Penumbra: Requiem

 PC
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

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  1. 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 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    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 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.    … Expand
  2. LA_DOTTORE
    Oct 10, 2012
    6
    Yes, this is still part of the horror puzzle series known as Penumbra but you wouldn't be criticized for thinking otherwise. They've fully exchanged the horror element for extremely difficult puzzles which, in my opinion, isn't what Penumbra should be focusing on. Though a game it feels like a DLC for it's previous and that is why it gets a lower score by me!
  3. xZippy
    Dec 2, 2012
    6
    Requiem is a little different in the Penumbra series, and doesn't have the magic touch that Overture and Black Plague had. This expansion is a little more fantasy rather than being more gritty. It's mostly puzzles and has a much lower horror factor. If you're loyal to the Penumbra series, you'll find Requiem enjoyable, but you won't get the scary enemies and consistent atmospheres theRequiem is a little different in the Penumbra series, and doesn't have the magic touch that Overture and Black Plague had. This expansion is a little more fantasy rather than being more gritty. It's mostly puzzles and has a much lower horror factor. If you're loyal to the Penumbra series, you'll find Requiem enjoyable, but you won't get the scary enemies and consistent atmospheres the previous two games had.… Expand
  4. tech-noir
    Jan 5, 2012
    6
    Penumbra: Requiem is the third game of the series, and this one focuses its gameplay strictly on puzzles. The atmosphere and theme are still there, as the main character returns to where the first two games took place for some finality in the plot. All plot turns are done in what seemingly feels like memory flashbacks, and some more information is entertained concerning the characters ofPenumbra: Requiem is the third game of the series, and this one focuses its gameplay strictly on puzzles. The atmosphere and theme are still there, as the main character returns to where the first two games took place for some finality in the plot. All plot turns are done in what seemingly feels like memory flashbacks, and some more information is entertained concerning the characters of the overall story. This iteration of the series is not scary, and does not provide the player with any creepy or surprising moments, as the main objective this time around is to solve puzzles. While this is a departure from the previous two games, it is rather enjoyable, even for someone like myself who does not prefer to solve puzzles for fun. Some of the levels later in the game are much more difficult than in the beginning. They do not scale up the difficulty gradually. Suddenly, the puzzles are very complicated. The minute details you are expected to spot are very well hidden, which makes some of these later puzzles frustrating and unreasonably time consuming. I'm not sure how viable the comparison is, but Penumbra: Requiem reminds me of Portal. You are in need of some keys, which in turn, opens a portal to the next level. Even though this third installment of the series is an attempt to complete the story, I am a bit disappointed to say that it does not. At least it does not end the story clearly. This goes along well with the first two parts, and leaves the player wondering, and hoping that all ended well. Being the shortest and more complicated of the three, Penumbra: Requiem was fun for a puzzle game, and it should be considered as such. It took me about 5 hours to complete.… Expand
  5. Nerung
    Nov 22, 2012
    6
    A somewhat unloving addition to the Penumbra series, Requiem does not add to the story of its prequels and is only recommendable for fans who want to see everything the franchise has to offer. The puzzles, as brilliant and diverse as they were in Overture and Black Plague, are lacking and repetitive. The game overall seems to be devoid of new ideas, especially a let down on suspense fromA somewhat unloving addition to the Penumbra series, Requiem does not add to the story of its prequels and is only recommendable for fans who want to see everything the franchise has to offer. The puzzles, as brilliant and diverse as they were in Overture and Black Plague, are lacking and repetitive. The game overall seems to be devoid of new ideas, especially a let down on suspense from the prequels. It is not a waste of time but cannot live up to the standards of the series.… Expand
  6. LonePiper
    Apr 20, 2013
    7
    Very different from the previous two games, Penumbra Requiem is less a survival horror adventure and more of a straight physics puzzler. In fact, out of all of frictional games, this one almost certainly utilises their physics engine the best.

    Portal is mentioned in reviews very often, and not without good reason Requiem came out only shortly after Portal, and its influence is seen all    Very different from the previous two games, Penumbra Requiem is less a survival horror adventure and more of a straight physics puzzler. In fact, out of all of frictional games, this one almost certainly utilises their physics engine the best.

    Portal is mentioned in reviews very often, and not without good reason Requiem came out only shortly after Portal, and its influence is seen all over this game. Set in an impossibly huge, underground, abandoned scientific facility check. Dry, dark humour check. Boxes on buttons check. Narration by automated female voice check. And yes, this game even has portals, although they are set in place and only transport you from one level to the next. I'm sure there's more, but you get the idea.

    Bear in mind that is not a bad thing. Portal was a great game, and anything like it can't be all bad either.
    So it may be better off going into this game looking for a Portal fix than a Penumbra fix. While it does hover over a few not completely explored plot points from the previous two games, it's hardly necessary for a proper reading of the story as a whole, and if anything confuses more than illuminates. The hallucinatory undercurrent also makes it incredibly unclear how much of this game if any is supposed to have really happened and how much was just in your character's head.

    From a gameplay perspective, however, it performs solidly as a physics puzzler, and for that reason alone I think it deserves a 7.    … Expand
  7. diezlwolf
    Sep 16, 2013
    5
    This game felt rushed and very incomplete. It's like they took the scrapped concepts from Black Plague and published it! The story feels like a hasty exit from the high intrigue and suspense of its predecessor, and it just lacked the overall quality of terrifying events and clever puzzles that I've come to expect from Frictional Games. If you like the Penumbra series, go for it!This game felt rushed and very incomplete. It's like they took the scrapped concepts from Black Plague and published it! The story feels like a hasty exit from the high intrigue and suspense of its predecessor, and it just lacked the overall quality of terrifying events and clever puzzles that I've come to expect from Frictional Games. If you like the Penumbra series, go for it! Otherwise skip...… Expand
  8. russiangamer
    Apr 27, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Самая слабая часть трилогии.
    Игра совершенно не похожа на прошлые две части, которые были чистокровными хоррорами. Но если разработчики хотят поэкспериментировать, то разве это плохо? Но эта игра скорее является не очень удачным экспериментом.
    В requiem мы не встретим ни одного монстра и получим мало сюжетной информации. Здесь вам придётся только решать разные логические задачи и много прыгать.
    В плане сюжета здесь в принципе ничего интересного. Какие-то редкие монологи разных персонажей. Проходишь игру, слушаешь их изредка... и - бац, конец. Так что сюжетной ценности для всей серии здесь крайне мало.
    Сам же геймплей поначалу интересен. Когда я начал играть, то не был даже скептически настроен к нему. Но чем дальше играл - тем скучнее становилось, хотелось просто уже добить игру. Хотя опыт прохождения прошлых частей заставлял меня запирать за собой двери и ожидать какой-нибудь страшной пакости в длинном коридоре. Но нет, всё чисто. И это, опять же, не плохо само по себе. Я не против того, что вдруг после хорроров я вижу головоломку, просто в это скучно играть.
    Играйте в первую и вторую часть пенумбры - это достойные игры, эту же часть можно смело пропустить.    … Expand
  9. Captain_Faramir
    Apr 1, 2017
    7
    7.1 - There's nothing great here like the rest of the Penumbra series, as it really is a puzzle game than survival-horror. Somewhat fun still, it doesn't come close Black Plague or Overture.

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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. Cheat Code Central
    76
    A solid add-on expansion that offers a more puzzle-oriented twist on the series' interesting blend of gameplay and extends the adventure by a few hours. It's a decent way to wrap up the Penumbra series.
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  2. GamerNode
    80
    A sort of mixed-breed game that's fun, but ultimately less captivating than its predecessor. For $10 by itself or $20 bundled with Black Plague it's still worth picking up.
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  3. IGN
    75
    While its puzzle and gameplay structure remains entertaining and satisfying, the expansion removes a few major elements of what made the Overture and Black Plague so appealing. That by no means makes it a bad game.
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