ToruTaru
- September 21, 2021
- hiddenVisions
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"ToruTaru" is a procedurally generated horror game where you must save your girlfriend from a demon-possessed mansion. Explore randomly generated levels filled with traumatized spirits, and use talismans to fight or evade enemies. Climb the mansion, help others, and build your rank as a ToruTaru explorer in this early access game. Your choices and experiences will differ each playthrough, making for a unique and personalized horror experience.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique art style and an oppressive atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
- Gameplay is engaging with a simple yet addictive loop, and the procedurally generated levels provide variety and replayability.
- The sound design is excellent, contributing significantly to the game's eerie ambiance and overall immersion.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and control issues, particularly for players using controllers, making it frustrating to play.
- The RNG nature of level generation can lead to unfair experiences, with some runs feeling excessively difficult or confusing.
- As an early access title, it lacks essential features like adjustable audio settings and control rebinding, which detracts from the overall experience.
- graphics30 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a unique low-fi PS1 style that enhances its atmospheric horror, drawing comparisons to retro titles while effectively creating a haunting aesthetic. While many players appreciate the art style and its contribution to the game's eerie ambiance, some find the repetitive environments and complex layouts frustrating, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are praised for their creativity, though they may not appeal to everyone due to the hardcore difficulty and lack of graphical options.
“The lo-fidelity graphics really hammer the atmosphere down, and there are many types of ghosts with their own motivations, from harmless pranksters and poltergeists to downright evil spirits who just want to kill you.”
“A game with a beautiful retro art style and haunting soundtrack, this really stood out to me, and given the price point, I saw no reason not to take a look.”
“Despite the de-make graphics, or perhaps because of them, the atmosphere is unbelievable.”
“Not much is explained to the player apart from a haunting introductory sequence that resembles nothing more than a nightmare, the layouts of the places you are exploring are infuriatingly complex, and the pixel graphics are both aesthetically pleasing to look at while simultaneously destroying your experience as you wander through similar looking rooms trying desperately to find your way and keep clear of all manner of moaning, screaming, breathing, murderous ghosts.”
“The low-fi PS1 style graphics and the Japanese spectral horror aesthetic are big bonuses for me, but the hardcore difficulty is something that's turning me off.”
“I'm liking this game so far; however, I can't run this on my laptop and wish there were graphic options.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently described as oppressive and engaging, heavily relying on sound design, minimalist graphics, and environmental cues to create a spooky and immersive experience. Players appreciate the variety of ghost designs and the effective use of ambient noises, which enhance the overall tension and build-up to chases. The combination of soothing music and unsettling visuals contributes to a unique zen-like quality that keeps players captivated for hours.
“And sure while this game may have its jumpscares, the horror relies heavily on the atmosphere, environment, sound design, and the build-up to a chase, and when that chase comes?”
“With its minimalist design and soothing soundtrack, it creates a zen-like atmosphere that keeps you engaged for hours.”
“Despite the de-make graphics, or perhaps because of them, the atmosphere is unbelievable.”
“The atmosphere is oppressive to say the least.”
“Not just the sound of the creepy creatures in the monster, but the ambience and background noise really add to the atmosphere (sounds of running footsteps, voices, TVs turning on).”
“The atmosphere is set from the beginning with the oddly shaped people and the almost too soothing music.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple yet addictive loop that keeps players engaged, despite lacking a clear end-goal. While the unique art style and variety of entities add freshness, some players find the experience repetitive and disorienting due to aggressive enemy mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is spooky and immersive, with a notable learning curve that enhances the experience.
“The gameplay loop is entertaining and the level and entity variation is enough to keep things fresh for a while.”
“It has a simple, yet addictive gameplay loop, which keeps you coming back.”
“Core gameplay loop is super fun.”
“When you get into the gameplay, the evil entities were creepy and some of their mechanics made it hard to go willingly around some corners.”
“All I know is that the first gameplay I did of this, I got so scared I could not move.”
“When you get into the gameplay, the evil entities were creepy and some of their mechanics made it hard to go willingly around some corners.”
- music12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its minimalist and soothing qualities, creating a zen-like atmosphere that enhances player engagement. The haunting soundtrack complements the unique retro art style, although some players suggest the addition of chase music to heighten tension during gameplay. Overall, the sound design effectively supports the game's immersive experience.
“With its minimalist design and soothing soundtrack, it creates a zen-like atmosphere that keeps you engaged for hours.”
“A game with a beautiful retro art style and haunting soundtrack, this really stood out to me and given the price point, I saw no reason not to take a look.”
“As for music?”
“Add chase music”
“The atmosphere is set from the beginning with the oddly shaped people and the almost too soothing music.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Many users express optimism about the game's potential, noting that it currently requires further refinement and optimization to enhance the overall experience. Several reviewers indicate a willingness to revisit the game after improvements are made.
“I'm sure this will be a great experience once it's been refined and optimized, and I'll probably repurchase it when that day comes and give it another chance, at which point I'll delete this review.”
“The game feels unfinished and lacks proper optimization, making it frustrating to play.”
“Performance issues and poor optimization really detract from the overall experience.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is considered fairly replayable, with players expressing enthusiasm for future content that could enhance the experience further.
“Fairly replayable already, very much looking forward to additional content.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is consistently described as intriguing, capturing the interest of players and enhancing their overall experience.
“The story is also really intriguing.”
