Veneficium

About

Veneficium is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Quarter Moon Games and was released on March 12, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Stay quiet. Stay hidden. Watch your steps. If you don't, run. Play as Abigail in her quest to find her grandmother in a cursed forest. Use your spellcasting abilities to hide from various dangers. Will you survive the night?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 255 reviews

story17 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating atmosphere with impressive graphics and sound design that enhance the horror experience.
The unique spell mechanics and ingredient collection add an interesting layer to the gameplay, allowing for strategic evasion of the monster.
Despite its short length, the game offers an engaging story with a compelling premise set in a dark, witch-hunt era.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with some players finding it monotonous due to similar tasks and limited enemy interactions.
There are technical issues, including bugs with monster AI and teleportation, which can detract from the overall immersion and challenge.
The game is quite short, leaving players wanting more content and a more fleshed-out story, as well as clearer objectives.

story
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
65%
8%
The story of "Veneficium" is generally described as simple and short, with some players appreciating its atmospheric horror elements and intriguing twists, while others find it lacking depth and coherence. Many reviews highlight the potential for a more engaging narrative, suggesting that the game could benefit from additional detail and character development. Overall, while the story has its moments, it leaves players wanting more and feels incomplete in its current form.
- “The story revolves around Abigail's family, and the intro quickly sums up how all her relatives were burned at the stakes, with the exception of her grandmother.”
- “The cutscenes have a distinct art style and give the game a bit more backstory than just 'run around and collect object x to progress'.”
- “The worldbuilding was impressive too, giving us a solid story to follow and experience in such a short amount of time.”
- “There is an attempt at a story, which is not interesting, and some horror elements, but no substance to any of it.”
- “The game was alright, but I would have preferred a more cohesive story.”
- “In addition, there wasn't much of a plot besides the few short animated clips, and I feel that a heavier story would help improve the immersion of the game.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
22%
8%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the impressive visuals, environmental design, and distinct art style, particularly in cutscenes. However, several users note issues with optimization and performance, leading to lag and inconsistent frame rates, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics are generally considered good, some players feel that they fall short in certain areas, such as character design and animation quality.
- “The graphics are really good, nice use of color, shadows, and scenery.”
- “The graphics, presentation, audio, and monster design are all impressive, and I see so much potential in this short project; but damn, was it enjoyable!”
- “The jumpscares really got me; the graphics are amazing. I just stood in the forest admiring the view, how well the trees were made, the sky, the stars; the story is intriguing, and the enemies are creepy as if they had come from a nightmare.”
- “Graphics are okay, but the game needs a lot of optimization.”
- “The only thing that disturbed my gameplay was the constant laggy graphics and audio, but I can't complain much because it could just be my fault.”
- “The game has 4K settings but it defaults back to 1440p no matter what... sub-par graphics, glitchy as heck, terrible sounds, animations, and lighting.”
atmosphere
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
25%
8%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and spooky qualities, effectively creating tension and a sense of dread throughout the experience. Players appreciate the realistic environments, strong sound design, and well-crafted monster designs that enhance the horror elements. However, some reviewers noted that while the atmosphere is compelling, the gameplay mechanics could detract from the overall immersion, particularly regarding monster interactions.
- “The atmosphere and the music is what makes the game.”
- “This game has fantastic atmosphere.”
- “An extremely fun and horrifying horror game, and the atmosphere is amazing.”
- “This provides a consistently scary atmosphere and the game really scares you, without cheap jumpscares.”
- “I would recommend thinking of something different to show the location of things as half the player's screen at some points is covered in bright dots which is annoying and does not contrast well with the dark atmosphere.”
- “The game was.... short and sweet, the atmosphere was tense throughout.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics, such as the magic system that allows for invisibility and distraction of pursuers. However, many criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, often feeling like a standard "run away from the monster" experience with confusing mechanics and technical issues like lag. Overall, while there are elements of suspense and interesting ideas, the execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a mediocre gameplay experience.
- “The mechanics are unique.”
- “Love the storytelling and suspenseful gameplay.”
- “Good horror with new and interesting mechanics.”
- “Overall: mediocre story, poor gameplay, and rough audio, animations, and overall gameplay.”
- “I would give it a 1/10 difficulty rating as the gameplay is basic and a 3/10 difficulty rating - if you want to finish the game without dying.”
- “It feels like another 'run away from the thing' horror game with no differentiating mechanics.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
31%
16%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its effectiveness in creating suspense and immersion. While some found the music occasionally overwhelming, particularly during tense moments, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's creepy ambiance. Additionally, the combination of melodic and disturbing elements in the music is highlighted as a key aspect of the gaming experience.
- “I enjoyed playing the game, loved the spooky sounds/music and the atmosphere was downright creepy.”
- “The atmosphere and the music is what makes the game.”
- “Nice to have a horror OST that is both gothic-horror-themed & melodic as well as disturbing & atonal.”
- “My only two complaints are the music and the game length.”
- “When the creature gets close to you, the music can get ridiculously loud to the point that you can't sometimes hear the creatures moving around.”
- “The music is what makes the game and the monster is sub par at best.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization has received criticism for being power-hungry and underperforming, even on mid-high gaming rigs. While the graphics are deemed acceptable, many players report performance issues and a need for better optimization overall.
- “For better performance, I would also recommend wearing a headset while playing the game.”
- “Graphics are okay, but the game needs a lot of optimization.”
- “Graphics are okay at best, and incredibly power hungry and unoptimized.”
- “My only complaints are some performance issues, and I'd like to be able to toggle off the flashlight.”
- “Performance isn't that good, especially considering that I have a mid-high gaming rig and this game isn't groundbreaking graphic-wise.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report mixed experiences with stability, noting occasional glitches that can both simplify and complicate gameplay at different times.
- “I noticed a few glitches that made the game easier at times but harder at others.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it frustrating to progress.”
- “There are constant connection issues that disrupt gameplay and ruin the experience.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke laughter rather than fear, with players finding the monster's antics amusing rather than intimidating. Overall, the game successfully incorporates comedic elements that resonate with users.
- “Not scary; watching the monster walk made me laugh instead of feel scared.”
- “This game is funny, lmao.”