Venal Soul: Chapter One

About

Venal Soul: Chapter One is a single player survival shooter game with horror and violence themes. It was developed by Vanadial and was released on April 9, 2018. It received negative reviews from players.

An old school survival horror in First Person with limited Ammo and multiple weapons.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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17%

Audience ScoreBased on 12 reviews

music3 positive mentions

graphics2 negative mentions

The game has a good atmosphere and effectively incorporates weapon mechanics, which is rare in horror games.
The sound effects and music are above average, contributing positively to the overall experience.
The horror effects are well-executed and can be genuinely scary at times.

The game is very short, taking only about 40 minutes to complete, and feels unfinished.
The combat mechanics are weak, with enemies not reacting to hits and a lack of engaging gameplay.
The level design is poor, making navigation difficult and the story feels incomplete, ending abruptly.

story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story is generally considered weak and abrupt, with many reviewers noting that it feels incomplete as it only serves as the first chapter of a larger narrative. While some elements of horror are present, the reliance on text for storytelling detracts from the overall experience, and there are calls for future episodes to better integrate story elements into the gameplay.
- “The game basically consists of two levels, the first one orients mostly around exploring the level and experiencing a series of horror elements while getting the basic story of the game.”
- “The basic story was there, told mainly through text, and was adequate.”
- “For future iterations or episodes, try to make the levels reflect some of the story elements, or use the levels to tell the story instead of the text.”
- “The story is very weak and banal, exploiting the popular theme of demons, and it falls very short since it is only 'the first chapter'.”
- “The story is okay, but sadly it ends very abruptly in the middle, and with indie games, it's always uncertain if another episode will come out.”
- “For future iterations or episodes, try to make the levels reflect some of the story elements, or use the levels to tell the story instead of relying on text.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the quality of the ending music and sound effects, others find the overall soundtrack to be generic and overly loud. Despite these criticisms, the sound design is generally considered a highlight, with above-average audio elements for the game's genre.
- “The sound was a highlight; sound effects and music were above average for a game like this.”
- “The only bright spot in the whole game was the music on the credits.”
- “The graphics are good but nothing special; the sound is very good, especially the ending music, which I like very much.”
- “The only bright spot in the whole game was the music in the credits.”
- “The sounds do their job, but the music is as generic as it gets and frequently much too loud.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The graphics of the game are generally considered good but simplistic, with limited options primarily typical of Unity games. While they effectively fulfill their purpose, they lack standout features or innovation. Overall, the visuals are adequate but not particularly impressive.
- “The graphics, textures, models, and lighting got the job done.”
- “There's not much to the game; it's simplistic with few graphics options (just the usual limited Unity ones).”
- “Graphics, textures, models, and lighting got the job done.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay of "Venal Soul" is primarily a walking simulator with minimal shooting mechanics and lacks puzzles, leading to a disconnect between its horror and shooter elements. Reviewers feel that the shooting mechanics are outdated and ineffective, ultimately failing to deliver a satisfying experience in either genre.
- “It is more of a walking simulator with some shooting mechanics in it than an adventure game; it has nearly no puzzles.”
- “Speaking of the shooting mechanic, it seems not quite appropriate even by the standards of the old 'Castle of Wolfenstein' era.”
- “Although I like the idea of mixing the classic horror house trope with shooter mechanics, Venal Soul doesn't succeed in either.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong atmosphere, effectively blending horror elements with weapon mechanics, which is a rarity in the genre. Its affordability further enhances its appeal, making it a recommended choice for players seeking an engaging experience.
- “The game is not bad; it has a good atmosphere and allows you to use weapons, something that very few horror games have and know how to do well. This one does it quite well.”
- “All in all, mainly because the game is cheap and has a great atmosphere, I recommend it.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is currently lacking, but there is optimism among users that improvements will be made in the future.
- “The optimization is a bit rough, but I am sure in time that will be fixed.”