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Review

The Painscreek Killings

EQ Studios · 2017

  • Mystery
  • Investigation
  • Exploration

Even though it looks like an investigation game, it's more of an experience in snooping through other people's lives. Still, it's fun, as long as you have the patience for this kind of exploration.

Recommended
  • 22.6 h played
  • Review published on Jan 11, 2024
  • 1 min read

Loved

  • Lots to read and search through
  • Calm; it takes patience and an eye for clues
  • Looks like horror, but it isn't

Not for me

  • The ending breaks from everything the game offered
  • Using items is a tedious process
  • Walking is very slow (you can fix it in the options)

The review

If you like walking into other people's houses, poking around where you shouldn't and digging up all the town gossip, this game is for you!

  • It's an exploration game, with lots to read and search through, and you'll keep going back and forth to the same places many times.
  • It's very calm; it takes patience and some attention so you don't miss any clues.
  • Movement is okay; walking is VERY slow, but you can just turn it on in the options so you don't have to keep holding the run button.
  • Using items like keys and tools could be better. Having to find the exact spot to use an item, and then open the inventory, pick the item and click use is a tedious process, but it doesn't ruin the game.
  • Even though it looks like horror, and there are a few things in the game that will make you suspect it's horror, the game is NOT HORROR!
  • The only thing I really didn't like, and that makes it lose points with me (not enough to not recommend it), is that the ending has a mechanic completely different from everything the game offered until then. (I won't go into details because it's a spoiler.)

Published on Steam on January 11, 2024. Read the original

For comparison

I don't give scores. But if you like numbers, here are everyone else's.

MetacriticPC

tbd

MetascoreNot enough PC critic reviews

8.0

User scorefrom 40 ratings

See it on Metacritic

Numbers from Oct 21, 2026.

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Screenshots

A peek at the game.

Official images from the Steam store.

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