Within the Backrooms
- January 12, 2023
- Shattered Display
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Within the Backrooms" is a single-player Horror Adventure game set in a vast world of liminal spaces, reminiscent of the PS1 era. The game features four diverse main floors, each with unique sub-floors and mysteries to uncover. With light puzzle elements, a haunting atmosphere, and a good music score, players must rely on their wits and bravery to explore, question everything, and find out why they're there.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game perfectly captures the essence of the Backrooms, providing a nostalgic and eerie atmosphere without relying on jump scares or monsters.
- The level designs and soundtrack create a hauntingly beautiful experience that immerses players in a liminal space, encouraging exploration and discovery.
- With multiple endings and hidden secrets, the game offers replay value and a sense of intrigue that keeps players engaged.
- The game can feel repetitive as players must restart to achieve different endings, which may lead to frustration.
- Some players have reported minor bugs and issues with controls, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The game is relatively short, with some feeling that the price does not match the amount of content available.
- music24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the eerie and unsettling experience of the gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke tension and a sense of exploration, with some even expressing a willingness to purchase it. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, effectively complementing the game's unique aesthetic and emotional impact.
“The music is amazingly atmospheric, the level design and puzzles are strange and eerie, invoking a feeling of dream logic, while also having a curious layout that urges the player forward.”
“Absolute fever dream of a game with a stellar soundtrack, dipping between eerie and downright beautiful at times as your character trips between dimensions.”
“The constant 1-minute music loops are mainly at fault for this; simply our own footsteps and an occasional unnerving background noise would have done just fine.”
“The soundtrack is some of the most unnerving stuff I have heard in a while.”
“The environments are beautiful if often inexplicably 'wrong', and the music is the right level of unnerving for the game.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a retro PS1 aesthetic that effectively enhances the eerie atmosphere and nostalgia associated with the backrooms concept. While not technically impressive, the simplistic visuals contribute to a captivating and immersive experience, drawing players into a hauntingly familiar world. Overall, the aesthetic is praised for its ability to evoke feelings of uncanny dread and nostalgia, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Quite a better take on the backrooms; the retro graphics and music were very well fit to immerse yourself.”
“It has a very tasteful aesthetic scene made in the style of the PS1, with level 0 and the vast space of the mall particularly captivating.”
“Amazing atmosphere and aesthetic, unnerving without cheap jump scares or chases, and absolutely dripping with the forgotten nostalgia that made liminal spaces so intriguing!”
“The graphical style of the game is not incredible, but not bad either - but the level designs are devoid of anything interesting.”
“When it isn't creeping the player out or making them feel uneasy, it brings forth the nagging pull of bygone nostalgia that pairs perfectly with its simplistic early PlayStation style graphics.”
“The PS2 graphics somehow add to the eerie familiarity and the soundtrack pulls it all together.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and dreamlike quality, enhanced by an exceptional soundtrack that heightens the sense of dread without relying on jump scares. Players appreciate the unique level design and puzzles that evoke nostalgia and intrigue, creating a surreal experience that encourages exploration. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to immerse players in a haunting yet captivating environment.
“The music is amazingly atmospheric, the level design and puzzles are strange and eerie, invoking a feeling of dream logic, while also having a curious layout that urges the player forward.”
“Amazing atmosphere and aesthetic, unnerving without cheap jump scares or chases, and absolutely dripping with the forgotten nostalgia that made liminal spaces so intriguing!”
“Very oppressive atmosphere and a soundtrack that makes everything ten times scarier.”
“Most modern backroom games tend to sacrifice atmosphere for game mechanics involving monsters and resource management.”
“The best part of this game, in my opinion, is the atmosphere of horror it creates without the use of monsters or cheap jump scares.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is noted for its unique approach, offering around 2-3 hours of playtime with 11 different endings that require players to find specific tapes. Unlike many other backrooms games that focus on typical mechanics like monster encounters and resource management, this game emphasizes atmosphere and exploration, setting it apart from the competition.
“Most modern backroom games tend to sacrifice atmosphere for game mechanics involving monsters and resource management.”
“Around 13.50 for a game with around 2-3 hours of gameplay is insane.”
“Most modern backroom 'games' tend to sacrifice atmosphere for game-y mechanics involving monsters and resource management.”
“Instead of trying to be like every other goddamn backrooms game on the market which usually just copy Kane Pixels' and then call it a day, Andrew Brenes took a different approach.”
“The game boasts 11 different endings, which require finding corresponding tapes throughout the gameplay to unlock.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game eschews traditional storytelling elements, opting instead for an atmosphere of unease and anxiety without overt threats or convoluted plots. It effectively utilizes easter eggs, multiple endings, and a compelling soundtrack to create an engaging experience that keeps players on edge.
“The easter eggs, the multiple endings, the soundtrack, and even the story you follow is interesting, and all of this is done in such a way where I can't help but feel afraid and uneasy.”
“No story.”
“Unlike other popular backrooms media, this game does not try to shove uninspired ravenous monsters or silly plot points in your face; instead, it's a masterclass in how to make a game feel ominous and anxiety-inducing without any real present threat.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, requiring significant time investment, and some mention that the controls can be cumbersome, though advanced skills are not necessary for progression.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The controls were a bit tedious, but you don't need to do god-tier parkour using the WASD keys (or ZQSD depending on the keyboard).”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability due to multiple endings, allowing players to experience different outcomes, despite a relatively short playthrough time.
“Not too long to finish one playthrough, but 'Wtb' has more than one ending, so it offers great replay value!”
“The multiple endings and choices throughout the game make it incredibly fun to replay.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different paths and outcomes you can explore.”
“Not too long to finish one playthrough, but the game has more than one ending, so it can offer some replay value!”
“Once you've seen all the endings, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel redundant.”
