Imaginary Friend Institution

Oh my God. What did I stumble upon? WHAT IS THIS? HAS THIS BEEN ON STEAM THE WHOLE TIME? WHO HID IT FROM ME? I was not aware this was part of a larger/ongoing series before purchase. But thankfully, I think I got the gist. This is an incredible hidden gem. The writing is FANTASTIC and I cannot wait for more answers to my questions. Maybe I'll get some in the prequels. There is some jank. Nothing game breaking, but noticeable. The jank in controls is made up for by an intriguing and engaging plot. Do note if you play with a controller you will need to select dialogue options with a mouse. I couldn't get that selection to work on my controller no matter what I tried.

I liked a lot this first chapter and I can't wait for the next! The plot is engaging, full of mystery, and the mix of reality and imaginary world works perfectly. I liked a lot Imaginary Friends characters, I found them really well designed. However, I think a correction of some things related to 3D models, UV, lightning (specially at night or dark places) and audio is trully necessary. Sometimes little things like that can ruin a good gaming experience : for example, I had a really hard time in the basement part since the lightning work was really poor and Annabelle and the other elements were barely visible.

I genuinely love the way this game has built on the devs' previous work. Compared to earlier entries, IFI feels incredible open and expansive while still presenting a strong story about these children and their experiences. While the game did have some issues on launch, it seems like a vast majority of those have been fully ironed out. Also new npcs, dialogue, and music are being added with each patch to help the world feel more full and fleshed out. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they do with the next chapter(s) that they have planned. All in all, if you're looking for a game with great character design, a solid story, and a foundation for the story to continue (as well as a very positive community); this is definitely worth your time.

This was honestly a great game! a little bit rough and buggy but you can see how much care was put into it, i love the story and i really cant wait to see more of it!!

Vro, this game is literally awesome ,,, im glad that the characters got voices too, it makes me really happy

✅ What I Liked Enjoyable and engaging gameplay Great character designs and overall graphics Fun mascot-horror vibe and atmosphere ⚠️ Issues Noticed Had some bugs early on Developers responded quickly and fixed them 🎯 Final Thoughts A solid pick for fans of mascot horror Definitely recommend giving it a try

A personally much anticipated threequel to the Imaginary Friends series, Imaginary Friend Institution is a beautifully unique game you won't find anywhere else. In a world that's simultaneously colorful and bleak, gloomy and hopeful, the story reveals to you its background while setting up mystery and intrigue to keep players going. The artistic evolution and gameplay evolution from its predecessor, Imaginary Friend Asylum, displays beautiful improvement with distinct and expressive designs and more interactive gameplay options (plus a cute charm!) that doesn't feel out of place. The new aspects to gameplay (and a lovely 3rd person perspective) deliver the story in a way I feel does better than it's predecessor, and the voice acting is just a cherry on top! Touches to the game that speak to me personally are the expanded wardrobe (I love playing dress up!), everyone's distinct styles, and of course, the new designs of the Imaginary Friends themselves! While I've run into some issues of the game running a bit slow at times (which could just be my computer), and the game sometimes ending up too dark for me to see well (especially near the end of the game), it did nothing to take away from lovely experience I had playing this game. I can't wait for Chapter 2!

i loved the game in its entirety, whatever bugs are currently left in the game are honestly more funny then a bother, i loved the story and the modles of the characters you all did amazing on that and i really want to see what you all do for the next chapter

Imaginary Friend Institution has a story like no other. It's predecessor hooked me within just five minutes of playtime. It didn't even take that long for me to tear up playing this game. The world is so wonderfully crafted, leaving enough room for theory and mystery without handwaving everything away. And the characters are just incredible. When I tell you I shed real tears when some of the characters returned I mean it. I cannot wait for the next chapters and to find out where the story goes!!! If you're a fan of unique, fun stories that are grounded in real historical events, I cannot recommend this game enough! Also, I cannot understate how incredible the devs of this game are. When ever me or other players would bring up any bugs that were found, they got right to figuring out what the problem was. They both pulled incredibly long hours to make this game the best it can be, and you can tell <3 Thank you both for making a series that's touched me so dearly. <3

Spoiler-free review A lovely opening chapter for the newest installment. Institution is, without a doubt, the most ambitious game in the Imaginary Friend series. Bringing voice acting, a third-person camera, and an open map. While lacking the visual polish of the previous installments in the series, its more detailed art style offers visual candy for those who pay close attention to the character designs. The previous game's trend of accurate depictions of the dark history of mental health treatment continues to shine through this time via the lens of a religious owned institution. This opening chapter, while a bit slow, leaves several breadcrumbs to give you reason to come back for what's next. Overall, the visuals just need to be ironed out. I particularly miss the ambiance the previous game's environments brought through their use of lighting and shadows. I would kill for this game to have a Silent Hill reminiscent fog to surround the institution.