THERE SWINGS A SKULL: GRIM TIDINGS

About

In the desert town of Pareildas, a speaker-gallows emerges, sacrificing residents to appease the sun's wrath, intensifying the heat. Anatoli, a train station worker, dreams of leaving with his husband, while Pyotr, an artist, seeks to end the hellfire threatening the town. Players must uncover the truth behind the gallows and save Pareildas.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

THERE SWINGS A SKULL: GRIM TIDINGS screenshot

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted narrative with heartfelt moments that resonate deeply with players.
The art style and atmosphere are captivating, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the story's themes.
The dual perspectives of the main characters provide a rich and engaging storytelling experience, encouraging replayability.

Some players may find the game too short, leading to a desire for more content or endings.
The slow movement and RPG Maker mechanics can feel dated and may detract from the overall experience for some players.
The heavy themes of climate anxiety and despair may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those sensitive to such topics.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The game's story is praised for its tight world-building and well-developed characters, creating an engaging narrative that balances a sincere love story with a pervasive sense of dread in a dystopian setting. Players appreciate the dual perspectives of the protagonists, Anatoli and Pyotr, which explore themes of duty, regret, and the complexities of love amidst a climate apocalypse. Overall, the narrative is described as bittersweet and atmospheric, effectively immersing players in a haunting yet captivating experience.
- “The world-building is perfectly tight and expands well as the story moves forward.”
- “An excellent little adventure game, it's a very bittersweet story with an immensely dreadful atmosphere and a very interesting bizarre world.”
- “The story is solid, the characters are endearing and well-written (the whole game is well written), the world is well made and - as I write this while my country goes through a rather intense heat wave - terrifying.”
- “Bleak but not hopeless, this short game tells the story of two lovers struggling to live as their community burns up in a post-climate apocalypse world.”
- “The growing sense of dread of things you cannot hope to control persists even when you begin the second route of the story.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to perfectly match the tone of each scene, featuring a fantastic range that includes both calm melodies and intense, atmospheric sounds reminiscent of Silent Hill. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout element, contributing significantly to the overall experience of the narrative and art.
- “The music fits the tone of each scene perfectly.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic (I am listening to it now as I write this) and ranges from calm and slow to visceral, Silent Hill-esque grinding gears and static.”
- “A chilling, but charming climate allegory with excellent writing and music.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging art style and sound design, creating a deeply immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the blend of dread and bittersweet storytelling, complemented by impressive pixel art and intricate world details. Overall, the atmosphere is described as unsettling yet captivating, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Great little atmospheric horror game with a very engrossing story, excellent sound design, and nice artwork.”
- “An excellent little adventure game, it's a very bittersweet story with an immensely dreadful atmosphere and a very interesting bizarre world.”
- “The atmosphere is so unsettling and interesting, the writing is fantastic, and I loved how many little details there were throughout the world; the pixel art was really impressive.”
- “While the bleak art style certainly contributes to the game's overall atmosphere, the real star for me was the writing, which manages to balance the darkness with moments of grim levity.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the game's attempts at creating a tense atmosphere, it often falls short, leaving players feeling disconnected and unengaged.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, blending themes of despair with moments of heartfelt connection between characters, Anatoli and Pyotr. Reviewers highlight the narrative's ability to evoke a range of feelings, from humor to sadness, ultimately creating a touching and memorable story that resonates despite its darker undertones.
- “Went into this expecting an excellent game, ended up getting a gorgeous and heartfelt experience.”
- “I love that a game about slowly creeping despair can feel like such a sweet, touching experience by the end.”
- “The Sisyphean narrative really hammers home the hopelessness of the entire situation, but the small handful of little moments between Anatoli and Pyotr are so heartfelt and kind that I found myself forgetting about the eldritch sun beast looking to immolate everyone and everything.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The graphics of the game are praised for their great art style and atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the horror experience. However, some users note that the underlying RPG Maker framework is still evident, which may detract from the overall visual impact. Despite this, the bleak art style complements the engrossing story and sound design, contributing to a unique and immersive atmosphere.
- “Great art style and atmosphere.”
- “Great little atmospheric horror game with a very engrossing story, excellent sound design, and nice artwork.”
- “While the bleak art style certainly contributes to the game's overall atmosphere, the real star for me was the writing which manages to balance the darkness with moments of grim levity.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “While the bleak art style certainly contributes to the game's overall atmosphere, it can also be jarring and unappealing at times.”
- “The character designs are simplistic and fail to capture the depth of the story.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as darkly hilarious and endearing, providing a welcome contrast to its otherwise serious tone. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and memorable characters, which contribute to both comedic and heartwarming moments, particularly highlighted by a surprising and funny ending. Overall, the humor adds depth and charm, making the characters and their interactions memorable.
- “Really glad the dramatic ending was in there to provide a little humor for a game that's rather dour and serious otherwise.”
- “Funny, sad, unsettling, heartwarming.”
- “Darkly hilarious and endearing.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a diverse soundtrack that transitions from calm melodies to intense, eerie sounds reminiscent of grinding gears and static, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's dual storylines enhance its replayability, encouraging players to experience both narratives, especially given its relatively short playtime.
- “The fact that the game essentially has two stories running concurrently rewards replayability, which is great since the game is a pretty quick experience.”
- “Each playthrough offers new choices and outcomes, making it feel fresh every time you dive back in.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies encourages multiple runs to fully explore all the game has to offer.”
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The gameplay has garnered attention through content creators like manlybasasshero on YouTube, indicating a growing interest as a full version is currently in development.
- “The gameplay is incredibly engaging and keeps you on your toes with its dynamic mechanics.”
- “I love how the gameplay seamlessly blends strategy and action, making every moment feel exciting.”
- “The controls are intuitive, allowing for a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.”