Thirty Minute Nightmare

About

Thirty Minute Nightmare is a single player action game. It was developed by digitalbathtub and was released on June 17, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A short and sweet Survival Horror story with terrifying environments, a dark-ambient soundtrack and creatures hiding behind every corner. This is both a 90's classic PSX-style experience as well as a horrifying modern day adventure: The era and style of graphics is your choice. Good luck...

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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69%

Audience ScoreBased on 32 reviews

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a decent horror ambiance and a thrilling soundtrack that enhances the experience.
For its low price, it provides a fun, albeit short, gameplay experience that can be enjoyed without high expectations.
The game has moments that evoke nostalgia for classic horror games, making it a charming, silly experience.

The game is significantly shorter than advertised, with many players completing it in under 30 minutes.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with easy-to-defeat enemies and minimal challenge.
The ending can be confusing and frustrating, leaving players without clear guidance on how to progress.

music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to create a tense and immersive atmosphere, with many players noting the effective use of a dreadful soundtrack that enhances the sense of impending doom. Reviewers express a desire for the soundtrack to be available as DLC, highlighting its integral role in the overall experience. Despite some gameplay frustrations, the music consistently contributes to the game's suspenseful ambiance.
- “While Thirty Minute Nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and a (optional, but highly recommended) faux-retro graphic filter.”
- “The ending music really gives you a sense of impending doom.”
- “Despite the waning immersion and slightly mounting frustration during this part, the developer managed to maintain a tense, suspenseful ambiance thanks to the thrilling music that he chose for the entire project.”
- “While thirty minute nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and a (optional, but highly recommended) faux-retro graphic filter.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
60%
30%
The gameplay is described as repetitive and simple, involving running, shooting enemies, and collecting keys within a short playtime. Despite its limited mechanics, the game effectively immerses players with a haunting soundtrack and an optional faux-retro graphic filter.
- “While Thirty Minute Nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and an optional, but highly recommended, faux-retro graphic filter.”
- “Gameplay was kind of repetitive even with the short playtime.”
- “Both the story and gameplay are equally simple; the sparsely narrated tale is about a nightmare that the developer had, and the gameplay has you running around, shooting enemies, and collecting keys.”
- “While the thirty-minute nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and a (optional, but highly recommended) faux-retro graphic filter.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing the modern graphics as "terrible" and finding the option to switch between modern and retro styles to be a gimmick. However, some players appreciate the immersive experience provided by the faux-retro graphic filter in "Thirty Minute Nightmare," which enhances the overall atmosphere despite the gameplay limitations.
- “While Thirty Minute Nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and a (optional, but highly recommended) faux-retro graphic filter.”
- “The modern graphics are terrible.”
- “The ability to switch between 'modern' and 1997 graphics is a weird gimmick that I personally didn't care for, but you may be into it if you like your graphics more pixelated.”
- “While Thirty Minute Nightmare doesn't do much in terms of gameplay, it manages to fully immerse players in its world with a dreadful soundtrack and an optional, but highly recommended, faux-retro graphic filter.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The story has been widely criticized for its simplicity and lack of depth, described as a poorly narrated account of a nightmare experienced by the developer. Reviewers feel that it fails to engage players, paralleling the simplistic gameplay.
- “Both the story and gameplay are equally simple; the sparsely narrated tale is about a nightmare that the developer had, and the gameplay has you running around, shooting enemies, and collecting keys.”
- “The story is terrible.”
- “The story is terrible.”