Tenebris Somnia Reviews
Review key provided by the publisher.
The creators had a clear vision, which they brought to life in a truly original way. The retro-inspired Tenebris Somnia is an undeniably memorable horror experience that isn't afraid to tackle even the darker and more difficult aspects of life. A word of warning for the more sensitive players.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Tenebris Somnia is a real labour of love, showing the developer's affection for both classic survival horror and cinema in equal measures. The slow drip of story and tension through the excellently produced live-action cutscenes contrasts with the pixel graphics, while the ways the world opens up to explore Ivan and Julia's relationship create a compelling story. In a golden period for horror gaming, Tenebris Somnia is yet another excellent entry, showcasing a different aspect of the genre.
This feels more like an interesting experiment and conversation piece than something I’d willingly choose to play again.
Tenebris Somnia stands out for it's innovative combination of survival horror and live-action filmmaking.
Tenebris Somnia's blend of eras makes for a remarkably effective fright fest. Its use of FMVs give tangible life to the otherworldly horrors of its pixel art, all worked into an esoteric point-and-click framework that should only isolate a few.
Tenebris Somnia excels when it uses its fantastic horror movie sections to carry the story forward and reference in-game events.
Tenebris Somnia is a memorable horror game with a distinctive visual style, creative puzzles, and an excellent blend of pixel art and live-action filmmaking. Its atmosphere and creature designs make a strong impression, while the occasional combat and puzzle frustrations add some rough edges that can make the journey less smooth, yet also contribute to its tension and challenge. The early story revelations weaken some of the mystery, and the slower movement can make certain boss encounters more awkward than they should be. Even so, the game's artistic direction and commitment to its unusual presentation make it stand out among modern horror releases. As someone who appreciates creative horror games, I found plenty to enjoy here, and I would recommend it to fans of retro survival horror who want something with a different look and feel. There is room for improvement in its storytelling and combat, yet Tenebris Somnia remains an intriguing journey into a disturbing world that is worth exploring.
That being said, if you do enjoy horror in general? One hundred percent — Play it. This is one of the, if not the, best horror game of the year, and at minimum top three, in my personal opinion. Still hard to say where it goes overall in the GOTY discussion, if that matters to you, but again, outside of the industry itself, it’s been an amazing year for games so that’s not a mark against it at all.
Tenebris Somnia is a pleasant surprise that revives the best lessons of classic horror and finds its own way of developing them.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tenebris Somnia doubles as a great game for survival horror fans and film heads. It's wholly original and doesn't lean on its influences obnoxiously. Using filmmaking as a storytelling element while having beautifully shot FMVs is a stroke of genius. The intentionally minimalistic survival horror gameplay isn’t so simple that it loses its appeal, but rather, it emphasises the elements that made it great from the start.
Tenebris Somnia is a creative concoction of FMV story telling with retro survival horror gameplay that ultimately isn't great at doing either. Both are commendable efforts and work as a whole package to deliver something unique, but its ambition is better than its execution.
With clever puzzles, tense encounters, and a unique FMV-retro style, Tenebris Somnia is a horror adventure genre fans can confidently put their faith in.
Tenebris Somnia is a truly fascinating little horror adventure that doesn't always get everything right, but its creepy atmosphere, intriguing story and wonderfully bizarre presentation make it well worth a look.
"Tenebris Somnia" is yet another outstanding example of the horror games currently being produced in South America, boldly reimagining a classic format through innovation, blending seemingly opposing styles into a complementary whole, and establishing itself as one of the genre’s standout releases of the year. Here, we have a game that shines brightest when it engages in a dialogue with itself and embraces a layer of metanarrative that is exceptionally well executed. This approach enriches every aspect of the experience, from the storyline to the gameplay, but especially the immersion, a key element in all the artistic forms that the game pays tribute to and reveres.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tenebris Somnia combines classic survival horror in pixel art with live-action cinematic sequences, practical effects, and a supernatural story. It is an adventure with a striking audiovisual identity, despite some inconsistencies in its puzzles and combat.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tenebris Somnia deserves a very special place in the library of anyone who appreciates good survival horror. It's an adventure that respects the player's intelligence, demands attention, and rewards curiosity. The experience manages to captivate from beginning to end, mainly due to the way it transforms seemingly simple situations into moments of pure discomfort.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
TENEBRIS SOMNIA brings a horrifying breath of fresh air to the survival horror genre. With an immaculate story, thrilling classic gameplay, beautiful pixel art game design, and of course haw dropping beautiful cinematic cutscenes...it might just be my favorite horror game of the year.
Tenebris Somnia blends pixel art and live-action cinematics into a classic horror adventure that feels fresh and interesting. The puzzles are very satisfying, and Julia’s story keeps you hooked from start to finish.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There may be more value in Tenebris for someone with nostalgia for the long gone era of the adventure game but for anyone else, even someone as open minded as me, it struggles to be anything more than a novelty.