Draugen Reviews
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 is a frustratingly creative attempt from Red Thread Games that some will appreciate, while others brush it aside without much thought.
All in all, it is definitely a game that deserves a place in any adventurous gamer's digital library.
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
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
Draugen begins as a fascinating narrative-adventure game set in a gorgeous world. It's a shame that it struggles to maintain its momentum.
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.
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
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
Uneven storytelling and unexceptional gameplay makes this quaint Scandinavian mystery one you can a-fjord to miss.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.