Cave of Illusions Reviews

No. A nauseating game where the only real horror is in the terrible texture choices and blur effects that will leave you feeling ill at your stomach if you play too long. Jump scares are not scary. It's 2019. Find a real way to scare a player besides popping a clown up at random moments with a super loud scream. Combine that with a jump to platform level in a black and white checkered room where no two jumps are the same based on your key presses but instead decided by pure RNG whether you make the jump or not and this game gets super infuriating really fast. The mid game MC Escher style level is maddeningly frustrating to try and sort out, and when you do figure out the path, there is ZERO satisfaction found in actually solving it, but just a gasp of relief let out that you "somehow lucked into the solution before getting killed". I absolutely hate horror games like this full of nothing but random jump scares like they are supposed to be "scary" and puzzles that make no sense what-so-ever like this game is full of. A player should need to use clues and brains to actually solve puzzles, not be forced to finding a solution by mindlessly trying every possible solution until he just happens to luck into it. A player should also be scared due to the game being genuinely terrifying, not just have mindless jump scares thrown at them for progressing past certain points. Ugh. I tried to like this game, I really did.. but in the end there is little to like about it, zero satisfaction for progressing because the puzzles present no real thoughtful challenge, only "keep guessing mindlessly until you hit the correct path" Add to all of these a story that is tedious and boring rather than interesting and you have yet another lame horror game on Steam that serves no real purpose except to rob you of your hard earned money and waste valuable time that could be better spent rolling dice on the floor and screaming at yourself in mirror to try and "jump scare" yourself every 20 seconds. My Score: 25% Tedious, Sloppy, and Mind Numbing. Not scary at all.

Cave of Illusions is a psychological horror game that fails on several fronts. The gameplay shifts constantly, and while that could be a good way to convey the story, the elements seem loosely strung. You can jump sometimes, and other times you can't. You can fight back, until the game decides you can't. The horror aspects are devalued as the stakes are never clear and the game goes from platforms, to walking simulator, into smashing mirrors with candles. This all culminates to a feeling of disconnection from the game play. The options menu is so lack luster, that the sound balancing begins to become a problem when it suddenly becomes a focus. This jumble of ideas creates problems as all the mechanics seem at odds, hearing abrasive loud noises the entire time, then, suddenly trying to listen out for a small jingle. (Including things like dialogue which is horribly mixed.) This is all before mentioning the presentation, while there is passion put into the project, it stretches it's two musical tracks thin, and keeps putting it's weaker elements into full view. It's clear the creators are unable to create realistic human faces, but instead of working around the problem, they shove it in your face. This is a glaring flaw, as while this game has some neat ideas, it constantly shows off its flaws taking you out of the experience. And now the story, and without giving away too much, it doesn't earn it's ending, and doesn't seem to really care. The idea overall could be interesting, but that's where the thought and attention end. It would be cool, or interesting, so it happens. There is no build up, there is no proper pay off, it just happens and you are left with a sense of trying to pick up whatever the developer meant. This game lacks a defined vision, lacks polish, poorly optimized, and most importantly, it just isn't fun. It's clear the developers have passion, and I hope they continue to improve, but that doesn't mean that this game is a enjoyable experience when you can clearly see the growing pains of a new creative.

I definitely appreciated the uniqueness of this game. It's disturbing, so don't play this if you are easily triggered. The puzzles weren't hard, but didn't really make sense, and the last scene was bugged for me and I had to just shoot randomly till I hit where the guy was bugged at. Still, even with it's flaws, I am glad I experienced this and hope they try even harder on the next one. I would also not get this unless it's on sale, as it's expensive for an hour game with bugs and some mind numbing parts.

I had a blast playing this game. The atmosphere is very unsettling, and the droning ambiance really sells the feeling of losing your grip on reality. The story is captivating, and quickly gets you asking questions and seeking answers. As you progress, the environment becomes more and more surreal, and you start to experience the illusions you've been expecting. At any point, your surroundings can betray you, and leave you looking around frantically, unsure of what may emerge from a dark corner. The music is spectacular, and very moody. Vidas' brilliant use of guitar creates a bold feeling of sadness, and a longing to find resolve amidst the chaos. Scruncho's flute work is hauntingly lovely, and does a great job setting a tone for the story. As a whole, the sound design is very well executed. There are times where all you want to do is find your way out, and the music really adds a strong sense of anxiety. The voice acting is also great, and at times, chilling. There was clearly a lot of deep thought put into the story, and after the first playthrough, you will be left with much to ponder. And once you beat it, there are things to unlock for replayability, which pushes the game beyond the hour or so it takes to complete. Overall, it was a very satisfying experience for me. If you play it for yourself, be sure to leave your own script at the door, and just allow yourself to get lost in it, and you will have the best possible experience. There are jumpscares, but they are used tastefully, and in a way that even scared me; someone who generally isn't phased by jumpscares. Ultimately, a great game with a lot to offer, and great potential for expansion, should the team decide to keep going with it. Certainly the best yet from Vidas Games, and I highly recommend it!

This is a solid indie horror game that is rough around the edges but has enough creativity, love and original ideas put into it to be a cool and memorable experience. The game's narrative does a very good job at framing the events in mystery and rational uncertainty, which I feel is often missing from supernatural fiction. This story is a lot about reality and perception of reality and the game doesn't slack at tackling this thematic point. The protagonist grapples with her understanding of events, past and present and it makes it more intriguing, spooky and satisfying. There is also just enough of grounding in reality, and the emotional layers enrich the substance of the game. While not too complex, the story provides very nice twists as well, and its resolution was very fitting too. I walked away from the experience nodding with a satisfied grin. It felt right for its genre and theme. The overall plot structure also contributed to that satisfaction, it doesn't feel like a game where you're just stuck in some isolated abstract spooky place the entire time, which I think helps a lot. The game's level design ranges considerably. I found some scenes less interesting than others but it was pretty consistently unnerving, and I was particularly pleased with the second half of the game where the surreal and unexpected design really takes off in my opinion. If you can't tolerate jump scares you probably won't have a good time, but to be fair to the game they're essentially only used to indicate and punctuate player failure. There are not really any moments where you're just walking down a dark hallway and something pops out at you screaming for absolutely no reason with no telegraphing or connection. It only happens when you do something wrong or face the antagonist directly. I had my doubts in the beginning while failing things and being bombarded by jump scares, but again, the later levels and scenes definitely earned that "psychological" label for me. And yeah as someone who has good capacity for immersion I was scared many times, but I was especially enjoying myself when the game was being unsettling, surreal and clever. I'm sure you can tell this isn't a high budget production but neither it is expensive, and more importantly real effort and heart have been put into it and it really shows. The level design is interesting, the voice acting is heartfelt and the music themes are really really nice. So if you're into indie horror scene at all, I think this is definitely worth playing.

An interesting little psychological horror game with some very cool moments! I really enjoyed the way the atmosphere and aesthetics of the level design progressed. I felt it really picked up about half way through. The story is solid and fresh and overall it really holds your attention and has a great ending(s). My play through took about an hour, but there is a lot of content packed into that hour and the pacing was great. Some very beautiful music as well (coulda used more JAZZ tho ;D). Definitely worth the price to anyone interested in a well voice acted, story driven indie horror game! Make sure to go back and open the other door after completion! (I've slightly edited my review in regards to wanting the story expanded in one place, as the game has already been patched by the devs adding some extra voice lines! They are really on it!)

Don't waste your time on this game. Cheap graphics, cheap voice acting, cheap effects, cheap puzzles. Encountered a jumping across platforms puzzle that took me the better part of an hour to complete due to poor mechanics and platforming. Pushed through it cause i wanted to see the rest of the game, and I was met only with more cheap puzzles and jumpscares. I regret spending money on this shit game.

really unique game, loved the imagery i think the narrative is a bore, and writing is a little weird but still looking forward to anything new that comes from this developer

A very interesting and compelling game that drives you towards an unsettling reality hidden within a labyrinth of distorted perspectives. I found the game to be thoroughly enjoyable; from Lesley's compulsive need to find the truth, coupled with her resolute and almost remorseful fury, to the wickedly playful nature of the realms' puzzles and games of hide and seek, this game offers a special brand of growing dread akin to a waking nightmare. The storyline itself calls to mind older, almost Grimm Fairy Tale style fears. The sense of Wicked fair-folk and the rising dread of what it means to be "Missing." There is a very strong sense of dread and almost inescapability, like you're a mouse slowly creeping down the throat of a spiraling serpent. This is a game that demands to be experienced through a lens of distortion and uncertainty much like the main character's inability to determine just what is and isn't real. The puzzles and games within utilize some flight-or-flight responses, as well as challenging your ability to perceive the truth, forcing you to make quick decisions at certain opportune moments after granting you some clues as to how you can properly counter the world's retaliation. It grants a sort of caged rat type feeling, while also giving you a sense that perhaps you are slowly walking closer and closer to the mouth of a black hole. Much like the main character, you are being directly challenged to break the illusion. This gave me a sense of urgency as well as establishing a character trait in Lesley; showing just how far and how long she is willing to go in these trials despite the overwhelmingly unnatural circumstances. There is a special nature to this kind of game as it offers puzzles and distorted environments to gawk and wander through like a macabre funhouse while also granting a truly insidious story line with genuinely disturbing implications. Overall, I found the experience very enjoyable, I loved the genuine nature of Lesley's reactions, her almost careful personality being chipped away by the insidious forces of the Cave, and the harrowingly mad and cruel nature of her predicament.

It's like a virtual trip to the fun house with some crazy clown? stalking you. I found the story to be quite good. However some jumpscares are not needed, same for the volume of some sound effects (it is really not needed in a good horror game.) Also there seems to be some replayability and probably two endings. Still, I found the game to be quite enjoyable with some levels better then others.