Penumbra: Overture

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 222 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 147 out of 222
  2. Mixed: 59 out of 222
  3. Negative: 16 out of 222
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  1. Mendozacheers
    Aug 27, 2010
    7
    I played through Penumbra Overture in the middle of the night at a friend. We both completed it that night and helped each other with puzzles etc. That was a perfect way of playing it since we had 2 brains and we didn't freak out since we weren't alone. We played Black Plague with the same effect. To the actual review:
    This game is definitely worth playing if you like horror titles.    I played through Penumbra Overture in the middle of the night at a friend. We both completed it that night and helped each other with puzzles etc. That was a perfect way of playing it since we had 2 brains and we didn't freak out since we weren't alone. We played Black Plague with the same effect. To the actual review:
    This game is definitely worth playing if you like horror titles. There's a special horror in this game, not at all as in F.E.A.R where you feel safe in that armor of yours. This horror gets in your brain and scares you in a psychological way which is freaky. I'm seeing it as a life achievement completing this game.    … Expand
  2. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    7
    Builds a great sense of horror through simple design choices; no weapons, complete isolation, and immersive atmosphere. A survival horror game that requires a lot of forethought and skill to actually survive. Very unique experience with great puzzles and a story that continues straight into the sequel, Black Plague. If you're looking for something to scare your pants off for a few eveningsBuilds a great sense of horror through simple design choices; no weapons, complete isolation, and immersive atmosphere. A survival horror game that requires a lot of forethought and skill to actually survive. Very unique experience with great puzzles and a story that continues straight into the sequel, Black Plague. If you're looking for something to scare your pants off for a few evenings then this and it's sequels are worth getting.… Expand
  3. LA_DOTTORE
    Jun 13, 2012
    7
    I originally only bought this game as a DLC of sorts after playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent and, while this is a great game, barely holds a candle to Amnesia: The Dark Descent's spooky, dark gameplay. One thing this game does excel in is puzzles! A lot of puzzles! I bought this game for atmospheric mood and drama (Which I easily got) but puzzles sometimes ruined immersion as there wereI originally only bought this game as a DLC of sorts after playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent and, while this is a great game, barely holds a candle to Amnesia: The Dark Descent's spooky, dark gameplay. One thing this game does excel in is puzzles! A lot of puzzles! I bought this game for atmospheric mood and drama (Which I easily got) but puzzles sometimes ruined immersion as there were almost too many so, in conclusion, if you want a dark, atmospheric mood alongside many puzzles get this game though you may not enjoy it if you've played Amnesia: The dark Descent before this!… Expand
  4. genoforprez
    Oct 2, 2011
    5
    This is a game that I really, really want to like. It has a very interesting setting, and it does a fairly good job of establishing a feeling of extreme isolation in a long-abandoned facility, buried beneath a frozen and remote corner of the earth. I also really want to like the game for its eerie use of the glowstick/flashlight mechanics, ensuring that you are always just blind enough toThis is a game that I really, really want to like. It has a very interesting setting, and it does a fairly good job of establishing a feeling of extreme isolation in a long-abandoned facility, buried beneath a frozen and remote corner of the earth. I also really want to like the game for its eerie use of the glowstick/flashlight mechanics, ensuring that you are always just blind enough to be slightly creeped out by the dark. HOWEVER. All of that being said, I did not find this game "scary" in the least. It certainly makes you nervous, but not due to any well-established feeling of horror or the unknown. All of the stress in the game comes from hearing a "monster" (i.e., an ordinary wolf) prowling in the caves and knowing that the combat mechanic is so god awful that if you get spotted you might actually have to use the retarded thing. (Seriously. It's pretty bad.) The game is a bit more scary at first, when you're sneaking through the dark, unsure of what might be hiding there. But once you play for a while and realize that it's nothing but wolf, wolf, another wolf, and a wolf again, the fear of the unknown is gone and all you're left with is a series of very clunky memorize-the-patrol-pattern situations. Despite the fact that I did not find the stealth nor the combat fun, and despite the fact that the game did not feel scary to me, I continued to play it, because I enjoyed unlocking the mystery of the setting, and I enjoyed solving the puzzles. But the longer I played, the less intuitive the game became, putting me in situations where I would die repeatedly for failing to identify and solve problems at a frenetic pace. The game is also peppered with bugs and clipping problems. Eventually, tonight, after playing the game for an hour, a hallway inexplicably dropped me through the floor. I didn't/couldn't die, which would have restarted me at the last checkpoint or the door of the current room. All I could do was reload the last manual save at an artefact, which lost all of my progress. I would say give the game a try if you can get it for CHEAP. This game is definitely going to be enjoyable for the right kind of person, looking for a particular atmospheric experience, willing to overlook the game's almost constant imperfections---if not outright brokenness. I am just not one of those people. I can see how it could be fun to someone, but I just did not have fun playing it.… Expand
  5. FFStudios
    Jun 21, 2012
    7
    Having played Amnesia and being terrified witless, I decided to buy Frictional's first foray into Survival horror, and first game ever. First, the positives. It's very atmospheric; the environments are creepy & unnerving and the first encounter with an enemy is unforgettable. Certain plot elements are well done and the character of Red is memorable. The physics system is just as clever asHaving played Amnesia and being terrified witless, I decided to buy Frictional's first foray into Survival horror, and first game ever. First, the positives. It's very atmospheric; the environments are creepy & unnerving and the first encounter with an enemy is unforgettable. Certain plot elements are well done and the character of Red is memorable. The physics system is just as clever as ever, perhaps even more so than Amnesia thanks to the more grounded setting and difficulty in using doors. Negatives: combat. The problem with the combat isn't that it's sticky or useless, it's because it's there! Something that's scary loses its sting when you can kill it, and fighting in this game you will inevitably find the exploit to easily deal with any enemy you encounter. The plot also relies too much on written notes and your character pointing out the obvious. I wish FG would decide if they want Phillip to be a silent protagonist or not: he goes through a long monologue at the beginning and then seems to lose his voice once the game begins, even when a particular character tries to contact him he still says nothing. Overall though, I liked Overture, and if you're looking for a good spook then I definitely recommend it.… Expand
  6. gilas18
    Oct 20, 2011
    6
    This game was a complete failure for me, it wasnt scary, just a bunch of dogs and spiders in an abandon underground facility, but i found the game entertaining for a couple of hours. Also very nice scenarios and puzzles.
  7. HwoDragon
    Jan 22, 2012
    6
    To be honest, Penumbra: Overture is a brilliant horror game. The first time I saw a wolf, I panicked and thought to myself "WTF IS THAT THING?!" But after a while I noticed the plotline made no sense. Firstoff, after playing the later games the plot seemed to deviate more and more from the direction it originally headed: Finding your missing dad. Tons of the plot was left unexplained andTo be honest, Penumbra: Overture is a brilliant horror game. The first time I saw a wolf, I panicked and thought to myself "WTF IS THAT THING?!" But after a while I noticed the plotline made no sense. Firstoff, after playing the later games the plot seemed to deviate more and more from the direction it originally headed: Finding your missing dad. Tons of the plot was left unexplained and I was really confused. Firstoff, the origins of these Foobar wolves was never explained. I guess they're like, turngait daemons or something... Secondly, making the player able to kill the enemies was, honestly, a bad idea. The wolves just aren't as scary when I can stand on a catwalk and toss propane tanks and rocks at them and they die. Another thing that I ran into that really annoyed me was that when I was searching for a cure for Clarence, I just found a bunch of items and tossed them into the machine. Later I came across the women who tells you how to make the cure, and now I had no way to make the cure. I literally had to start the game from my last save behind that, almost 3 hours ago. I know I'm judging the game by it's sequel, but I don't really care. Buy the first one for a thrill, and stop there. Wiki the plotline and go back to your life. Black Plague and Requiem aren't worth it.… Expand
  8. squidgee
    Jan 6, 2014
    7
    A decent game with an intuitive control scheme, but a little bit lacking in its visuals and a clunky combat system that didn't quite work. While sound effects were used to great effect to instil terror, some of them just sound unrealistic and mediocre. Besides from all that, every other aspect of Penumbra: Overture is fairly solid. The atmosphere in particular was quite immersive and theA decent game with an intuitive control scheme, but a little bit lacking in its visuals and a clunky combat system that didn't quite work. While sound effects were used to great effect to instil terror, some of them just sound unrealistic and mediocre. Besides from all that, every other aspect of Penumbra: Overture is fairly solid. The atmosphere in particular was quite immersive and the puzzles were implemented well for the most part.… Expand
  9. nopedotjpeg
    Jul 25, 2013
    7
    This game was very interesting. I loved the atmosphere's and how the game played out. You'll find yourself backtracking some, but not enough to be a nuisance. The worst part of the game is the combat. It's very clunky and I found myself raging for quite a bit until I learned certain tricks for certain mobs (no spoilers here.) I picked up all three games in a steam sale some time ago andThis game was very interesting. I loved the atmosphere's and how the game played out. You'll find yourself backtracking some, but not enough to be a nuisance. The worst part of the game is the combat. It's very clunky and I found myself raging for quite a bit until I learned certain tricks for certain mobs (no spoilers here.) I picked up all three games in a steam sale some time ago and have just recently played them.
    I'm very glad I did. I actually read each piece of lore/journal/note that I found and became engrossed in the story.

    If you're looking for an adventure game, then try this one out, the controls take some getting used to, but once you do you'll find their very intuitive and clever.    … Expand
  10. ByronH
    Jun 9, 2009
    5
    You could end up really hating this game, or getting into it and tearing straight through. The atmosphere is wonderful. You feel a real sense of isolation, and the ambient sound is excellent. What little music there is reminds me of Silent Hill's selections. The physics and lighting are wonderful, and, in fact, without those things, the visuals would be 1997-era. The monster You could end up really hating this game, or getting into it and tearing straight through. The atmosphere is wonderful. You feel a real sense of isolation, and the ambient sound is excellent. What little music there is reminds me of Silent Hill's selections. The physics and lighting are wonderful, and, in fact, without those things, the visuals would be 1997-era. The monster animations are not good at all, and are best left unseen. The good news is, you shouldn't be spending much time staring at the creatures. The overall darkness of the game hides its sins well, and, in fact, the brighter certain sections of the game are, the less interesting it becomes. The combat system has been mentioned before- it's effectively worthless, don't fight anything. On one level, I see this as an intentional design choice, but on the other, it seems like the game was altogether too tailored to the use of a Novint Falcon (but I wonder how much use even that would be!) It is so terrible that honestly I wish that the player had been left with no option to fight- it would have been far better for the game. Again, if you're doing it right, you shouldn't be fighting (I solved most fighting related situations by throwing things and running.) Even despite all of that, I haven't had so much fun with an adventure game since Zork Nemesis! It is strange to say that a game with so many problems is worthwhile, but if you really like adventure games, you will be able to look past them. If the adventure game mindset does not appeal to you, this game is not even worth 5 dollars on Steam.… Expand
  11. xZippy
    Dec 2, 2012
    7
    Unlike most games out there, Penumbra: Overture isn't exactly "packed to the brim" with content, but it's still pretty damn good. I played Amnesia: The Dark Descent before this one, and I still find Penumbra just as enjoyable. The writing is unarguably clever, and does nothing but add interest and atmosphere to the game while taking away absolutely nothing. The psychological and physicalUnlike most games out there, Penumbra: Overture isn't exactly "packed to the brim" with content, but it's still pretty damn good. I played Amnesia: The Dark Descent before this one, and I still find Penumbra just as enjoyable. The writing is unarguably clever, and does nothing but add interest and atmosphere to the game while taking away absolutely nothing. The psychological and physical horrors in this game are well done. The graphics are a bit simplistic and lazy, but don't do any damage to the game as a whole. The puzzles are well done. Even if you're a Halo/Mass Effect/Half-Life 2 kind of player, you still might find yourself loving the Penumbra series.… Expand
  12. tech-noir
    Dec 31, 2011
    7
    The atmosphere in Penumbra: Overture is great. It's dark, creepy, lonely, and cold. The physics engine is okay, with some flaws here and there, but nothing worth seriously complaining about. The moving of objects and melee actions can take getting used to, but once you're comfortable with the physics engine, it works okay, although far from perfectly. The game flows through the storyThe atmosphere in Penumbra: Overture is great. It's dark, creepy, lonely, and cold. The physics engine is okay, with some flaws here and there, but nothing worth seriously complaining about. The moving of objects and melee actions can take getting used to, but once you're comfortable with the physics engine, it works okay, although far from perfectly. The game flows through the story smoothly without any frustration or senseless puzzles/problems to be solved. Everything is logical and upfront, requiring a realistic approach and a reasonable amount of thinking to proceed. The save system is unfriendly. It seems to save your progress when you update your personal notes, or when you interact with a certain object within the game world, which the player has little control over when this occurs. This means that you will often have to do certain portions of the game over and over until you get it right. The voice acting is superb. The accent and tone are outstanding and adds to the storyline greatly. All of the texts you will encounter in the game are well written, interesting, and adds plenty to the plot. The controls can be awkward at times in order to accomplish some actions the game requires. Penumbra: Overture is not a scary horror game. Most of its interesting emotional influences on the player comes from the theme of being almost completely solitary in an unknown place that is far from civilization and darkness. There are some instances in the game that requires the rapid change of items in conjunction to platforming and running, which I had to do many times to get it right. There is also a surprising amount of platforming as a whole for a primarily adventure game. Some parts of Penumbra: Overture are really cool, there is no denying that, but it does have a feel of an unpolished low budget title. With that said, this is probably one of the best adventure games I have ever played. It is logical and tense at all the right moments. I am not entirely sure for how long the main character is inside the mine, but the glow stick lasts for the entire duration of the game. You are not forced nor expected to use the flashlight nor the flares, which have finite longevity. I found melee fighting to be clunky and awkward, but this did not detract from the overall gaming experience. The ending is very creepy and will keep you glued to the plot, even though there is much left without explanations. The only major downside is the game's length. It is somewhat short and leaves you with a feeling of unfinished business with a cliffhanger. It took me about 8 hours to complete.… Expand
  13. russiangamer
    Apr 23, 2020
    7
    Поиграл в пенумбру уже после амнезии, поэтому на протяжении всей игры не отпускала мысль, что эта игра - ее черновик. Но мысль эта грубая. Есть какие-то пересечения, схожести, но игра совершенно другая по механике.
    Сюжет вполне интересный, но подача не такая сильная, как в той же амнезии. (простите за частые ссылки) например, главный герой практически не озвучен, информацию также мы    Поиграл в пенумбру уже после амнезии, поэтому на протяжении всей игры не отпускала мысль, что эта игра - ее черновик. Но мысль эта грубая. Есть какие-то пересечения, схожести, но игра совершенно другая по механике.
    Сюжет вполне интересный, но подача не такая сильная, как в той же амнезии. (простите за частые ссылки) например, главный герой практически не озвучен, информацию также мы черпаем практически только из записок, пусть и не скучных; вот Рыжий на славу получился! Одним словом, это все на хорошем уровне.
    Играть тоже интересно, только наскучивает то, что где-то половину времени пришлось блуждать по каким-то большим локациям - у этого есть две проблемы, первая, наверное, не такая уж и проблема, скорее придирка, но вторая таковой безусловно является:
    1. На этих уровнях карты расположены в каком-то излишне большом количестве, отчего заплутать почти невозможно, порой они, грубо говоря, за каждым углом находятся.
    2. Собаки. Чёртовы собаки. Сначала они пугают, как без этого. Потом многие наверняка - я в их числе - ввязывались с ними в драку и обнаруживали эту кривую боевую систему. Хотя в ней даже есть шарм, на мой взгляд. Потом этих собак раскидывают по обширным уровням, отчего их быстро не пробежишь, если чертовка заметит, то выбирай: корявая, скучноватая драка или бежать прочь, зная, что собака бегает быстрее главного героя и убивает его с 3-4х ударов на среднем уровне сложности. Если не хочется бегать и драться, придется красться, что тоже очень скучно, потому что собаки привязаны к конкретному квадрату на местности, который довольно мал. И вот приходится ждать пока она отвернется или кинуть им мясо, что немного ускорит процесс.
    Ну и, к слову, фонарик абсолютно бесполезен, доставал его пару раз за игру.
    В целом интересно. Даже не знаю, порекомендовать ли идти сразу в амнезию или поиграть сначала в эту игру. Наверное, все таки в амнезию, а если та уж очень сильно понравится, то можно, но всё-таки не обязательно, поиграть в эту игру.    … Expand
  14. Mobile
    Nov 20, 2018
    6
    ENG RU
    It is interesting to play, to use the engine to work his way or to zapin doggie another barrel, there are uncomplicated puzzles that do not strain much, but it is nice to be solved, although sometimes not quite logical. I liked the map, on which everything is clearly visible and written, where you are and where you can go, slightly puzzled by the presence of signs that every 1-2    ENG RU
    It is interesting to play, to use the engine to work his way or to zapin doggie another barrel, there are uncomplicated puzzles that do not strain much, but it is nice to be solved, although sometimes not quite logical. I liked the map, on which everything is clearly visible and written, where you are and where you can go, slightly puzzled by the presence of signs that every 1-2 meters, show the direction. At the expense of the enemy, is himself, they are repeated them here not so much, but it's better than any of the ghosts or the unknown **** that you stupid to escape. When I played, I thought that the game 2004-2005, but it was 07, in General, for the first experience of the developers is quite worthy. I do not like these endings as in this game, it is quite risky to do so, not to answer clearly the questions that arise during the passage and leave not clear ending, because it may happen that the continuation and will not work and the game will eventually be simply merged and have no weight, but everything worked out.
    Играется интересно, использовать возможности движка, чтобы проложить себе путь или запинать песика очередной бочкой, есть незамысловатые задачки, которые сильно не напрягают, но вполне приятно решаемые, хотя иногда и не совсем логичные. Понравилось карта, на которой все четко видно и написано, где ты и куда можно пойти, слегка озадачили наличие знаков, которые через каждые 1-2 метра, показывают направление. На счет врагов, такое себе, они повторяются их здесь не так много, но это лучше чем какие нибудь призраки или неведомая хрень, от которой нужно тупо убегать. Когда играл, думал, что игра 2004-2005, но оказалось 07, в целом для первого опыта разработчиками вполне достойно. Не люблю подобные концовки как в этой игре, довольно рискованно делать так, чтобы не отвечать четко на вопросы которые возникают при прохождении и оставлять не понятную концовку, ведь может сложится так, что продолжение и не выйдет и игра в итоге будет попросту слита и не иметь веса, но здесь все обошлось.    … Expand
  15. DJKrimson
    Nov 11, 2020
    6
    Pretty entertaining puzzling game for sure, but it's not scary at all and the story is lame. The game encourages you early on to stealth, but you pretty much need to fight all the enemies and the combat controls are terrible.

    Also, all lightsource items are pretty much useless (you'll never run out because it's so bright everywhere anyway) so you're never forced to be strategic with them.

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PC Game of 2007
35
#35 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. PC Format
    79
    It's not beautiful, it's not that long, but it's spooky and well worth a look. [Apr 2007, p.71]
  2. games(TM)
    60
    The good does outweigh the bad, because as a horror game it successfully horrifies. It’s also one of the darkest games we’ve played since the original "Silent Hill." [Apr 2007, p.106]
  3. Eurogamer
    70
    If you're interested in a serious relationship with gaming rather than purely out for a good time, please do take a look at Penumbra. It does some truly clever stuff, has an effectively creepy atmosphere and there's a few signposts in it that action and adventure games alike would do well to follow.
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