Westwood Shadows

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A police detective gets involved into a case about a missing couple. Soon he finds out that the husband was working at a mental asylum and he was conducting a research over a mysterious disappearance of patients. Among the files there is something he would never thought he would find.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 98 reviews

story18 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating atmosphere with impressive visuals and sound design, creating an engaging experience.
Puzzles are well-designed and provide a good level of challenge, making them enjoyable to solve.
The prologue effectively sets up an intriguing story that leaves players eager for the full game.

Many players found the game lacking in horror elements, with some expressing disappointment over the absence of combat and jump scares.
Several puzzles were criticized for being either too vague or frustratingly complicated, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
Technical issues, such as bugs and control problems, hindered gameplay for some users, affecting their overall enjoyment.

story
29 mentions
62 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed but generally positive feedback, with many players finding it intriguing and well-executed despite some clichés and predictability. While the narrative features familiar tropes, such as a good cop embroiled in corruption and personal tragedy, it is complemented by a compelling atmosphere and engaging puzzles. Overall, players are excited about the potential of the story, especially after experiencing the prologue, which hints at a promising horror narrative.
- “Westwood Shadows explores the story of Peter Bennet, who gets involved in a surreal mystery in his abandoned hometown.”
- “An extremely interesting storyline, logical puzzles, and an enveloping gloomy atmosphere.”
- “Quality game with a really intriguing story so far; it did well for being a prologue and getting you excited for the full game.”
- “Concerns can be caused by two points: no matter how the plot has slipped into platitudes from category B detectives.”
- “The story looked like it may be going somewhere with the notes and such that you find in the game... but then it takes a 'this is way too far-fetched' kind of turn before it concludes.”
- “The prologue is mostly about the story and puzzle side which I would say a normal person would take about an hour to complete but I suck so it almost took me two hours.”
atmosphere
25 mentions
60 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepiness, strong visual design, and effective sound design, which collectively enhance the overall experience. Many players appreciate the immersive and eerie ambiance that keeps them on edge, although some note that the game lacks significant scares or action. Overall, the combination of atmospheric elements and engaging puzzles contributes to a compelling and suspenseful environment.
- “The atmosphere and creepiness were definitely the highlight of the game.”
- “An extremely interesting storyline, logical puzzles, enveloping gloomy atmosphere.”
- “Great atmosphere, eerie music, and fun puzzles.”
- “Game isn't spooky at all, atmosphere is not even creepy or anything.”
- “The atmosphere, visuals, and music are kind of well done, but the overall experience doesn't give me any hope or interest in buying the full game when it comes out.”
- “A huge well done though, exceptionally good in places, the lack of lighting really puts this into a frustrating play and having limited and restrictive batteries kills the atmosphere for me a bit.”
graphics
10 mentions
90 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are well-received, with many users praising the beautiful visuals, good atmosphere, and optimization that prevents lag. The combination of appealing graphics and clever puzzles contributes to an engaging experience, although some players feel the overall game lacks enough interest to warrant a purchase.
- “The atmosphere, graphics, and puzzles were perfect.”
- “Excellent graphics, clever puzzles, cool save method, enticing story.”
- “The graphics are very cool and the game doesn't lag at all; it's very optimized and I am not used to not lag in indie games.”
- “The atmosphere, visuals, and music are kind of well done, but the overall experience doesn't give me any hope or interest in buying the full game when it comes out.”
music
7 mentions
57 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been praised for its ability to create a strong atmosphere, with many users noting its eerie quality and overall excellence. While the music enhances the experience, some players feel that it alone may not be enough to sustain interest in the full game. Overall, the combination of music and visuals contributes positively to the game's ambiance, despite some concerns about gameplay elements.
- “The music and atmosphere were really good.”
- “Great atmosphere, eerie music, and fun puzzles.”
- “The atmosphere and music were excellent; the puzzles were fun (although the last puzzle took me some time).”
- “The atmosphere, visuals, and music are kind of well done, but the overall experience doesn't give me any hope or interest in buying the full game when it comes out.”
- “It brings me to the main menu page and you can hear the music and see everything normal, but it won't allow me to click on any of the options like 'new game' or 'options'.”
gameplay
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its unique mechanics and engaging story, though some users found the user interface and interaction with objects to be confusing or repetitive. Overall, it offers a rich experience with mystery and numerous features to explore.
- “Awesome gameplay!!”
- “Very nice gameplay with mystery and many features and things to explore.”
- “I couldn't get used to the user interface mechanics and buttons.”
- “The ambient throughout the gameplay was continuous and repetitive, and some interactions with objects were strange.”
- “Unique several mechanics.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional optimization, with users reporting no bugs or performance issues, and highlighting smooth graphics without any lag, which is uncommon for indie titles.
- “This is one of those rare indie horror games that I haven't experienced any bugs or performance issues.”
- “The graphics are very cool and the game doesn't lag at all; it's very optimized, and I am not used to not lagging in indie games.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a stable experience with minimal issues, noting only a rare bug involving a statue and some minor lighting problems.
- “I didn't encounter any bugs or glitches aside from once where one of the statues just stuck to the pedestal while I also had that statue in my inventory, and there were some lighting issues.”