisons to similar titles. While the game is relatively short at around two hours, players appreciate its original concept and compelling story, though some find the pacing slow. Overall, the mechanics are praised for their innovation and execution, making it a standout experience for fans of atmospheric horror games.
“The game is kind of short (around 2 hours of gameplay) but I think that is not a problem at all, because I really enjoyed it.”
“Excellent original gameplay concept, executed extremely well.”
“The atmosphere is well done, the scan tool is an interesting mechanic, and the story was more than I was expecting for an early access.”
“In a few minutes of gameplay, I found so many things wrong.”
“Great for people who like this sort of concept, but between the run and the gameplay being a little too slow for my liking, I just went for the refund this time.”
“The game is kind of short (around 2 hours of gameplay), but I think that is not a problem at all, because I really enjoyed it.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its oppressive and creepy qualities, effectively creating tension through both sound design and level layout. While some players noted issues with translation that detracted from the overall experience, the unique mechanics and well-executed ambiance contribute to a haunting and immersive environment. Overall, the game successfully delivers a spooky and desolate atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
“The atmosphere is well done, the scan tool is an interesting mechanic, and the story was more than I was expecting for an early access.”
“The voidness does a strong job creating an oppressive atmosphere, and as a fan of Scanner Sombre, it's interesting to compare and contrast the differences between the two titles.”
“Some mechanics could be smoothed out, but the atmosphere is really creepy.”
“An interesting concept that delivers a creepy atmosphere and nail-biting tension.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their quality and visual appeal, with many users highlighting the fantastic visuals and smooth movement. However, the introduction of the lidar scanner negatively impacts gameplay for some, and the lack of customizable graphical options, such as resolution and detail settings, is a notable drawback.
“Awesome graphics and movement of the game though.”
“It controlled well, good graphics, good story.”
“The graphics are really fantastic.”
“The introductory non-LiDAR part works, but as soon as the LiDAR scanner gets introduced, it becomes unplayable immediately.”
“Graphical options are non-existent; I can't change the resolution, switch VSync, adjust detail settings, or turn subtitles on or off.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Users report significant performance inconsistencies, with some areas achieving high frame rates (up to 240 fps) while others, particularly in specific locations like spoilers base 2 and a house scene, drop to as low as 2 fps. These optimization issues are particularly concerning given the hardware capabilities of users, such as the 4070 ti, indicating a need for further optimization efforts by the developers.
“Performance-wise, with the void, I get around 110 fps with a bunch of particles and 240 with almost none, which is great for a solo dev. However, for some reason at Spoilers Base 2, I get around 10 fps at lowest settings on ultra and 20 at lowest on medium. I didn't test low, as 10 between medium and ultra says enough. Since I have a 4070 Ti, I believe these performance issues should be looked at.”
“In the house scene with the child, there are still some performance issues (sometimes in the house, only 2 fps!!!).”
“Performance-wise, with the void I get around 110 fps with a bunch of particles and 240 with almost none, which is great for a solo dev. But for some reason, at Spoilers Base 2, I get around 10 fps at lowest settings on ultra and 20 at lowest on medium (I didn't test low as 10 between medium and ultra says enough) pretty commonly. Since I have a 4070 Ti, I believe these performance issues should be looked at.”
“At the house scene with the child, there are still some performance problems (sometimes in the house, 2 fps!!!).”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, particularly with frequent lidar resetting glitches that persist even after reinstallation, leading to frustration and a lack of resolution despite troubleshooting efforts.
“Lastly, the canonical glitches of the lidar resetting are annoyingly abundant.”
“Didn't work again even with a reinstall, and my days of troubleshooting games are done.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music effectively enhances the atmosphere by creating tension, contributing positively to the overall experience of the game.
“The music does its work and manages to create a tense atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing every moment.”
“Each track is thoughtfully composed, immersing players in the game's world.”
