Psychological horror Horror puzzle 2D horror Horror

Downfall

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A getaway to save a marriage, in a hotel where it all goes wrong.

Platforms: PC
Stores: Steam, GOG
Price: Paid
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (94% of 1,710 reviews); 4.3 of 5 on GOG (156 ratings)
Length: about 4.5 hours
Players: 1
Controls: Arrow keys to walk and to pick items, Enter to confirm, Space to skip dialogue.
Made by: Harvester Games
Released: 2016

On GOG: one of the GOG horror games.

No. 11 of the hotel horror games · No. 3 of the horror games about madness

What frightens Joe takes his wife Ivy to the Quiet Haven Hotel to save their marriage, and there things go from bad to worse and then to insanity, in a story the store calls a tale of love, madness and murder.
Content: graphic violence, blood, strong language, suicide, alcohol and tobacco, eating disorder, adult themes, 18+.

Downfall is a dark psychological horror adventure from the maker of The Cat Lady. Joe takes his wife Ivy away to a run-down hotel to save their marriage, and things slide from bad to worse to insanity. You guide him through the hotel's rooms, solve its problems with what you find, and decide in conversation what kind of man he is.

About Downfall

Downfall is a horror adventure by Harvester Games, the creator of The Cat Lady, published by Screen 7 and released on Steam on 15 February 2016. It is a new version of Harvester Games' 2009 point-and-click game of the same name, and that original is included with it in English. On GOG it is sold as Downfall: Redux.

There is nothing Joe would not do for his wife. Joe and Ivy Davis have been struggling for a long time, not least with Ivy's eating disorder, and to save their marriage they go on a romantic getaway to the Quiet Haven Hotel. From there things go from bad to worse, and from worse to insanity. The store calls it a tale of love, madness and murder, and that is as far as it is worth knowing before you play.

Play alternates between conversation and exploring. You walk Joe through the hotel's lobby, corridors and rooms, examine what you find, talk to the people there and use the items in your inventory to move on. The puzzles are mostly straightforward; the story carries the game. There are many ways to answer: Joe can be a loving husband, a cold realist or a bitter sceptic, and reviewers report that the endings change with the choices you make. Everything is played with the arrow keys and Enter, with autosave and quicksave.

It is drawn in a stark, mostly black-and-white style, with red blood and the odd colour breaking through, in scenes of grimy wallpaper, warped paintings and corridors that stop making sense. Full English voice acting stars Jesse Gunn, Isa And and David Firth, and the original soundtrack is by micAmic with featured artists; reviewers praise the music and the atmosphere more than the voice acting. The store lists it in the same series as The Cat Lady and Lorelai. The developers stress that it is not recommended for players under 18.

A first play takes about four and a half hours by HowLongToBeat's main-story figure, longer if you go after other endings and achievements. It suits players who finished The Cat Lady and want more of its world, and anyone who likes slow, story-first adventure horror about people coming apart.

How to play Downfall

Start a new game and follow Joe and Ivy into the Quiet Haven Hotel.
Walk Joe left and right through each scene with the arrow keys and look for the things you can examine, call or use.
Talk to the people you meet and choose how Joe answers them; your answers shape how the story ends.
Pick up items and use them from your inventory to get past what blocks the way.
Quicksave before risky moments; the game also saves automatically.

Screenshots

Downfall screenshot: Joe and a girl face each other in a grey, ruined hotel lounge under the words Devil Came Through Here written in blood

Downfall screenshot: Joe at a shabby black-and-white hotel reception desk, with examine and call options shown beside him

Downfall screenshot: Joe in a dim, teal-lit hallway beside a worn wooden door, a spiral staircase and strange paintings

Downfall screenshot: a room crammed with tilted mirrors and frames, a red-eyed girl crouched in an armchair and a man watching from a doorway

Downfall screenshot: a pale woman in a white Victorian gown against a brick and tile wall, with a doll in the inventory bar

Downfall screenshot: Joe in a hotel corridor beside room 207, below a painting of a distorted face with many eyes

Downfall screenshot: Joe faces a woman in white in a hotel corridor of upside-down numbered doors, a giant bloodied hand behind them

Tips

Use the quicksave before trying something you are unsure of, and keep a few saves if you want to try other answers later.
Check every room you can reach before deciding you are stuck; items are often in an earlier scene.
Think about what kind of man you want Joe to be and answer consistently; the endings follow your choices.
On a second playthrough, Space skips dialogue you have already heard.
If you want the 2009 version too, it is included with the game, in English only, and is not supported by the developers.

Questions

Do I need to play The Cat Lady before Downfall?

No. It tells its own story about Joe and his wife. It shares a world with The Cat Lady, by the same creator, and reviewers say fans of that game will spot references and get a surprise later on.

How long is Downfall?

About four and a half hours for the main story by HowLongToBeat's figure, and around nine and a half to see everything.

Does Downfall have multiple endings?

Yes. Reviewers report several endings that depend on the dialogue choices you make as Joe.

Is the original 2009 Downfall included?

Yes. The store says the original 2009 point-and-click version is included, in English only, as unsupported freeware.

Is Downfall on consoles or phones?

No official console or phone version has been found. It is sold for Windows on Steam and on GOG as Downfall: Redux.

What age is Downfall for?

The developers say it is not recommended for players under 18. The store warns of occasional graphic violence and strong language, and rating descriptors also name suicide, alcohol and tobacco.