Penumbra: Overture

How you react to Penumbra depends entirely on how, uh, adventurous you are feeling when you load the game up. If you are a hardcore traditionalist, you could quickly get turned off by the game's 3D engine, sluggish controls, occasional combat and drab environments. However, if you are open to a new experience and are willing to take the game as it is, you could have a spooky and rewarding gaming experience that could even stretch your idea of what an adventure game can be.

A creepy and atmospheric horror adventure. The advanced physics engine makes the experience truly immersive. On the minus side, combat is a bit cumbersome and the plot could use some polishing. Still, very promising. [Aug 2007]

Where Penumbra really wins through however is in its storytelling and puzzle solving.

Penumbra: Overture will surely strike a chord with fans of adventure and horror games.

Creeping around in the dark with only a flashlight to hand whilst the wind whistles through a passageway and footsteps can be heard around every corner can be extremely disconcerting, and it's a testament to good game design that it manages to unsettle right from the start.

The only charge that can really be brought against the game lies within the the aesthetics of the environment.

Penumbra: Overture focuses on delivering immersive gameplay by providing an engaging storyline, a surreal atmosphere, and a very creepy playing experience.

At a cost of only £15 for an online download, it's an absolute must for any PC adventure gamers out there.

It's short enough to come across as an appetizer, this pilot episode's ending leaving you more confused than when entering the first tunnel of the mines

It's not beautiful, it's not that long, but it's spooky and well worth a look. [Apr 2007, p.71]

Penumbra is loaded with creepy psychological horror that really gets under your skin.

Despite its action sequences, at heart this is a puzzle-based adventure game. Adventure-game designers often appear to be lagging about a decade behind the rest of the game industry, so it is refreshing to see developers willing to innovate within the genre.

Penumbra is very likeable and accomplished. Clunky presentation holds it back, and wonky writing keeps you at a distance, but it shows potential. [May 2007, p.74]

It’s like a movie that you can recognize as being a well-made effort, but doesn’t actually engage you all that much.

Overture is very short at 5-6 hours. The benefit of that is that the middle stretch isn't terribly long by any means, so in a way, Overture benefits from its short runtime.

It may not be Best in Show, but it's slavering in the top dogs' general direction. [Aug 2007, p.66]

If you're interested in a serious relationship with gaming rather than purely out for a good time, please do take a look at Penumbra. It does some truly clever stuff, has an effectively creepy atmosphere and there's a few signposts in it that action and adventure games alike would do well to follow.

The game shows a great deal of polish, considering the odds stacked against it.

The emphasis on physics adds a unique dimension to Penumbra: Overture. If you're willing to sacrifice story for atmosphere, it's a decent catch for horror fans, but those looking for point-and-click fare may be turned off by unavoidable action elements.

Let's just hope they fix the combat and add a bit more character development in the next episode.

A creepy independent title that succeeds in its focus on refining established gameplay elements rather than defining its own.

Avoid combat and it remains an extremely smart adventure game with a lot to offer. [May 2007, p.82]

The good does outweigh the bad, because as a horror game it successfully horrifies. It’s also one of the darkest games we’ve played since the original "Silent Hill." [Apr 2007, p.106]

Available for less than £10 online, the many great physics-based puzzles and unrelenting feeling of fear are well worth the asking price, but don't expect a game that will compete with multi-million pound projects.

You can overlook the sloppy graphics, the poor narrative and the occasional rudimentary puzzle, because the design of Penumbra sometimes reminds you how inspired it is, offering the player some genuinely interesting puzzles in a properly spooky setting.

Penumbra remains a mediocre adventure game with a small handful of interesting elements, and pee your pants moments.