Tormenture

About

Tormenture is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Croxel Studios and was released on October 21, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Tormenture is a single-player action psychological horror game set in the 80s, featuring a dense atmosphere and a cursed 8-bit game within a game. Players explore eerie paranormal events and solve complex puzzles to collect four sacred relics, blurring the line between nightmare and reality. Despite its immersive story, the game is known for being very buggy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 126 reviews

atmosphere10 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

The game captures a nostalgic and spooky atmosphere reminiscent of childhood gaming experiences, blending retro graphics with clever puzzles.
Puzzles are well-crafted and gradually increase in difficulty, providing a satisfying challenge without causing frustration.
The unique gameplay mechanics, where events in the game affect the real-world environment, create an engaging and immersive experience.

The game is plagued by bugs and glitches, particularly in the final boss fight and item mechanics, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Backtracking can become tedious, especially when trying to solve puzzles that require multiple item retrievals, which disrupts the flow of the game.
Some puzzles are overly cryptic or lack clear guidance, making it difficult for players to progress without resorting to external help.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating glitches. While many players appreciate the nostalgic, retro-inspired design and clever puzzles reminiscent of classic adventure games, some express disappointment over unclear instructions and buggy elements that detract from the experience. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of horror and adventure, but may require perseverance to fully enjoy its depth and intricacies.
- “This game blends the horror of playing a haunted console retro game very well throughout the entire gameplay, making you feel like you're experiencing the nostalgia of playing retro games as a kid again in the dark.”
- “The progression and secrets are all masterfully balanced, the animations are great to watch, and the game throws some nice surprises your way in both gameplay and narrative... incredible from start to finish.”
- “The mechanics are so simple but offer a lot of variety with puzzles, taking the basic mechanics of adventure for the Atari 2600 and adding a bunch of horror and fourth-wall breaking puzzles on top of it.”
- “The bridge thing at the end was just... I had to actually look up a walkthrough to finally figure out that you could pick that up - that was in no way or form explained or expected. Everything after that just felt extremely tedious; like the whole bridge mechanic was so buggy it would get laid down to just be picked up again when you tried to walk over it. When you tried to pick it up, it wouldn't react. I settled for the bad ending because it was the easiest way out and I really didn't have the energy to go on after the glitch in the forest and then in addition the bridge...”
- “It's definitely not for everyone and it took a fair bit of perseverance at the start for me to understand some of the game mechanics; I can see this lack of direction/instruction being too much of a hurdle for some.”
- “In the end, the gameplay just wasn't engaging enough for me to feel compelled to find every single easter egg or figure out every secret to get a good ending.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of cozy and spooky elements, effectively capturing a nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic while delivering a tense, psychological horror experience. Players appreciate the engaging sound design and the eerie, immersive environments that evoke feelings of unease and nostalgia, making it a standout in atmospheric adventure gaming. Overall, the game successfully creates a compelling and unsettling atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience without relying heavily on jump scares.
- “The atmosphere in the room is so cozy and spooky at the same time, and it's so cool to experience.”
- “Loved the wonderfully spooky atmosphere, puzzle solving, retro feel, and jump scares.”
- “A love letter to classic games while being a wonderful display of psychological horror with perfect atmosphere.”
- “You're not going to be losing sleep playing through this, but it fully delivers on the creepy atmosphere of a 'child trapped in a cursed 8-bit game' premise from the store description.”
- “The atmosphere alone was enough to make me feel unsettled, if you're still thinking about getting the game.”
- “It is not your classical horror game, with lots of jumpscares (I only encountered one) and spine-chilling atmosphere, but it creates a different kind of feeling, the one you had as a child when you were left alone at home during nighttime.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game's graphics pay homage to classic Atari aesthetics, effectively creating a nostalgic and creepy atmosphere that enhances the horror experience. While the pixel art style is generally well-received, some players noted a decline in quality and performance issues as the game progressed. Overall, the retro graphics contribute to a unique vibe that appeals to fans of cryptic puzzles and old-school gaming, though it may not resonate with everyone.
- “The game is clearly a love letter to old Atari games, and it does an amazing job at pulling off some really good scares with the limited graphics, which is always so cool to see.”
- “It feels like a wonderful, sprawling adventure game and the graphics give it a creepy, surreal atmosphere.”
- “It isn't super long, so it's great for a short Halloween experience, and it does some great work with its mix of 8-bit and 3D graphics.”
- “This is a gem of a horror game that I think most people are going to overlook due to the old school Atari aesthetic.”
- “I should note that the overwhelming majority of the game is Atari style graphics, which is fine for me but wasn't obvious on the store page that I could tell.”
- “The majority of the gameplay is really the old school top down low res graphics part.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of Tormenture has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs that hinder gameplay, such as glitches that disrupt progression and mechanics that fail to function as intended. Many users experienced frustrating issues, including lost progress due to bugs and tedious backtracking, leading to an overall impression that the game feels unpolished and in need of further testing before release. While some glitches may contribute to the game's atmosphere, the overwhelming consensus is that the instability detracts significantly from the overall experience.
- “Tormenture really tried, but in the end, the game is very buggy. It doesn't feel polished. I spent several hours just running back and forth trying to open a single door, and when the game bugged out, I was suddenly able to walk on water. At least that way I could progress, but shortly after that ability was gone again.”
- “The game became quite buggy, and I lost too much progression on each bugged death. The trek back to where I was was just not worth finishing the game for when I have a glut of great games to play at the moment.”
- “There are glitches throughout; the game definitely needed more testing before release.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it unoriginal and lacking engagement, while others appreciate its depth and the way it intertwines with well-designed puzzles. While certain elements, like easter eggs, add to the experience, they often do not contribute meaningfully to the main narrative. Overall, the story's execution varies, with some players feeling it enhances the gameplay, while others find it tedious and difficult to navigate.
- “A unique experience - creepy, well-designed, solid puzzles, enough of a buried plot to make you want to dig for it.”
- “I found the puzzles to be very well balanced difficulty-wise and the bits of story you get to have genuinely pulled me in.”
- “Fantastic construction of a game with puzzly bits, story, ambiance, and really great sound and visual design.”
- “Honestly, I just can't say much that's good here. It's a buggy, boring, and overall not fun game with a plot that's kind of been done to death.”
- “Since I had missed so many key items, the only way I triggered the boss fight was by looking up a guide, but why is it so difficult to find story items?”
- “The easter eggs are easier to find and most of them lend nothing to the story.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and retro charm, effectively enhancing the overall experience. However, players have reported occasional bugs, such as absent soundtracks or overlapping tracks, which can disrupt gameplay. Despite these issues, standout moments, like the music in the pianist arena, are highlighted as particularly enjoyable.
- “Music is also great, and the atmosphere in general is amazing considering you're playing an Atari game.”
- “Also, the music in the pianist arena is a banger.”
- “The sound design and the soundtrack are dope as well!”
- “Having the music bug out with either an absent soundtrack or multiple tracks stacking might be intentional, but getting soft-locked doesn't seem to be.”
- “And although it seems the major bugs that initial reviews talked about were patched, there are minor bugs to look out for, such as music being absent at times and being unable to alternate to the real world during certain events when it looks like you're supposed to.”
- “Or maybe they did have hints, but the music cues or game cues would glitch, and a hint could be missed.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to unclear mechanics and buggy elements that hinder progress. The requirement for extensive backtracking and repetitive tasks, even with fast travel options, detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the pursuit of 100% completion feel like a chore. Many users expressed a sense of fatigue from the grinding, leading to a preference for easier endings rather than enduring the lengthy processes involved.
- “The short version is that getting the good ending requires finding an item that I'm still not sure how you're supposed to find, and the extra boss fight was extremely difficult in a very tedious way.”
- “However, having to go through the first two phases every time before doing this puzzle phase got really tedious.”
- “As far as gameplay goes, it starts off enjoyable, but the tediousness of going back and forth, even with the fast travel doors, detracts from the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players experience fluctuating frame rates in certain areas, adjusting graphics settings can alleviate these issues. Notably, performance on the Steam Deck has been reported as stable, with no significant crashing problems.
- “Performance in the 'real world' areas can be pretty weird at times, too, with frame timing rapidly fluctuating when doing some things - setting graphics to high instead of ultra resolved this, though, so it's probably just Unity engine being Unity.”
- “Performance in the 'real world' areas can be pretty weird at times, with frame timing rapidly fluctuating during certain activities. Setting graphics to high instead of ultra resolved this, so it's probably just the Unity engine being Unity.”
- “I primarily enjoy the game on the Steam Deck and haven't had any issues with crashing or performance.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Reviewers highlight that "Tormenture" offers significant replayability through its varied gameplay mechanics, enhancing the experience beyond just an aesthetic appreciation of the era. This variation makes it a more playable and engaging title compared to its revolutionary predecessor.
- “I thought Torment was more about getting an idea of the aesthetics of the era, but no, it actually offers a variation that is way more playable than the game that was revolutionary at the time.”
- “I thought the game would offer more variety and depth for replayability, but it feels repetitive after the first playthrough.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes it hard to justify replaying the game.”
- “Once you've experienced the main storyline, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-received, with many appreciating its clever references and easter eggs that add a layer of enjoyment, though some may be difficult to spot. The art style complements the comedic elements, enhancing the overall vibe.
- “The art style is a vibe, and some of the humor is pretty great.”
- “The easter eggs are funny in a 'I understood that reference' kind of way, but they are very easy to miss; I didn't find them all.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the emotional aspect of the game for fostering a sense of exploration and satisfaction without the pressure of exhaustive map completion, enhancing their overall enjoyment and engagement.
- “It made me feel good about exploring more while also not requiring me to comb all of the map just to progress.”