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What Happened

What Happened is a wonderful tale of the consequences of dealing with drugs, relationships and much more at the same time, leading into a hell of emotions that may be shown in the wrong way and maybe too many times.
54%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, atmosphere
57% User Score Based on 47 reviews
Critic Score 53%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $24.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$24.99

About

“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…

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
What Happened screenshot
+20

57%
Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews
story6 positive mentions
atmosphere3 negative mentions
  • The game features absolutely gorgeous graphics and a visually stunning design that showcases a lot of effort and creativity.
  • The story has potential and addresses important themes such as mental health, depression, and the struggles of adolescence.
  • There are unique and imaginative puzzles, along with multiple endings that encourage exploration and replayability.
  • The gameplay is often bogged down by excessive cutscenes and a confusing structure, making it feel more like an interactive movie than a game.
  • Many players found the narrative to be repetitive and lacking depth, with characters that are difficult to empathize with.
  • The game suffers from technical issues such as bugs, poor voice acting, and a lack of clear direction, leading to frustration during play.
  • story
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story, centered on themes of regret, sorrow, and mental health, has garnered mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its emotional depth and mature handling of serious topics, others criticize its confusing narrative structure and pacing, leading to disengagement. Many feel that the execution falls short, with a lack of character development and direction, resulting in a story that, despite its potential, often feels shallow and underdeveloped. Overall, the narrative's ambition is acknowledged, but its delivery leaves players divided, with some finding it thought-provoking and others deeming it tedious and lacking coherence.

    • “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
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 atmospheric and creative elements, many criticize the lack of engaging activities and confusing narrative, leading to a generally mixed reception regarding its gameplay depth and clarity. Overall, it offers a memorable experience for some, but may leave others feeling frustrated by its linearity and limited interactivity.

    • “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.”
    • “+ a lot of creative decisions for visuals/atmosphere/gameplay.”
    • “The game is just a mess, with very little gameplay, confusing narrative, and distracting visual effects.”
    • “There is little gameplay here.”
    • “Gameplay has some issues too: sometimes I wasn't sure what to do, I was just running around trying doors and light switches.”
  • graphics
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 choices and effects that enhance the atmosphere, although some note that the intense visual style can be overwhelming at times. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Absolutely gorgeous graphics.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, and the attention to detail is awesome.”
    • “Graphics, animations, and special effects are 10/10.”
    • “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 are not impressive and can be quite disorienting.”
    • “The visuals are overwhelming, with strobe light effects that can be hard to handle.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its dark and complex narrative, which evokes feelings of empathy and confusion. Players report a deep connection to the protagonist's struggles with depression and emotional maturity, effectively immersing them in a sense of helplessness and isolation. Overall, the game successfully conveys a poignant exploration of mental health themes.

    • “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

    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

    The music and sound design in the game received high praise, with users highlighting its amazing quality and overall positive impact on the gaming experience.

    • “By the way, the sounds and music were amazing.”
    • “Sound and music: ++++”
    • “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short while.”
    • “The sound effects are poorly mixed, often drowning out the music and making it hard to enjoy.”
    • “The soundtrack feels generic and uninspired, failing to enhance the overall gaming experience.”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report significant stability issues, citing the game as "too buggy," which negatively impacts the overall experience.

    • “It's just too buggy.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it unplayable.”
    • “I experience constant lag and glitches that ruin the experience.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which made the experience feel monotonous.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 revisit the experience after the initial playthrough.

    • “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 it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”

53%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews

Buy What Happened

2h Median play time
2h Average play time
2-2h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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