Disminal Review Summary

Stunning visuals and music craft an excellent liminal atmosphere, yet sluggish movement, barren levels, and absent video options undermine the experience.

Excellent liminal space atmosphere: The game is repeatedly praised as one of the best liminal space experiences, with a strong and authentic atmosphere. Players consider it a prime example of the genre.

Visuals are stunning: The graphics and visual presentation are frequently highlighted as beautiful and visually appealing. Players specifically note the quality of the visuals as a standout feature.

Music enhances atmosphere: The music and ambient sounds are praised for adding to the atmosphere, with the soundtrack by Infinity Frequencies being a notable highlight. Players find the audio design effective.

Enjoyable walking simulator: Players find the game fun to walk around in and explore, describing it as a good walking sim with interesting environments. The exploration aspect is a key positive.

VHS aesthetic well executed: The VHS low-resolution effect and style are specifically praised as well done. Players enjoy the aesthetic choice and feel it enhances the experience.

Movement speed is too slow: Players consistently report that movement, especially sprinting, is extremely slow and sluggish. This issue is particularly noticeable on stairs and slopes, where movement nearly stops, making exploration tedious and frustrating.

Lack of video options: Players are frustrated by the lack of customizable video settings, including no options to disable motion blur, VHS effects, headbob, or adjust FOV, brightness, and resolution. These forced effects cause discomfort, headaches, and nausea, and the game's performance suffers without adjustable settings.

Boring and empty levels: The levels are described as empty, bare-bones, and repetitive, with a constant copy-paste feel. The lack of interesting locations, visual variety, and interactive elements makes the game monotonous and dull to explore.

No save system exists: The game lacks any save function or checkpoints, forcing players to complete the entire game in one session. This is a major issue as any crash, quit, or even falling asleep results in losing all progress and restarting from the beginning.

Multiple game-breaking bugs: Players have encountered several serious bugs, including falling out of the map, getting stuck in geometry, clipping through walls, and a critical crash that forces a full restart. These issues break immersion and can ruin a playthrough.

Walking simulator in liminal spaces: The game is consistently described as a walking simulator focused on exploring liminal spaces, similar to The Stanley Parable. Players walk slowly through atmospheric, strange environments without combat or complex mechanics.

No monsters or jumpscares: The game deliberately avoids monsters, entities, and jumpscares, creating fear through atmosphere and existential dread instead. This makes it a peaceful, non-threatening exploration experience.

Backrooms-inspired exploration game: The game is heavily inspired by the Backrooms universe, offering a psychological horror exploration experience. It focuses on the liminal, eerie atmosphere of the Backrooms rather than traditional horror elements.

Linear level design with guidance: The map is slightly linear, with yellow room hints and ground lines guiding the player through the space. Most rooms are one-way when following these hints, though some free exploration remains.

Exploration-focused gameplay: The core gameplay revolves around exploration, wandering aimlessly through environments without objectives or threats. It is more about discovery and atmosphere than action or challenge.

Performance issues reported: Multiple reviewers report suboptimal performance, including low frame rates (5-18 FPS, 10-15 FPS) and general optimization concerns. These issues are common and specific, indicating a significant performance problem for some users.

Visual effects cause discomfort: Motion blur turns the screen into a beige blob with slight mouse movement, and VHS-style effects hurt eyes. These visual effects are problematic for some players.

Highly recommended overall: Several reviewers give strong positive recommendations, calling it a must-play for enthusiasts of the genre. The game is generally well-received by its target audience.

Worth the price: Reviewers state the game is worth its asking price and provides good value for the experience. Some mention it is fair for the quality offered.

Good for short sessions: The game is described as great for an evening or late-night play, suggesting it is suitable for shorter gaming sessions. This may appeal to players looking for a brief atmospheric experience.

Alternatives suggested: Some reviewers recommend other games like BACK*SPACE, POOLS, or Dreamcore instead. This suggests the game may have competitors that are considered better options.

Not a first pick: A few reviewers indicate the game is not a top priority or first choice. It may be seen as a secondary option for genre fans.

Community fair range: $3.00 - $5.00.

Game completion: 1.5h.

Story completion: 1.5h.

The game starts with a boring first section but improves after it, though some players find it persistently dull and repetitive.

Friction: boring first section; movement feels like a chore; maze-like areas; empty rooms and corridors; lack of variance.

Unlock drivers: progressing past the first section.

Liminal Space Explorer: Slow, thorough exploration, taking time to absorb the atmosphere and discover hidden details. Motivation: Immersive exploration of surreal, entity-free liminal spaces. Stance: buy.

Value-Conscious Shopper: Quick playthrough, checking length, waiting for discounts or bundles. Motivation: Getting a satisfying experience without overpaying for a short game. Stance: sale.

Disillusioned Genre Fan: Walking through levels, expecting unease and discomfort, but finding monotony. Motivation: Seeking an authentic, unsettling liminal experience that the game fails to deliver. Stance: no buy.

Liminal space horror game: The game is consistently described as a liminal space horror experience and a walking simulator. Reviewers frequently compare it to other games in the genre like POOLS, The Complex, and Dreamcore.

Game is very short: Multiple reviewers note the game can be completed in about 1 to 2.5 hours, with some finishing in under an hour. This brevity is a common point of discussion.

Compared to other liminal games: The game is frequently compared to titles like POOLS, The Complex, Dreamcore, and BACK*SPACE. These comparisons are used to describe its atmosphere, visual style, and overall feel.

Pricing considered appropriate: Reviewers generally feel the game's price is fair for its short length, describing it as affordable and reasonably priced. Some note it is often sold at a discount.

Developer is responsive: The developer, Brian Gonnet, is noted as responsive to feedback and incorporating ideas. This is seen as a positive sign for future updates and improvements.