UnderDread
- March 1, 2016
- Bigzur Games
- 9h median play time
UnderDread is a Slender Man game disguised as an 18th century horror game, but there are no Slender Man appearances and it isn’t scary. If you dig far enough down, it has a redeeming quality or two, but at the end of the day it’s an unpolished game with a weak story that doesn’t do much more than waste your time.
Get on SteamUnderDread is a single-player, first-person horror adventure game that takes about 9 hours to beat. Set in the early 18th Century, you search for your missing daughter in a creepy, abandoned castle. Follow the footsteps of a detective and researcher, uncovering the castle's dark secrets and facing its supernatural dangers in a story-driven experience.
Reviews
- The game has a well-crafted atmosphere that effectively creates a sense of unease and tension.
- There is noticeable effort put into the graphics and sound design, contributing to the overall experience.
- The game offers a unique storyline involving a father's search for his missing daughter, which adds emotional depth.
- The gameplay mechanics, particularly the stealth system, are poorly implemented and often frustrating, leading to immersion-breaking moments.
- The game suffers from excessive backtracking and tedious fetch quests, making the experience feel slow and drawn out.
- Many players found the reliance on cheap jump scares and a lack of coherent story progression to be disappointing.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been widely criticized for its broken stealth mechanics, which force players to hide only in designated spots, making progression frustrating and tedious. Many reviewers noted that the game feels like a poor imitation of better titles, lacking engaging mechanics and offering minimal gameplay time. Overall, the gameplay experience is deemed lacking and disappointing, overshadowing any potential the game may have had.
“There's a weird stealth mechanic that forces you to hide in specific spots.”
“After the first part of the game, you are introduced to the game's stealth mechanic, which the second part heavily relies on.”
“The majority of the game involves hiding from a wraith, represented by a floating skeleton with some extra skulls thrown in, with a pretty flimsy stealth mechanic where in essence you just crouch near a wall.”
“But the gameplay kills it.”
“I, however, could not handle the broken stealth mechanics as it made it impossible to progress in the game.”
“This game looked promising at first, but I ended up requesting a refund after being dramatically disappointed by the gameplay.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in the game is often criticized for being disjointed and lacking depth, with many players feeling that the narrative is primarily conveyed through difficult-to-read journals that fail to engage. While there are elements of intrigue, such as a quest to find a missing daughter, the overall plot is deemed unsatisfying and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more context and motivation. Despite some interesting lore and enemy designs, the storytelling does not effectively enhance the gameplay experience.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“There's even a storyline about searching for your missing daughter.”
“There's just enough gloss and plot to keep it interesting throughout, and some of the enemy designs are lovely, particularly the portable corridor of vengeful corpses that stalks the tunnels under the castle.”
“The story feels disjointed.”
“You collect notes that add to the story, except that they don't really.”
“The story is almost non-existent apart from the journals that just say some lore because god knows, everyone wants to be told a story by reading in some tough to read font.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, drawing comparisons to successful horror titles like Amnesia. However, some players feel that the potential is undermined by an overreliance on jump scares and a lack of genuine fear, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall effectiveness in creating a truly scary environment. While it has its charm and contributes to the horror genre, the gameplay experience may detract from the atmospheric strengths.
“The atmosphere is really well done.”
“Something which this game does a mostly decent job of emulating is Amnesia's atmosphere.”
“If you enjoy creepy, atmospheric horror games with a very large helping of mystery, with a few very disturbing monsters thrown in the devilish mix, you will love this game.”
“Sad thing is, the atmosphere is there, and so is the potential, but the devs really don't know how to make a good horror game.”
“The eerie atmosphere is kind of ruined by a thorough saturation of jump scares.”
“Overall, the atmosphere is okay, but the gameplay is lacking and too boring to say the least.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the crisp textures and overall visuals for the genre, while others criticized the animations and realism, describing them as janky and reminiscent of mobile game origins. Despite some nice elements, many felt the graphics were underwhelming for a recent release, with a reliance on stock assets. Overall, the visuals are decent but not groundbreaking, and the game may appeal more to those who appreciate its aesthetic on sale.
“The graphics and artwork weren't the most realistic, but the textures were nice and crisp.”
“Nice graphics for the genre and no glitches as of yet.”
“The visuals are nice enough, all things considered, and the sound is pretty effective apart from the occasional jarring moment of abruptness.”
“Very janky animation and movement, pretty terrible graphics that are either stock assets or might as well be.”
“Graphics wise this game shows its mobile phone game origins, as well as wishing it were Amnesia: The Dark Descent.”
“Graphics were nothing special at all, particularly for a game released so recently.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as atmospheric but largely generic, often relying on clichéd jump scare cues that fail to deliver genuine fright. While some players appreciate the nostalgic quality of the soundtrack, others find it underwhelming and merely present rather than impactful. Overall, it contributes to the game's ambiance but lacks originality and effectiveness in enhancing the horror experience.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Nice atmosphere, music, and a really pita ghost.”
“I love this game, I love it so much I recognized the music at the beginning!”
“It's generic of the time but relies way more on cheap, and I mean really cheap, jumpscares and jumpscare music to startle you.”
“The funniest thing about it is the failed jumpscares; like a skull falls onto a desk and it does a music sting. I'm pretty easily startled, but it wasn't even close.”
“Music is just there.”
- stability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences regarding stability; while some appreciate the graphics and have encountered no glitches, others highlight significant bugs and glitches that pose risks to gameplay.
“Nice graphics for the genre and no glitches as of yet.”
“I can see some kind of effort put into this, but it's buggy and I don't like it.”
“I guess it's full of glitches and a risk if you download it.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect to be tedious and painfully dull, despite the atmosphere providing a sense of fear. Overall, it quickly becomes a monotonous experience.
“It's tedious and painfully dull, although the atmosphere wasn't that bad; it brought a sense of fear.”
“It quickly becomes tedious.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players often find that revisiting the game evokes strong emotional responses, highlighting its lasting impact and ability to resonate with them even after years away.
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of "Underdread" is positively noted, as it has removed in-app purchases from its predecessor, "Slender Man Origins 2 Saga," making it a more straightforward purchase without additional costs.
“The removal of in-app purchases in [b]underdread[/b] makes for a more enjoyable experience, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the game without distractions.”
“[b]underdread[/b] offers a complete experience without the need for additional purchases, which is a refreshing change from many mobile games.”
“I appreciate that [b]underdread[/b] has eliminated in-app purchases, making it accessible to everyone without the pressure to spend more money.”
“Underdread is indeed a re-titled re-release of 2015's mobile horror Slender Man Origins 2 Saga, the only changes being some minor bug fixes and the removal of in-app purchases, but don't let that dissuade you in and of itself.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it pushes players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
