Saturnalia Reviews
Whilst I enjoyed Saturnalia I found the lack of direction really frustrating. It was a shame that it took my enjoyment out of the game the first few times I played it. If you can persevere then you will get enjoyment out of it. It is probably the most unique title that I’ve played in 2022. For that reason, I award Saturnalia the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Saturnalia is a very welcome horror surprise, offering plenty of secrets to discover.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Saturnalia is an atypical survival horror, without splatter or jumpscare scenes, but driven by the compelling story of a mystery-filled Sardinian town and an intriguing multi-character mechanic, tied together by a uniqe art style. It's not flawless and it's got some design issues, but it's definitely a recommended experience to lovers of unique story-driven horror adventures.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Saturnalia mixes mechanics to effectively elevate the entire survival horror genre.
Saturnalia is a decent game. The clue board is something that many mystery games lack, giving this title an edge over others. And not having to run back and forth to re-acquire key items or clues is wonderful. Having a good memory will help with the gameplay, as usable items get shuffled back to their points of origin. If you’re down for a mystery title that is relatively short at six total hours of game time, this might be a great title for you.
An intriguing little game with a great setting and aesthetic, well worth experiencing blind.
The striking art and sound of Saturnalia are definitely its strengths. The gameplay is a compelling mixture of ideas that mostly pay off due to the puzzle-like scenario. The storytelling may lead to confusion, but there is nothing else like Saturnalia.
It's really sad that I wasn't able to enjoy Saturnalia with the expectation I created for the game — and if I had the patience to play it for two hours, that was a lot. The Switch's low processing power makes the experience frustrating and unplayable, ruining the full potential of this incredible Italian survival horror.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Though there are tense and unsettling moments that pay off as you go, it can be hard to be patient with bad gameplay
Saturnalia is one of the best and most unique horror games of 2022 that not a single horror fan should miss.
“Saturnalia” is best approached as a darkly themed puzzle game constructed around the social bonds that unite a village. The handcrafted art style nicely counterbalances a decent game that is let down by its survival horror elements.
Saturnalia excels at delivering a unique horror experience rich in creepy atmosphere and sinister themes.
One of the most visually interesting video games of the year but also a survival horror that's not quite scary enough to reach its full potential.
Terrifying and unique, Saturnalia delivers almost everything you could want from an indie horror game in a single stylish and accessible package.
Ultimately, Saturnalia is one unique horror experience where the developer's own use of limited resources combine to create something compelling and unique.
Saturnalia is for the horror game and cinema aficionado who’s looking for something different to play this Halloween. The game is far from perfect and will frustrate and confuse some players, but those with an eye for the creepy and the quirky may find their new obsession. This is a game that requires a dark room, an open mind, and plenty of patience, but those who can muster up these things will have a good time – just don’t be surprised if you avoid the dark for a long while to come.
Saturnalia should be on any horror fan’s radar this year. A twisted story combined with a superb art style, nerve-shredding gameplay and expertly crafted design will have you praising and cursing the creative genius to put roguelike mechanics into a horror game. This Italian town has a horrific history you’ll both love and hate to venture into, but you’ll be compelled to uncover it nonetheless.
Ultimately, Saturnalia is hard to call a must-play horror game, as it's likely to be polarizing both in terms of its presentation and its mechanics. A slower pace, somewhat minimalist gameplay, and mystery-laden narrative style will keep it from being everyone's cup of tea. Yet fans of exploration looking for a beautiful, atmospheric mystery (with just a handful of things that lurk in the dark) will find that Saturnalia is a wholly unique adventure that's well worth taking.
The terrible misadventure in Sardinian lands of a small group of explorers becomes for Santa Ragione the frame of a work with a valuable artistic direction. The exploration of the fictitious city of Gravoi proves to be the main mechanic of a somewhat bare gameplay in terms of content, lacking in tension due to a very permissive roguelite nature.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Saturnalia is an atypical horror game, but engaging and extremely funny. Solid gameplay is accompanied by a great art direction.
Review in Italian | Read full review