Town of Salem
- December 14, 2014
- BlankMediaGames
- 94h median play time
Town of Salem is a multiplayer game based on the party games Mafia and Werewolf, wetting players' appetite for deception and survival. With up to 15 players and 33 roles, each game is a unique experience as Town members and villains try to outsmart each other. The goal for Town members is to uncover the Mafia and other baddies, while evil players aim to eliminate Town members without getting caught. The ultimate test of cunning and deduction awaits you in Town of Salem.
Reviews
- gameplay752 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Town of Salem" is characterized by its blend of social deduction, strategy, and deception, drawing comparisons to classic party games like Mafia and Werewolf. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of roles that create unique experiences in each match, the community's toxicity and the game's mechanics can lead to frustrating experiences, especially for newcomers. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and offers hours of fun, but it requires a significant investment of time to fully understand its complexities.
“The gameplay is a thrilling blend of deduction, psychological warfare, and sheer luck.”
“What makes Town of Salem so great is the depth of its gameplay.”
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging.”
“The gameplay is a mixture of the popular card game werewolf, but expanded upon by mixing another popular game mafia.”
“The toxic community, stagnant gameplay mechanics, and technical shortcomings combine to create an experience that falls far short of its potential.”
“Town of Salem went from its own niche bubble of greatness to pay-to-play exploitation with a cancerous community and downright uninspired gameplay.”
- humor407 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Town of Salem" is a significant draw for players, often described as chaotic, dark, and filled with unexpected moments of hilarity. Many reviews highlight the amusing interactions and banter among players, with funny usernames and death notes adding to the comedic experience. However, the community can be a mixed bag, with some players engaging in toxic behavior or offensive humor, which can detract from the fun for others. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to generate laughter through deception, absurdity, and the unpredictability of player actions.
“The in-game chat becomes a battlefield of hilarious arguments, desperate pleas, and the occasional salty player rage-quitting.”
“It's funny watching people get paranoid and start lynching innocents left and right, and even more hilarious if you're the killer and convince everyone it's not you!”
“The game's chaotic social aspect is also really funny...”
“You may have games where you're hanged just because you didn't play along with a joke, or people aren't hanged because of their name/unfunny joke they made.”
“Good, but there are a lot of players in this game that make it unfunny.”
“Funny bugs.”
- graphics315 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing them as outdated, simplistic, or reminiscent of early 2000s flash games. While some appreciate the charming and cartoonish art style, others feel that the visuals detract from the overall experience, suggesting that the game could benefit from significant graphical improvements. Despite these criticisms, many players emphasize that the gameplay mechanics and social interaction are the true highlights, making the graphics less of a priority.
“The visuals are next level compared to the PS2-like graphics of the other games, and the gameplay maintains the same feel of the older entries while adding a couple of fresh things.”
“Absolutely love the game, simple but satisfying graphics style, fun gameplay and even more fun while playing with friends.”
“The graphics are very simple but cute, enjoyable, and well drawn and animated.”
“First off, the graphics are straight out of the '90s, and not in a good way.”
“The visuals look extremely outdated and childish, like some old Facebook game.”
“The graphics are very basic and gameplay can be completely one-sided.”
- monetization194 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 47 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a "cash grab" due to the prevalence of microtransactions and in-game advertisements, even after purchasing the game. While some microtransactions are purely cosmetic and do not impact gameplay, the constant push for additional purchases and the presence of ads in a paid version have left many feeling frustrated and disillusioned. Overall, players recommend caution, suggesting that the game might be better experienced for free on browser versions rather than through the paid Steam option.
“Monetization is not too bad either, seems to be purely cosmetic to me after playing for 40 hours.”
“There are microtransactions for cosmetics, but most of those can also be obtained for free over time as well.”
“Let me say there are in-game purchases but all they do is cosmetic, you don't need to pay anything to continuously play this game all night and it's quick and brilliant!”
“The developers have turned this game into a desperate cash grab, bombarding players with microtransactions and ads even after purchasing the game.”
“It's disappointing to see a quality game go down the route of microtransactions, charging for a free game and then promoting paid content to those who already paid full price.”
“The game has slowly turned into a cash grab at every corner, with full-screen ads now popping up in-game between matches.”
- story146 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that "Town of Salem 2" primarily focuses on gameplay mechanics rather than a traditional narrative, with many players creating their own stories through interactions and plot twists during matches. While some users mention a lack of a structured story, others appreciate the emergent storytelling that arises from the game's social dynamics and strategic deception. Overall, the game's appeal lies in its ability to generate unique and engaging experiences rather than a linear storyline.
“Rather than aligning with the town's inhabitants, my mission was to elude their suspicions and manipulate the narrative to suit my agenda.”
“Every match is supposed to create a story based on many different events and decisions that happen due to the players interacting; the longer the match, the more complex the story and the more satisfying the win.”
“The deception, misdirection, and random lynching keeps every round entertaining with plot twists and unexpected endings.”
“It has no story or progression, so it can get old quickly, but it's something that you can go back to frequently with friends to have a good time.”
“So first, story, which, in fact, there really is none... you are put into a town where townies are looking for murderers, mafia, arsonists, stuff like that.”
“No appeal, no side of any story.”
- music113 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its nostalgic and atmospheric qualities, often describing it as catchy and fitting for the gameplay. However, some users find it repetitive or annoying, with a few expressing frustration over technical issues that disrupt their experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally appreciated, opinions vary on its execution and impact on gameplay.
“The music when turning day is just so unexplainably fire.”
“The soundtrack is great and gives me nostalgia.”
“It's updated art is charming, its music is spot-on, and its general aesthetic just pulls you in.”
“Music is horrific.”
“Everything about this game is cheap and garish, from the graphics to the music and the poor confusing gameplay.”
“However, what I found really grating was its cheap and horrible music/sound design.”
- replayability103 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with players highlighting the vast array of roles and game modes that ensure each session feels unique. Many reviews emphasize that the game's design allows for infinite replay value, making it both fun and engaging over extended play periods. Overall, the combination of variety and community interaction contributes to its high replayability, keeping players coming back for more.
“In short, Town of Salem is the best game of my life because it's a game that's easy to learn but hard to master, with endless replayability and a community that's second to none.”
“There are so many roles and players with different playstyles that the game itself has basically infinite replay value.”
“Replayability: 10/10 - Town of Salem has so many different game modes and roles that it never gets boring.”
“The main downside of this mode is that it isn't all that replayable.”
“During the slow games it can be super boring or fun depending on what's going on and the large amount of classes makes this game more replayable.”
“Each round takes probably 20-30 minutes, but with a bunch of roles and game settings to play with, the replayability factor is enormous.”
- stability94 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of crashes, freezes, and lag, particularly during critical gameplay moments. Many players experience issues with the server performance and bugs that hinder their ability to play smoothly, leading to frustration and a sense that the game is often unplayable. While some users note improvements with recent updates, the overall sentiment indicates that stability remains a major drawback.
“It's not very buggy, but the real problem is that sometimes the players don't play by the rules, which is expected in all multiplayer games.”
“It runs great and the community is great too.”
“Runs great on lower-end specs; the art and sound are perfect for a game like this.”
“The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that make it practically unplayable.”
“Game crashes and/or freezes no matter what I tried to do.”
“The game now freezes in the middle of half of the games I play, and other players are disconnected in the other half.”
- optimization41 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While many players report smooth performance across various devices, others highlight significant optimization issues, particularly in the Steam version compared to its browser counterpart. Some users express frustration with performance drops and the need for further improvements, despite enjoying the gameplay itself.
“The game runs smoothly on any device and looks great.”
“The game's now after years in an optimized state, which is more than welcome.”
“Optimization: low-end computers can play this all they want!”
“Very poorly optimized and I don't want to spend hours trying to fix what is essentially a $10 flash game.”
“Awful performance, requires more power than any 2019 3D shooter.”
“Poorly featured and terribly optimized; Town of Salem both looks and runs like it was made in Flash.”
- grinding34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players suggesting that it requires an excessive commitment, often humorously stating that one would need "a second life" to fully engage. While some find the grind necessary for achievements and progression, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel repetitive and forced. However, a few players appreciate the gameplay enough to overlook the grind, indicating that it can be rewarding despite its challenges.
“This game isn't grindy; it's fun, competitive, and has a couple of memes about some random stuff. It's also a very unique type of game that is rarely seen, and the creators perfected what they tried to do.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“If you're looking for a grindy time sink, then here it is.”
“Before it was fun to grind to win and get town coins for cosmetic changes, but now the grind is ridiculous. Just playing won't get you the new stuff, and I refuse to pay real money for a cosmetic change that won't do anything for me.”
“Engaging and fun game, but the player base takes itself way too seriously, and forcing players to play the game seriously 100 percent of the time makes it a little tedious and boring.”
- emotional27 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from deep investment and attachment to frustration and heartbreak. Players express a strong connection to the game's community, highlighting both wholesome interactions and toxic experiences, which can lead to intense emotional reactions. Overall, the game is described as a mix of love, betrayal, and personal growth, making it a unique emotional journey for many players.
“This is a game of betrayal, love, lust, heartbreak, and jokes... if you told me I would love a game like this 5 years ago, I would have laughed at you... but now I am crying knowing that this is my heaven and hell... it made me feel whole... I love you.”
“Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
“Just found out this game was on Steam and I cried.”
“The game tries to evoke emotions but ends up feeling forced and contrived.”
“I found the emotional moments to be shallow and lacking genuine impact.”
“Despite its attempts at storytelling, the emotional depth just wasn't there for me.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its suspenseful and communal vibe, while others criticize it for becoming overly toxic and childlike due to microtransactions and pop-ups. Many agree that the game should evoke feelings of dread and uncertainty, but feel that recent changes have diluted this experience. Overall, the atmosphere is seen as a key strength, though its execution has raised concerns among the player base.
“The concept is brilliant, and the different roles and mechanics create an intriguing and suspenseful atmosphere as you try to figure out who’s who.”
“Very atmospheric, communal vibe.”
“In conclusion, I can say that Town of Salem is a game with a nice atmosphere which is definitely worth the money.”
“More and more microtransactions instantly after the first launch with disturbing pop-ups; the atmosphere and GUI were designed for 10-year-old kids.”
“This ruins the atmosphere of the game and turns it into something it was never meant to be... and the moderation of these behaviors is nonexistent.”
“Now, the atmosphere is becoming so toxic that it is making it hard to play the game and actually enjoy it.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development is highlighted by charming and appealing character designs that enhance the overall aesthetic and emotional connection within the game.
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The backstories and personal growth of each character add layers of depth to the overall narrative.”