jacksepticeye
Member
Hopefully it's good anyway. The demo gave me Fatal Frame flashbacks. I don't expect it to review very well but it might be fun for a few scares 
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DreadOut |OT| Experience the World of Indonesian Horror
- Thread starter Dusk Golem
- Start date
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Hopefully it's good anyway. The demo gave me Fatal Frame flashbacks. I don't expect it to review very well but it might be fun for a few scares
My prediction is that it'll be liked by genre enthusiasts, but as it's going an old-school horror route it might be received harsher by general public. But I'll have to see what I think when I play it shortly.
I don't hold any personal hate for the man, though I can say his videos are definitely not in my style. However, it's a bit interesting how he and other big LP'ers who do horror stuff effect the niche that is horror, to say the least.
-MD-
Member
His vids are unwatchable.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
DreadOut Length:
From friend and people on Steam, it looks like DreadOut (the Act 1 part releasing in a week) is 8-10 hours long. My friend told me that's how long it took him, and a few other people on the Steam forums who have completed the game have taken 9-11 hours to finish it.
So looks like 8-10 hours is how long you can expect DreadOut (Act 1) to be.
From friend and people on Steam, it looks like DreadOut (the Act 1 part releasing in a week) is 8-10 hours long. My friend told me that's how long it took him, and a few other people on the Steam forums who have completed the game have taken 9-11 hours to finish it.
So looks like 8-10 hours is how long you can expect DreadOut (Act 1) to be.
Amen to that. A friend of mine uploaded himself playing the Outlast DLC without any form of commentary and it was great. He just let the game speak for itself. Also you could tell when he was scared due to rapid mouse movement. No bullshit fake screaming or commentary that kills the atmosphere. Just horror!
In the main menu, navigate to Pengaturan -> Pengaturan Game. You should be able to change it there iirc.
I almost forgot it's coming out next week, the demo was promising so I'll probably get it on launch day. It can't be any worse than Daylight.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Any reviews out yet?
Deputy Dangle
Member
Saw a stream of the demo a few months back, and it looked more promising in ways some of the recent big name horror games haven't come close to. I'm surprised it's releasing so soon, though!
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
A few on Steam, but nothing more than that. Those who funded the game on Indiegogo should be receiving their Steam keys today, so should be some impressions coming. I'll leave impressions here after playing as well.
jacksepticeye
Member
Him and a great many other horror based channels (not so much anymore) have been the reason for such a huge surge in horror games the last couple of years I'd say.
Hell PewDiePie is the reason Flappy Bird became such a huge thing
Baloonatic
Member
Got an email saying codes should be sent to backers in the next few hours. Need to stay awake all night so perfect timing.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Got my DreadOut Steam key. Will have impressions of the game in several hours.
And shameless plug-in, going to be playing the game on stream in five minutes, which you can watch here: http://www.hitbox.tv/AestheticGamer
And shameless plug-in, going to be playing the game on stream in five minutes, which you can watch here: http://www.hitbox.tv/AestheticGamer
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Finished DreadOut, have a lot to say about this game.
DreadOut is an Indonesian survival-horror game that takes inspiration from the Fatal Frame franchise, and pulls a lot from Indonesian myths and folklore. The game is currently incomplete, with a sort of episodic structure. Act 1 is currently released, with a future Act 2 and Free Roam mode confirmed for the future.
You play as a non-talkative protagonist known as Linda, who with a few friends is on a car trip, but they stumble upon a weird deserted city that isn't marked on their map. The friends go to investigate the town, and soon get wrapped up in some severe hauntings from the strange ghost that start coming out when night falls.
The game has a low-budget, and it shows. Graphically everything looks outdated, with low-res textures, odd character animations, and the like. There's also no real-time shadows. The game also has a few bugs. I didn't encounter anything game-breaking, but a few 'look through the wall with the camera', 'get stuck on an object for a moment', 'that character is levitating,' type of bugs, However, something I found interesting was that they didn't copy and paste many models. There were a lot of posters around town, and each one was legitimately different. Same with pictures, and just small details all about.Outside of a few chairs or piles of garbage, most of the models were unique to each other, and I was surprised the developers didn't take many shortcuts.
Mentioning this, something I noticed about the game is that there were a lot of secrets. And I don't think I've found them all (I found some items I have no idea what to do with, and noticed one of the items is in the game's 'How To Play' section, and it mentions a hidden boss, which I haven't encountered yet). There's more I have to say about this, but I'll get back to this.
The game has legitimately great atmosphere. There are some fantastic scares, the feeling of unnerve that is caused by the game. It has an atmosphere to it that most horror games these days are missing from the days of old, sort of a combination of dread and excitement for what's going to come next.
This is backed by fantastic audio design. The music is great, the sounds are great. Voicing is okay, a bit cheesy but enjoyably so. However, with the music, how it is and how it's used in the game, is really effective, and also I can mention unique. The music is very different than any other horror game I have played, but very effective. And how the music transitions with events going on is very well-done. The audio is also unnerving, and sometimes hearing a weird sound, even without knowing its source or even without it leading to anything, raised the tension.
And the game does not lie on its laurels. By this I mean a lot happens, and the game never throws the same thing at you twice. I was honestly surprised by the number of ghosts there are in this game, there were a lot more than I was anticipating. Some great enemy variety, and you fight each ghost really only once or twice, there was not a single ghost I think the game threw at you a third time. And the 'events' that happen, like scares or atmospheric additions, were all incredibly varied too. This definitely helped to raise the intrigue as you never knew what might be coming next, and some of what happens really goes into the unexpected.
Combat is similar to Fatal Frame, but a bit more simplistic. There isn't a charge rate like Fatal Frame, or a point system, but the closer enemies are, the more you damage them when you take a shot. And if you attack them right before they attack you, you deliver additional damage.
Even the puzzles are well done and intelligent. Figuring out what to do is fun, and they do a good job at laying out clues to what you need to do to help piece it all together. They have clever hints and details, while not being extremely obvious either.
But there is a kicker to all of this; the game's current length. Act 1 of the game lasts for about three hours. It ends on a high note, the game gets better and better as it develops and Act 1 has a fantastic climax... But it ends as its getting very good, and leaves you wanting more, it might discourage some people from the current pricetag.
I think the developers should launch the future DLC for free, or else some people won't be able to justify the game at its current price. But at the same time, what they have here is fantastic, it legitimately is one of the best survival-horror games I think genre enthusiast who like certain elements of horror games that have been absent since the days of old will really appreciate. It's well-paced, well-executed, but due to the length maybe a little undercooked right now. I feel the price may be more justified if the future Act 2 and Free Roam DLC will be included freely for purchasers of the game.
It feels like the length may have been a budget thing. The developers only had $26k to make the game, and my guess is that they were running low on funds and decided to release what they have so far to help development costs. And I hope it works, there is a very confident horror game here, and honestly some of the most fun I've had in a horror game in a while.
The weird thing is the secrets I mentioned earlier. There are complete sections of the game you could miss if you don't do some exploration. There are ghosts you won't fight unless you go off the beaten path. A tip to the wise is when it turns night-time and before you enter the school, don't enter the school like the game suggests and instead head back towards the town you just came from. There are literally four different types of ghosts if you head backwards at this point that you'll never encounter in the main game. And I feel there's more secrets and secret areas in the game I haven't yet unraveled, due to the mention of a hidden boss I haven't fought and a few achievements I'm missing. So on that front, there is some really cool optional content to explore in the game.
There's also a few cool unlockables. Once you complete the game, you unlock three additional outfits, all of which are actually pretty well designed, and can be used on a second and later playthrough.
And this stuff is all really cool. But again is arguable if it really makes it worth it. There's also a few side areas you can explore right now that don't really lead to anything, which I can only guess are there right now for the possible future Free Roam Mode (a lot of buildings and such are currently inaccessible, and I assume will be open in the free-roam mode the developers are working on).
I want DreadOut to succeed. I really liked what was here, I'd even go to say this has serious potential to be one of the best horror games for fans of the genre to release in the last few years. But it ends way too soon. and due to the $15 price-tag I honestly think the future DLC they're working on should be free, especially the continuation of the story, as there are no conclusions here.
But DreadOut is completely worth experiencing, even as it is now. It's tense, sometimes terrifying, has the right amount of weirdness to it, and is actually a lot of fun. Its low budget shows, especially in the graphics department, but through clever design, good execution, and variety at hand, manages to be a fun experience. I just at this point might have trouble recommending it if the future content doesn't get added for the price-tag the game currently holds, and want more of this.
DreadOut is an Indonesian survival-horror game that takes inspiration from the Fatal Frame franchise, and pulls a lot from Indonesian myths and folklore. The game is currently incomplete, with a sort of episodic structure. Act 1 is currently released, with a future Act 2 and Free Roam mode confirmed for the future.
You play as a non-talkative protagonist known as Linda, who with a few friends is on a car trip, but they stumble upon a weird deserted city that isn't marked on their map. The friends go to investigate the town, and soon get wrapped up in some severe hauntings from the strange ghost that start coming out when night falls.
The game has a low-budget, and it shows. Graphically everything looks outdated, with low-res textures, odd character animations, and the like. There's also no real-time shadows. The game also has a few bugs. I didn't encounter anything game-breaking, but a few 'look through the wall with the camera', 'get stuck on an object for a moment', 'that character is levitating,' type of bugs, However, something I found interesting was that they didn't copy and paste many models. There were a lot of posters around town, and each one was legitimately different. Same with pictures, and just small details all about.Outside of a few chairs or piles of garbage, most of the models were unique to each other, and I was surprised the developers didn't take many shortcuts.
Mentioning this, something I noticed about the game is that there were a lot of secrets. And I don't think I've found them all (I found some items I have no idea what to do with, and noticed one of the items is in the game's 'How To Play' section, and it mentions a hidden boss, which I haven't encountered yet). There's more I have to say about this, but I'll get back to this.
The game has legitimately great atmosphere. There are some fantastic scares, the feeling of unnerve that is caused by the game. It has an atmosphere to it that most horror games these days are missing from the days of old, sort of a combination of dread and excitement for what's going to come next.
This is backed by fantastic audio design. The music is great, the sounds are great. Voicing is okay, a bit cheesy but enjoyably so. However, with the music, how it is and how it's used in the game, is really effective, and also I can mention unique. The music is very different than any other horror game I have played, but very effective. And how the music transitions with events going on is very well-done. The audio is also unnerving, and sometimes hearing a weird sound, even without knowing its source or even without it leading to anything, raised the tension.
And the game does not lie on its laurels. By this I mean a lot happens, and the game never throws the same thing at you twice. I was honestly surprised by the number of ghosts there are in this game, there were a lot more than I was anticipating. Some great enemy variety, and you fight each ghost really only once or twice, there was not a single ghost I think the game threw at you a third time. And the 'events' that happen, like scares or atmospheric additions, were all incredibly varied too. This definitely helped to raise the intrigue as you never knew what might be coming next, and some of what happens really goes into the unexpected.
Combat is similar to Fatal Frame, but a bit more simplistic. There isn't a charge rate like Fatal Frame, or a point system, but the closer enemies are, the more you damage them when you take a shot. And if you attack them right before they attack you, you deliver additional damage.
Even the puzzles are well done and intelligent. Figuring out what to do is fun, and they do a good job at laying out clues to what you need to do to help piece it all together. They have clever hints and details, while not being extremely obvious either.
But there is a kicker to all of this; the game's current length. Act 1 of the game lasts for about three hours. It ends on a high note, the game gets better and better as it develops and Act 1 has a fantastic climax... But it ends as its getting very good, and leaves you wanting more, it might discourage some people from the current pricetag.
I think the developers should launch the future DLC for free, or else some people won't be able to justify the game at its current price. But at the same time, what they have here is fantastic, it legitimately is one of the best survival-horror games I think genre enthusiast who like certain elements of horror games that have been absent since the days of old will really appreciate. It's well-paced, well-executed, but due to the length maybe a little undercooked right now. I feel the price may be more justified if the future Act 2 and Free Roam DLC will be included freely for purchasers of the game.
It feels like the length may have been a budget thing. The developers only had $26k to make the game, and my guess is that they were running low on funds and decided to release what they have so far to help development costs. And I hope it works, there is a very confident horror game here, and honestly some of the most fun I've had in a horror game in a while.
The weird thing is the secrets I mentioned earlier. There are complete sections of the game you could miss if you don't do some exploration. There are ghosts you won't fight unless you go off the beaten path. A tip to the wise is when it turns night-time and before you enter the school, don't enter the school like the game suggests and instead head back towards the town you just came from. There are literally four different types of ghosts if you head backwards at this point that you'll never encounter in the main game. And I feel there's more secrets and secret areas in the game I haven't yet unraveled, due to the mention of a hidden boss I haven't fought and a few achievements I'm missing. So on that front, there is some really cool optional content to explore in the game.
There's also a few cool unlockables. Once you complete the game, you unlock three additional outfits, all of which are actually pretty well designed, and can be used on a second and later playthrough.
And this stuff is all really cool. But again is arguable if it really makes it worth it. There's also a few side areas you can explore right now that don't really lead to anything, which I can only guess are there right now for the possible future Free Roam Mode (a lot of buildings and such are currently inaccessible, and I assume will be open in the free-roam mode the developers are working on).
I want DreadOut to succeed. I really liked what was here, I'd even go to say this has serious potential to be one of the best horror games for fans of the genre to release in the last few years. But it ends way too soon. and due to the $15 price-tag I honestly think the future DLC they're working on should be free, especially the continuation of the story, as there are no conclusions here.
But DreadOut is completely worth experiencing, even as it is now. It's tense, sometimes terrifying, has the right amount of weirdness to it, and is actually a lot of fun. Its low budget shows, especially in the graphics department, but through clever design, good execution, and variety at hand, manages to be a fun experience. I just at this point might have trouble recommending it if the future content doesn't get added for the price-tag the game currently holds, and want more of this.
Deputy Dangle
Member
Great write-up, Dusk. I will be purchasing this game now!
Sad to see about the pretty significant drop in playtime compared to what we thought it would have, but good variety and execution are paramount in my book, so I'm more than happy to hear it delivers on that front.
Sad to see about the pretty significant drop in playtime compared to what we thought it would have, but good variety and execution are paramount in my book, so I'm more than happy to hear it delivers on that front.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
I feel this way too, but definitely worth mentioning. Technically speaking, as a person who funded the game on Indiegogo, they've already guaranteed that Act 2 and Free Roam DLC will be free for us. However, I do think I want to make a push to make these expansions free for everyone, as they're currently asking people for feedback on how they should handle the DLC, and I honestly think for the benefit of the product and the user and to justify price-range, the DLC should be free updates to the game, as how it stands right now the game is a 2-4 hour long game. With the expansions they're already working on released freely to all owners of the game, I think that would convince a lot more people for the $15 price-tag and make it a lot easier to recommend.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
I am guessing the skirt will get noticed in stills, when people point it out it seems so obvious but to be honest I never notice the whole skirt issue until people point it out. OTL
The budget really just 26k? Damn, Celestia Tales, which is a 2D sprite based RPG raised 60k (NZ dollar, but it still higher nonetheless). Even with our low living cost, 26k could barely make for 2D game, let alone 3D game like this. At least they seem managed to deliver, which is a good thing for them.
SlasherJPC
Banned
When can I buy this glorious game again?
Typographenia
Member
Really looking forward to this. Should be a fun venture if nothing else. : )
Deputy Dangle
Member
An update on their steam page says it should go live on Thursday, May 15th.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
From playing it, I can say it's probably from getting stuck on certain segments. A few segments of the game are rather challenging, and part of the game is like old horror games in trying to figure out what to do.
Will be available for everyone on May 15th on Steam.
Warren Ellis
Banned
thanks for the review dusk golem. Can't wait to play it
Black Soma
Member
How does the health system work? Are there any healing items? Because I didn't see them in the demo. Don't tell me there's regenerating health...
Also, does the game uses save points?
Also, does the game uses save points?
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
It's regenerating health, but it works a bit different than you may anticipate. In the game, there is an aura around your screen when you get close to spiritual energy (and what kind of color the aura is changes what sort of thing you're nearby, such as red means a wandering spirit, white means mystical energy, etc.). Your health won't regenerate if you're aura is activated I believe, or at least regenerate a lot slower. That said, the game is not easy, I did end up dying about 4-5 times through my time in it. The game also has a unique death mechanic where you wake up in an area with a bright white light and have to run to the light. Each time you get killed, the light gets further and further away, so the more you die the longer you have to run to the light. Also noises start popping up as the light gets further. However, certain things you do in the game, according to the developers, will increase and decrease the amount of time you need to run/how long it takes for your health to regenerate.
Game auto-saves usually after major events.
People have been discussing this on the forums and the developers says it was caused by a problem that they're currently gathering feedback for fixing controller support right now, though off the top of my head I forgot the exact response, I just recall reading about it.
Black Soma
Member
That's kinda disappoiting. Regenerating health and auto-saves shouldn't be in a survival horror :/
Also, I saw the game over mechanic in the demo since I died a few times. It's interesting at first (especially when weird things start appearing in the middle of the road), but it can get annoying quickly as the walking keeps getting longer.
Oh well. Still interestend in the game.
Here is our review of Act 1!
http://press-start.com.au/2014/05/12/review-dreadout-act-1/
http://press-start.com.au/2014/05/12/review-dreadout-act-1/
Great news, even though they only mentioned Steam
SlasherJPC
Banned
Alrighty. How do I get these keys off this
pig
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
You need
something sharp to cut them with, to get this item you need to first do some other puzzles. A tip is that to move forward involves solving a puzzle about something you can only see with your camera, and you need to take a photo of something.
I remember playing the demo for this last year and being pleasantly surprised by a really solid first effort on part of these developers. However, I think I'll wait until the whole thing is completed and released until I buy it simply because I think playing this game in indonesian with english subtitles is the way to go for me.
SlasherJPC
Banned
I looked all around. Not really sure where this puzzle is, are the ways to progress so cryptic the entire game?
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
It's like the games in the 90s, but this one is more obvious than you might think.
Go to the hall where the cat is, then go to the door at the end (which leads to a ledge to the main lobby), take out your camera and you'll see weird drawings on the ceiling, pillars, and walls. Align everything up and snap a picture. There will be a sound that should play louder the closer you are standing to the right place, and it will be obvious when you get the picture right.
Messofanego
Banned
So this is already one of the best horror games of 2014 and last few years? Yay.
Thanks for the detailed review, Dusk Golem. What other horror games are you expecting to be great from this year?
Thanks for the detailed review, Dusk Golem. What other horror games are you expecting to be great from this year?
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
This year and next year is looking great for horror games, here's a few that have my particular interest.
Evil Within is a rather obvious one to name drop, but it is one I have good faith and interest in.
Forgotten Memories: Alternate Realities (coming to Steam, WiiU, and iOS) has captured my interest as another take on a modernized classical-type survival-horror game.
Are the two I'm at the moment most interested in, but there are so many. This month alone, The Forest, Claire, and Darkwood will be hitting Early Access on Steam alone. And there is a high likelihood the next Silent Hill and Resident Evil game will be announced this year, as well as the new Fatal Frame game may be shown off before years end. This is on-top of fantastic looking-first person efforts coming likely 2015, like SOMA and Routine. And a lot more things likely hitting this year as well.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Well I'm def no stranger to the horror classics, I think the issue is the game never really told me there was a mechanic of being able to take pictures to reveal things. Same with fighting enemies. You just have to sort of figure it out on your own, unless I somehow skipped something. Thanks for the info though, I think I know the sound your refering to.
Messofanego
Banned
This year and next year is looking great for horror games, here's a few that have my particular interest.
Evil Within is a rather obvious one to name drop, but it is one I have good faith and interest in.
Forgotten Memories: Alternate Realities (coming to Steam, WiiU, and iOS) has captured my interest as another take on a modernized classical-type survival-horror game.
Are the two I'm at the moment most interested in, but there are so many. This month alone, The Forest, Claire, and Darkwood will be hitting Early Access on Steam alone. And there is a high likelihood the next Silent Hill and Resident Evil game will be announced this year, as well as the new Fatal Frame game may be shown off before years end. This is on-top of fantastic looking-first person efforts coming likely 2015, like SOMA and Routine. And a lot more things likely hitting this year as well.
Heard of those other games but hadn't heard of Forgotten Memories before, it looks fucking awesome! I'm liking with this resurgence of horror in first-person, we're also getting more old-school perspectives too that involve combat.
Feel like The Forest will need a beast of a PC...gorgeous.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Deputy Dangle
Member
Bought. Let's goooo!
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Be curious to hear your thoughts~ As an early player, and someone who likes giving extensive thoughts on games, I like to hear others opinions on things and see how they differ from my own, or if other players have similar or different thoughts on the game than I do. And of course for those interested and researching the game, multiple opinions can mean a lot.
Chance Hale
Member
Anyone have Nvidia Inspector bits for the game?
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