Vernon's Legacy

About

"Vernon's Legacy" is a narrative-driven puzzle game where players help the protagonist, Jake, uncover the secrets of his late grandfather's past. Players will solve puzzles and uncover hidden objects within the family farmstead to reveal the legacy of Vernon. Through these discoveries, Jake will come to understand his grandfather's life and the choices he made. The game features a heartwarming story about family, love, and the importance of legacy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

story15 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game features impressive graphics and a well-designed atmosphere, particularly in the mansion setting.
The story is engaging, told through notes that provide a rich backstory and context to the gameplay.
The first half of the game offers enjoyable puzzles and exploration, creating a sense of intrigue and suspense.

The second half of the game devolves into repetitive and frustrating gameplay, with a chase mechanic that detracts from the overall experience.
Many puzzles are illogical or based on trial and error, leading to confusion and frustration for players.
The game is very short, with a playtime of around 1.5 hours, which does not justify the full price.

story
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
8%
The story of "Vernon's Legacy" is primarily conveyed through scattered notes, providing an intriguing backstory that some players found engaging, while others criticized it as predictable and lacking depth. Although the initial atmosphere and narrative show promise, many reviewers felt that the story ultimately fails to deliver a compelling experience, often feeling disjointed and underdeveloped. Overall, while the game offers a decent narrative foundation, it struggles to stand out in the crowded indie horror genre.
- “The story unfolds via letters left behind by the estate's residents who are now conspicuously missing.”
- “I loved finding and reading all over the place to get the story.”
- “Vernon's legacy was a well put together game, the story was interesting, the manor was beautifully put together and the game was fairly challenging to solve without resorting to seeking out a guide or walkthrough.”
- “Unfortunately, I can't say that it stands out from the crowd, as the initially promising atmosphere and story quickly dwindles into mediocrity.”
- “Some people in other reviews have talked up the story aspect of this release, but in reality, it's not that special.”
- “I wish more games could look like this when they came out, but the lack of story and interesting things make this one of the most poorly executed horror games I've ever played.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their stunning quality, effectively showcasing the capabilities of the Unreal Engine 4. While many reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals and immersive environments, some note issues with texture quality and minor glitches that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered one of the game's strongest features, despite some areas needing more polish.
- “The visuals are stunning, the controls are smooth and the in-game performance is great.”
- “Graphically it's stunning, although a few problems with clipping through doors and unfinished textured faces, it doesn't distract from the beauty!”
- “The graphics take advantage of the Unreal Engine 4 and show off what it can do well, and the game also delivers great sound effects that echo realistically as you explore your uncle Vernon's mansion.”
- “Graphics - 0 price - 0”
- “While graphics and sound are generally decent, the textures aren't really as good as you want them to be in a game where you spend most of the time running around and taking a close look at everything.”
- “There were halls that went nowhere, boxes flying around, difficulty picking items up, and fuzzy graphics; just glad it was cheap.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay of the game is divided into two distinct halves: the first half features adventure elements with puzzle-solving and exploration, while the second half devolves into a more frantic chase sequence that some players found disappointing. Although the initial gameplay offers engaging mechanics and a compelling story, the latter portion suffers from dullness and poorly designed puzzles, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite some clever moments and a strong atmosphere, many players felt that the gameplay ultimately failed to deliver on its initial promise.
- “The creepy mansion is fun to explore, with a decent story and clever puzzles providing solid gameplay.”
- “Vernon's legacy is still a decent game, with fluent gameplay and a cool atmosphere.”
- “The later twist in gameplay was quite well done, I thought.”
- “First of all, I think it would be important to mention that the game can be divided into two parts: the first half functions as an adventure game (or 'walking simulator' if you will) where we search for keys, unlock doors, collect a few items, and solve puzzles to advance; meanwhile, the second half consists mostly of hectic running from the mentioned evil entity, degrading gameplay into a second-rate Slenderman clone.”
- “Unfortunately, the biggest problem is the dull and plodding gameplay.”
- “Having played 81 minutes now, I've had it refunded - what looked truly like a great little indie game was an ultimate failure, let down by a game design choice which absolutely destroyed it from around 40 minutes of gameplay onwards.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The game's atmosphere is initially engaging, particularly in its early stages set within a spooky mansion, enhanced by ambient sounds and a gothic aesthetic. However, as the game progresses, many players feel that the atmosphere diminishes, losing its tension and intrigue, ultimately leading to a less compelling experience. While some appreciate the eerie ambiance and clever puzzles, the overall consensus suggests that the atmosphere does not consistently maintain its initial promise.
- “Surprisingly, the first half of the game somewhat succeeds in creating the required atmosphere within the old, abandoned mansion and the sounds of the raging thunderstorm outside.”
- “Initially, we had a spooky mansion setting, and quite a gripping one at that - the foreboding atmosphere and nice ambience, as well as the gothic look of the place, made this compelling enough to want to go on.”
- “The game plays out like many other walking simulators, as no combat exists in the game. Instead, you're greeted by an eerie atmosphere and music, which often leaves the gamer on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what might pounce out at them behind the next locked door.”
- “Unfortunately, I can't say that it stands out from the crowd, as the initially promising atmosphere and story quickly dwindles into mediocrity.”
- “There is little in the way of atmosphere or tension, and the puzzles are limited.”
- “And unfortunately that was where it unraveled - that initial setting was by far the best area, as once you end up deeper in the game and are introduced to the entity which pursues you, it loses every ounce of fun and atmosphere and just becomes a horrible chore.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The music in the game is minimal and primarily consists of ambient sounds, with the thunderstorm outside creating a foreboding atmosphere. While some players appreciate the sparse soundtrack for enhancing immersion, others find it repetitive and lacking, with music mainly present during journal interactions. Overall, the sound design contributes to a creepy ambiance, though it may not satisfy those looking for a more dynamic musical experience.
- “The combination of music, ambient sounds, and graphics introduces you to an immersive situation in a creepy Dunkenhof manor.”
- “+ immersive experience thanks to the music and ambient sounds.”
- “The game plays out like many other walking simulators; no combat exists in the game, instead you're greeted by an eerie atmosphere and music, which often leaves the gamer on the edge of his seat waiting to see what pounces out at him behind the next locked door.”
- “I don't believe there was any soundtrack except for the thundering storm outside, which did a great deal to sell a heavy sense of foreboding.”
- “Sadly, the only music soundtrack you get is when you are reading notes, and it is highly repetitive.”
- “The sound design is sparse, with no voice acting and very little music, mostly when you open up the journal in order to read notes, but what there is helps to set the mood.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report a mix of minor glitches and design issues, but no game-breaking bugs or crashes. While some users express frustration over the lack of developer engagement in addressing these problems, the early access status of the game provides some leeway for these stability concerns, with optimism that they will be resolved before the final release.
- “It should also come as no surprise that Triplebrick is missing in action from their own forums, while multiple players are asking for help with glitches.”
- “While I haven't encountered any game-breaking bugs or glitches and the game has never crashed, there are a lot of small design issues that should've been addressed.”
- “-4 points for being a buggy, incomplete mess.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is praised for its impressive visuals, smooth controls, and excellent in-game performance, indicating strong optimization.
- “The visuals are stunning, the controls are smooth, and the in-game performance is great.”