THE VOIDNESS - Scary LIDAR Scanner Horror Game
- April 17, 2023
- Steelkrill Studio
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Voidness" is a scary LIDAR scanner horror game where you scan the environment to see and try to escape the dark void. Using your microphone, beware that you are not alone as creatures can hear you, making this a tense and immersive experience. The first chapter is free on Itch.io, with additional chapters available for purchase on Steam. Follow the developer on Twitter for updates and support.
Reviews
- The game features a unique scanning mechanic that creates a tense atmosphere and enhances the horror experience.
- Many players found the story compelling and the voice acting surprisingly good for a one-developer project.
- Despite its short length, the game effectively delivers scares and keeps players engaged throughout the experience.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and control issues, making it difficult for some players to progress.
- There is an over-reliance on jump scares, which some players found to be cheap and repetitive.
- The game lacks polish in terms of graphics and sound design, with reports of performance issues and poor localization.
- story46 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its unique concept and engaging narrative that unfolds through environmental clues and dialogue. While some found it predictable and noted an infodump at the end, the atmosphere and mechanics, particularly the scanning tool, added depth to the experience. Overall, the storytelling is considered a strong point of the game, contributing to its tension and horror elements.
“An overall great indie developed game - excellent story and dialogue, and the game knows how to scare without solely relying on jump scares.”
“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 person. 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.”
“The story is a bit predictable, and one particular type of jumpscare was overused, but the lidar mechanic was really well-executed and the enemy encounters were genuinely tense!”
“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.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily driven by an innovative lidar scanning mechanic that enhances exploration and creates a tense atmosphere, though it is noted to be somewhat short, lasting around two hours. While the mechanics are generally well-executed and unique, some players found the pacing slow and the story predictable, with certain jumpscares being overused. Overall, the game is praised for its originality and immersive experience, making it a worthwhile play for fans of the genre.
“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.”
“Excellent original gameplay concept, executed extremely well.”
“Felt very fresh with the scanning mechanics and just loved exploring.”
“In a few minutes of gameplay, I found so many things wrong.”
“Great for people who like this sort of concept, I got it thinking I would like it more, 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.”
- atmosphere22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its tension and creepiness, effectively creating a heavy and oppressive environment that enhances the overall experience. While some players noted a reliance on jump scares, many appreciated the unsettling ambiance and well-executed sound design that contributed to a spooky and immersive setting. However, issues with translation in the logs were mentioned as a minor detractor from an otherwise top-notch atmosphere.
“An interesting concept that delivers a creepy atmosphere and nail-biting tension.”
“I really liked the atmosphere while I was playing; it felt quiet, desolate, and gloomy.”
“This title has so much potential but sadly relies too much on jump scares instead of an unsettling atmosphere.”
“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.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their quality and innovation, with players noting impressive visuals and smooth movement. However, significant performance issues arise when entering certain areas, particularly after the introduction of the lidar scanner, leading to a frustrating experience. Additionally, the lack of graphical options, such as resolution adjustments and detail settings, limits players' ability to optimize performance.
“Awesome graphics and movement of the game though.”
“It controlled well, good graphics, good story.”
“This game has good sound, and graphics.”
“In the intro, I was running on the highest possible settings (I have a 4070 Super & 64GB of RAM), but roughly halfway through the game, when I first entered an area no longer in the void, the performance issues reared up. I lowered my graphics all the way to the lowest without much change.”
“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 resolution, can't switch VSync, can't change details, and can't turn on/off subtitles.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music and voice acting in the game have received high praise for their quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, contributing to a sense of creepiness. While the soundtrack effectively sets tension, some reviewers noted a lack of dynamic progression in the music to heighten suspense. Overall, the audio elements are well-integrated and serve their purpose in enriching the gaming experience.
“Amazing job with the soundtrack; it fits perfectly into the game and adds a bit of extra creepiness.”
“The certain elements of the music, the voice acting, and the audio were amazing.”
“There is very little of ramping up the soundtrack to increase tension or unique use of the lidar feature to disorient the player.”
“The music does its work and manages to put some tension on the atmosphere.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization appears to be inconsistent, with significant performance drops in certain areas despite high-end hardware, such as a 4070 Super and 64GB of RAM. While players report good frame rates in some environments, they experience severe lag in others, suggesting that optimization issues need to be addressed for a smoother experience.
“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 at ultra and 20 at lowest at 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.”
“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 at ultra and 20 at lowest at 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 intro, I was running on the highest possible settings (I have a 4070 Super & 64GB of RAM), but roughly halfway through the game, when I first entered an area no longer in the void, the performance issues reared up. I lowered my graphics all the way to the lowest without much change.”
“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 at ultra and 20 at lowest at 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.”
“The following may not happen to you, as I am not sure if it was a hiccup in my rig or the game optimization.”
- stability4 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. This has led to frustration, with some players expressing a reluctance to continue troubleshooting.
“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.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express that the humor in the game could be improved, particularly criticizing the animation style, which some find reminiscent of a "Ministry of Funny Walks" sketch. Additionally, there are suggestions to avoid revealing negative elements too early in the gameplay to enhance the comedic experience.
