Clive Barker's Undying

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 207 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 182 out of 207
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 207
  3. Negative: 9 out of 207
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. UndyingDeveloper
    Oct 24, 2007
    10
    As one of the developers of this title, I can say that it was as much fun to develop it as it is to play. The PC version suffered somewhat, as a result of trying to do a console version simultaneously, but at the end of the day, I'm proud of the work done on this title.
  2. battleTerror
    Jul 19, 2012
    10
    What a great game and one of my all time favourites. Sadly it didn't receive the acclaim or following it deserved at the time of it's release, but if you can get it installed it's still worth your time. Awesome.
  3. Jay_Pickens
    Jul 24, 2018
    10
    This is not a game, it's a journey. The unique atmosphere in Undying is one of a kind and hasn't been replicated yet. Graphics might be outdated, but it doesn't change the fact, that it's one of the best games out there. It's an experience no one can miss. Pickens approves.
  4. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    10
    This is not a game, it's a journey. The unique atmosphere in Undying is one of a kind and hasn't been replicated yet. Graphics might be outdated, but it doesn't change the fact, that it's one of the best games out there. It's an experience no one can miss. Pickens approves
  5. NedamI
    Nov 19, 2009
    10
    The best game I ever played. The game has good story, and it is not just going around and shooting, it is like you have your part in this story.
  6. MoroseTroll
    Aug 14, 2014
    10
    Clive Barker's Undying is a perfect example of horror-FPS. It's scary as hell - I finished it a half of dozen times, but every time I play it, I still prefer to do this by daylight, I'm sure you'll understand why :).
    It's a must-have for those who love horror games: it has a fantastic creepy sound track, a nice story, a perfect voice-over, an incredibly abominable enemies, a lots of    Clive Barker's Undying is a perfect example of horror-FPS. It's scary as hell - I finished it a half of dozen times, but every time I play it, I still prefer to do this by daylight, I'm sure you'll understand why :).
    It's a must-have for those who love horror games: it has a fantastic creepy sound track, a nice story, a perfect voice-over, an incredibly abominable enemies, a lots of weapons and magic spells (heck, you can use them both simultaneously), a nice but fearful locations (a half-abandoned Irish castle, a monastery and its catacombs, a magic world, etc).
    It's hard to buy a physical copy of the game these days, but if you don't mind about a digital copy, just visit GOG.    … Expand
  7. SulthanJ.
    Sep 2, 2004
    10
    Great stuff. i really went mad ,continued playing for around three days . hey,ea come out with a sequel ,we would luv . don't disappoint a few to plz the others.plzzzzz
  8. TarekM
    Dec 8, 2009
    10
    A game that never leaves my mind and why should it? It has great graphic, great sound and genuinely scary and dark. Plus it has an arsenal pf weapons and spells second to none.
  9. CooterPatooter
    Jan 26, 2012
    8
    The first third of this title is pure masterpiece. A chilling atmosphere, haunting sounds and great dialogue all work together to make the hairs on your neck stand up. The gameplay while navigating the corridors of the mansion are intense and frightening. You're never quite sure when a Howler is gonna jump at you. This horror concept has been done to death by now, but back in 2001 thisThe first third of this title is pure masterpiece. A chilling atmosphere, haunting sounds and great dialogue all work together to make the hairs on your neck stand up. The gameplay while navigating the corridors of the mansion are intense and frightening. You're never quite sure when a Howler is gonna jump at you. This horror concept has been done to death by now, but back in 2001 this was revolutionary and pants-filling stuff. The game begins to suffer when you face human (or humanoid, in the last level) opponents. The game becomes a much more predictable and standard shooter. The humans don't spring from the shadows with a growl and a flash of claws. They just kinda run at you until you shoot them. Yawn. While the gameplay suffers during these levels, the atmosphere and writing remain top-notch. I recently (2011-2012) replayed this title and was pleased at how well it has aged. Recommended!… Expand
  10. MagicHAT
    May 20, 2012
    10
    This game is combination of great story that is not there to ruin anything a skill level system work really well, and magic combined with shooting is beautiful, first time I finished it on normal and did not read journals, that was a big mistake, I played it again with different skill build and now on hard difficulty I found most of journals. Story was excellent, this game sets an exampleThis game is combination of great story that is not there to ruin anything a skill level system work really well, and magic combined with shooting is beautiful, first time I finished it on normal and did not read journals, that was a big mistake, I played it again with different skill build and now on hard difficulty I found most of journals. Story was excellent, this game sets an example oh how video games should be made. Design of the game is excellent and I found game scary in good way. Fun - 9/10 Gameplay - 9/10 Controls - 10/10 Graphics Design - 10/10 Story - 10/10 All Time Graphics - 9/10 Sound - 10/10 Music - 10/10 Replayability - 8/10 Graphics for its time - 9/10 94/100… Expand
  11. Kaniya
    Mar 30, 2013
    9
    Undying is one of the most memorable games ever produced. Its a game of horror. The story is quiet interesting while it may not be as awesome as other Barker's work but in terms of being a game and the time this game was published I should say he did an awesome job. Gameplay is what Undying is all about. one hand with guns and another hand you can cast different magics. it lets you toUndying is one of the most memorable games ever produced. Its a game of horror. The story is quiet interesting while it may not be as awesome as other Barker's work but in terms of being a game and the time this game was published I should say he did an awesome job. Gameplay is what Undying is all about. one hand with guns and another hand you can cast different magics. it lets you to decide how to kill your enemies. Today we see this kind of mechanism have been extended and improved in games such as BioShock. Undying atmosphere is creepy and dark. Game was produced with Unreal Engine 2 i bevlieve and by the time this game was released it was a top notch game in terms of its visual. I still own this game and I still have it installed on my PC, sometimes i go play it and I still enjoy it … Expand
  12. sengork
    Nov 24, 2013
    10
    This is one of the most obscure games you will never hear of and should have played. The game play mechanics and visual designs/animations were years ahead of it's time. One wonders how many other games' play mechanics have been inspired by Undying without credit where it's due. The game holds up well even today and is one of the more atmospheric games out there. Pro tip: play it reallyThis is one of the most obscure games you will never hear of and should have played. The game play mechanics and visual designs/animations were years ahead of it's time. One wonders how many other games' play mechanics have been inspired by Undying without credit where it's due. The game holds up well even today and is one of the more atmospheric games out there. Pro tip: play it really late at night when you'll have more concentration and less distractions.… Expand
  13. SeanJ.
    Aug 13, 2002
    10
    Love it. i just got done with ea's alice and this one works almost the same (even though it is 1st person as opposed to 3rd). constantly excited by what comes next.
  14. WassoZ.
    May 10, 2004
    10
    The most scary game ever. The story was brilliant, too. Iam waiting for the sequel.
  15. ArrsimA.
    Feb 16, 2005
    10
    Just perfect- Love it shoot'em all hunted witchez around- generally speaking - I was terrified and addicted to Undying.
  16. TimS.
    Apr 3, 2002
    10
    Clive Barker's Undying is the best game I've ever played, period. I pray there comes a day when I hear something about Undying 2. I'll be first in line at the store to get it.
  17. Micha³W.
    Nov 28, 2003
    10
    This game is worth a 10 because its atmosphere is simply great and unique.
  18. KevinB.
    Mar 4, 2005
    10
    The greatest game i hve ever played next to half-life. real kicks ass. Amazing story line and insane waepons, enemies, bosses, and MUSIC!
  19. Buddy
    May 20, 2006
    10
    Great game, one of the best games ever. Great Audio&Video&Horror Gameplay, a must have title for all players!
  20. HenryU.
    Aug 22, 2007
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time. Wonderful music, atmosphere, plot and horror. Absolutely recommended.
  21. iddqd4
    Jan 23, 2018
    8
    Первая на моей памяти качественная смесь хоррора и шутера, сиквел к которой так и не увидел свет.
  22. M2NeoTech
    Sep 30, 2014
    10
    I wrote an e-mail to the developers 'The Astronauts', that made the incredible new game called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter 2014. I asked them to consider remaking Undying for their next project. With the Unreal 3 engine, I can only imagine how ridiculously good that game will look, feel and play. Especially with the talent that folks at the The Astronauts have! Not sure if my e-mail willI wrote an e-mail to the developers 'The Astronauts', that made the incredible new game called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter 2014. I asked them to consider remaking Undying for their next project. With the Unreal 3 engine, I can only imagine how ridiculously good that game will look, feel and play. Especially with the talent that folks at the The Astronauts have! Not sure if my e-mail will get through, but hopefully it will be read and considered. Hint *Some of you might wanna put your two cents in as well to them :)* Hell, they can't think it wouldn't be a good game to redo! It would put them on the map both for, having the balls to actually remake a classic, and if done correctly, being THE best Horror game ever made. PERIOD!! What do you say folks? Undying - The Return sounds like a good title, eh?… Expand
  23. Captain_Faramir
    Apr 10, 2017
    8
    8.8 - Amazing first person shooter, has lots of horror elements that are done pretty good for a 2001 game. Also, lots of variety in terms of the locations, weapons and enemies that you face throughout the game.
  24. mr-NachoMen
    Jan 11, 2019
    9
    There used to be a time were EA games made great games, complete titles without ant bugs, frequent updates to keep expanding the game, DLC's or loot crates or micro transactions. One of this great games was a small collaboration they had with autor and filmmaker Clive Barker to create a game that is consider one the scariest games of all time... what an achievement for EA back then (2001).There used to be a time were EA games made great games, complete titles without ant bugs, frequent updates to keep expanding the game, DLC's or loot crates or micro transactions. One of this great games was a small collaboration they had with autor and filmmaker Clive Barker to create a game that is consider one the scariest games of all time... what an achievement for EA back then (2001).
    Clive Barker's Undying is a unique first person horror. you play as Patrick Galloway a WWI veteran and private paranormal investigator who has to uncover the mysteries of an ancient curse surrounding his friend's family.
    The gameplay... is a first person shooter with the ability of dual weapons; in one arm you carry fire weapons and in the other magic spells that will help you defeat monsters and to progress through the game. This spells can be upgraded with amplifiers that you can find through the level, but keep in mind that this amplifiers will only upgrade the equipped spell at that moment, you can not choose which one you want, some spells are kinda useless and once you use them you will provably not use them again after know their purpose.
    The story is intriguing and it's mysteries will unveil as you make your way through the game. The game is full of scary sequences and visuals that comes along with an great soundtrack, both of this makes an eerie atmosphere.
    The lighting in this game is most cases scarce, you will be in total darkness and again the feeling that a monster will attack you will makes you paranoid. The game was developed using the Unreal Engine 2, it has awesome level design and texture work, which helps the setting being creepy.
    This is a true horror gem, now a days most horror games don't do this anymore.... they are opting to be more walk simulator driven than this. Go and check it out, you can find it at GOG.com at a pretty cheap price and runs like a charm in modern hardware.    … Expand
  25. D3D11
    Nov 15, 2020
    10
    This game is really bad by modern standards, but at its time, it was top graphics, top quality, top atmosphere, and top gameplay.

    It is really a professional job, and I'm very surprised that it doesn't have sequels.

    When a real writer works with game developers, it is almost always something amazing happens.

    I give it 10/10, but in its era. By modern standards, it would be about 2/10.
  26. ZZZGheronZZZ
    Jun 1, 2014
    10
    Best. Horror. Game. Ever.

    Wish they would remake it!!!!!!! FPS shooter including magic and a wide variety of weapons. Amazing enemies. Cliver Barker you da man.
  27. llamayarmybar
    May 3, 2014
    9
    Its kind of amazing that 13 years ago approximately, we saw a game like Undying even out on the PC. After all it was the end of the golden late 90's era of videogames, ridiculously good (and sometimes bad) titles were coming out left and right. However, Clive Barker's Undying could've had any box art or title it wanted, it was just one of those examples of how well an actual videogameIts kind of amazing that 13 years ago approximately, we saw a game like Undying even out on the PC. After all it was the end of the golden late 90's era of videogames, ridiculously good (and sometimes bad) titles were coming out left and right. However, Clive Barker's Undying could've had any box art or title it wanted, it was just one of those examples of how well an actual videogame can look, play, sound and "be". Even compared to the seminal Medal of Honor Allied Assault, which though equally brilliant and great when compared to Undying, it wasn't exactly as original. So surprisingly original is Undying that its a little hard to believe more people don't talk about it, especially those that took the mechanics from it, ripped them like appendages off a lifeless corpse, then sewed them together into their games and pretended it never happened. Well it did. Bioshock wouldn't have been the game it was without Undying, same as anything else that "borrows" similar gameplay mechanics as well, but I'm getting a little off topic here. In the game you play as a real Irish-man Patrick, a man who has unfortunately been drawn into occult rituals, is able to use often spooky magical abilities without much explanation at all, and holds his pistol in his left hand- Single-handedly pissing off right handed players everywhere. Now Patrick has decided to take his sweet time getting back to an old pal of his, (and if I were him I think I'd know why) but he owes him a favor from many years ago as we are informed during the introduction- whilst Patrick takes a boat over to a rather large island where Jeremiah's mansion is located. Upon entering the mansion that is only a smaller portion of Jeremiah's estate, its fairly obvious some bad juju is afoot and you are there to find out why. Throughout the island you will fight all sorts of strange beasts, ghosts, demon's and accursed creatures. You'll also have a lot of fun killing them with the wonderful assortment of weapons, spells and items you'll be finding as well. I don't remember the last time a game had such a fun arsenal, not since Half life 1 at least. You will gain new spells, unlock secrets, gain amplifiers to "level up" spells even and locate journals that expand upon whats going on as their isn't really much of a narrative after the beginning of the game. In fact, it is highly recommended that you actually read what's going on, since its immensely well written for one, and for two- its going to make the story flow a lot better as you get close to the end. Undying does just about everything right, from its level design, to its weapon design, enemy design, sound design and general aesthetics. Its very hard to this day to find a game that possesses the kind of ambiance, tension and revolutionary game play all wrapped together with a great story and impressive dialogue. It still bugs me that hardly anyone has played the damn game though.… Expand
  28. Valarian25
    Mar 24, 2015
    10
    This is by far the best horrorFPS game ever made and stands in my opinion alone in both having good enough story to stand the test of time. but also good enough engaging gameplay to stay good even today.

    The story is well written and is typical Clive Barker. Its dark, its scary and it got a nasty twist. Its a horror show and the many eastereggs and hints you get in the game using    This is by far the best horrorFPS game ever made and stands in my opinion alone in both having good enough story to stand the test of time. but also good enough engaging gameplay to stay good even today.

    The story is well written and is typical Clive Barker.
    Its dark, its scary and it got a nasty twist.

    Its a horror show and the many eastereggs and hints you get in the game using your wits or your "inner eye skill" gives a huge amount of lore and content.

    I still remember to this day when i Scryed the full family photo of the coventant family and saw the "truth".

    As a story game this is a clear 10 but the gameplay is suprisingly clever as well. There is a XP system that works great, and if you find allot of secrets and really dig into the game. you find yourself feeling pretty powerful by the end of the game and its satisfactory to really slaughter the enemies that killed you allot in the start.

    Since combat is fun, and there is always new scripted evens, it never gets boring using the "overpowered" melee weapon you will get , to really ravage the enemies. or use on of your many spells to ressurect fallen enemeies or blast them apart with living skulls.

    All in All, if you are a fan of games, Clive Barkers Undying will be worth 10 times what you will most likely pay for it.

    Buy this game, it will blow your mind    … Expand
  29. OK
    Apr 20, 2003
    10
    Great game.
  30. LenR.
    Sep 6, 2003
    10
    One of the best games i have played . why dont they bring out a second game it would sell like hot cake's . there missing out on a quid becouse people are trying to make up more part's to the game over the net to make up for the loss of not having the second disk that they should have made have been playing it since it came out . but cant understand ea games for not follwing up . len
  31. izdwuut
    Dec 9, 2018
    6
    I have troubles with this game. My main concern is that I find it archaic, but it's hard to me to blame it for just that - being old. How about an astounding ability to neglect your saved game states accompanied with a crash that will inevitably happen when you alt+tab? Luckily the solution is simple: just don't do this. And pray it wouldn't corrupt your save for some totally randomI have troubles with this game. My main concern is that I find it archaic, but it's hard to me to blame it for just that - being old. How about an astounding ability to neglect your saved game states accompanied with a crash that will inevitably happen when you alt+tab? Luckily the solution is simple: just don't do this. And pray it wouldn't corrupt your save for some totally random reason, forcing you to use cheats to restore your progress, which in turn can be mitigated by utilizing many save slots. Or just don't buy it. Yeah, it would be an appropriate solution if it weren't for it's brilliant ambiance and engaging gameplay, which may be a bit of a stretch given that it's a shooter that fails to deliver. I find it mediocre, yet I love it and I'm considering replaying it in the future. A truly undying title.

    + a journal
    + the main music theme
    + Oneiros
    + level design

    - you fight flying electric eels cross-breed with piranhas
    - using cheats may be your only chance to restore your progress and it messes with your difficulty level
    - obnoxious HUD
    - frequent loading screens
    - bugs
    - the final boss, when you think about it    … Expand
  32. InshanA.
    Jan 14, 2004
    10
    One of the best and true to life Horror games I've ever played. Coupled with excellent ambient and sound fx this is the game of my choice. It sad however there is no sequel. Come on EA! Give us a sequel will ya? Please!
  33. AlisonC.
    May 2, 2004
    9
    Has anyone wondered what Undying would achieve if someone used the Unreal3 engine? Going back to reality here, as a female gamer, this is one of the best haunted houses single player games I have ever experienced. It is truly wonderful to play.
  34. AhmedB.
    Aug 26, 2004
    10
    The game!
  35. Andy
    Sep 19, 2001
    10
    The best thing since "Resident Evil" originally came out.
  36. Ildjarn
    May 7, 2002
    10
    Best game I have ever payed in my quite long life. I've never felt so exited and stunned by amazing atmosphere. This game is truely for all those who knows what Lovecraft or Poe is. Once again, master Barker and Unreal Engine (Hail!), showed their ultimate might! It's a must! However, as it seems Undying isn't selling very well, that's why EA cancelled the sequel. Best game I have ever payed in my quite long life. I've never felt so exited and stunned by amazing atmosphere. This game is truely for all those who knows what Lovecraft or Poe is. Once again, master Barker and Unreal Engine (Hail!), showed their ultimate might! It's a must! However, as it seems Undying isn't selling very well, that's why EA cancelled the sequel. It's very sad.… Expand
  37. abcdef
    Sep 25, 2009
    7
    The game begins as a classic horror game, with the visions of a man hanging at the entrance, ghosts, haunted portraits, poltergeist activity, werewolves etc. The atmosphere and sound are usually excellent. But it begins to lose it very early on when the player steps through a doorway in the house and ends up in another dimension. It's somewhat frustrating that this doesn't The game begins as a classic horror game, with the visions of a man hanging at the entrance, ghosts, haunted portraits, poltergeist activity, werewolves etc. The atmosphere and sound are usually excellent. But it begins to lose it very early on when the player steps through a doorway in the house and ends up in another dimension. It's somewhat frustrating that this doesn't receive any reaction from Patrick Galloway who doesn't mention this to anyone when he returns back to the house. Later he creates a portal to the past and though this trip equips him with a key weapon, he didn't know this when he created it, so what was his motivation? The scrye spell was used well in the beginning of the game, revealing ghostly images and memories, but by the end of the game it hardly comes into play, and the game itself seems to forget that it is supposed to be a horror game when you reach 'Eternal Autumn'. Scrying was also quite a wasted instrument, for instead of showing ghostly reinactments and memories that could have illuminated the game's back story and presented horrific scenes and images, instead its mostly used to show the ghosts of dead monks standing around an old cathedral doing nothing. This gets old after the 20th time. The game's story telling mechanisms are unfortunately bad. Apart from a few cutscenes and conversations, the story is almost completely told from diary entries. This is unfortunate if you're not in the mood for reading over dozens of entries or you just haven't picked up information that provides key details. Some of the boss characters I encountered, such as Otto Keisinger, were a complete mystery. I had no idea who I was fighting, even though he and Patrick seemed to know each. Though a few of the diary entries provide some information on him, I just didn't understand where he fit into the story or what his plans were. Maybe I couldn't find one of those key diary entries that provided this info. Some of the characters are poorly developed, particularly Bethany, who really is the least memorable character. The game even fails to provide details on the key antagonist, The Undead King, who is mentioned all the way through, yet we never know anything about him. What Patrick needed was another key character to interact with so that some of the crucial plot twists and details could have been told in cutscenes, which would have been more dramatic and memorable than scribblings on a scrap of paper. Overall, it's a good game but it could have been great.… Expand
  38. ParkerB.
    Oct 13, 2001
    10
    This game is fun and scary as hell.
  39. GolovA
    Jun 1, 2022
    9
    Old but skillfully designed game which to this day inspires modern classics.
    Fond memories.
  40. EgoSum
    Nov 4, 2016
    10
    If this game deserves something, it deserves a HD Remake. The same game with better visuals, some minor glitches corrected and better controls. It is a real gem that waits to see the sunlight. A real pleasure to play it, especially when you get tired of too much AAA s**t and want to see how a good game should be. What are you waiting for, EA?
  41. tadnid
    Aug 17, 2021
    10
    I have great memories from this one. The FPS exploration/story/music was amazing.
  42. storygamer
    Aug 30, 2020
    9
    Clive Barker`s Undying lives from its brilliant atmosphere. Graphics and sound perfectly play together and build dense horror. Unbelievably entertaining!
  43. ylnylmn
    Jun 19, 2021
    8
    It's a good game for the year it was made. Very immersive game, I did not get bored while playing. Its story, location and enemy designs. Variety of weapons and spells. Voiceovers, dialogues, animations, atmosphere, music are very good. On the downside, I encountered a few bugs, I had to go back to my previous save all the time, the flying and jumping mechanics were not good, the bossIt's a good game for the year it was made. Very immersive game, I did not get bored while playing. Its story, location and enemy designs. Variety of weapons and spells. Voiceovers, dialogues, animations, atmosphere, music are very good. On the downside, I encountered a few bugs, I had to go back to my previous save all the time, the flying and jumping mechanics were not good, the boss fights were bad, especially the last boss was disappointing. But I hope there will be a remake or sequel to this game.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Best PC Game of 2001
13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2001
51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Cubed3
    Jan 5, 2021
    70
    It constantly feels like the bad outweigh the good stuff, but it's hard to deny the charm of this highly atmospheric, dark, and almost Lovecraftian fairytale. If you are looking for a great shooter, this isn't it. Clive Barker's Undying is, above everything else, an experience. It's an adventure that carries some of the titular novelist's flaws, but also plenty of the things that make him so awesome.
    Read full review
  2. ActionTrip
    88
    Linear gameplay can be a turn off… AI glitches. Ineffective spells, needs more weapons (relative con's - it's a matter of taste).
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    91
    It combines an atmosphere that will have you changing your shorts at least twice per playing session with beautiful visuals and balanced gameplay that requires some actual thinking to make it through successfully.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »