Draugen
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Rating Summary
Based on 47 critic reviews
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Score Distribution
Unscored Reviews
Draugen isn’t really a game with many multiple choice situations or varied outcomes, therefore not really lending itself to a second runthrough. There is a cool 1923 mode which lets you play it all in black and white, a really refreshing aesthetical touch that doesn’t drastically alter things too much.
Top Critic
Draugen is an atmospheric adventure filled with mystery, confined within the limitations of the walking simulator genre, with some unfortunate technical and story missteps.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Top Critic
Draugen does a lot of tropes very well, but it does others in a tired way that garners side eye from me.
Scored Reviews
Draugen is a superbly written and performed emotional tale that will leave a lasting impact
Draugen is a stunning, emotionally resonant experience, and one of the best games I've played in 2019. For those unfamiliar with titles like Gone Home and Dear Esther (with a hint of BioShock), from which the game heavily lifts its inspirations, this might not be your cup of tea.
Despite its short length, Draugen is a narrative adventure which you shouldn’t miss out on. Visually the game is absolutely stunning, from it’s highly detailed and realistic characters to the picturesque environments within this Norwegian setting, it’s easy to get lost in the moment as you wander around and admire its beauty. Thanks to the mysterious and harrowing nature of the narrative, the story brings up questions which will stick with you long after you’ve seen the final credits roll – some of which may be answered in the prequel comic book which is due for release later this year as (possibly free) DLC.
What starts as a mystery tale about the protagonist’s sister disappearance turns into a journey into obsession, what make us obsessed and how it can make us blind to the world around us. Extremely compelling and sometimes, even heartbreaking.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Although only lasting you roughly three to four hours, Draugen is a beautiful, yet tragic adventure you won’t forget. Regardless of the platform you choose to play on, your eyes are in for a treat as the game is truly gorgeous and designed with so much love and care. Although some of the plot points may be predictable, thanks to the subtle hints the game drops throughout, I’ve played through the game three times so far and loved every second of the writing, acting, soundtrack and narrative. If you want something to curl up with and play at your leisure, without worrying about enemies, time restraints, or puzzles, then Draugen is perfect for you.
Top Critic
There's Norway you won't be engrossed in this beautifully crafted and well written Scandinavian mystery.
Top Critic
With peerless aesthetics and creative-yet-simple gameplay, Draugen provides a thrilling tale of intrigue and tragedy that is sure to satisfy the curiosity of gamers the world across.
Top Critic
Draugen is not a revolutionary game, but it is a smart one.
Top Critic
Draugen is an enthralling series of mysteries wrapped in a beautiful, haunting landscape. Although some of the game might leave you stumbling around or questioning its direction, its hard to not play it to the very end and find out what has happened.
Top Critic
In summary, for anyone who is looking for a quick and easy game with beautiful Norwegian scenery, this is a must. I do hope that the developers add more aspects of the storyline down the track, but it was a good play overall and worth a try if you have a few hours to kill.
Top Critic
All in all, it is definitely a game that deserves a place in any adventurous gamer's digital library.
Top Critic
Draugen might only last a few hours, but it leaves a lasting impression as you're drawn into the mystery of Graavik and the relationship between Edward and Alice. It can be a little overacted and you can see some story beats coming, but as a first person adventure title it is an enjoyable experience.
Many plot threads are resolved, and the observant will be able to narrow down the catalyst for the overarching mystery to two possibilities, but a number of details and ancillary mysteries are left unaddressed so as to impart to the ending the same feeling of creeping uncertainty that defines much of the preceding game.
In some ways, those adjectives suit Draugen as a whole. Slightly dated game design and some poorly telegraphed narrative elements aside, the game makes for a wonderful four-hour adventure. The town of Graavik is a delight to look at, and the stories it hides drag players deep into the mystery. The design tropes of walking simulators are backed up with more logical cause than is often the case, while the story leaves just enough open to keep the player thinking after the credits have ceased to roll. Draugen seems unlikely to win any awards for originality, but it shows what mastery of the ‘walking simulator’ format looks like.
Draugen tells a beautiful story that fans of the genre won’t want to miss. A runtime of only two or three hours, depending on how much extra exploring you do, should allow for the game to be completed in just a couple of sessions.
As a narrative experience Draugen is perhaps one of the most interesting releases in recent months, although too many playable sacrifices have been made along the way that distance him from excellence.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Top Critic
As an immersive experience, Draugen is a pleasant surprise for those who seek to contemplate, explore and enter the reconstruction of a story of drama and tragedy. Although its limits are evident, Red Thread Games knew how to make the most of its resources, delivering a work that promises to be the beginning of great projects for the future. Graavik is a beautiful place, the soundtrack is impeccable and the story is very interesting, it is definitely an experience you have to live.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Top Critic
Draugen tells a story of isolation and silent desperation. It's not only a journey in a norwegian village, it's ajorney into a broken and sick conscience
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
Draugen is a gripping detective adventure that weaves psychological and Nordic mythological themes to grand effect. Though a short duration and some technical hiccups take the shine of the package somewhat, Draugen remains a compelling propostion for armchair slueths everywhere.
Top Critic
While it is not perfect, Draugen is a charming experience and a beautiful journey that could invade enter your heart. it's definitely worth trying.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Draugen is an investigative walking simulator based on the story and the player's immersion in the game world. Its short duration, the lack of real puzzles and a path already traced that only needs to be followed could discourage those looking for a mystery that gives a hard time to their sixth sense. Despite this, Draugen remains an experience to be nurtured for its intriguing story, well written dialogues and exceptional aesthetics.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
Draugen delivers a beautiful and captivating journey with interesting characters that leaves you wanting just a bit too much more.
Top Critic
Simple mechanically, yet sophisticated in its story, Draugen is a brief exploration of grief, trauma, and mental illness wrapped in a compelling mystery that only occasionally drops the ball
Top Critic
Draugen's story might not meet the quality of its visuals, but it's an engaging few hours nonetheless.
Top Critic
The detective-like gameplay allows the world to become a character in and of itself and, at times, I wished that there was no core central narrative. I would be perfectly content with exploring this beautiful Norwegian town, rummaging through the town's ephemera of life and taking it all in at my own pace—as slow and methodical as the bucolic surroundings imply. At just under three hours, Draugen is a perfectly fine excuse to interact with and explore a beautifully realized world; just be ready to come to terms with how forgettable its story is.
Top Critic
Draugen is a short exploration game with not a whole lot to explore, but its majestic Norwegian vistas and its amusing companion engagement make it worth the trip.
Top Critic
Draugen's engaging story, wonderful characters, solid voice acting and beautiful environments could have made it an unforgettable experience, only if the developers have pushed harder through some limits and answered more story-related questions.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Top Critic
As with their previous work on Dreamfall Chapters, developers have provided players with a breathtaking, interesting world to explore that is set in a historical era and location that is little seen in games today. Wandering through the world is a visual and aural treat that is somewhat let down by two divergent mysteries that are never adequately explored or resolved.
For as much as I wasn't blown away by Draugen's plot, I enjoyed my time with Edward and Lissie and their adventure to Graavik quite a lot. I do hope they return, sooner, rather than later, old-bean.
Top Critic
Draugen is a frustratingly creative attempt from Red Thread Games that some will appreciate, while others brush it aside without much thought.
Top Critic
Despite its narrative shortcomings, Draugen still has plenty to offer. Graavik has no shortage of beautiful views and stunningly detailed locations. In under three hours, Draugen pulls off a series of well-composed shots that are worth the entry price alone. Teddy and Lissie's story never reaches its full potential, but there are worse ways to spend a few hours than exploring a wind-swept fjord.
From bothersome, stiff animations to stories that often stumble, failing to successfully transmit their gravity past the screen, unearthing Draugen’s excellent parts requires a fair bit of digging through its less impressive ones.
Top Critic
Draugen begins as a fascinating narrative-adventure game set in a gorgeous world. It's a shame that it struggles to maintain its momentum.
Top Critic
Draugen manages to surprise player at one point in its story, but fails to keep pace after that. You'll like it if you're looking for a short, calm and relaxing game (thanks to its gorgeous views), but prepare to be disappointed if you want a real adventure game.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Top Critic
Draugen is not bad, just disappointingly... mediocre-to-decent, when it could be so much more. The whole noir mystery narrated by an unreliable protagonist thing definitely manages to spark some interest, but this never really becomes the engrossing tale it wants to be. Forget the marvellously rendered Norwegian landscape, and the magical music that keeps it company. What lies underneath is just an okay-ish, walking simulator.
Draugen can be a thrilling experience at times, but its unimaginative gameplay and weak finale knock it down a peg or two.
Review in Czech | Read full review
After all is said and done, Draugen feels like a beautifully-crafted, but unnecessary, prologue to whatever story lies ahead of it. It’s worth a spin, most of all for its short playtime and gorgeous presentation, but least of all for its actual mysteries.
Top Critic
As slow-paced first-person mystery adventures go, Draugen is about as middle-of-the-road as you could get. It offers an intriguing story with interesting subject matter in a picturesque setting yet it ultimately feels unfulfilling once the brief story reaches its conclusion.
It’s a shame because there are some really good elements in here and hints of a much stronger tale to be told. Maybe if it had been developed longer or had better funding, more of the story surrounding the village and its citizens would have been better fleshed out. The game itself is only about three hours long, so it could have definitely benefited from some extra chapters. As it stands, Draugen is a beautiful borefest that is better left abandoned.
Top Critic
The game forsakes worldbuilding as it increasingly gives itself over to making the most digressive of statements.
Draugen has several good ideas from the pen of well known Norwegian game designer Ragnar Tornquist. It has solid dialogues, interesting characters and the storyline is quite original. However there are several problems with details be that in graphical and technical area or story-wise. Obvious effort to shock the player with several story elements are degrading otherwise interesting theme about psyche of individual and effects of isolation on ones mind. That being said Draugen is still pretty good game for people, who like this subgenre of adventure games or other works of Ragnar Tornquist.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Uneven storytelling and unexceptional gameplay makes this quaint Scandinavian mystery one you can a-fjord to miss.
Top Critic
Again, admiring its quaint, quiet beauty might be enough to convince those enthusiastic about its premise to give the game a shot, although what awaits them leads to disappointment.
