Dreadful

Dreadful

Volens Nolens Games · 2017 · Action, Adventure, Indie, Early Access, Horror

PC
Mixed57% · 14
Best price
$1.99
lowest tracked $0.55
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Standard Edition · Steam
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Screenshots

About Dreadful

Dreadful is a survival horror game that features an altered gameplay style with third-person navigation currently in development by Green Eye Games.

Storyline



A former sergeant named Smith shot his wife Mary and two young children Chris and Rebecca to death before turning his shotgun on himself. Investigators said that the main reason behind his act is still unknown to this day and many police reports said that neighbors heard loud noises coming from the house at midnight but when police came to the scene they found no one.

You will take control of David Hill, a 35 years old journalist and reveal the truth behind this tragic event and the strange noises coming from this house.

“Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.” - Edgar Allan Poe

Key Features


  • The Environment
Dreadful will be set in a house where an entire family was killed and a town where everything you see is Mary's creation, you will check every corner, every object, inspect anything unusual, you will be able to use anything you can see in the game .
  • True Horror
We are sure that the game will mess with your mind and exploit your imagination. When developing the game we thought about every move that the player can make, we believe that your imagination is a weak spot.
  • Game mechanics
Your Breath is your main weapon. There are a lot of ways to defend yourself in Dreadful but Controlling your breath and fear is your main weapon when you are in the house.

We have set up an AI system that will make the entity "Mary" smells and detects your fear, so always keep an eye on your heartbeat speed.

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

✦ AI summary

The game shows potential with its blended gameplay approach combining first-person haunted house exploration with third-person survival horror, and some players found it genuinely scary and engaging. However, it's hampered by significant technical issues including bugs, poor character animations, performance problems, and concerns about development abandonment, with many recommending potential buyers wait for more substantial updates or avoid the purchase entirely.

Not recommended Sep 30, 2017
Maybe with enough updates this could be an interesting game. But for now, glitches abound, terrible performance, ridiculous story, absolutely cheap gameplay mechanics for the enemy, and hilarious voice-acting. Oh wait. That's like all of the game. DO NOT BUY. If you need more evidence, here's some of the worst and strangest moments of the game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5G8CGVF8kU
10 found this helpful
Recommended Sep 26, 2017
For an early access game its good but does need some work, needs a few changes like making the characters movement more smooth and not looking like a constant struggle when running and is quite buggy right now (but its early access so i'll let it slide :P) . I admit i was super excited about this game being in a haunted house and having to get around the spooks and from then ending of the trailer i had seen is what made me buy it, i wish it had more of that as that was what i was interested in, its hard to scare me and this certainly got me on the edge of my seat, however when that came to an end and i was outside i felt like i'd kinda was in a silent hill game with the fog and no one around and fighting monsters. I love the idea of going into first person mode when entering a house as it gives more suspense as to whats around the next corner and you feel like your more into the game than just a character. I like where this game is going but i loved being in the scarey haunted appartment more than the outside, it got me more on edge, i hope it continues with the jumpscares as its rare to find good ones in games. I look forward to playing the full release.
7 found this helpful
Recommended Oct 6, 2017
While there are still a few mechanical issues that need some work, I absolutely loved the different style gameplays presented with the first person section within the home and having to avoid the lurking enemy then moving to the third person, Silent Hill-like style that brought the game into a survival/exploration horror rather than sticking to the defenseless! Great balance and looking forward to final release for sure!
5 found this helpful
Recommended Sep 16, 2017
I personally thought this game was pretty nice. It scared the ♥♥♥♥ outa me a few times but it has a couple bugs but what more can you expect since its Alpha. Honestly I can suggest people who like horror games to buy this. Made me jump a few times and I had chills the entire time. Heres gameplay of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZjlD4yOOSk
3 found this helpful
Not recommended Sep 19, 2017
This game was good made some videos about in the past but i wouldnt buy it now tbh the game has been abandoned so please dont waste your money on a half made abandoned game
1 found this helpful
Recommended Sep 18, 2025
Dreadful, developed and published by Volens Nolens Games, is a survival horror experience that attempts to blend psychological tension with investigative gameplay. Centered around the haunting story of a family massacre, the game places players in the role of David Hill, a journalist investigating the mysterious deaths surrounding the Smith family. The narrative promises an eerie atmosphere steeped in ambiguity, where reality may be unreliable, and danger lurks in both what is seen and unseen. Despite its promising concept, the game struggles to fully realize its potential due to technical shortcomings and uneven execution. The story sets a dark, unsettling tone from the start. The Smith family tragedy, involving a father who allegedly killed his wife and children before committing suicide, forms the grim backdrop for the investigation. As David Hill, players explore the family home and the surrounding town, piecing together clues to unravel the truth. The game heavily emphasizes atmosphere, using dim lighting, sparse sound design, and detailed environments to build a sense of dread. A recurring theme is the unreliability of perception, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s famous quote, …

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