If you dislike grotesque, weird, and hard-to-follow games, then Necrophosis: Full Consciousness should be avoided at all costs. It is extremely odd, and I struggled with its often-cryptic ways. Furthermore, the lack of guidance had me scratching my head and randomly guessing my way through puzzles. However, it is stomach-turning, interesting, and strangely tough to put down.
This horror exploration experience was developed by Dragonis Games and published by PQube Limited. It is a single-play horror art experience rather than a traditional jump scare, spooky fest. Although the imagery is dark and uncomfortable, it steers away from traditional “scary” moments. Instead, it uses its dank world and horrific moments in conjunction with environmental storytelling and odd puzzles.
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness and its bizarre tale.
Losing your memory must be extremely scary, but things are made worse if your body is failing you as well. Necrophosis: Full Consciousness makes you play the part of a disembodied “Consciousness” trapped inside a rotting vessel. The surrounding world is in an eternal state of decay, and everything is decomposing. Your task is to explore this horrendous land while finding fragments of your identity and the fate of the world.
In theory, the plot is reasonably self-explanatory, but it rarely follows a clear path. Instead, intentionally cryptic messages push you towards tough-to-solve puzzles, strange conversations, and odd symbolism. This bitty and non-guided design was great for those who like to think outside of the box and endure a cruel world. However, if this isn’t for you, you’ll find it uncomfortable and frustrating.
Using your senses.
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness relies heavily on observation skills and a cryptic mindset. The world is an interconnected minefield of madness where you become lost in strange lore and plenty of guesswork. This leads to bitty storytelling that is fantastic but tough to follow. Additionally, if you lack situational awareness or you are not paying attention, you could miss key concepts. This impacts your understanding of the lore-heavy elements, and it could make things confusing.
The puzzles involve visual clues, fetching items, and interacting with the weirdest statues I’ve ever seen. If the gameplay weren’t so random, they wouldn’t be an issue, but missing key parts or being turned off by some of the extreme moments is enough to hold you back.
Unlike other horror games, Necrophosis: Full Consciousness has no traditional combat. Instead, it focuses on tension, lore, and exploration. I’d liken it to a dark walking sim rather than your classic horror title.
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness turned my stomach.
It takes a lot to make me feel unwell, but Necrophosis: Full Consciousness did just that. The combination of dark colours and strange imagery was enough to make me feel queasy. I’m not saying it is disturbing per se, but it puts you out of your comfort zone immediately. The first-person design makes it hard to see everything at once. This adds to the confusion and makes the world seem smaller and more claustrophobic than it is.
This unsettling atmosphere is complemented by the brilliant audio. The use of silence, screams, distant voices, and eerie sound effects works perfectly. There is nothing worse than a strange message, a weird statue, and uncomfortable noises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Simple controls.
The slower gameplay makes this easy to play. With simple controls to master and a refined UI, it doesn’t take long to familiarise yourself with the layout. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help you overcome the gameplay’s cryptic nature.
I invested around 6 hours to complete 1 playthrough. I didn’t unlock every achievement, and I admit I struggled throughout. More competent gamers will fly through this, and 5 hours could get you a 100% completion. Therefore, there is limited replay value and longevity.
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness will divide audiences.
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness is an unusual, interesting, and slow game that will divide audiences. I liked the concept and the dark aesthetic, but I found the puzzles to be too abstract. This affected the immersion, and I often found myself lost. However, this is more than likely a me issue, and if you love odd puzzles, you will appreciate everything on offer. Accordingly, despite my reservations, I recommend buying it here! Can you piece together your existence? Explore the world, search for clues, and solve each puzzle you find.
