This Strange Realm Of Mine

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 367 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
This Strange Realm Of Mine Game Cover
Containing some really interesting philosophy between bouts of fun classic FPS gameplay, This Strange Realm of Mine is worth checking out.
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"This Strange Realm Of Mine" is a first-person shooter with elements of poetry and psychological horror. After creating your character and dying, you'll explore your afterlife, meeting various characters and their stories while solving puzzles. Combat includes a variety of weapons to fend off monstrous beings in a universe filled with both beauty and horror. The game also features an original soundtrack.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 367 reviews
story52 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of gameplay styles, including FPS mechanics, puzzles, and philosophical storytelling, which keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
  • The art style and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, creating a captivating environment that enhances the overall experience.
  • The narrative tackles deep themes such as mental health, existence, and personal growth, resonating with players on a personal level.
  • The dialogue can be overly verbose and pretentious, often feeling like a lecture rather than an engaging conversation, which may alienate some players.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and simplistic at times, with limited enemy variety and basic combat mechanics that may not satisfy those looking for a challenging shooter experience.
  • The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 2-3 hours, which may leave some players feeling that it doesn't offer enough content for the price.
  • story166 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its philosophical depth and unique narrative style, while others find it convoluted and overly pretentious. Some reviews highlight the intriguing characters and environments that enhance the storytelling experience, but many criticize the execution, noting that the plot can feel disjointed and lacks coherence. Overall, while the story is a significant aspect of the game, its effectiveness varies widely among players, with some finding it captivating and others deeming it a slog.

    • “The game's world and characters encourage players to dive deeper into the story.”
    • “The overall story is quite compelling and deals with issues such as anxiety, depression, and isolation; the way these feelings are portrayed is quite accurate and the messages the game sends can be very helpful and never feel forced.”
    • “This strange realm of mine is a stunning game; entertaining, a good old-style shooter with a great story that makes you think about who you are right now!”
    • “It's very basic and tries way too hard to be 'deep' with the story.”
    • “What little plot there is largely takes the place of barely connected vignettes which usually involve meeting a new character, and helping them out in some manner, usually by going through some repetitive gameplay section.”
    • “The story, however, is like the scattered incoherent musings of someone sloppily going through their first intro to western philosophy, writing down whatever seemed pseudo-profound.”
  • gameplay158 mentions

    The gameplay of "This Strange Realm of Mine" is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of first-person shooting, puzzles, and narrative-driven elements that some players find engaging while others criticize for being simplistic and repetitive. While the shooting mechanics are generally solid and enjoyable, many reviewers feel that the game relies too heavily on dialogue and text, detracting from the overall experience. The variety in gameplay styles and scenarios is appreciated, but the execution often leaves players wanting more depth and innovation.

    • “A fantastic story with surprisingly great and diverse gameplay and settings.”
    • “The gameplay is often basic, but quite fun and most of the puzzles/activities you get tasked with are intuitive (like the little picture rotation puzzles and power path ones).”
    • “A thought-provoking experience that explores concepts of reality, mindset, and mental health with enough varied gameplay to keep it exciting.”
    • “So you'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes because the developers couldn't work out how to relate their narrative through the game mechanics, and decided instead it would be better to compete with reading a book for your time.”
    • “The gameplay is simplistic and plainly boring; you go through linear levels, shoot at one type of enemy, and 'talk' to anime-styled characters that dish out monologues ranging from somewhat infantile philosophical reflections to just straight-out metaphysical babble.”
    • “Unfortunately, it is the gameplay that often lets this strange realm of mine down.”
  • graphics94 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style that effectively conveys a surreal and dark atmosphere, resonating well with its psychological horror themes. While some players appreciate the nostalgic retro aesthetic and immersive visuals, others criticize the low-quality textures and simplistic design, suggesting that it may be a cover for a lack of depth in gameplay. Overall, the visuals are seen as a mixed bag, with many praising their ability to evoke emotion and enhance the game's narrative, despite some reservations about their execution.

    • “The pixel art style of this strange realm of mine is really good, and honestly, some of the imagery manages to be incredibly creepy to the point where a few levels actually chilled me with the characters you witness in those levels.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and the best part is that I've had no issues running it on my computer at all.”
    • “The game's visuals are very well done, using pixelated graphics that create ambiences that can feel both creepy and relaxing.”
    • “This very poor quality visual style is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to disguise it under the name of 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
    • “It’s not like choosing 16-bit graphics as your art style because you like the way that looks; a 3D action game where most of the key characters and objects are just rotating sprites is objectively worse than an actual 3D shooter.”
    • “The graphics are decidedly indie and there's only 3 hours of gameplay here, but that gameplay is decidedly solid, the narrative is breathtakingly strange, and the whole thing is indescribably disconcerting.”
  • music55 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the visuals, creating a memorable experience. While some tracks are described as beautiful and fitting, others find the overall soundtrack to be bland or repetitive, suggesting that it may not be essential for gameplay. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight for some players, while others prefer to listen to their own selections instead.

    • “The music in this game is incredible as well.”
    • “The graphic art is awesome, the soundtrack goes into my soul and the atmosphere is just perfect.”
    • “Additionally, the music is really good in both aiding the general atmosphere but also just being straight bangers on their own.”
    • “For the most part, it's really bland droning noises, but there are quite a few decent tracks, the tavern music being my favorite one since it does have a really relaxing tone to calm yourself from the creepy journey.”
    • “The music in 'This Strange Realm of Mine' just doesn't fit; it's somber, dull, and really doesn't fit most of the time. The only song I genuinely liked and that fit the level was the music in 'Revelations.'”
    • “I feel like this game is brought down by all the corny pseudo-philosophical crap and cheesy edgy song lyrics.”
  • atmosphere25 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of cute pixel graphics and a surreal, dreamlike quality that evokes both lightheartedness and underlying darkness, reflecting themes of death and depression. Players appreciate the immersive experience created by atmospheric sound design, diverse gameplay, and a chilling soundtrack, which together enhance the game's unique style and philosophical undertones. Overall, the atmosphere is noted for its ability to evoke tension and intrigue, making it a memorable aspect of the game.

    • “The atmosphere is really good and it makes for a very immersive experience, also thanks to its diverse and unpredictable gameplay.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is spot-on with both its bright/happy and dark/depressing environments making you feel both safe and unsafe.”
    • “These environments combined with various lighting and distortion effects and ambient music complement the dreamlike atmosphere of the game well.”
    • “The atmosphere is tense and creepy at times and all the poetry everywhere is also really cool, it fits well with the theme of the game.”
    • “Low-fi aesthetics and atmosphere hint at something dark going on behind the curtain, but later it's revealed to be just philosophical ramblings.”
    • “Can't help but feel it was supposed to be a horror game, in a way that a children's cartoon has jokes for adults, the colorful and cheery atmosphere could hide something very disturbing.”
  • replayability17 mentions

    The game offers a mix of replayability through multiple endings and branching paths, with playthroughs lasting around 1-7 hours depending on the player's pace. While some players find the replay value limited due to repetitive elements and minimal differences in outcomes, others appreciate the opportunity to explore various choices and achievements. Overall, the replayability is present but may vary significantly based on individual player engagement and goals.

    • “The game is short but offers replay value with multiple endings.”
    • “Game probably will take you 6-7 hours in the most slow run, but because of the multiple endings and ways of finishing the game, it has lots of replay value.”
    • “This strange realm of mine also features multiple endings based on choices you make in the game, adding plenty of replayability.”
    • “Pretty weird game that supposedly has a lot of replayability for branching paths, but I personally played through twice and didn't see much difference nor did I have much drive for a third.”
    • “There is some replay value for the achievements, but not much other than that as the game is always the same and the different endings are a text-only verdict based on the player's choices.”
    • “It does get a bit repetitive here and there and since replayability is key, perhaps some way to shorten certain sections might have helped a bit.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating the clever details and funny elements woven throughout the levels. While some moments elicit both laughter and cringe, the overall comedic tone enhances the experience, making it engaging and enjoyable. Players also note that the humor complements the story and gameplay, adding an extra layer of fun to the action.

    • “Cool game, and I like the story and humorous elements... it made me laugh and sucked me in as well as had me glued to the edge of my chair in some of the FPS battles!”
    • “I'm enjoying the little humorous bits I'm seeing scattered around the world - and all in all, I'm really glad I went ahead and gave this one a try.”
    • “The enemies spooked me on occasion, I have to admit... there's a lot of funny details in the levels and the lighting specifically is always fantastic.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling it drags on longer than necessary. While the difficulty levels offer some variety, the repetitive nature of certain tasks can detract from the overall experience, despite the option to sprint to alleviate some monotony.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
    • “It was tedious and frustrating by the time I got to the ending.”
    • “Some of it I relate to, but too often it goes on for far too long and becomes more tedious than interesting.”
    • “Thankfully you can sprint in this so that things don't get too tedious, but then you are forced to direct a blimp through mountains for five minutes while nothing happens.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game evokes a wide range of emotions, blending creepy elements with heartwarming moments, resulting in a unique experience that can be both comforting and unsettling. Many players found it deeply engaging, with some even moved to tears, highlighting its ability to balance wholesome themes with moments of sadness in a concise playtime.

    • “First game that's made me cry in a long time.”
    • “The game was pretty wholesome at times and depressing at others, which was interesting for such a short game (~2.5 hours).”
    • “Comforting and scary both, touching and engaging.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is generally well-optimized, running smoothly with impressive graphics, though some users report slight performance drops on larger levels, particularly on older systems like Windows 7 with a GTX 1080. Overall, it is praised as a fun indie shooter with solid optimization.

    • “It runs smoothly & is just a great little indie game to play, highly recommend.”
    • “Really fun shooter, the soundtrack is very well done as well as the graphics/optimization.”
    • “- Slight performance drops on larger levels with Windows 7 Pro x64 (using 1080 GTX).”
    • “Slight performance drops on larger levels with Windows 7 Pro x64 (using GTX 1080).”
    • “Really fun shooter, the soundtrack is very well done as well as the graphics/optimization, but around an hour in you get severely sick of reading extensive existential dialogue about psychology, mental health, religion, philosophy, and other tough subjects.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report that the game's stability is inconsistent, with some experiencing bugs and default physics. However, the movement restrictions seem to prevent common glitches, suggesting a mixed experience overall.

    • “The game is incredibly buggy.”
    • “I felt the physics were very 'default', but there were enough restrictions on movement that I couldn't initiate common Unity glitches.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy This Strange Realm Of Mine

Play time

5hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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