Penumbra: Requiem

 PC
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 14
  3. Negative: 2 out of 14
  1. Computer Games Online RO
    74
    Sure, it’s worse than the first two stand-alone episodes and I can understand why some might be angry with the producers, myself expecting a tad more out of it. Even so, I consider the 10 dollar cost money well spent, but it’s important to know that you need the second game of the series previously installed to run this expansion.
  2. Vandal
    73
    Penumbra: Requiem has an approximate durability of about five hours and is a fun puzzle game, with some really clever and absorbing puzzles.
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    70
    Penumbra is back … and this time is completely different. Connected to previous parts by notes and recordings, the third Penumbra is an interesting Poral-clone. Thanks to a different approach to level design and to solving puzzles you can’t blame it for copying. [Oct 2008]
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  5. CPUGamer
    70
    The series is greater than the sum of its parts. So, consider Requiem as not a full-fledged Penumbra game but rather a small add-on that should keep you busy and humbled for a weekend.
  6. Adventure Gamers
    60
    As a game it’s not unpleasant but as an add-on it’s anything but essential.
  7. Total PC Gaming
    60
    A good horror/puzzle game that's unfortunately got itself confused with "Portal." [Issue#13, p.64]
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  8. PC Gamer UK
    60
    Fair challenges, but a backward step for the series. [Christmas 2008, p.70]
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  9. Meristation
    60
    As the third installment in the series, Penumbra: Requiem falls short when compared to its predecessors. Delivered as an expansion pack to Black Plague, developer Frictional Games introduced some notorious changes that generally don't fit too well. Despite some very good riddles to be solved, Requiem lacks of plot continuity and that special flavour that the originals had.

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Best PC Game of 2008
54
#54 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 115 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 115
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 115
  3. Negative: 34 out of 115
  1. Matseb2611
    Dec 22, 2011
    2
    Whereas Penumbra: Black Plague struck all the right notes in regard to horror survival, Requiem struck all the rest. Do not be fooled. ThisWhereas Penumbra: Black Plague struck all the right notes in regard to horror survival, Requiem struck all the rest. Do not be fooled. This does not even feel like the continuation to Black Plague. Whereas BP (and probably Overture too, I haven't played it) was about survival, intense atmosphere and getting scared to death, Requiem has NONE of that. NONE at all. Not a single monster, not a single intense moment. Even the puzzles are silly and frustrating. Whereas in BP it was all about realistic logical solutions to problems to help you survive, with Requiem the puzzle element takes an extremely generic, tedious and repetitive approach. Collect X number of glowing globes/keys to activate a portal and teleport to the next area. Rinse and repeat. There is no storyline, no logical explanations as to why you had to solve a puzzle at hand a certain way, it is simply a mess. It even seems like an incomplete game, as if the developers just created the levels and forgot to put in all the rest that was needed to make this game entertaining.… Full Review »
  2. Yardglass
    Nov 9, 2011
    5
    I loved Penumbra: Black Plague, but this game was not the same at all. It wasn't frightening, and the puzzles were trite. It just seemedI loved Penumbra: Black Plague, but this game was not the same at all. It wasn't frightening, and the puzzles were trite. It just seemed like they'd run out of ideas. There was very little with regards to a story, and no sense of progression as you went through the game.

    I'm still giving it 5 stars as it was cheap, and I did play it through to the end (which took around 3.5hrs). I think I was mainly just really disappointed that it didn't live up to its predecessor.    … Full Review »
  3. MashallB.
    Sep 30, 2008
    2
    Short, lacks suspense, and does not add to the story of the Tuurngait infection. Really just a shift the box game. Very disappointing after Short, lacks suspense, and does not add to the story of the Tuurngait infection. Really just a shift the box game. Very disappointing after the first two games were so great. I wish they'd given it a few more months in development to build on the plot.… Full Review »
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