Veranoia 1.9
- December 22, 2023
- horrawr
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Get on itch.io StoreYou have the gift of navigating the nightmares of the deceased to uncover how they died. You're not the only one. Through an ancient talisman, followers of "The Eye Syndicate" can possess the innocent and abuse them for their extreme ritual interests. Will you set yourself free from this horrifying nightmare? Will you free the victim of Case 37's possessed soul, or will you be forever trapp…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a consistently creepy atmosphere that effectively keeps players on edge throughout the experience.
- The unique concept of a detective horror game, combined with engaging puzzles and a compelling story, adds depth to the gameplay.
- Despite being an indie project created by a single developer, the game showcases a lot of heart and effort, with impressive visuals and sound design.
- The game suffers from a disjointed narrative and inconsistent gameplay mechanics, making it feel less cohesive and more like a series of random events.
- Many players found the jump scares to be poorly executed and overly reliant on cheap tactics, diminishing the overall horror experience.
- There are significant issues with game mechanics, such as unclear interactions, lack of save options between chapters, and bugs that hinder gameplay.
- story14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring an intriguing premise and engaging gameplay, but it suffers from a lack of cohesion and depth, with many players feeling it is underdeveloped and cluttered with subplots. While the narrative jumps straight into action, which some find fitting for its nightmare theme, the reliance on notes for backstory is criticized for not enhancing the overall world-building. Overall, the story has potential but requires more polish and a clearer focus to fully resonate with players.
“The art and story were both pretty interesting.”
“Intriguing story, fun gameplay.”
“The game features a compelling story, and the developers are continuously adding new elements, such as multiple endings.”
“The story seemed like it wasn't fully baked either.”
“I appreciate the art style, but overall I feel the game would benefit from a better, fleshed out, and more cohesive story rather than one that tries to have too much going on, filled with various subplots.”
“And the story is almost entirely told via notes, but none of the notes really add anything to the story or world building.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating the immersive experience and fun puzzles, despite the short playtime of about an hour. However, there are critiques regarding unclear mechanics, such as the hiding feature, and the need for better visual differentiation of gameplay tips and lore notes. Overall, while the gameplay is engaging, improvements in clarity and mechanics could enhance the experience further.
“Intriguing story, fun gameplay.”
“I enjoyed the fact that even if it is a short gameplay for now (approximately 1 hour), it is still very immersive and fun, and I enjoyed the puzzles, though I would definitely love more of them!”
“They introduced a 'hide' mechanic, which in horror games means danger ahead.”
“The hiding in the coffin mechanic wasn't explained (unless I missed something).”
“The notes scattered about - some were gameplay tips, some were 'help' from the person who you were inside, and some were general lore - it would make more sense for these to look different visually. If it's help, make them spirit wisps; if it's lore/document, make it look like a note; and maybe make the gameplay tips just be messages or display that pop up when you enter a certain 'zone' or 'area' where the tip is applicable.”
“Also adding other settings to control even during gameplay; the menu only had a resume and exit option.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness and ability to maintain tension, drawing strong comparisons to classic horror titles like Silent Hill. While some reviewers noted inconsistencies, the overall ambiance effectively evokes a nightmarish quality that enhances the horror experience, making it a standout feature for fans of the genre.
“Whoever created this was obviously a Silent Hill fan because of the super creepy atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere, although inconsistent and disjointed, felt creepy and fit the ambiance of a nightmare.”
“When the game finally does start properly, the unsettling atmosphere continues to ramp up.”
“Maybe I'm a wuss; I've played most of the Resident Evil and Silent Hill titles, though this game's atmosphere always had me on edge, and that's the game's strongest point.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's art style is appreciated, but players feel that the graphics could be enhanced with a more cohesive presentation and clearer explanations of the five available settings. Additionally, the menu design is criticized for being somewhat unrefined and lacking in user-friendly options.
“I appreciate the art style.”
“The game has five graphics settings that each do something, but it won't explain them.”
“The game has five graphics settings that each do something it won't explain.”
“Upon launch, the menu felt a bit tacky with the only options being which graphics settings you would like.”
“Some suggestions though for the menus is to make the selection of graphics visible.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players have noted significant improvements in optimization, with enhanced performance and a reduced game size, now around 5GB for a 3 to 4-hour experience. This indicates the developers' commitment to refining the game.
“I am happy that the developers haven't forgotten the game, as the performance is now so much better and the game size isn't taking nearly 5GB for a 3 to 4 hour game.”
“The optimization updates have significantly improved the gameplay experience, making everything run smoother and faster.”
“I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, resulting in a more enjoyable and seamless gaming experience.”
“The performance is now so much better, and the game size isn't taking nearly 5GB for a 3 to 4-hour game.”
“The optimization is lacking, making the game feel sluggish and unresponsive at times.”
“Despite the improvements, there are still significant frame rate drops that hinder the overall experience.”
