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.
Reviews
- World of Horror features a unique blend of Junji Ito and Lovecraftian horror, creating a captivating atmosphere.
- The game's art style and music are exceptional, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in its eerie world.
- With a variety of mysteries, characters, and unlockables, the game offers high replayability and encourages experimentation.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and heavily reliant on RNG, leading to frustrating experiences for players.
- The UI is cluttered and can be confusing for new players, making it difficult to navigate and understand mechanics.
- Many events and mysteries lack cohesion, resulting in a disjointed narrative that can detract from the overall immersion.
- graphics1,076 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 pixel art style, heavily inspired by the works of Junji Ito and Lovecraftian themes. Players appreciate the game's nostalgic aesthetic, which effectively captures the eerie atmosphere of classic horror manga and retro computer games, complemented by a haunting soundtrack. While some users noted minor graphical issues and a cluttered UI, the overall visual presentation is considered a standout feature that enhances the game's immersive experience.
“The art style is amazing, and the mechanics are easy to grasp.”
“The visuals are fantastic and gruesome, and the music is great.”
“The art style is beautifully terrifying and the references in-game to Junji Ito and Lovecraft are apparent.”
“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.”
- gameplay937 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "World of Horror" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique blend of roguelike mechanics and Junji Ito-inspired aesthetics. While some find the gameplay engaging and addictive, highlighting its strategic resource management and replayability, others criticize it for being overly reliant on RNG, leading to frustrating experiences. The interface and mechanics can be confusing at first, but players often report that they become more intuitive with time, making the game rewarding for those willing to invest the effort to learn its systems.
“Beautiful art style, gameplay that makes me think, and a truly terrifying scenario.”
“The gameplay mixes point-and-click mechanics with rogue-like elements, offering high replayability through diverse scenarios and unexpected twists.”
“Incredible atmosphere and addicting gameplay - a joy to play and experience <3”
“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.”
“It's a cool aesthetic; you'll have some fun with it for a couple of hours, but once you start to see repeating content and actually understand the gameplay, it's such a shallow and disappointing experience.”
- story652 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "World of Horror" is a blend of intriguing, standalone horror vignettes inspired by the works of Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft, featuring a variety of characters and multiple endings for each mystery. While the game excels in atmosphere and visual storytelling, many players find the narrative disjointed due to its reliance on random events and a lack of overarching plot cohesion, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. Overall, the game offers a unique and immersive horror experience, but it may not satisfy those seeking a deep, interconnected narrative.
“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 self-contained mystery service, but also with the game's overall plotline of reaching the lighthouse and saving the town from its demise.”
“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.”
“The story is rich, funny, chilling, and has plenty of depth.”
“The trailers somehow convinced me that this is a story-heavy game, but the story is just random pieces that merely function as items for rogue-lite play. I was expecting an adventure game with a handcrafted story that I can actually play through.”
“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.”
“The sheer atmosphere, intrigue, story, and mechanics of this game is simply out of this world, but the writing is bad, and random encounters are often completely unrelated to the story.”
- music588 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in this game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its catchy chiptune style that complements the retro horror aesthetic. The soundtrack is noted for being immersive and thematically appropriate, effectively setting the mood for both exploration and combat scenarios. However, some players have pointed out issues with audio bugs and a lack of variety in certain tracks, which can detract from the experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes 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.”
“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.”
“The sound is quite effective and I'd love to experience the atmosphere without the garbled Japanese chip-tune music that sounds like a ripoff of the Mako Reactor music from FFVII.”
- atmosphere357 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 Junji Ito and Lovecraftian horror. Players appreciate the game's haunting visuals, atmospheric music, 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 through its unique art style and sound design.
“The atmosphere is top-notch, but the gameplay is just dull.”
“World of Horror creates an absolutely flawless, compelling atmosphere that keeps you hooked from the first moment.”
“The art style and atmosphere are amazing.”
“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.”
- replayability289 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with numerous unlockable items, multiple endings for each mystery, and a variety of characters and scenarios that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the randomization elements and the potential for modding, which further enhances the game's longevity and replay value. While some reviewers noted a decrease in replayability after completing all achievements, the overall consensus is that the game offers a rich and varied experience that encourages repeated play.
“The stories are short and sweet, but offer a satisfying degree of variety and replay value, depending on your choices. The artwork and presentation really make the game more than just another choose-your-own-adventure.”
“Each playthrough 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, and a host of horrific enemies to battle.”
“The unlocks give the game endless replayability and keep each run unique, whether you decide to go for a fully randomized run via quick play or have complete control over the run via the custom playthrough option.”
“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.”
- stability42 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- -5 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting a range of bugs and glitches, particularly in recent updates and early access versions. While some players have experienced game-breaking issues, others note that the game is mostly playable and has improved over time. Overall, the presence of bugs is acknowledged, but many reviewers express optimism for future updates to address these stability concerns.
“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 runs smoothly without crashes, providing a stable experience that keeps me coming back.”
“I've experienced very few issues, and the overall performance is impressive, making for a reliable gaming experience.”
“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.”
- humor29 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, often subverting expectations with absurd and quirky moments. Players appreciate the clever writing and comedic parodies of horror tropes, which add a lighthearted touch to the otherwise chilling atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully balances its spooky themes with genuinely funny scenarios, making for an entertaining experience.
“The game really nails the spooky Junji Ito/Lovecraft vibe but will not hesitate to shatter it with aggressive shitpost comedy, but they're actually funny, so I don't think you'll mind too much.”
“The story is rich, funny, chilling, and has plenty of depth.”
“It's art direction, music, and writing are top-notch in really creating an almost hopeless fight against ancient evil, and there are quite a few easter eggs to tickle the funny bone of any horror enthusiast.”
- grinding27 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and excessive, often requiring players to replay the same content repeatedly to unlock new features and items. Many reviewers find the process frustrating, as it detracts from the overall enjoyment and narrative engagement, with some suggesting that the game becomes a chore rather than an immersive experience. While the aesthetics and potential of the game are appreciated, the grinding mechanics and RNG reliance lead to a sense of monotony and diminished excitement over time.
“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.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its immersive atmosphere and heartfelt homage to the works of Junji Ito and Lovecraft, creating a unique blend of horror and warmth. Players appreciate the game's solid presentation and art direction, which evoke a sense of nostalgia and intrigue, while also finding it surprisingly wholesome and family-friendly despite its horror themes. Overall, it is seen as a touching love letter to the genre, crafted with care by a dedicated solo developer.
“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.”
“Before even touching upon the gameplay mechanics themselves, I have to give serious respect to what is essentially a one-man team here as Panstasz, the sole developer behind World of Horror, has done an incredible job in managing to slowly work upon what is quite the unique horror game and has excellently created an immersive atmosphere delving into Lovecraftian horrors through the use of manga art inspired by the likes of Junji Ito, who has also similar experiences with crafting various supernatural nightmares into his books as well, which only adds to the excellent horror atmosphere of this game!”
“A heartwarming love letter with a solid art direction.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report scaling issues and unoptimized controls that hinder gameplay. While some players appreciate the challenge of managing randomness and optimizing builds, others find the user interface and experience lacking. Overall, performance on standard computers appears stable, with no significant crashes reported.
“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.”
“- Works on any computer and I personally had no problems with performance or crashes yet.”
“To begin, I'm seeing a lot of criticism for the game's 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 development6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely absent, with players noting a lack of depth in the characters' growth or backstory. However, the aesthetic elements, including character designs and art, are praised for their charm and effectiveness in creating an engaging atmosphere. While the gameplay allows for some character optimization, it does not significantly enhance the narrative or character arcs.
“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.”
“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.”
“The art and character design are very great and honestly terrifying.”
“There is no character development in the story.”
“The playable character designs are all pretty decent, but they feel a little generic and samey, with half the cast being schoolgirls.”
“The character development is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that some players perceive the game's monetization as exploitative, labeling it a "cash grab" or "rip-off," while others argue that its marketing effectively highlights its challenging gameplay mechanics. Overall, opinions on monetization are mixed, with some players feeling justified in their criticisms.
“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.”
