Draugen Reviews

Draugen is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
80 / 100
Jul 3, 2019

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

7.5 / 10.0
Feb 19, 2020

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

Lee Mehr
Top Critic
5 / 10
Mar 16, 2020

Uneven storytelling and unexceptional gameplay makes this quaint Scandinavian mystery one you can a-fjord to miss.

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5.5 / 10.0
Feb 28, 2020

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.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 19, 2020

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.

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5 / 10
Jul 10, 2019

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

Liked
Jun 24, 2019

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.

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Ehhh
Aug 5, 2019

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

9.2 / 10.0
Jun 18, 2019

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.

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Sep 5, 2019

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.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 5, 2019

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.

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4 / 10.0
Jun 30, 2019
Draugen (ACTUAL Game Review) [PC] video thumbnail
7 / 10
Jun 17, 2019

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.

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8 / 10.0
May 28, 2019

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.

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May 27, 2019

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.

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May 29, 2019

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

62 / 100
May 27, 2019

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.

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May 29, 2019

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.

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60%
May 29, 2019

Draugen can be a thrilling experience at times, but its unimaginative gameplay and weak finale knock it down a peg or two.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Cultured Vultures
W.B. Mason
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
May 29, 2019

There's Norway you won't be engrossed in this beautifully crafted and well written Scandinavian mystery.

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