They Breathe

About

"They Breathe" is a challenging, atmospheric platformer where you control a lone frog in its desperate underwater struggle for survival. With minimalistic design and no hand-holding, the game forces you to interpret and learn from its mechanics to progress. Confronting themes of isolation and relentless struggle, it's a hauntingly beautiful experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 835 reviews

gameplay44 positive mentions

replayability4 negative mentions

The game has a unique and eerie atmosphere that effectively builds tension.
The art style and sound design are well-executed, enhancing the overall experience.
It offers a thought-provoking story without any dialogue, allowing players to interpret the narrative themselves.

The game is very short, typically taking only 20-30 minutes to complete.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, leading to limited replay value.
Some players may find the controls clunky and frustrating, impacting the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
169 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The gameplay of "They Breathe" is characterized by its simplicity and brevity, typically lasting around 30 minutes. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and intriguing mechanics, many find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, often comparing it to retro or mobile games. Overall, it offers a unique experience that prioritizes mood and narrative over complex mechanics, making it a mixed bag for those seeking engaging gameplay.
- “The gameplay is intriguing (no spoilers) and the controls are smooth.”
- “The gameplay is difficult enough to challenge you, especially if you are seeking out the achievements, but doesn't get too hard to beat or enjoy.”
- “They Breathe is a horror tale expressed entirely through real-time gameplay with no words or exposition.”
- “In actuality, the gameplay is very simplistic here.”
- “The gameplay is as basic as it gets, and not enough to drive you to continue to the end, which has a mild but unfulfilling aha moment.”
- “The gameplay is very very lacking.. it basically amounts to swimming away from things and collecting bubbles.”
story
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
5%
The game's story is often praised for its simplicity and effectiveness, conveyed entirely through gameplay, atmosphere, and visuals without any dialogue. Players appreciate the dark and intriguing narrative that unfolds as they explore, with many noting its ability to evoke emotions and provoke thought despite its short length. While some find the story minimal or vague, others commend its depth and the unique way it engages players in piecing together the plot through their actions and observations.
- “The 'story' of the game, or the secrets it has, are easily its biggest strength.”
- “It tells a brilliant story without using a single word of dialogue or cut scene or anything other than sounds and aesthetics.”
- “They Breathe is a thrilling and ominous horror game that can display so much story without a single line of narrative.”
- “No cutscenes, no jumpscares, no gore and barely a story, but yet it manages to have a consistent atmosphere and a sense of interest as you progress.”
- “The story is vague and completely unexplained.”
- “The game does not force any kind of a story on you but instead leads you on a journey to discover it for yourself.”
atmosphere
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, combining hand-drawn art, ambient sound design, and a surreal, eerie tone that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and isolation, making it a memorable atmospheric horror experience despite its short length and simplistic gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is considered the game's strongest aspect, effectively drawing players into its haunting underwater world.
- “My personal favorite part of this game is how well the hand-drawn art style, the limited lighting at further depths, and the ambient soundtrack succeed at creating a truly surreal and unnerving atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic, utilizing excellent sound design and unnerving imagery to produce an almost suffocating, dark tension.”
- “The experience, however, is where this game really pays itself off; the atmosphere as you go deeper had me on edge and really creeped out.”
- “Despite its childish gameplay, the game has a gloomy atmosphere.”
- “It's an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, where it feels as if anything could jump at you, where creatures twist and mutate.”
- “The game has a creepy and foreboding atmosphere coming from both the visual and sound design, and the gradual realization of what's happening to your frog brethren and your surroundings as you swim deeper and deeper is fairly disturbing.”
music
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
52%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a haunting and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience with its eerie and ambient qualities. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, noting its effectiveness in setting a surreal and unnerving tone that complements the game's visuals and gameplay. While some find the music to be merely decent or background noise, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's emotional depth and ambiance.
- “My personal favorite part of this game is how well the hand-drawn art style, the limited lighting at further depths, and the ambient soundtrack succeed at creating a truly surreal and unnerving atmosphere.”
- “The music, the details in the drawings and animations, the atmosphere, it's all fantastic for this kind of game; I'm impressed.”
- “The soundtrack is wonderful.”
- “No hints, no tutorials, hell, not even any real music once you've abandoned the surface of the water.”
- “The horror part of this game isn't in jumpscares or anything; it's the plot combined with the atmosphere and music that leaves the player feeling depressed and alone as the game intends to do.”
- “The music, meanwhile, is pure background music, but quite relaxing - it seems like the sort of thing you might leave running in the background when you're doing something else.”
graphics
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique hand-drawn art style that effectively creates an eerie and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. While some players appreciate the charming and colorful visuals, others find them simplistic or lacking in vibrancy compared to other titles. Overall, the art style is seen as integral to the game's storytelling, even if it may not appeal to those seeking high-end graphics.
- “My personal favorite part of this game is how well the hand-drawn art style, the limited lighting at further depths, and the ambient soundtrack succeed at creating a truly surreal and unnerving atmosphere.”
- “The hand-drawn art style is both charming and later on, disturbing, perfectly capturing the alien feel of a flooded forest.”
- “But by god it's a memorable experience, thanks largely to the dreamlike effect created by the cartoonish yet detailed art style and the oppressively somber ambient soundscape.”
- “Visually there's not much to it: the game description mentions 'hand-drawn HD graphics', but these are really dull and lifeless - probably they're meant to be so, but that didn't work for me.”
- “The visuals are pretty poor even for indie game standards and don't really pop to me.”
- “Graphically I personally felt it looked somewhat juvenile, what may have been the point, though the frog sprites in particular weirded me out over the fact it looks like a double amputee missing its front legs.”
replayability
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
74%
15%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily appealing to achievement hunters who may find some value in replaying for completion. Most players feel that once the story is known, the experience loses its novelty, with many noting that the game can be completed in under 30 minutes. While there are mentions of some replay value, particularly for those seeking achievements, the consensus leans towards a lack of substantial incentive to replay after the initial run.
- “It takes about 20 minutes to complete the game once, but can be replayable for hours in order to accomplish all the achievements.”
- “The game adds some replay value to its short length and simple gameplay with its achievements.”
- “Very short but also very replayable game that shows that you don't need great graphics to show shocking images.”
- “After you complete your first run (or dive), the novelty is lost, but there is some replay value while you hunt for annoying achievements.”
- “Little replay value once completed, as you know the plot twist and the enemies are easy to counter once you know them.”
- “I would say there is some replay value in this game but once you've played it through once, you've pretty much seen all there is to see.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mix of creepiness and deep emotional investment, with some players finding it profoundly touching and unsettling. While opinions vary, many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, particularly through its unique narrative and atmospheric elements, making it a memorable experience for those who engage with its story.
- “Highly recommended, this game is creepy, unsettling, and atmospheric, and in addition, provides a fun challenge and some legitimate emotional investment.”
- “After this game, I want to cry :(”
- “Maybe it's because I felt sadness no game has made me feel before when the frog returned to his log.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when pursuing achievements like "it's the frogs!" which can feel pointless at times. While some achievements encourage varied gameplay, many players resort to card farming as a primary activity, leading to a sense of monotony despite the game being free. Overall, the grinding is manageable but can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “I found the grinding to be tedious and ultimately pointless.”
- “I actually find it to be a bit tedious.”
- “While it's certainly not the worst game I have played, it's just kind of a waste of time for anything other than card farming.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of funny and scary elements, providing a lighthearted experience that is enjoyable and entertaining, especially for short breaks. Players find it amusingly brief, making it a quirky choice for a quick laugh.
- “This is a very short game, hilariously short.”
- “Weird funny game for a small pause in between work.”
- “It is a very good game and kind of funny and scary, but most of all I had lots of fun.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and persistent glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly during critical moments such as boss encounters. Players report that these technical problems severely hinder the overall experience, making it frustrating and nearly unplayable.
- “Still buggy; the game crashed at the first point where one of the jellyfish grabs a frog when I swam too far below the screen.”
- “Gameplay is just unbearable, and constant glitches make it even worse.”
- “Unless the game glitches and prevents the screen from panning down to the boss, it's unplayable.”