The Windows Are Gone

About

"The Windows Are Gone" is a psychological horror game that immerses players in a disturbing narrative filled with guilt and grief. The retro visuals and atmospheric gameplay create an unsettling atmosphere as you explore a haunted house and uncover its secrets. As you move in and decorate the house, the line between reality and the subconscious becomes increasingly blurred.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 205 reviews

story26 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and immersive atmosphere, effectively building tension and unease throughout the experience.
The sound design and music are exceptional, enhancing the overall horror experience without relying on cheap jump scares.
As a free game, it delivers a compelling story with multiple endings and secrets, making it a worthwhile play for fans of psychological horror.

Players have reported technical issues, including bugs that can cause the game to freeze or softlock, leading to frustration.
The gameplay can feel repetitive at times, particularly during the unpacking segments, which may detract from the overall experience.
There is no save system, meaning players must restart from the beginning if they encounter a bug or need to pause the game.

story
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
45%
6%
The game's story is generally well-received, praised for its emotional depth and exploration of themes like grief and guilt, despite some narrative holes and a lack of complexity. Players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling, engaging sound design, and the ability to uncover multiple endings and secrets, making it a compelling experience, especially for a free game. While it may not innovate significantly, the story's execution and immersive atmosphere leave a lasting impact on players.
- “What a beautiful story about overcoming grief and forgiving yourself even if you were not at fault.”
- “The story is compelling and explores themes of grief and guilt. Despite the game being short, around an hour or so, it offers two endings and secrets to uncover, which makes it worth replaying.”
- “The story is well written while avoiding being too heavy-handed.”
- “They make use of cliche horror trailer tropes, they overexplain the story, and they're just not necessary.”
- “The story itself is *cough* kind of expected.”
- “A really well done, and unsettling story about dealing with grief and guilt.”
atmosphere
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
28%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively building tension and unease throughout the experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of a haunting sound design, a unique visual style reminiscent of PS1 graphics, and atmospheric storytelling that keeps players engaged and on edge. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the psychological horror elements and creating a captivating, unsettling environment.
- “Atmosphere was phenomenal; I got multiple chills during my playthrough.”
- “The atmosphere was top-notch, and I loved the way dread slowly built as I tried to make this strange new house my home.”
- “Incredible sense of unease, plays with atmosphere incredibly well; good short play for a free game.”
- “This was really good, the subtle changes throughout the house during the day as well as the eerie atmosphere were truly effective and built a genuine ominous feel to the whole game.”
- “Starting off as a simple unpacking and decorating sim, it slowly builds up an eerie atmosphere that kept me on edge.”
- “'The windows are gone' is an incredible horror experience that drips with atmosphere and a gripping, tense story with perfect pacing that literally gave me shivers down my spine.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The gameplay is characterized by an immersive and tension-building experience, effectively engaging players through exploration and mystery. While the mechanics are simple and the pacing may feel slow initially, the atmosphere keeps players alert and invested. However, some reviewers noted potential issues with repetitive gameplay and limited replayability, suggesting that the game could benefit from more expansive options and better progress-saving features.
- “I loved the keeps-you-distracted (but-is-also-satisfying-to-do) type gameplay loop, and the sense of tension and unease that builds long before anything really starts happening is beautifully done. I think this is the first game to truly have me on edge over the creaks and groans of an old house, wondering if they were really just that or if I was missing something more malicious.”
- “[b]🎮 Immersive gameplay mechanics[/b]: The game leverages immersive gameplay mechanics that revolve around exploring the vanished windows and uncovering the mysteries behind their disappearance.”
- “This game has an incredible atmosphere; it kept me alert throughout the entire gameplay.”
- “Despite its intriguing premise, the game may suffer from the potential for repetitive gameplay loops.”
- “However, it may face challenges with repetitive gameplay and limited replayability.”
- “Gameplay, again, is fairly simple.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The game's graphics have been praised for their strong aesthetic and effective use of a retro, low-poly art style reminiscent of PS1 visuals, which contribute to a captivating dark atmosphere. While some players appreciate the charm and unique cinematography, others note that the pixelated graphics may not meet modern indie standards, with occasional frame rate issues. Overall, the visuals, combined with excellent sound design, enhance the psychological horror experience.
- “The slow burn into the cacophony of terror was exquisite, the writing and pacing were solid, the sound design was grotesquely brilliant, and I was captivated by the strong aesthetic and vision present from the first cinematic shot in the intro scene to the last in the ending.”
- “I really enjoyed playing the game and especially loved the cinematography and aesthetic of the game.”
- “Also extremely surprised by how good the visual style was nailed for a 'low-poly' art style, and the sound design was absolutely phenomenal and does a super good job.”
- “The retro graphics style of the game adds little charm and may only exist as an excuse to dodge modern indie standards.”
- “I played 700 hours of Skyrim on single-digit FPS, so I'm really not someone who complains about low frames, but it felt a bit ridiculous for a pixelized 'retro graphics' game.”
- “This is a decent short psychological horror game with a retro, pixelated art style.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and tension, with many reviewers praising the soundtrack as a masterpiece that complements the story and sound design. While some players felt there was a bit too much music at times, the overall consensus highlights its effectiveness in creating a creepy and immersive experience. The combination of subtle and intense musical elements contributes significantly to the game's horror impact.
- “The story was incredible and the sound design and music were fantastic.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece and the game is terrifying.”
- “The music is fine, but I would have appreciated less of it.”
- “It would be nice to see an OST release, most notably of the backing during the initial text conversation (it feels like it has inspiration from Aphex Twin's 'Rhubarb').”
- “It's a bite-sized horror with effective use of sound and music, mixing subtle creepy details with in-your-face terror.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game exhibits limited replayability, as players may find little incentive to revisit it once they have uncovered its mysteries. The absence of alternative endings or branching storylines, coupled with repetitive gameplay, further diminishes its long-term appeal for those seeking replay value.
- “Lack of alternative endings or branching storylines could diminish long-term enjoyment for players seeking replay value.”
- “Limited replayability; once players uncover the mysteries, there may be little incentive to play again.”
- “The game may face challenges with repetitive gameplay and limited replayability.”
- “Limited replayability.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sincere and touching narrative that, while not groundbreaking, effectively engages players through its tense and enjoyable storytelling. The protagonist's struggles with emotional issues are explored through heartfelt interactions and a cinematic opening, contributing to the game's psychological horror elements. Overall, it delivers a compelling emotional experience that resonates with players.
- “Emotional, fun, and interesting all throughout the game and story.”
- “Greater than most games of the scale that charge money - a touching story delivered in a sincere, appropriate way.”
- “It starts with a cinematic opening that lays out the backstory, punctuated later on with some very heartfelt text conversations between the protagonist and various other characters.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players have reported encountering various technical issues and optimization challenges while playing, which can detract from the overall experience. However, some appreciate that the game avoids the pitfalls of being poorly optimized or relying on pre-made assets, suggesting a mixed reception regarding its optimization quality.
- “Some players may encounter technical issues or optimization challenges while playing, impacting their overall experience.”
- “Technical issues and optimization challenges.”
- “Finally a 'PSX style' game that is not a bunch of pre-made assets, badly optimized, or boring.”

Buy The Windows Are Gone

1h Median play time

1h Average play time

1h Main story

2h Completionist

1-1h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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