Dark Fear

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Wake in a locked shed with no memory, in a valley of monsters and black magic.

Platforms: PC
Stores: Steam
Price: Paid
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (92% of 139 reviews); Metacritic 66 from 4 critics, with RPGFan at 78. The original mobile version was rated 90% by TouchArcade and Gamezebo, as the store page quotes.
Length: about 4 hours
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse only: point and click
Made by: Arif Games
Released: 2016

What frightens You wake in pitch blackness in a locked shed, with no idea who you are, and find yourself in a dark valley of monstrous creatures and black magic.
Content: jumpscares, loud noises, blood.

Dark Fear is a pixel-art horror adventure with RPG elements by Arif Games, released on Steam in 2016 after a mobile original. You wake in the dark with no memory, then explore a valley near the village of Ravenwood, solving puzzles, fighting creatures in turn-based battles and hunting to upgrade your gear while you work out who you are.

About Dark Fear

Dark Fear was made by Arif Games and came first to phones, then to Steam in June 2016 with clearer art and better audio. Its store page describes a blend of RPG and adventure in the style of 1980s PC games, Myst meets King's Quest, with a storyline by a former film industry writer and a cinematic soundtrack. The mobile versions are no longer on the stores; the Steam release is the one still sold.

You wake up in pitch blackness, with no idea who you are or how you got there. Once out of the locked shed you explore forests, mountains, lakes and deserts around the village of Ravenwood, one drawn scene at a time. You make allies, upgrade your weapon and armour at the smith, buy potions, hunt and fish for pelts and gold, and fight wolves and worse in simple turn-based battles where you click as a slider crosses the green zone.

The store opens with a warning about loud noises and frightening scenes. RPGFan wrote that it builds an unsettling atmosphere and tension from limited pixel art and praised its soundtrack, and JayIsGames found the jump scares very well executed, though campy in an old-school, 1980s horror film way rather than truly terrifying.

Critics liked the atmosphere and sound more than the systems. RPGFan found the combat basic and the hunting grind tedious, and Destructoid wrote that the mechanics get in the way of the tense mood. It suits players who like old Sierra-style adventures and want a dark, pulpy horror story with a little RPG on top.

It's short. Destructoid's run took just under four hours, and the reviewer said there are only a few jump scares, though they land. What stays with you is the creepy imagery more than the shocks. There are 32 Steam achievements if you want a reason to go back.

How to play Dark Fear

Buy Dark Fear on Steam and start a new game.
Click around the dark opening scene to find what you need to get out of the shed.
Move between scenes with the arrow and click things to look, take and use them.
In fights, choose attack, defend or flee, and click as the slider passes the green zone.
Hunt and fish for pelts and gold, upgrade your weapon and armour in the village, and follow the story to the truth.

Screenshots

Dark Fear screenshot: a log cabin in a dark pixel-art forest at night, with a bloodied body lying on the ground

Dark Fear screenshot: an oval sepia portrait of a stern man in a bow tie, with text about a chilling feeling of familiarity

Dark Fear screenshot: a turn-based fight against a grey wolf, with attack, defend and flee buttons and a timing bar

Dark Fear screenshot: hunting in a night forest of tall trunks, a window showing an elk you stalk and a timing bar

Dark Fear screenshot: a bald, bearded blacksmith with crossed arms in his forge, with an Upgrade Weapon button

Dark Fear screenshot: a pale desert of dunes and shrubs under a starry night sky, with dark mountains behind

Dark Fear screenshot: a mossy grey house with a red door among dead trees at night

Tips

Keep a pen and paper for codes and clues; the game will not note them for you.
Upgrade your armour before heading into new areas; fights are decided mostly by your equipment.
Potions are sold in the village; keep a few for harder fights.
Play with sound on; much of the tension is in the music and sudden noises.

Questions

Is Dark Fear scary?

It has an unsettling atmosphere and well-timed jump scares, and the store warns of loud noises and frightening scenes. Reviewers also call it campy in an old-school, 1980s horror film way.

How long is Dark Fear?

Destructoid finished it in just under four hours. Hunting for pelts and gold can stretch that.

Is Dark Fear on mobile?

It started on phones, but those versions are no longer on the app stores. It is sold on Steam for Windows.

What kind of game is Dark Fear?

A point-and-click horror adventure with RPG parts: turn-based fights, hunting and fishing, and weapon and armour upgrades.

Who made Dark Fear?

Arif Games, released on Steam in 2016.