Trenches

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 68 reviews
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
  • story
Trenches Game Cover
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"Trenches" is a single-player and multiplayer horror simulation game set in the trenches of World War 1. As James R., you must survive and escape the enemy lines by exploring the environment and collecting vital clues, while avoiding detection by using your senses and trench whistle. The game features a co-op mode and aims to provide a chilling and surreal experience, with a focus on psychological horror and stealth.

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Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 68 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • The game has a well-crafted atmosphere and sound design that effectively creates tension and fear.
  • It offers a unique horror experience with a fresh concept set in a WWI environment, making it stand out among other horror games.
  • Despite being developed by a single person, the game runs smoothly and provides a good amount of jump scares that keep players engaged.
  • The game is heavily reliant on jump scares, which can become repetitive and detract from the overall experience.
  • Performance issues and optimization problems are prevalent, causing stuttering and other gameplay interruptions even on high-end PCs.
  • The gameplay can feel tedious due to the maze-like environment and the need to collect multiple items, leading to excessive backtracking.
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a stealth horror experience, drawing comparisons to titles like Amnesia and Outlast, where players navigate a maze while avoiding a monster with limited means of defense. While the mechanics are generally smooth and the game is well-supported with updates, some players find the gameplay tedious and the immersion features, such as blinking mechanics, ineffective. Overall, it offers a mix of engaging elements and frustrating aspects, making it a work in progress that may appeal to fans of the genre.

    • “Gameplay-wise, it's very reminiscent of Amnesia and Outlast; a stealth horror game at its core, with no real means to defend yourself.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth; being in early access, I haven't seen any game-breaking bugs, which is nice.”
    • “Probably one of the best developed indie games out there; the developer keeps constant updates coming and is doing a fantastic job updating the mechanics constantly.”
    • “Aside from that, all of the plot is dumped on you in the beginning and end, so most of the gameplay is just you walking around a maze.”
    • “You're stalked by a monster who I assume kills you if he gets you, but in 40 minutes of gameplay, he only found me twice. Both times, I was able to lose him by running in the opposite direction for literally 10 seconds.”
    • “Gameplay can become tedious.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its deep, immersive qualities, featuring fantastic sound design, effective pacing, and well-crafted visuals that enhance the horror experience. While the gameplay may not be as strong, the overall ambiance is described as terrifying and engaging, making it a standout aspect of the game. Reviewers express optimism for the developer's future projects based on their atmospheric achievements.

    • “The setting gives it a deep atmosphere.”
    • “Fantastic sounds and atmosphere, the pacing is great giving you time to relax before it shakes you by the breath again.”
    • “Fresh concept, well-crafted atmosphere and creature design!”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is executed really well; unfortunately, it's a slender clone, so the gameplay itself isn't the best.”
    • “Not incredibly far in (only just found the map but done a ton of exploring), but I keep having to pause it since the atmosphere is terrifying.”
    • “- The smoke and the water droplets on the camera (more on that in a sec) make it really cool to second guess if you saw movement in the trenches or if it's just the atmosphere.”
  • story10 mentions

    The game's story is characterized by a mix of simple narrative elements and deeper lore, with players needing to piece together details through exploration. While some find the overarching plot sad and reflective of war's impact, others criticize it for being minimal and primarily reliant on jump scares, with much of the story presented at the beginning and end. Overall, the storytelling is seen as lacking depth, though some appreciate the attention to detail that enhances the experience.

    • “Tons of lore and tools to find in the game as well, if you care enough about the story.”
    • “The little things really help piece the story together and don't fully make sense until the end.”
    • “The hallucinations and the story all fit well together in retrospect; I am excited to see the final product.”
    • “Aside from that, all of the plot is dumped on you in the beginning and end, so most of the gameplay is just you walking around a maze.”
    • “Just a bunch of jumpscares, no story, nor really a game over or death since the monster can't catch you.”
    • “Not much of a story as well.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    The graphics are praised for creating a terrifying and maze-like atmosphere, particularly in the trenches, enhancing the game's horror elements. However, some players experience significant stuttering issues, which detracts from the overall visual experience. Despite these technical problems, the graphics and sound design are generally well-received, with anticipation for future updates.

    • “Graphics and sounds are both great.”
    • “Graphics-wise, the trenches look scary and maze-like; too maze-like if you're being chased by the monster.”
    • “Maybe this is a great game, but from my time in the game, no matter what is adjusted graphically, it stutters every 5 seconds terribly.”
    • “It isn't a game you have to be fully dedicated or committed to by spending hours and hours on it constantly, and I am excited to see the new mechanics the dev just released with the gameplay and graphics.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its unexpected comedic elements, such as the amusing transformation into a skeleton when crouching and observing one's shadow, which contrasts with the serious WWI setting. Players appreciate these lighthearted moments, finding them entertaining and hoping they remain unchanged in future updates.

    • “Developers, please don't patch this because it's hilarious! If you look at your shadow and crouch, you turn into a skeleton, and I have found it very amusing.”
    • “It's funny; a setting like WWI should be easy to create a horror game.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, players report a generally stable experience with solid controls and no significant bugs, although some acknowledge the presence of bugs typical of early access titles. The game's stability is mostly praised, but a few users note that it still has some issues that are expected to be addressed in future updates.

    • “There is just one major issue I have with the game, though it's pretty buggy. However, it's in early access, so it's temporarily excusable.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for being poor, with users reporting mixed performance even on high-end GPUs, leading to dissatisfaction with its pricing relative to its performance quality.

    • “When you release a game this poorly optimized, don't make it so expensive.”
    • “Performance was pretty mixed, even with a good GPU.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find that the grinding aspect of the game can lead to tedious gameplay, detracting from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the experience.

    • “The gameplay can become tedious.”
    • “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
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