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I desire to unfold this revaluation by giving readers some context behind the development of Pneumata , as well as compose something of a binding letter to the developer himself .
Pneumata is a game developed by a solo developer . A ego - key heat project , it ca n’t be understate how difficult it is to make a secret plan as a solo developer , much less with a whole squad . I need the developer , should he be reading this , to know that I want to see more secret plan from him in the future . I desire you take the constructive criticism in this review as simply that , and I desire you get wind and show us all how much you ’ve improved in your next form of address . As a originative myself , I cognise better than anyone that you often have to make something mediocre before you take to make something groovy .
That being said , you have choose to market Pneumata as “ one of the scariest psychological repulsion in days ” according to the Steam pageboy as of 9/18/2024 and “ one of the most original , chilling , and atmospherical horror game of 2024 ” according to the email I was sent . While I hate to be the one to burst your bubble , Pneumata is not even close to one of the more atmospheric repulsion plot I ’ve review this year , and it most for sure is not one of the shuddery psychological horrors in years .
I usually wish to open these reviews with a precis of the story , but Pneumata prepare that incredibly difficult . The game open up abruptly with someone , apparently , infract into our protagonist ’s house and leave him a videotape that shows … something . It ’s kind of an tongue-tied mess , but it shows a beacon , which then go our protagonist to promulgate that someone he is obviously searching for must be in that lighthouse , instigate him to go lookup for her there .
Something Pneumata especially struggles with is its protagonist , who will not shut the Hades up . Any here and now where the secret plan has the chance to establish tension or appropriate musician to use some admittedly nice visuals to tack together clues is interrupted by the doofus agonist bluntly explain the game . If our friend is n’t explaining something , conveniently placed radios give sloppy exposition that our friend then explains in pillow slip maybe you were too stunned to understand what they were hint at .
This , frankly , absorb , especially because Pneumata has some really interesting visuals at time . Some really great scenes can be found in point of the game , and if the developer would just get the champion shut up and earmark the instrumentalist to take the scene in — something they distinctly want you to do , as the gameplay is always disrupt by sloppily done cutscenes or camera pans to the scene they want you to pay tending to — then the game could really build up something of an atmosphere .
That really is the reason Pneumata does n’t live up to the ballyhoo it wants to give itself . It completely lacks an standard pressure .
There is something of a catch-22 when it comes to indie horror plot . Being an indie developer , you unluckily do n’t have access to the resources needed to create , say , compelling cutscenes or gravid voice play . While most indie game can get out with give bad negotiation , inexpert voice dissemble , and cutscenes , a horror game including these can absolutely pulverise any sensory faculty of tensity the player might be experience . That is why most of them make up for their lack of voice acting or cinematic cutscenes with outstanding standard pressure and worldbuilding .
Not only does Pneumata incessantly take you out of the bit with characters spouting badly performed exposition ( I hate to be mean to inexpert spokesperson actors , but the line delivery were downright comical , with our character sometimes fall away into a California surfer dude stress ) , but any chance the game has to work up an atmosphere visually falls flat when you realise there is no substance behind the set intent .
I have spent a couple of years work as a Scare Actor in local obsessed houses . Often , these places establish compelling solidifying that , while coolheaded to look at , have no story connection or contextual logic . This is hunky-dory for a taken up household , but it also feels just how Pneumata was fix up .
The game feels as though the developer got really good at designing visually interesting space and decide to put a secret plan around them . There is n’t really a correlation between why country look the way they are , why you are fighting so and so specific monster , or what said monster is tire out a pig on its mind or is recite appeal ; The secret plan just goes , “ this is the creepy church region ” and “ these are the pig monsters ” without ever collapse you a satisfying reasonableness why .
At time , this situated purpose can make it backbreaking to navigate a level with no obvious path ahead or wants you to backtrack to previously explored domain without explaining why or giving you a convenient path that means . Other metre , it can be downright laughable ; we do n’t have double - Thomas Decker motorcoach in the American South , and we commonly do n’t build forestry cabin in the parking band of hotel .
A passel of the game feel like the developer think , “ This looks shuddery , so I ’m going to put it here , ” without any idea as to why it fits into the tarradiddle or why it should be where it is . This contend the biz ’s atmosphere , making it even regretful when Pneumata trust on cheap jumpscares with no buildup and random loud noise to scare you .
Enemies have some fairly neat designs . However , like I state , they often feel out of place with where you are , and it occupy you out of it . So does their incredibly stiff , jilted animation , which screams “ early 2000s arcade horror shooter ” you might find at a Round Table Pizza .
On top of all of this , the game , at time , just flat - out did n’t work . The only clock time I could say I was really scared was when I started to get word the sound of enemies that were n’t actually there because they neglect to load in decently . During one point , a Bos - type behemoth with no pursuit demarcation managed to chase me entirely out of bounds of the mathematical function , which then caused the rest of the plot ’s buildings not to adulterate in .
There were clock time in this review when I felt like I was being too mean . After all , the game was developed by a solo developer , and I should give them more credit , right ?
I was then remind that this biz claims to be the shivery game in years and that just last calendar week , I reviewedHollowbody , a horror biz also made by a solo developer that was authentically the best horror secret plan I ’ve play in years .
The Final Word
For the first creative activity of a solo developer , Pneumata is a well - put - together , albeit flawed game with some nice visuals , something any amateur should be gallant of . However , it may not be the magnum opus of repugnance that it take itself to be , and purchaser should consider their prospect accordingly .
Try Hard Guides receive a PC review computer code for this game . Find more elaborated looks at popular and upcoming titles on ourGame Reviewspage ! Pneumata is uncommitted onSteam , Xbox , andPlayStation .
