The Wailer

About

The Wailer is a single player role playing shooter game with horror, fantasy and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Ethan Robichaux and was released on May 19, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A highly stylized horror adventure game set in the depths of an ancient dungeon. With torch in hand, explore and find a way to escape before falling prey to the unspeakable horror that lurks within.

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74%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

graphics10 positive mentions

optimization1 negative mentions

Unique and stylish pixelated art style with an eerie, atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the horror experience.
Engaging horror gameplay focused on tension and anxiety with puzzle-solving and maze navigation elements.
Short, free indie game offering good value, with respectful and creative development appreciated by the community.

Frequent crashes causing loss of progress, disrupting gameplay and frustrating players.
Confusing and indistinct level design, leading to disorientation and the need for players to draw their own maps.
Limited gameplay options such as lack of camera control, graphics settings, and lack of clear instructions on controls making it harder to play comfortably.

graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The game features a unique, stylized art style and eerie, atmospheric visuals that effectively build tension and fear, despite being graphically simple and basic. While some find the graphics immersive and fitting for the mood, others note poor performance, limited graphics options, and repetitive, maze-like level design that can feel confusing or directionless. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's haunting ambiance but may feel underwhelming or limited for some players.
- “The visuals and sound design are really eerie and atmospheric. The gameplay builds fear more on tension and anxiety of being hunted by the monster, rather than jumpscares, which I appreciate a lot.”
- “Graphically, the game is simple but very aesthetically stylized; vision never feels cluttered and all puzzle pieces are easily visible!”
- “The stylized visuals will have you wondering whether you're in a nightmare or a surrealist painting, and honestly, we're still not entirely sure.”
- “Poor performance, slow camera, zero options for that, zero graphics options, indistinct mazelike level design.”
- “It's worth a look just for the unique art style but probably doesn't have much to stay for for most players.”
- “Graphically, the game is simple but very aesthetically stylized, vision never feels cluttered and all puzzle pieces are easily visible!”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is atmospheric and relies on building tension through anxiety and a strong light mechanic, rather than jump scares, creating an immersive horror experience. However, it is fairly basic and repetitive, primarily involving maze navigation while evading a monster, with some technical issues noted. Despite its simplicity, the gameplay has potential for expansion and offers satisfying moments of strategic play.
- “The visuals and sound design are really eerie and atmospheric, creating a pleasant gameplay experience where the fear factor is built more on tension and anxiety of being hunted by the monster rather than relying on jumpscares.”
- “I would like to mention that the light mechanic is fantastic and, with some expansion, could be a solid foundation for a larger game.”
- “Was particularly satisfying learning how to cheese game mechanics.”
- “Very atmospheric horror game, but the gameplay is repetitive and basically boils down to running through maze from monster.”
- “2 Unity engine crashes in 8 minutes of gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is very basic.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is cleverly integrated with its scares, creating a balanced experience that evokes both laughter and fright. Developed with creativity and passion, it offers moments that genuinely entertain through unexpected comedic elements amidst the horror.
- “Developed by the mastermind extraordinaire, Ethan Robichaux, this game is a delightful concoction of scares, secrets, and surprises that will leave you both terrified and chuckling in equal measure.”
- “The blend of scares and humor is like a perfect ghostly harmony, with moments that will genuinely make you jump and moments that will have you laughing out loud.”
- “It's a testament to the creativity and passion of indie developers, wrapped in a package that's equal parts terrifying and hilarious.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a highly atmospheric and eerie horror experience, driven by tense sound design and visuals that evoke anxiety rather than relying heavily on jumpscares. Its unique art style and immersive environment effectively create a spooky tone, making the atmosphere one of its standout qualities.
- “The visuals and sound design are really eerie and atmospheric. The gameplay builds fear more on the sense of tension and anxiety of being hunted by the monster, rather than relying on jumpscares, which I appreciate a lot. Jumpscares can still happen if the monster appears from unexpected directions!”
- “The art style and the atmosphere have a very unique scary tone.”
- “Really good atmosphere, puzzles, and art style. I enjoyed it a lot.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is poor, characterized by slow camera performance and a lack of graphics or customization options, which, combined with indistinct mazelike level design, detracts from the overall experience.
- “Poor performance, slow camera, zero options for adjustment, no graphics settings, and indistinct, mazelike level design.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users praise the music for complementing the game's graphics and simple gameplay, creating an enjoyable and immersive experience.