/R - A Neurodivergent Thriller

Game is very loud, and there are a LOT of flashing lights. So, fair warning to anyone booting it up for the first time. Overall the game seems like it has a lot to uncover and the hand drawn style is charming. The actual gameplay though is mostly just frustrating. I solve puzzles (sometimes on accident) and don't understand what my reward is. Running from enemies feels more like a chore when I have to do it multiple times in the span of a few minutes. Ultimately I had to stop after about an hour because the wizard minigame phsyically hurt my hand to play. If the game gets more players, I think the feedback will really help the game get a lot better. So if you're really into this kind of game/horror, you should try it out and give your thoughts. If not, maybe wait a bit on this purchase.

I'm sad that my review is the first one, because this is a very good psychological horror game and I had quite a bit of fun with it. The exploration-based gameplay and the mysterious plot are intriguing, while the artstyle and the sound design create a compelling atmosphere. You are (almost) alone in a big mansion and have to piece together hints, both physical and supernatural, through exploration and puzzle-solving, to understand what happened to Lydia and her family. I appreciated how you are given complete freedom to explore from the beginning, you can wander through the many many rooms as you wish and can solve the puzzles in any order. There is a permadeath element (though it's not present in the easy mode), as you have to restart if the monster catches you, but it's not as oppressing as other stalker enemies in most horror games, since most of the time you'll be able to see the monster when you enter a room and just find another route. Even if it sees you and you can't find a hiding place, there's a "last chance" system where you and it throw a dice and if you win you can continue escaping. Exploration (and memorizing the mansion layout) is important because you can find several items that give you a permanent boost to speed, stamina and to the luck you need for the dice throwing. There are also several cool little touches and hidden secrets (even a retro fantasy shmup you can play within the game) which are further proof of how the game was developed with care and passion.

I'm still in the middle of the game but I feel it deserves much more attention, so I'mma drop a review already and will update it once I've finished /R. There isn't a lot of depth in the game mechanics. That doesn't make it an easy game though. Easy to learn, hard to master kinda situation. Playing as the protagonist Lydia you move around a mansion, sometimes running while managing your stamina to find a place to hide, reading a lot as to revel the story piece by piece. And that's perfectly fine, this game isn't about complex mechanics but about the atmosphere and the story. A captivating story that really gets under your skin. The visuals are both, beatiful and disturbing at the same time. There are a few visual FX which can be enabled or disabled to your liking. The sound design is great and gives the game such an eerie atmosphere, it's a perfect match to the overall esthetics. Calm, slightly distorted but also stressfull sometimes. Just on point. For the most part the story is told through documents scattered around the mansion - some place openly, others more hidden - but also some events that are well designed. Also, there mansion is much larger than I thought at first, and quite confusing which adds to the challenge. You can feel how much love and thought have gone into this project. The dev's quite active when it comes to fixing things ingame as well.

Whoah INTENSE!!! Really fun lil suspense horror action game!

This is a very unique entry in the horror genre gaming space. Reminiscent of Manic Mansion, the game is as challenging as it is stylish. Game-play is simple enough, but the game-play itself feels like it has a steep learning curve. Soundtrack is done very well and I sometimes died because I was too busy exploring and grooving to the soundtrack. When the creature appears I nearly crap myself every time. It's loud, sudden, and gets your heart racing.

Definitely a spooky game with great ambiance! Expect a lot of trial and error to really understand how to navigate the different boards.

I would like to start by saying that I did proudly pay for this game and I was not given any incentives to write a positive review, I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game and am proud to support independent creators! This game has a great story and is challenging! /R is fun to play and kept me entertained and engaged. The game play is a traditional side-scrolling, survival horror. I still have not finished the game yet, it does offer a nice challenge for people that enjoy a fun puzzle but you can also play on an easier difficulty if you just want the story. The hand drawn scenes and characters really give this game a unique aesthetic. Try it out!