Trauma

About

"Trauma" is a single-player arcade game with high-quality graphics, lasting approximately 2 hours. It tells the story of a car accident survivor exploring her dreams through point-and-click adventure-style gameplay, featuring a gesture-based interface, dynamic levels, and photographic visuals, aiming for a deep, mature experience rather than a challenging puzzle game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 504 reviews

story38 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Unique and interesting concept that explores the psyche of a trauma victim through dreams.
Beautiful visuals and atmospheric sound design create an immersive experience.
Encourages exploration and interaction with the environment to uncover the story.

Extremely short, with gameplay lasting only about an hour, making it feel overpriced.
Vague and disjointed narrative that may leave players confused and unsatisfied.
Limited interactivity and simplistic puzzles that do not provide a challenging experience.

story
200 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The story in "Trauma" is primarily conveyed through exploration and environmental storytelling, requiring players to piece together a narrative centered on a woman recovering from a car accident. While some players appreciate its abstract and experimental approach, many find the plot vague, disjointed, and lacking depth, leading to mixed feelings about its emotional impact and overall coherence. Overall, it is more of an interactive story than a traditional game, appealing to those who enjoy artistic and narrative-driven experiences, despite its shortcomings in gameplay and clarity.
- “The story is mainly told through the environment and finding pictures hidden within the levels.”
- “Trauma is storytelling at its finest, both innovative and gripping, where existentialism meets photography, and the lonely world of purgatory demands the answer to mankind's search for meaning in life.”
- “You are taken in by a recognizable yet unfamiliar world and its chilling story told through the sobering, reflective monologues of a young woman, recounting her dreams while recovering in hospital.”
- “The vague and obtuse story does little to carry this mash-up of a hog and a ppt presentation.”
- “The story is extremely vague.”
- “The story was so abstracted and boring, and there were no puzzle elements or really any clues to find at all.”
gameplay
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
74%
6%
The gameplay of "Trauma" is characterized as simplistic and often compared to a point-and-click adventure, with a focus on exploration and discovering hidden objects rather than challenging puzzles. Players engage with a unique drawing mechanic to navigate through dream-like environments, but many reviews note that the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, making it more of an interactive story experience than a traditional game. While some appreciate its artistic approach and narrative depth, others find the gameplay lacking and recommend it primarily for those interested in experimental indie titles.
- “The gameplay can be compared to an investigation: you're assigned to a location, and must find the right angles to find clues and how to get out of the dream.”
- “The resulting outcome, gameplay-wise, is essentially a dream-like experience, in which the task is to make sense of the location, find some hidden memorabilia items, and wake up from that dream.”
- “The mechanics of the game are very reminiscent of a game called The Void, even down to the look of the symbols as they are drawn, but that's not a bad thing - The Void was a creative masterpiece that way and I love the interface.”
- “It's an art piece that took 20 minutes to see everything, with all the gameplay of a PowerPoint presentation and almost the exact same screen transitions.”
- “There's no deep gameplay or clear story to be found here, just a lot of clicking and speculation.”
- “Trauma is one of those games where you can't really call it a 'game' since there's no actual gameplay.”
graphics
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique blend of low-resolution photographic visuals and 3D elements, creating a surreal and artsy atmosphere that some players find captivating. While the aesthetic is praised for its originality and emotional impact, many reviews note that the graphics can appear blurry and pixelated, reminiscent of older games. Overall, the visuals are seen as a highlight for those seeking an artistic experience, despite their technical limitations.
- “I like the light painting, FMV cutscenes, and there are some surrealist graphics which I enjoyed.”
- “I really love the use of photographs blended with 3D graphics, and wow, actual film!”
- “Some might say that Dear Esther could be given the same criticism, however DE is a much richer experience, immersive in its beautifully executed graphics and sound design which (with a little help from headphones and a dark room) can transport the player into the setting giving them a large sense of immersion.”
- “The graphics are also rather low resolution by modern standards, so the imagery often looks blurry and pixelated.”
- “This isn't really a game and is more of an artsy display of someone's photography/graphic design mixed with a short film that is laid out badly.”
- “The graphics weren't great at all, since it reminded me of playing old school Myst with a picture-to-picture movement style.”
atmosphere
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
45%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its surreal, dreamlike quality, effectively immersing players in a haunting and melancholic experience. The combination of evocative music, ambient sound design, and innovative visual storytelling creates a unique environment that enhances the themes of trauma and introspection. While some critiques mention issues with gameplay and narrative, the overall consensus highlights the atmosphere as the standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric adventure games.
- “The atmosphere is definitely the best part: the music and the voices fit very well to the purpose of trauma.”
- “Mysterious, atmospheric, and beautiful puzzle story - one of the best phone games ever.”
- “The ambience and voice acting are spot on, and the slow, thoughtful pace works well with the dreamlike atmosphere.”
- “Played late at night with the lights off, the game manages to create an eerie, sometimes creepy atmosphere.”
- “Controls were unwieldy, and the atmosphere was very eerie and creepy, just generally uninviting.”
- “I personally don't like the setting, the atmosphere is really sad and flat, voice acting is very poor.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
The music in the game is frequently praised for its ability to create a captivating atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its melancholic and thoughtful qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some find the soundtrack memorable and fitting for the game's themes, others describe it as understated or even forgettable, suggesting it serves more as background ambiance than a central feature. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's emotional tone, despite mixed opinions on its prominence and impact.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic; whoever made it should be given a lot of credit for really creating an intense atmosphere while playing the game. The intro song is really good, and the slower melodies strike a chord in me. It's ideal for the overall theme and tone the game wanted you to feel.”
- “The music and visuals are excellent, but that's about all Trauma has to offer.”
- “Brilliant music direction and composition - it lends so much to the atmosphere.”
- “The music and voice acting is unremarkable; I actually play with the sounds off since I got tired of the 'doesn't work' sound when I use a wrong gesture.”
- “The music, though, is quiet and thoughtful, almost more background noise than soundtrack.”
- “The puzzles don't feel thought through and what music there is detracts from the game.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
12%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its attempt to tackle complex themes like trauma and personal growth, often resonating deeply with players despite some criticisms of its storytelling and graphics. While some find the narrative touching and evocative, others feel it lacks depth and coherence, leading to mixed reactions about its emotional impact. Overall, it offers a unique experience that can provoke strong feelings, particularly for those who connect with its themes.
- “Nonetheless it is enjoyable, emotional despite the stark photography and simplistic voiceover, and with an interesting concept and execution.”
- “I don't know what it is about trauma that's so engaging, but its emotional residue has lingered long after I finished the game itself.”
- “Touching on different aspects of what goes on in the life of someone after a traumatic event, it's written in a way that presents you with a piece of the emotion and lets you draw the inferences.”
- “Put these memories in one pot with some uninspired and boring storytelling, and you got the experience I had.”
- “Strange experience with a boring story and poor graphics.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting its short length and limited incentive to revisit after completion. However, some players appreciate the presence of alternate endings and collectible items, which provide a slight boost to replay value. Despite these elements, most agree that the experience may not justify the full price for a second playthrough.
- “This game is quite short but it fits a lot in; as well as the main endings, there are alternate ones to find and also photos to collect, so it has replay value.”
- “A modicum of replayability is achieved via multiple solutions/endings to each chapter, and by finding all of the 'polaroids' throughout.”
- “This game has no replay value, so once you play it, you'll likely never go back to it.”
- “It doesn't offer much replayability.”
- “Though it is short and has limited replayability, you might want to wait for a sale or a bundle.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and uninteresting, often feeling that the point-and-click mechanics contribute to a dull experience. While some players may eventually adapt to the repetitive nature, many express frustration with the lack of engaging content and the overall monotony of tasks like finding easter eggs.
- “Finding easter eggs was tedious or pointless, and the ending is probably a binary heal or not heal.”
- “The point-and-click interface is tedious.”
- “But this 'point-and-click' mystery game just felt dull and tediously uninteresting.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a nostalgic charm, utilizing Flash Player as a comedic nod to simpler times. Players find amusement in the protagonist's journey of recovery, often laughing at unintentional moments that add to the overall lighthearted experience. It offers mild entertainment that can be enjoyed across generations.
- “This game uses Flash Player, which is a hilarious callback to a simpler time.”
- “All this takes place in the mind of a woman recovering from a car accident, tying in with that funny little thing called life.”
- “I played it again years later with my younger sister, and we got a night's worth of mild entertainment out of it, including laughing at things that were probably not designed to be funny.”

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Trauma
Eurogamer.net
70%

Buy Trauma

2h Median play time

2h Average play time

1-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

89%973reviews

Dreaming Sarah

2015

Casual Platformer

87%1.5kreviews

The Dream Machine

2012

Casual Puzzle

66%305reviews

Small Radios Big Televisions

2016

Puzzle

This game contains adult content

81%20.8kreviews

Gone Home

2018

Simulation

+11

75%2.3kreviews

Kairo

2013

Puzzle

74%3.1kreviews

Dear Esther

2016

Simulation

86%5.3kreviews

The Sexy Brutale

2017

Puzzle

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Image

76%1.9kreviews

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP

2011

Role Playing

This game contains adult content

93%23.7kreviews

Inside

2016

Platformer

+17

90%2.8kreviews

Year Walk

2014

Survival Role Playing

Trauma

Platforms

About

Trauma

Buy Trauma

Trauma Steam Key GLOBAL

Trauma

Videos

Games Like Trauma

Dreaming Sarah

The Dream Machine

Small Radios Big Televisions

Gone Home

Kairo

Dear Esther

The Sexy Brutale

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP

Inside

Year Walk