Trenches

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game has a well-crafted atmosphere and sound design that effectively creates tension and fear.
It offers a unique horror experience set in a WWI context, which is both fresh and engaging.
Despite being developed by a single person, the game shows great potential with solid gameplay mechanics and a creepy creature design.

The game is heavily reliant on jump scares, which can become repetitive and detract from the overall experience.
Performance issues and optimization problems make the game unplayable for some users, with frequent stuttering and bugs.
The gameplay can feel tedious due to the maze-like environment and the need to collect multiple items, leading to excessive backtracking.

gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
11%
The gameplay is primarily a stealth horror experience reminiscent of titles like Amnesia and Outlast, focusing on exploration and evasion rather than combat. While the mechanics are generally smooth and the game is well-supported with updates, players have noted that the gameplay can become tedious, with limited interactions and a lack of engaging threats. Some features, such as the jumping mechanic and immersive elements, feel underdeveloped, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is smooth; being 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 out for it and is doing a fantastic job updating the mechanics constantly.”
- “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 developer just released with the gameplay and graphics.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its execution, featuring deep settings, fantastic sound design, and effective pacing that enhances the horror experience. Players appreciate the terrifying ambiance created by elements like smoke and water droplets, which contribute to a sense of unease and suspense. Despite criticisms of the gameplay, the atmospheric qualities have left a strong impression, suggesting potential for future titles from the developer.
- “The setting gives it a deep atmosphere.”
- “Fresh concept, well-crafted atmosphere and creature design!”
- “Overall lovely atmosphere, good lighting and sounds.”
- “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 atmosphere of this game is executed really well; unfortunately, it's a Slender clone, so the gameplay itself isn't the best.”
- “- The smoke and the water droplets on the camera make it really cool to second guess if you saw movement in the trenches or if it's just the atmosphere.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
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 themes, particularly related to war, poignant, others criticize the storytelling for being front-loaded and lacking depth during gameplay, primarily consisting of collecting items and evading jumpscares. Overall, the experience is described as short and somewhat disjointed, with a reliance on environmental storytelling and details that may only resonate upon reflection.
- “The story behind is sad but shows what war does to humans.”
- “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.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
25%
The graphics are praised for their eerie and maze-like design, particularly in the trenches, which enhance the game's horror elements. However, players have reported significant stuttering issues that detract from the overall experience, despite the visual quality being generally well-received. Overall, while the graphics contribute positively to the atmosphere, technical performance remains a concern.
- “Graphics wise, the trenches look scary and maze-like; too much maze-like if you're being chased by the monster.”
- “Graphics and sounds are both great.”
- “I am excited to see the new mechanics the dev just released with the gameplay and graphics.”
- “Graphics-wise, the trenches look scary and maze-like; too much 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.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be unexpectedly entertaining, particularly noting the amusing mechanic where crouching while looking at one's shadow transforms the character into a skeleton. This lighthearted element contrasts with the serious WWI setting, adding a layer of comedy that users hope remains unchanged.
- “Devs, 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.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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, which they find acceptable for the current stage of development.
- “There is just one major issue I have with the game, though (of course, it's pretty buggy, but it's in early access, so it's temporarily excusable).”
- “There is just one major issue I have with the game, though (of course, it's pretty buggy, but it's in early access, so it's temporarily excusable).”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization and performance have received significant criticism, with users reporting mixed results even on high-end GPUs. Many feel that the poor optimization does not justify the game's high price.
- “When you release a game this poorly optimized, don't make it so expensive.”
- “Performance was pretty mixed, even with a good GPU.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find that the grinding aspect of the game can lead to a tedious gameplay experience, often detracting from overall enjoyment.
- “Gameplay can become tedious.”
- “Gameplay can become tedious.”
- “Gameplay can become tedious.”