Uncanny Valley

Release Date: April 23, 2015

Adventure, survival horror, horror, 2D, indie games, side-scroll, action adventure, singleplayer

5.9

OpenCritic

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A two-dimensional pixel art survival horror. It is a debut title of the independent Slovenian studio Cowardly Creations. In the game the player assumes the role of a night watchman who guards a mysterious factory in shifts with his friend. To kill some time, the protagonist decides to explore the building. He discovers things he would rather not know. As the story progresses, he learns new dark secrets about his working place.

Videos and Screens

[3:33] Uncanny Valley trailer

5.9

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 15% of Critics. There are 24 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

TrueAchievements: 3 / 5 by Lexley Ford

Exploring the facility and discovering the nuances of the plot are certainly the highlights of this game, but the lack of direction is a double-edged sword, giving players the opportunity to discover as much as they can but often leaving them unsure of what exactly they are supposed to be doing.

Full Review

Pure Nintendo: 6 / 10 by Heath Shusterman-Zimmerman

I have never been too into survival horror games, but have played and really enjoyed some over the years. I was hoping that Uncanny Valley would be one of the good ones. For me, it failed to do so–it wasn't terrible but the lack of a linear storyline made it more confusing than enjoyable for me. Fans of horror survival games may enjoy it more; however, casual players of the genre may want to wait for a price slash.

Full Review

TheXboxHub: 3 / 5 by Gareth Brierley

I loved the world of Uncanny Valley and the work that the developers have put into the tone, style and feel of the game. I didn’t like playing the game so much though and at times it felt like a horrible chore, mainly because of those controls.

Full Review

Uncanny Valley is a two-dimensional survival horror inspired by classic games. The title combines immersive story, exploration, puzzles solving and action sequences. It is a debut title of a Slovenian independent studio Cowardly Creations. The production was backed by funds gathered by using, among other ways, Indiegogo.

Plot

The title of the game is a term used in a scientific hypothesis according to which a robot (or a drawing or an animation that resembles it) that is too similar to human, yet noticeably distinguishable, creates an unpleasant feeling or even disgust in the observer. In the game, the player assumes the role of Tom, a night watchman who guards a mysterious factory in shifts with his lazy friend Buck. To kill some time, he starts exploring the building and discovers things he would rather not know.

Mechanics

Despite the fact that the title is a survival horror, the gameplay is quite unusual. In Uncanny Valley for PC, PS4 and etc. there are only a few sequences in which the player can die. The developers decided that repeating the same fragment of the game many times only frustrates the player instead of scaring them. So, instead of that, they implemented a consequence system. Each unsuccessful action will impact the plot and the gameplay of the game. For example, if Tom is hit by the enemy, he will start moving slower and it will become harder for him to escape from other opponents. Because of that, the game requires the player to be cautious and act wisely.

Technical aspects

The title for PC, PS4 and etc. resembles the genre classics with its pixel art graphics. Uncanny Valley has a dense and overwhelming atmosphere of danger and the title has many really scary moments. The climatic soundtrack inspired by movie horrors increases the immersion as well.

Last updated on April 10, 2017