You Will Die Here Tonight
- October 31, 2023
- SpiralBound
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "You Will Die Here Tonight," play as the Aries Division, exploring a cursed mansion and switching between exploration and pulse-pounding arcade combat. Your teammates' decisions impact your survival, and death is just the beginning of this survival horror game inspired by classic titles. Manage resources, solve puzzles, and make life-or-death decisions amidst the mansion's sinister secrets.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique blend of classic survival horror and arcade shooter mechanics, reminiscent of Resident Evil and House of the Dead.
- Engaging character system where each character has unique abilities, adding depth to gameplay and strategy.
- Atmospheric design and intriguing story with unexpected twists that keep players invested.
- Some puzzles can be frustratingly obtuse, leading to confusion and potential soft locks.
- Combat can feel repetitive and lacks variety in enemy encounters, diminishing tension over time.
- Short playtime may leave players wanting more content and replayability options.
- story123 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique twists and engaging elements, while others find it convoluted or poorly executed. Many reviews highlight the game's homage to classic survival horror, particularly Resident Evil, and praise its intriguing plot and character dynamics, though some express disappointment in its brevity and lack of depth. Overall, while the narrative has its flaws, it offers enough intrigue and surprises to keep players invested.
“Experience this game as blind as possible and you will have a great time trying to piece the story together; definitely try to get the true ending!”
“The story is interesting and twisty so far, and the gameplay is fun.”
“The story, while not exactly original, is an interesting twist on the haunted mansion formula.”
“The story is kind of a hot mess and not told in an engaging way, so at this point I had no desire to finish the game and watched the ending on YouTube.”
“The story, writing, and characters are bad.”
“The problem was the story is a little bit short, the twist really isn't fun, and the bosses are repetitive.”
- gameplay114 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of classic survival horror and innovative mechanics, featuring a mix of 2.5D exploration and 3D first-person combat. Players appreciate the engaging loop of dying and retrying with different characters, which adds depth and progression, despite some initial difficulty and minor bugs. Overall, the game successfully pays homage to old-school titles while introducing fresh elements, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
“It's amazingly competently done for an indie horror game - great writing, great gameplay, great level design.”
“The gameplay is survival horror at its core, but instead of going hardcore and formulaic, it brings some roguelite elements that make it very unique.”
“Great presentation, fun gameplay, takes the best bits of an arcade shooter, bits of a roguelike, and bits of a survival horror and assembles them in a way that makes for a unique survival horror experience.”
“I think this game would have benefited from a more traditional survival horror and roguelike gameplay.”
“The regular zombies are slow and weak enough that mechanics like looking through keyholes to scout may as well not exist, and the only times where I felt like I was in any real danger from regular enemies were from the maids, who are entirely too rare.”
“This game has a survival horror coat of paint, but throws away any tension it builds up with insta-death mechanics and plentiful resources that end up being unnecessary.”
- graphics36 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their charming retro aesthetic, effectively capturing the nostalgic feel of classic survival horror titles while incorporating modern design elements. Reviewers highlight the low-poly visuals and solid art style, which contribute to an engaging atmosphere, though some note that the graphics may not be groundbreaking. Overall, the visuals are seen as a successful homage to the genre, enhancing the gameplay experience.
“The game has a solid art style and good visual design, that makes the mansion interesting to explore.”
“The graphics are gorgeous and gory, making lovely use of retro-esque visuals while not compromising on the quality of assets.”
“With innovative gameplay, nostalgic graphics, and amazing sound design, the game pulled me in from start to finish.”
“The 3D first-person perspective has a resolution-lowering filter applied to match the aesthetic of the rest of the game.”
“The game's graphics look like a game made at the tail end of the original PlayStation's life cycle, which is a compliment because it looks great.”
“This is a full-blown Resident Evil copy in terms of aesthetic and puzzles, which I don't know acts as a love letter to the series or just full-on laziness to create something unique.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in these games is widely praised for its ability to evoke classic survival horror vibes, reminiscent of the 90s era, particularly drawing comparisons to titles like Resident Evil. Players appreciate the tension created through minimal music, detailed environments, and effective sound design, which contribute to a creepy and immersive experience. Overall, the combination of exploration, combat, and atmospheric elements successfully keeps players on edge and engaged.
“You Will Die Here Tonight is a survival horror game that plunges players into a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere, reminiscent of the genre's golden era in the 90s.”
“The sprawling Breckenridge estate, with its cobwebbed corners and dusty secrets, oozes with the atmosphere of Resident Evil 1.”
“So with this game's wrinkles being as shallow as they are, all you're left with is a very basic survival horror throwback that has very little atmosphere or difficulty, even with some half-decent puzzles.”
“The sound design really makes the atmosphere creepy.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the unique dialogues and the challenge of minimizing deaths, many feel it lacks substantial replay value beyond a single playthrough. The experience is described as fun and interesting, but ultimately short, with a few players noting that the need to replay for a complete story adds some value. Ratings for replayability hover around 7/10, indicating a moderate level of interest but a desire for more depth.
“In keeping with the games before it, 'You Will Die Here Tonight' leans on its replayability - to a point where it is pretty much completely necessary to do so in order to get the full story.”
“It's a deceptively large game, and how attractive that replay value is will depend entirely on the individual.”
“Each character has unique dialogue for certain situations, so you can replay the game with each character, adding a little replay value to the game.”
“It's also lacking in replay value, apart from if you want to see if you can do a full run with as little deaths as possible.”
“In keeping with the games before it, you will die here tonight leans on its replayability - to a point where it is pretty much completely necessary to do so in order to get the full story.”
“Wish it had more replay value to it, managed to get the true ending in about 3 hours on a single run.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in Ywdht is minimal yet effective, enhancing the atmospheric horror experience with occasional creepy soundscapes that contribute to the game's tension. While the soundtrack is limited during gameplay, it features a standout ending song and a well-received credit track, making it a notable aspect for fans of the genre. Overall, the music complements the game's old-school aesthetic and adds to its unsettling ambiance.
“Ywdht's setting is appropriately suited for atmospheric horror, and I find that it benefits greatly from limiting the amount of music that plays in the game.”
“The graphics, the music, the story, and the unconventional gameplay that mimics old-school games make this a must for the lovers of this genre.”
“When most fights last barely long enough for the music to play a few notes before it cuts back to the isometric view again, there's an issue.”
“Sometimes you hear creepy music playing in the area that starts skipping, adding to that uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending nostalgia with clever twists that often poke fun at traditional horror tropes. Players appreciate the smart writing and tongue-in-cheek humor, which adds a fun layer to the gameplay, though some find it veers into silliness. Overall, the comedic elements enhance the experience, making it a memorable and enjoyable ride.
“This game hits the nostalgia button pretty nicely, but it also has its own twists and humor that made it such a fun ride.”
“Often times the characters would make quite funny comments and often mock the 'scariness' of some situations.”
“Smart (and often funny) writing, great gameplay, and an aesthetic that nails the retro look.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often reducing gameplay to monotonous encounters with enemies. While some appreciate the effective strategies for managing resources, the overall pacing is criticized for feeling pointless and overly drawn out. However, the puzzles offer a refreshing break from this grind, providing a more engaging experience compared to similar titles.
“It makes the pacing tedious and stupid.”
“In practice, you mostly enter the first-person view to kill a single zombie coming at you from the front, which quickly becomes rather tedious and feels mostly pointless.”
“As long as you stick to a certain effective-but-tedious playstyle, you will have more than enough ammo.”
- stability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance and an engaging story, others experience significant bugs and glitches, particularly with PC controls, which can hinder gameplay and prevent completion. Developers are reportedly addressing these issues.
“Plays amazingly, runs great, and the story especially resonated strongly with me.”
“Bugs and glitches galore for a game that should be finished.”
“Regarding bugs and glitches: I couldn't get the ending.”
“My big issue is the controls are a bit buggy if you use PC controls.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is criticized for being rushed, leaving players with little connection to or understanding of the characters.
“I hardly know any of the characters because there's rushed character development, if you can even call it that.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by how quickly the character arcs were resolved, leaving little room for emotional investment.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, providing a smooth experience with no noticeable lag, which enhances overall gameplay and reduces the risk of in-game failures.
“The game runs smoothly without any lag or anything that could get you killed.”
“The optimization is top-notch, allowing for a seamless gaming experience even on lower-end hardware.”
“I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains a steady frame rate and responsive controls throughout.”
