What Happened

About

What Happened is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by What Happened and was released on July 30, 2020. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

“What Happened puts you in the shoes of high-school student Stiles, a teenage boy suffering from acute anxiety and depression. You must guide him through the dark and twisted corridors of his own sub-conscious, with his fate depending entirely on your empathy with his tortured state of mind.” Psychological thriller in which you guide high school student Stiles on an uncompromising journey through…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

+20

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

story6 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that effectively conveys its dark themes.
It tackles heavy topics such as mental health, bullying, and addiction, providing a thought-provoking experience.
The game includes multiple endings and secrets, encouraging exploration and replayability.

The gameplay is often bogged down by excessive cutscenes and a lack of clear direction, making it feel more like a movie than a game.
There are significant audio issues, including bugged sound settings that can disrupt the experience.
The narrative can be confusing and repetitive, leading to a loss of engagement over time.

story
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
76%
11%
The game's story tackles heavy themes such as anxiety, depression, and personal tragedy through the lens of a grief-stricken teenager, but opinions are mixed on its execution. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and potential of the narrative, others criticize its confusing structure, pacing issues, and lack of engaging characters, leading to a disjointed experience. Overall, the story is seen as a significant aspect of the game, though it struggles to fully resonate with all players.
- “Overall, I liked playing it and I felt how much the creators cared about the story.”
- “The story is good, and it addresses a very important subject.”
- “This story is about anxiety and depression, bullying in school and personal tragedies, friendship and betrayal, your own demons, and suicide.”
- “Not because of the subject matter, but because of the confusing story, annoying gameplay structure, and pacing of the game.”
- “What happened is a directionless, nauseating experience, with overly long cutscenes that just go on and on without any creative storytelling or competent dialogue.”
- “However, the game falters and fumbles when it comes to properly conveying said message in a powerful, thought-provoking manner – as a result, the otherwise visually stunning and often outright trippy levels are unfortunately placed in the service of a rather shallow and underdeveloped plot that fails to do its own subject matter justice.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The gameplay is primarily characterized as a walking simulator with minimal mechanics, often revolving around simple tasks like switching on and off lightbulbs. While some players appreciate the creative decisions and atmospheric elements, many criticize the lack of engaging gameplay and confusing narrative, leading to a mixed reception overall. The game is memorable for its unique mechanics, but it may not appeal to everyone due to its linearity and limited interactivity.
- “It tackles some heavy topics and manages to tell the story without a ton of text, relying instead on gameplay.”
- “While not for everyone, this game is at least memorable with its shifting limbo mechanics.”
- “From a gameplay perspective, it's a walking simulator/psychological horror.”
- “I'm struggling to think back now even though I've just completed it, as to what gameplay mechanics and activities I engaged with beyond switching on and off lightbulbs and moving lightbulbs around.”
- “The game is just a mess, with very little gameplay, confusing narrative, and distracting visual effects.”
- “There is little gameplay here.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
27%
20%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and attention to detail, creating a breathtaking and immersive experience. Many reviewers highlight the unique artistic style and creative visual effects that enhance the gameplay, despite some noting that the intense visuals can be overwhelming at times. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and engagement.
- “Absolutely gorgeous graphics.”
- “The visuals are stunning, and the attention to detail is awesome.”
- “Graphics, animations, and special effects are 10/10.”
- “Awesome game if you can get through getting punched, stabbed, and sworn at for 4 hours straight, with strobe light LSD visuals, and a character in the game contemplating suicide constantly.”
- “The graphics remind me of Nintendo Switch horror games; sometimes they give me a headache because the camera goes upside down so much, along with excessive coloring and effects.”
- “The graphics remind me of Nintendo Switch horror games; sometimes they give me a headache because the camera goes upside down so much, along with excessive coloring and effects.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its originality and immersive quality, effectively capturing themes of teenage pain and loneliness. Reviewers commend the impressive visual design and detail, particularly in the shifting limbo sections, which contribute to a dreamlike experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as intense and memorable, showcasing the developers' creative decisions.
- “I'm amazed at the game's visual design; the amount of detail is insane (for an indie developer). As for the atmosphere and the plot, the developers did a very good job depicting a teenager's pain and loneliness, which are very intense.”
- “I'm amazed at the game's visual design; the amount of detail is insane (for an indie developer). As for the atmosphere and the plot, the developers also did a very good job depicting a teenager's pain and loneliness, which are very intense.”
- “My favorite part of this game is the atmosphere of the shifting limbo sections.”
- “I wish there was an option to 'maybe' recommend the game, since it has its moments and it manages to capture a certain dreamlike atmosphere.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its dark and complex narrative, which evokes feelings of empathy and confusion in players. Users appreciate the portrayal of characters grappling with deep emotional struggles, particularly depression, and the game's ability to immerse them in a sense of helplessness and isolation. Overall, it effectively captures the nuances of emotional maturity amidst personal turmoil.
- “I think I would have been more able to empathize with someone who has reached emotional maturity but is still cripplingly depressed and is having a hard time.”
- “The story was dark and emotional.”
- “Although I found it hard to understand what was happening at times, the game made me feel lost, confused, helpless, and alone, pulling me further into the world of Stiles and how he was feeling.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game is criticized for its lack of coherence and poor pacing, which detracts from the overall experience despite some strong character performances. The narrative feels disjointed, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The music and sound design in the game received high praise, with users highlighting it as amazing and rating it positively.
- “By the way, the sounds and music were amazing.”
- “Sound and music: ++++”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The sound design is underwhelming and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack is forgettable and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the humor in the game to be enjoyable and lighthearted, often leading to amusing moments, such as unexpected achievements. The playful tone and clever writing contribute to a fun experience that encourages further exploration and replayability.
- “Funny enough, in my first playthrough, I got one of the secret ending achievements! Well, it wasn't that secret, I guess. Maybe one day I'll play more of it to get all the achievements.”
- “The humor in this game is absolutely delightful, with witty dialogue and hilarious situations that kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
- “I love how the game incorporates humor into its storytelling; the jokes are clever and perfectly timed, making every moment enjoyable.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly impact gameplay.
- “It's just too buggy.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experience constant lag and glitches that ruin the experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, yet the stunning visuals provide enough motivation to continue pushing through.
- “That does get tedious, but the amazing visuals kept me plodding along.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Many users note that walking simulators often struggle with replayability, as their linear narratives and lack of varied gameplay elements can diminish the incentive to replay the experience.
- “A common issue for any walking simulator is the lack of replayability.”
- “Once you've experienced the story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The game offers minimal variation in gameplay, making multiple playthroughs feel redundant.”