Oakwood

I could not stand the game. It looked so cheap in every possible way that even for 3 bucks, I though I still deserved a refund. Design: - The game's design is really bad. The fonts look like they were from a child comedy sketch when the game is supposed to be scary. - The head bobing is attrociousl It moves by a too small amount and way to quickly. It feals like the head is bobbing 4 times from side to side for every step, making it absolutely cartoony like if you were playing a funny mouse. Plus, It cannot be turned of. The game is so unpolished, that it really feel silly more than scary. Graphics: -The water reflection do not fit what they are reflecting and moves at a different speed than the world which makes it absolutely eye catching and breaking any kind of realism they tried to do here. -The tree model keeps intensely popping in, because draw distance is ridiculous. - The dinosaur animation is laughable. The t-rex's head was looking at me from a caravan's window, with his neck going down. Basically, the whole t-rex looked like it was under the floor. Animation transitions are inexistant and kept teleporting around when cycling between them. Options: - Game cannot be 4k and windowed - No subtitles Sound and music: - The music loop is poorly done. It cuts when looping. - The sounds are repetitive and often too loud. - The only redeaming quality is that the voice action was actually quite good for the few phrases I heard. Conclusion: This game feels like it was done by a young person, with absolutely no experience and barely any design knowledge. It feels like a poorly execute idea rushed into a game without polish. It feels like a school project that should be free, not a game that people should waste money on.

[u]The game[/u]: Oakwood [u]What’s it about?[/u]: A young woman heads out to join her friends on a camping trip at an abandoned campground, but finds them missing, the woods full of dinosaurs, and must now escape before being eaten. [u]How long does it last?[/u]: About an hour; two if you try to find all the hidden totems to unlock a hidden area in the final level. [u]What’s the replay value?[/u]: Low; you’ll play it once and that’ll be enough. [u]What works?[/u]: *Trying to survive dinosaurs in a remote, abandoned campground with no weapons is a great concept. *Charming, B-movie feel of a game by first-time indie developers. *Good atmosphere with some genuinely spooky moments. *Not having any weapons makes escaping dinosaurs more tense. *Short length ensures the game doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. [u]What doesn’t work?[/u]: *You can tell this is an effort by first-time developers who have the passion to make a game, but not quite the skill to make everything come together. *The trial-and-error gameplay can get frustrating. *The game’s story feels half-hearted and unfocused: most of it is told via notes and letters, the majority of which read like things people would never actually write either to each other, or as notes to themselves. *No subtitles, which is a big problem as some radio messages are nearly impossible to understand. *The layout and design of the forest and the environments is more wide-open than they need to be, making most of the game feel empty and unfocused. *The ending is disappointing, abrupt, and doesn't answer some questions that came up during the game. [u]Tips and Tricks[/u]: *Collecting all the hidden totems throughout the game will unlock a hidden area in the last level that adds to the game's lore. However, it doesn't change the ending or otherwise affect the game, so if you're not a completionist you can skip it. [u]Value for the Money[/u]: Slightly below-average. [u]Bottom line[/u]: Oakwood is a short and charming B-game, but it’s lackluster story, trial-and-error gameplay, and disappointing ending make it tough to recommend for people seeking intense, terrifying dinosaur-focused games. If you can buy it on sale for under $10 it's worth a try. [u]Final score[/u]: C-

I wanted to like this game and was patient with how outdated some things are, but kept running into an area that just would not let me pass. Didn't matter if I restarted the game. I watched a walkthrough to make sure I wasn't just missing something, and I wasn't - the section of terrain just would not let me pass, and it was the only way forward. Can't recommend a game that won't let you get to the ending. Also, had a hard time suspending disbelief with all the notes you discover. I get that it's a way to lay out exposition, but I began to wonder if this lodge was inhabited by monks sworn to a vow of silence who communicated exclusively through written exchanges. That may have been explained in the ending I couldn't reach, though.

Good game...however ı recommend playing this with full brightness

itch.io tier garbage

Pretty sure this is a student project, nonsensical decisions that could only be explained by poor communication and an all too near deadline. They couldn't figure out a way to transition from day to night in time so you slip on a can in a trailer and pass out for a few hours, as an example. Overall needs work, but charming doe.