Metascore
47

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 35
  2. Negative: 16 out of 35
  1. CD-Action
    Sep 27, 2018
    70
    Agony is a game of insane contrasts, both fascinating and embarrassing. Therefore I still don’t know whether its developers are geniuses or amateurs and although I believe it deserves a relatively high score, I actually cannot recommend it unconditionally. [08/2018, p.84]
  2. May 31, 2018
    70
    Agony is a good horror/stealth game, for sure the best representation of Hell ever seen in a game. Although if the visual impact is amazing, many of the mechanics don't work as they should, making the game at times too frustrating or difficult to explore.
  3. Jun 5, 2018
    65
    If you are predisposed toward the infernal if you enjoy the gory and the journey this game might be for you. If you are looking for solid gameplay and perpetual darkness is an issue, then you will see more devils than this vast hell can hold.
  4. Jun 1, 2018
    65
    Agony is a game I really wanted to love and visually, the game looks rather impressive, even some of the early gameplay moments feel well crafted and fresh, yet, as a whole, Agony just doesn’t hold up against other games of the genre — at best, Agony feels like a lovechild between Red Barrel’s Outlast series and id Software’s 2016 Doom reboot, and at its worst, Agony feels like a game that probably needed a few more months in the crucible before inviting us all to join it down in Hell.
  5. May 31, 2018
    65
    At the end of the day, though, Agony exists with too much dissonance to be a completely enjoyable game. For as much as I liked the visual and audio designs, and they really are pretty great, the actual gameplay is just too frustrating and dull too much of the time. I think there’s a place for games that place style over substance, but Agony doesn’t quite stick the landing.
  6. Jun 5, 2018
    62
    With a hint of art, this is a borderline horror trip through hell, with boring tasks and technical problems.
  7. Jun 4, 2018
    60
    Agony is a survival horror adventure game with disturbing and grotesque visuals that sadly doesn´t match the high expectations we had on it. Most of the game mechanics are too frustrating, clunky and repetitive, but it also gives us freedom of exploration and shows a good level design. A game for the true hardcore fans of horror games.
  8. Jul 18, 2018
    55
    A really great idea for a horror game, but it simply fails to deliver. Boring gameplay, bad voice acting and a lot more.
  9. Jun 7, 2018
    55
    Agony is the best video game representation of Hell ever created, but it's the only thing the game has got going for itself. With its lack of gameplay direction, poorly explained mechanics and bad pacing, playing Agony can be a hellish experience, and not for the reasons the development team intended.
  10. Jun 1, 2018
    55
    It is dark, gritty, scary, explicit and daring. But it also is buggy, unbalanced, sometimes outright unfair and technically not as sound as it good have been.
  11. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 26, 2018
    54
    Despite the cuts, plenty of controversial stuff did make it into the game – for example, there’s a sinner who uses a baby like a mop. But here’s the thing: while unquestionably disgusting, it’s not scary. And coupled with lackluster gameplay mechanics, Agony quickly becomes a chore. [Issue#231, p.64]
  12. Jun 4, 2018
    53
    Many problems while descending into hell: The horror-adventure ist neither technically nor gameplay-wise well-engineered.
  13. Jun 19, 2018
    50
    I can't recommend this game as the payout of eye candy isn't worth the time you have to put in slogging through hell behind the eyes of a depressingly slow husk of a dead man.
  14. Jun 8, 2018
    50
    Agony is an ambitious game; it sought to give gamers an experience that they had never had before, which it does somewhat deliver, and I have to credit its developers for even the attempt. But this final product just doesn’t feel finished; this is more like an Early Access game – full of promise and great ideas but just lacking in content, polish and attention to detail.
  15. Jun 5, 2018
    50
    The vision of hell introduced in Agony rivals the excellent final level of Painkiller. Unfortunately the game set in this wonderfully warped world isn't very interesting. For each upside there's at least one serious shortcoming. This controversial and ambitious game turned out to be dull and rather boring.
  16. Jun 1, 2018
    50
    A truly inspired and horrific depiction of Hell, attempting to prop up a mechanically nonexistent survival/horror early prototype for a game. Even the toughest of pentacle carving black metal fans will have a hard time pretending that they actually enjoyed and ‘got’ Agony.
  17. May 30, 2018
    50
    Agony does not quite reach the expectations we had for it. However, its ambiance and portrait of hell are quite disturbing.
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  1. Jun 6, 2018
    It has a lot to say about women, sexual violence, the power dynamics of sex between genders, and how society often views gay sex through the lens of straight men. Rather than coding its ideology in metaphor or subtext, it’s danced right in front of you. Agony knows exactly what it’s saying. Fortunately, you don’t have to listen.
User Score
4.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 286 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 286
  1. May 29, 2018
    0
    A disappointment on all levels, and the developers squabbled their chances to make a unique game by submitting to censorship. A shameful display.
  2. May 30, 2018
    3
    Great concept but poor design!
    Even basic features are missing like adjusting the gamma after you enter the game. Only possible from the main
    Great concept but poor design!
    Even basic features are missing like adjusting the gamma after you enter the game. Only possible from the main menü. Which is crucial in such a game where darkness plays a huge role.

    The game mechanics are very irritating. Often hiding main items and objectives behind map elements which are invisible in the shadow or darkness. Some would call it "difficulty" I only call it cheap design.
    Full Review »
  3. May 30, 2018
    3
    All shock, and no substance. The take on hell is amazing, but the underlying gameplay is frustrating.