The Survey

This is another horror game with a few cheap jump scares. You walk around a dark environment, slowly revealing the backstory piece by piece through listening to audio and reading notes you find. In this one, the environment is your house. You are Marcus, and you grew up here with your parents and your older sister. You start out by waking up in the master bedroom, and the first thing you need to do is go downstairs to the living room. There you will find a smart phone, and a note telling you how to find the code to unlock the phone. Once the phone is unlocked, you can do multiple things with it. There is a section on the phone which gives you one clue at a time. After you read a clue, it will be replaced by a timer counting down how many seconds you have to wait until you get your next clue. Another section lets you change some game settings. There are a few pics on the phone, but they seem to have no relevance to the story. Over time, texts will pop up that you can read, and a survey will pop up that you can take. Although the title of the game is '[b]The Survey[/b]', the survey also seems to have no relevance to the story. It seems to just be something to waste a little time. No matter what your answers are, the survey will glitch out before the end ([i]but don't worry, that one is on purpose, not a bug[/i]). So the game is simply running around the house, up and down the stairs, figuring out the story. You'll solve a couple of puzzles, get a few codes, listen to audio clues through the radios and the TV's, read notes and journal entries, play with the phone, and find ways to open locked doors. Occasionally, you will see an undead female. Of course, if she sees you, she will come after you. I'd say the graphics are a little below average. Many things look "[i]blocky[/i]", and not very detailed. The sound is a little off, too. Sometimes the creepy noises ([i]footsteps, moaning, knocking, etc[/i]) don't seem to be coming from where they should. Also, some of the game text had typos. Sometimes it seems like effort was put into making the game, and sometimes it just seems like an asset flip. The story is only mildly interesting as it unfolds, and isn't very deep. It could have been presented much better. There were not any shocking twists to it. It didn't take me long to figure out what some parts of the story were going to turn out to be, even before they were officially revealed. You have no inventory to manage, no weapons, and only one walking speed. There are trading cards, but no achievements, so the game has no replayability. There are no manual saves. If something happens, you will restart back at the last checkpoint. However, when restarting from a checkpoint, things will not always be as they were BEFORE the first time you passed that checkpoint ([i]unlocked doors will be locked again, keys you took are back on the desk yet now can't be picked up, items are moved, lights are not on/off as they were before, the phone is relocked, etc[/i]). If you don't encounter any bugs, the game should take you 1.5 to 2.0 hours to finish. However, the game is quite buggy. I am on what I'm sure is the last section of the story, but the game has crashed on me in this section 3 times so far, preventing me from completing it. I don't know what happened the 1st time. The 2nd and 3rd times was a bug related to the phone. You apparently should NOT open the phone when you are listening to audio, or when you seem trapped in a locked room, as this phone bug could make the game crash. Whatever is going on, just be patient. Wait for the audio to stop playing, and/or wait until the game unlocks the door and lets you leave the room. I got this game on sale for $1, so I guess for 2 hours of play I got my money's worth. You should definitely not pay full price for this one though. Between the shallow story, the bugginess, and the overall plain vanilla of the game, I'm going to give it a thumbs down.

Just.. Cheap.. Nonsense puzzle mixed with cheap screamers. I don't recommend.

I really wanted to like The Survey, but it just falls flat. The first half was really great. The survey mechanic on the phone was genuinely interesting and built up the tension so well that I actually got goosebumps. Sadly, the second half throws everything that made the first half work out the window by almost completely abandoning that mechanic, even though the game is literally named after it. Instead, it devolves into walking around and hoping to trigger the next sequence. I do have to give credit to the hint mechanic, though. Even though I never had to use it, I think it's a really unique and thoughtful idea to help players who might get stuck. It probably wasn't a bad idea either, because the game is quite buggy. I had multiple crashes, and several jumpscares completely broke during my playthrough, which sadly hurt the atmosphere quite a bit. The story also wasn't all that engaging. It's close because I can definitely see why some people would enjoy it, but sadly it just lost me along the way. I can't really recommend it, even though I think others might have a better experience than I did.

Walking simulator. But it is a scary one.

The Survey, developed and published by Robert Gammon, presents itself as a compact but atmospheric entry into the realm of psychological horror. The game places players in the shoes of Marcus Walker, who awakens alone in a deserted house under mysterious circumstances. The narrative kicks off when Marcus finds a locked phone accompanied by a cryptic note urging him to unlock it quickly, suggesting that some ominous force is observing him. This initial setup sets the tone for a tense and immersive experience, where players must piece together fragments of Marcus’s past by solving puzzles and uncovering audio logs and journal entries scattered throughout the environment. One of the game’s most notable strengths lies in its ability to craft a chilling atmosphere using minimalist design choices. Rather than relying heavily on jump scares or overt horror tropes, The Survey builds suspense through a careful use of silence, shadow, and subtle environmental storytelling. The empty house, bathed in muted colors and punctuated by eerie ambient sounds, creates an unsettling backdrop that heightens the player’s sense of isolation and vulnerability. This approach allows players to engage more deeply with the psychological elements of the story, fostering an intimate connection with Marcus’s unraveling mental state. Despite its promising atmosphere and narrative potential, The Survey is not without its shortcomings. The game’s length is relatively brief, with most players completing it within two hours. This brevity, while suitable for a focused narrative, leaves some feeling that the experience is somewhat shallow and could have benefited from further development or additional content to enrich the story and gameplay. Moreover, technical issues have been a frequent point of contention among players. Reports of bugs, including crashes during critical interactions with the phone or audio tapes, have marred the experience for some, detracting from the otherwise immersive atmosphere and disrupting the flow of the story. These glitches suggest a lack of polish that can be frustrating, especially for players looking for a seamless horror experience. Player reception of The Survey has been mixed but leans toward the positive. On Steam, it holds a ‘Mostly Positive’ rating, with around 71% of user reviews reflecting favorable impressions. Those who appreciate the game often highlight its psychological horror elements and atmospheric tension as standout features. The game’s minimalist approach is praised for creating a sense of dread that feels organic rather than forced, distinguishing it from more conventional horror games that rely on jump scares and action. However, the critical voices often point to the technical issues and the game's short duration as significant drawbacks, which can overshadow its creative merits. Ultimately, The Survey offers a glimpse into the potential of indie horror games to evoke deep psychological unease through subtle storytelling and atmospheric design. While it may not fully realize this potential due to its technical flaws and limited scope, it succeeds in delivering a haunting narrative experience that lingers with the player beyond its short playtime. For fans of psychological horror who are willing to overlook its imperfections, The Survey can be a compelling, if brief, journey into the mind of a troubled protagonist, inviting reflection on themes of isolation, memory, and fear. However, prospective players should be aware of the technical risks and the game's concise nature before diving in. Rating: 7/10

Had no idea when playing this was 10 years old. Not the worst indie horror game I've ever played. The story is interesting, but not very good. The worst aspect of this is the constant stretches of time where you are stuck listening to poorly delivered voiceover, or waiting to stumble upon a letter that has magically appeared in a corner somewhere. Just not enough worth it here to recommend.

This game is a piece of history. It came out 9 years ago. Think about all the things it predates. It's much more patient than the average indie horror, even to this day. It's not afraid to let you sit in total silence. It's not afraid to play with lighting in unexpected ways -- even ways that cause you to let your guard down. If anything, the only real flaw of the game is the length. Buy if a couple bucks is worth having some SERIOUS chills. Clowns expecting $40+ indie horrors from developers with a decade of industry hindsight to work with are the only ones whining about the problems. (Side note: I did see a few people talking about bugs, I've never had that problem -- I guess be aware that bugs are possible.) If it's on sale, buy with confidence.