Info about Decarnation:

Official game description:
  
Decarnation plunges you into a haunting, dreamlike adventure where reality and fantasy become one. Inspired by some of the most influential surrealist works (Silent Hill, the original tale of Alice in Wonderland, films by David Lynch and Satoshi Kon...), allow yourself to be swept away by an intense and mesmerising story, oscillating between dreams and nightmares.  
Gloria is a cabaret dancer at the end of her rope. As her career, relationships and self-esteem begin to deteriorate, a mysterious patron makes her an offer she couldn’t possibly refuse. Will this event mark the end of her recent struggles , or the beginning of her descent into hell?  
Decarnation is a story of survival, where monsters and nightmares weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life. Get ready for a poignant and captivating adventure!  
With a wide variety of mini-games, Decarnation expertly brings together the classic elements of horror and adventure games, where each challenge requires consideration, responsiveness and coordination. Solve cryptic riddles, confront ominous enemies and explore a bewildering world...  
Decarnation's Rêve and Cauchemar soundtracks feature contributions from numerous artists, including the renowned composer **Akira Yamaoka** (Silent Hill) whose works blend horror and the paranormal, breathing life into this nightmarish tale.  
_"I'm delighted to have been able to take part in the development of Decarnation \[...\] I've developed a special bond with this game._  
Numerous references and inspirations from cult horror works have shaped the world of Decarnation - can you spot them all?

Release date: 31 May, 2023

Categories: Psychological Horror, Narrative Adventure, Puzzle Solving, Mini-game Collection, Rhythm Game, Walking Simulator, Linear Progression


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Exceptional and immersive experience (weight 0.8): Players found the game to be an exceptional and immersive experience, highlighting its overall entertainment value, emotional depth, and lasting impact. Many expressed strong satisfaction and appreciation for the game's journey and narrative.
- Stunning pixel art and visuals (weight 0.56): The game's art direction, particularly its pixel art style, is consistently lauded as beautiful, detailed, and highly expressive. Reviewers noted how the visuals enhance the atmosphere, convey complex emotions, and effectively handle mature themes.
- Effective psychological horror (weight 0.47): The game is praised for its effective and unique approach to psychological horror, focusing on internal struggles, trauma, and mental healing rather than relying on cheap scares or explicit gore. It offers a deep dive into the protagonist's psyche and themes of self-acceptance.
- Outstanding and atmospheric soundtrack (weight 0.3): The soundtrack, featuring contributions from Akira Yamaoka and Fleur et Bleue, received immense praise for its quality, atmospheric impact, and ability to enhance emotional scenes. Its blend of French pop and tense compositions was particularly noted.
- Captivating and well-developed story (weight 0.3): The narrative is a major highlight, described as captivating, well-developed, and full of symbolism. Players were consistently hooked by the story's intrigue, its dark yet sensitive themes, and the compelling character dynamics.
- Deeply relatable protagonist's journey (weight 0.26): The game deeply resonated with players on a personal level, allowing them to empathize with the protagonist Gloria's journey of self-discovery and overcoming difficulties. The narrative's focus on her internal struggles and growth was highly impactful.
- Rich symbolism and surrealism (weight 0.12): The game's rich symbolism, metaphors, and surrealistic elements were highly appreciated, offering multiple layers of interpretation and encouraging players to reflect on deeper meanings related to the human psyche and trauma.

Common complaints:
- Limited & Unengaging Gameplay (weight 0.96): Players consistently found the gameplay to be minimal, unengaging, and repetitive, often feeling more like a 'walking simulator' or interactive story than a traditional game. The mini-games and puzzles were frequently criticized for being too simple, tedious, or poorly integrated, leading to boredom and frustration.
- Misleading Marketing (weight 0.93): Many players felt the game's advertising was misleading, particularly regarding its genre (puzzle/horror) and the extent of its gameplay. This led to significant disappointment as the actual experience did not align with expectations set by trailers or tags.
- Weak & Pacing Issues (weight 0.87): The narrative was frequently criticized for its slow pacing, predictability, and lack of depth, especially after a strong start. Players found the story often dragged, became repetitive, or failed to deliver on its emotional or thematic promises, leading to a sense of boredom and an unsatisfying conclusion.
- Insufficient Horror Elements (weight 0.84): Despite being marketed with horror elements, many players found the game lacked genuine scares, psychological depth, or a consistent horror atmosphere. The horror aspects were often described as superficial, predictable, or quickly abandoned after the initial chapters, leading to disappointment for those expecting a true horror experience.
- Restrictive Save System (weight 0.48): The game's save system, relying solely on auto-saves, was a point of frustration. Players desired more control over saving, especially during puzzles or before quitting, to avoid replaying long sections.
- Overly Depressing Tone (weight 0.48): Some players found the game's narrative and themes to be overly depressing or emotionally taxing, making the experience uncomfortable or difficult to complete. The protagonist's actions and lack of growth also contributed to a lack of empathy.
- Frustrating Rhythm/QTEs (weight 0.22): The rhythm-based mini-games and Quick Time Events (QTEs) were a major source of frustration for many players. Issues included poor synchronization, difficult timing, small UI elements, and a lack of accessibility options, making them challenging or impossible for some and often breaking immersion.
- Technical Display Issues (weight 0.04): Players experienced technical issues related to display and UI, particularly on ultrawide monitors and Steam Deck. These included off-screen UI elements, lack of resolution options, and small text, impacting playability.
- Translation Errors (weight 0.03): Several players reported issues with translations, including grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and untranslated dialogue. These issues detracted from immersion and made it difficult to fully understand the story.
- Underwhelming Music Score (weight 0.03): Fans of Akira Yamaoka's work expressed disappointment that his signature ambient music style was not prominently featured or was perceived as mediocre in the game.
- Art & Visual Issues (weight 0.03): While the pixel art was generally praised, some players noted issues with resolution settings, lack of integer scaling, and blocky art choices. The inability to fully appreciate environments due to short scene durations was also mentioned.
- Achievement Bugs (weight 0.02): A specific bug was reported where certain achievements, particularly for completing the fourth act, were not unlocking correctly, preventing players from achieving 100% completion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Narrative-driven interactive story (weight 0.31): The game is primarily a narrative-driven experience, often described as an interactive story or visual novel. Gameplay largely involves reading dialogue, exploring environments, and interacting with objects to advance the plot, with traditional 'gameplay' elements taking a backseat.
- Includes diverse mini-games (weight 0.29): The game incorporates various mini-games, most notably rhythm-based sections reflecting the protagonist's dancing background. Other mini-games include quick-time events (QTEs), memory exercises, and simple puzzles. These are generally not difficult and can often be skipped without hindering progression.
- Simple, narrative-serving puzzles (weight 0.2): Puzzles are present throughout the game, ranging from simple find-and-use object tasks to environmental and memory-based challenges. They are generally not difficult, often intuitive, and serve to advance the narrative rather than provide a significant gameplay challenge.
- Psychological horror experience (weight 0.19): The game is a psychological horror experience, delving into the protagonist Gloria's mind and her struggle with captivity and trauma. It features surreal, dream-like sequences, body horror, and 'monsters' that are symbolic representations of her psychological state, rather than traditional combat enemies.
- Short, linear gameplay (weight 0.07): The game is relatively short, with most players completing it in a single sitting or over a couple of evenings. It features a continuous auto-save system, indicating a linear and concise experience.
- Simple pixel-art mechanics (weight 0.06): The game features simple, retro pixel-art 2.5D mechanics, reminiscent of older RPG Maker horror titles. The gameplay mechanics are intentionally simplified, focusing on accessibility rather than complex systems.
- Addresses mature themes (weight 0.03): The game is perceived by some as being designed for a female audience and addresses themes such as depression and the sexualization of women.
- Walking simulator elements (weight 0.03): Some players describe the game as a 'walking simulator' due to the emphasis on exploration and movement through environments, with limited complex interactions or challenges.
- Hazard avoidance sequences (weight 0.03): The game includes sequences where the player must avoid hazards or run from creatures, often involving timed button presses or movement to overcome these challenges.
- Player confronts difficult choices (weight 0.02): The game occasionally requires the player to make difficult or morally ambiguous choices, prompting actions that might feel instinctual or unsettling.

Performance notes:
- Broad PC and Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's broad compatibility, especially with Steam Deck, indicating good accessibility. This suggests a positive initial experience for a wide range of hardware setups.
- Performance stutters and frame drops (weight 0.02): Players reported experiencing stutters and frame drops, particularly during specific scenes and when achievements were supposed to trigger. This indicates performance issues that disrupt gameplay flow and achievement tracking.
- Character movement gets stuck (weight 0.01): There are reports of character movement getting stuck, which is a significant bug impacting player navigation and immersion. This issue needs to be addressed for smoother gameplay.
- Input lag with cloud gaming (weight 0.01): Using cloud gaming services like Shadow PC with Bluetooth controllers introduces noticeable input lag. This affects the responsiveness of controls for players using such setups.

Recommendations:
- Mixed Recommendation & Value (weight 0.66): Player sentiment regarding the game's overall value and recommendation is highly mixed, ranging from strong recommendations for its unique experience and narrative to warnings about its niche appeal and lack of traditional gameplay. Many recommend it on sale, highlighting its short length but impactful journey.
- Niche Audience & Genre (weight 0.28): The game is primarily recommended for fans of psychological horror, surrealism, and narrative-driven experiences, often compared to works by David Lynch or Satoshi Kon. Players should expect minimal traditional gameplay, as the focus is heavily on story and atmosphere.
- Content Warnings Advised (weight 0.07): The game contains dark, heavy themes and potentially disturbing content, including psychological and body horror. Players are strongly advised to check trigger warnings before playing, especially those sensitive to abuse or intense character dramas.
- Rhythm Game Mechanics (weight 0.02): The game includes rhythm mini-games, and players, especially novices, should be aware of their difficulty and quantity. Proficiency in rhythm games can significantly enhance the overall experience.
- Demo Play Recommended (weight 0.02): Players who are unsure about purchasing the game are encouraged to try the demo. The demo serves as a good indicator of whether the game's unique style and minimal gameplay will appeal to them.
- Anticipate Future Releases (weight 0.02): Players express interest in future projects from the developer, hoping for a continuation of the dark themes or more unique experiences given this is their first release.

Other player notes:
- Deep Psychological Narrative (weight 0.57): The game features a deep, psychological narrative centered on Gloria's trauma, inner struggles, and descent into despair. It explores mature themes like sexism, abuse, and self-worth, often using surreal dream sequences and visual metaphors to convey her emotional state. The story is designed to be thought-provoking and emotionally impactful.
- Appropriate Game Length (weight 0.37): The game's length is generally considered appropriate for its narrative focus, typically ranging from 5 to 9 hours. While some found the plot to develop slowly or lack replayability, many appreciated its concise duration as ideal for a story-driven experience.
- Strong Cinematic Influences (weight 0.35): The game is heavily influenced by psychological horror and surreal cinema, drawing clear inspiration from works by Satoshi Kon, David Lynch, Junji Ito, and the Silent Hill series. It aims for a cinematic, art-house feel rather than traditional horror.
- Disturbing Artistic Atmosphere (weight 0.33): The game creates a disturbing and unsettling atmosphere through its visuals and themes, often employing pixel art to depict horrific imagery, body horror elements, and nightmarish environments. It handles sensitive topics with grace, avoiding gratuitous gore.
- Parisian Cabaret Setting (weight 0.09): The game is set in Paris in the early 1990s and follows Gloria, a cabaret dancer whose life spirals out of control after a significant event, leading her into a psychological nightmare.
- Inconsistent Dream Sequences (weight 0.06): Some players found certain dream sequences to be uninteresting or narratively unjustified, feeling that the game's metaphors were underutilized. A few also felt the game became overly preachy or pretentious towards the end, explicitly pushing its message.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.24): Players felt satisfied due to the game's strong artistic presentation, including beautiful artwork, excellent music, and well-crafted pixel graphics. The engaging and meaningful story, often exploring themes of self-discovery and mental struggles, also contributed significantly to this positive emotion. The overall high quality, attention to detail, and immersive experience made players feel their purchase was worthwhile.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Disappointment stemmed from the game failing to meet player expectations, particularly regarding its story and promised themes, which were often perceived as shallow or boring. Gameplay elements, such as unengaging puzzles, poor controls, or rhythm mini-games, also detracted from the experience. Some players felt the game did not deliver on its horror potential or suffered from wasted potential.
- Frustration (weight 0.11): Frustration was primarily caused by gameplay mechanics, including difficult or unclear puzzles, unskippable scenes, and disliked Quick-time Events (QTEs). Technical issues like bugs, stuttering, and stiff controls also contributed. Players found the game's pacing, linearity, and certain mini-games to be tedious or poorly implemented, leading to a lack of agency and an uncomfortable experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.09): Admiration arose from the developers' skill in crafting a meaningful and artistic experience, particularly their handling of mature and sensitive psychological themes from a unique female perspective. The game's strong artistic style, cinematic feel, beautiful pixel art, and excellent soundtrack were consistently praised as contributing to a high-quality and impactful work of art.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players expressed appreciation for the game's artistic and sound design, including its beautiful pixel art, incredible animations, and top-notch music. The depth and sincerity of the story, along with its unique approach to psychological horror and character development, were also highly valued. The inclusion of content warnings and detailed environments further enhanced this feeling.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement was generated by the game's overall high quality, its ability to be thoroughly entertaining, and its deeply moving narrative. Players were engrossed by the creative and disturbing details, the haunting journey, and the immersive plot, leading to a desire for more similar experiences.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom was a common emotion, particularly in the latter half of the game, due to its highly narrative nature and perceived lack of engaging gameplay. Players found the story to be uninteresting, long-drawn-out, or repetitive, with tedious progression, excessive length, and uninteresting puzzles or mini-games contributing to a monotonous experience.
- Engagement (weight 0.03): Players felt engaged by the game's compelling narrative, which hooked them and created a strong desire to see how the story would end. The immersive experience, cinematic qualities, and the opportunity to deeply reflect on the game's themes, symbolism, and character actions also contributed to this feeling.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy was experienced through the sheer enjoyment of playing the game and its ability to evoke strong emotions. Players found pleasure in discovering and interpreting the game's metaphors, and the music was also a significant source of positive feeling.
- Discomfort (weight 0.02): Discomfort arose from specific plot scenes, the game's dark and sensitive themes, and its overall narrative, which was sometimes described as grueling. The game's ability to make players feel uncomfortable and insecure contributed to this emotion, aligning with its horror elements.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Awe was inspired by the game's exquisite pixel graphics, unique art style, and the overall impact of its narrative and visual metaphors. The high quality of the artwork, music, animation, and story combined to create a powerful and visceral experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players were pleasantly surprised by the game's story and soundtrack, finding them to be unexpectedly good. The atypical nature of the game's proposal, its plot twists, and its psychological reflections also contributed to this feeling of positive surprise.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment was a general positive feeling derived from the overall game experience, particularly its unique interactive story, compelling art, and cool soundtrack. Players found the entire experience to be fascinating and appreciated the music and characters.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion was achieved through the game's ability to make players feel deeply connected to the protagonist's journey and psyche. The tense, suffocating, and creepy atmosphere, combined with strong presentation, allowed players to easily dive into the game's world and narrative.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope was evoked by the story's themes of finding hope, intuition, courage, and compassion within the character's journey. The uplifting nature of these themes and the potential for a sequel also contributed to this positive outlook.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance was caused by specific gameplay issues such as awkward traversal, frustrating physics-based puzzles, and repetitive or unbearable music loops. Other minor irritations included problematic mini-games, getting stuck while walking, and issues with pacing or epilogue length.
- Intrigue (weight 0.01): Intrigue was generated by a desire to see how the story and character journeys would unfold. The deep dive into the narrative and characters, along with the involvement of notable figures like Akira Yamaoka in the music, piqued players' curiosity.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger stemmed from a perceived poor value for the game, issues with a specific character, and the perceived exploitation of the protagonist's identity. This emotion suggests a strong negative reaction to certain aspects of the game's content or pricing.
- Mixed feelings (weight 0.01): Mixed feelings arose from a combination of positive and negative aspects, such as issues with QTEs and linearity, or a story that had problems despite gameplay not being amazing. The game feeling too long in certain parts also contributed to this ambivalent sentiment.
- Fascination (weight 0.01): Fascination was driven by the game's weird and symbolic nature, particularly its disturbing media, including elements of body horror. This suggests players were captivated by the game's unsettling and unconventional artistic choices.}