WORLD OF HORROR
- February 19, 2020
- Remuke
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"World of Horror" is a roguelite cosmic horror RPG, where the Old Gods reawaken in a world on the brink of madness. Players navigate through turn-based combat and unforgiving choices in Shiokawa, Japan, unraveling randomized mysteries inspired by Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft. With five characters and over 10 mysteries, players must solve puzzles, invoke dark rituals, and uncover disturbing clues in this roguelite-style game.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- graphics2,152 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "World of Horror" have received widespread acclaim for their unique 1-bit and 2-bit art style, heavily inspired by the works of Junji Ito and classic horror manga. Players appreciate the atmospheric visuals that effectively convey a sense of dread, complemented by a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some users noted minor graphical issues and a cluttered UI, the game's aesthetic charm and nostalgic retro design have made it a standout feature, drawing in fans of both horror and vintage gaming.
“Beautiful art style, gameplay that makes me think, and a truly terrifying scenario.”
“The art style that the game has is very beautiful and creepy, the black and white pixel graphics make the areas unsettling.”
“The art style is amazing, and the mechanics are easy to grasp.”
“Nothing is broken exactly, but there's just weird graphical issues that seemed kind of basic.”
“Also, the game has no animations like it was shown in the trailer, instead, all is 'retro' monochrome PC graphics (but you can change the palette at least).”
“Despite the trailer though the visuals in the game are pretty static with minimal animations.”
- gameplay1,874 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *World of Horror* is a blend of roguelike mechanics and point-and-click adventure elements, featuring a unique aesthetic inspired by Junji Ito and Lovecraftian themes. While many players appreciate the game's atmosphere and the strategic resource management involved, others criticize it for being overly reliant on RNG, leading to frustrating experiences, especially at higher difficulties. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and offers high replayability, but it may require a steep learning curve and can feel repetitive over time.
“Beautiful art style, gameplay that makes me think, and a truly terrifying scenario.”
“Gameplay feels turn-based, requiring careful planning, which is a rare but welcome approach in horror games.”
“The gameplay is addicting, the playable and (depending on what mysteries you investigate) NPC characters are all lovable in their own right, and the art is fantastic!”
“The aesthetic is great but the gameplay sucks, it's pretty much entirely luck-based and higher difficulties just tilt the luck against you and give you less resources to work with.”
“The gameplay is very same old same old and does get monotonous when playing for a long drawn out time.”
“The actual mechanics rely too heavily on luck to be worth your time.”
- story1,304 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "World of Horror" is a blend of intriguing, standalone mysteries inspired by the works of Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft, set in a town plagued by eldritch horrors. While the game features a variety of unique narratives and multiple endings, many players find the overall storytelling disjointed and lacking cohesion, as the random events often feel unrelated to the main plot. Despite its atmospheric visuals and engaging themes, the game struggles with repetitive content and a lack of a deeper, overarching narrative, leading to mixed feelings about its storytelling effectiveness.
“The game's ability to throw threatening challenges at the player and feel immersive while doing so is a love letter to both post-gothic and gothic storytelling alike.”
“World of Horror is one of the first roguelikes I've tried, and it made me fall in love with the genre not only with its intriguing story and stories, the self-contained mystery service, and the game's overall plotline of reaching the lighthouse and saving the town from its demise.”
“The story is rich, funny, chilling and has plenty of depth.”
“Dangling storylines are seemingly abandoned, advertised features have never appeared, and the game is still missing even the most basic quality of life features that any modern roguelike should have.”
“The real issue is yet again this has proven to me that story-driven games do not work in the rogue-lite genre.”
“The problem is that the story being told throughout these mysteries doesn't take these random encounters into consideration, and it all ends up feeling disjointed to the point where it breaks my immersion.”
- music1,176 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "World of Horror" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's eerie atmosphere, with many players praising its haunting chiptune soundtrack that complements the retro aesthetic and Lovecraftian themes. Reviewers noted that the dynamic music shifts effectively between exploration and combat, creating an immersive experience that draws players deeper into the game's unsettling world. While some mentioned minor audio bugs and a desire for more variety, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and engagement.
“It's as though the game is drawing you in, deeper and deeper, with its siren song... speaking of songs, this game has legitimately one of the best soundtracks of any game I've played.”
“The music is absolutely sublime, with every mystery having a sort of song based on a particular theme.”
“The music sets the tone wonderfully, it's disturbing without being upsetting, and catchy enough to listen to outside of the game.”
“But there's some audio bugs where changing the music volume during a run doesn't do anything, and also the option to turn off mystery tutorial doesn't work for me.”
“The music is ear-splittingly repetitive and way too eastern for my taste.”
“The only thing that falls short is the soundtrack which sometimes feels like a 10 second loop with only 4 notes.”
- atmosphere714 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "World of Horror" is widely praised for its exceptional ability to evoke a sense of dread and unease, drawing heavily from the aesthetics of horror manga and Lovecraftian themes. Players appreciate the game's unique 1-bit art style, haunting soundtrack, and immersive storytelling, which collectively create a chilling experience that lingers long after gameplay. While some note that the atmosphere can diminish with repeated playthroughs, the overall consensus is that it effectively captures the essence of horror without relying on cheap jump scares, making it a standout title for fans of the genre.
“World of Horror creates an absolutely flawless, compelling atmosphere that keeps you hooked from the first moment.”
“The art style and atmosphere are amazing.”
“Incredible atmosphere and addicting gameplay - a joy to play and experience <3”
“The first run of each mystery is genuinely spooky but the atmosphere will already be completely disintegrated by the second replay.”
“Because of this, any atmosphere there might otherwise be is immediately thrown away.”
“To conclude: awful design, pointless gameplay, disjointed and weak storytelling, ineffective atmosphere.”
- replayability578 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with numerous unlockable characters, multiple endings for each mystery, and a variety of random events that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the game's modular design and customization options, which enhance the experience and encourage experimentation. Despite some concerns about content limitations, the potential for future updates and modding support promises to further enrich the game's replay value.
“Instant classic with literally endless replayability, World of Horror delivers in a market that has plenty of roguelikes to choose from.”
“Each play-through takes 40-60 minutes, but there's good replay value, since there are many storylines to play through, multiple endings to find, extra challenges to do, internal game achievements to gain (which unlock new items, allies, skills, game modes, etc), and a host of horrific enemies to battle.”
“The sheer number of unlockables and events also give it a lot of replayability.”
“Very poor battle mechanics, combined with a poorly written storyline, makes a roguelike game very unreplayable.”
“Ive played through all the game has to offer in less than 5 hours, seen everything there was to see and done everything there is to do, and at least for me, replay value fell off harshly due to this repetitiveness.”
“My only complaint with this game is that there isn't enough content to make it as replayable as it needs to be, being a roguelike.”
- stability84 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting various bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users note improvements in recent updates, the game remains somewhat unstable, particularly in its save/load system and certain gameplay mechanics. Overall, it is considered playable but still exhibits the hallmarks of early access, leading to mixed feelings about its current state.
“It's mostly bug free (minor bugs might exist, but whatever) and it's full of content. It has been updated for years before the updates stopped.”
“The game has shown remarkable stability over time, with very few bugs and consistent updates.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; it runs smoothly and has a wealth of content to explore.”
“Don't be fooled by the immaculate aesthetics, World of Horror is a buggy, incomplete mess that shows no signs of ever being close to finished at the time of writing.”
“The game is pretty buggy and rough around the edges with a ton of typos, grammar, and spelling mistakes in text and formatting issues, such as text not wrapping inside text boxes correctly and going off the edge of the screen.”
“The wealth of game-breaking glitches is ridiculous.”
- humor58 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark comedy with horror elements reminiscent of Junji Ito and Lovecraft. Players appreciate the clever writing, quirky narratives, and unexpected comedic moments that provide levity amidst the chilling atmosphere, making the experience both entertaining and engaging. The mix of absurdity, such as humorous character traits and bizarre scenarios, adds a unique charm that resonates well with players.
“The story is rich, funny, chilling, and has plenty of depth.”
“It's weird that 'cute' and 'funny' are the adjectives I'd use to describe this game, because it's really not the vibe of the game, but those words keep coming into my head as I play.”
“Gorgeous artwork, legit scary and funny, and therefore very entertaining.”
- grinding54 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "World of Horror" is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, requiring players to repeatedly engage with the same content to unlock new features and items. Many reviewers note that this grind detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game, making it feel stale and diminishing the horror experience. While some appreciate the potential for optimization and the game's aesthetics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding mechanics are a significant drawback.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“In my opinion, the main issue with World of Horror lies in the excessive grinding required to access certain content.”
“It gets old really fast and the grinding makes you not care about any of the story.”
“The gameplay is still a dry, heavily RNG-reliant chore which, when the novelty of unlocking exactly one or two new mysteries in an achievement wears off, will amount to endlessly just grinding out runs for diminishing returns.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted as a heartfelt tribute to the works of Junji Ito and Lovecraft, creating a unique and immersive horror experience. Players appreciate the game's solid presentation and atmosphere, which evoke both intrigue and warmth, making it feel like a touching love letter to the genre. Despite some developmental flaws, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully balances spooky elements with a wholesome, family-friendly vibe.
“If you're a fan of Junji Ito and Lovecraft's body of work, you'll find this game to be a touching love letter to both while still being distinctly its own thing.”
“A heartwarming love letter with a solid art direction.”
“The rest made me feel intrigued most of the time... carefully evaluating which choices will best navigate the unpredictable horrors.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, particularly on the Steam Deck, where players report scaling issues and unresponsive controls that hinder gameplay. While some aspects of the UI/UX could be improved, the game performs well on other platforms without crashes. Overall, it offers a unique challenge that may appeal to players who enjoy strategic management, despite its optimization shortcomings.
“Many of the mysteries are captivating on your first run, and going through the same events doesn't actually feel tedious, since over time, the game becomes more of an optimization game against the roll of the dice, which might not be for everyone, but damn if you like managing stuff in games.”
“The random options can change that challenge dynamic to force you out of the mold of optimized builds.”
“If you are looking for a fun and playtime-optimized gaming experience (and you don't mind needles near your eyes...), I warmly recommend World of Horror.”
“To begin, I'm seeing a lot of criticism for the game optimization on the Steam Deck.”
“Scaling issues and unoptimized controls make it hard to play on a Steam Deck.”
“There are aspects of the UI/UX that could be optimized, and objects that I can't understand how or where to use.”
- character development12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in "World of Horror" is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with reviewers noting that there is no significant growth or evolution in the characters throughout the story. While the character designs are praised for their charm and aesthetic appeal, many feel that they are somewhat generic, particularly with a predominance of schoolgirl characters. Overall, the game excels in visual and auditory elements, but fails to deliver a compelling narrative through character progression.
“If you do successfully min-max your character through the game, you're treated to some excellent art, music, gameplay, story, and character design - it'll draw you in.”
“World of Horror is a strange little game with a very satisfying core gameplay loop and a banging aesthetic, featuring a great graphical style (apparently somehow done in MS Paint?? Amazing), charming character designs, and an engaging soundtrack.”
“The art and character design are very great and honestly terrifying.”
“No character development in the story.”
“No character development in the story.”
“Playable character designs are all pretty decent (if a little generic and samey, like half the cast are schoolgirls).”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has sparked debate among users, with some labeling it a cash grab or rip-off, while others appreciate its unique presentation and difficulty mechanics. Overall, opinions are divided, reflecting a mix of skepticism and recognition of the game's design choices.
“I am mentioning this because if you go into the Steam forums, you will hear wild claims about this game being a cash grab or rip-off by people with too much of a chip on their shoulder.”
