Slender: The Arrival Reviews

Slender: The Arrival is ranked in the 11th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Mar 24, 2015

The final nail in 'Slender: The Arrival's coffin is the simple fact that it's been uprezzed and cleaned up for the wrong gen, a generation where Hideo Kojima/Guillermo Del Toro's 'P.T.' has many of the same ideas, executed with maturity and expert dread, where progression isn't dependent on escaping the horror, but being forced to walk up and let it terrorize you face to face, and most importantly, it's an experience that's 100% free. 'Slender' offering something a similarly unique experience, but undoubtedly lesser, predicated on the success of successive, telegraphed jump scares and repetitive exploration can't hope to compete, and couldn't even if 'P.T.' wasn't in the picture. The result is a game that feels, pun unintended, thin on content.

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5.5 / 10.0
Mar 28, 2015

Although it may please fans of the original, Slender: The Arrival's dull, repetitive mechanics, unsatisfying story and archaic visual design hold it back from being a worthy addition to the horror genre.

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8 / 10
Apr 1, 2015

The audio is impeccable – all the locations have a foreboding ambience that is heightened by excellent use of sound effects to put you on edge

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Lee Mehr
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2023

While Blue Isle Studios' continued dedication to the source material is commendable, it can only go so far with fundamentals that are more emaciated than the titular horror mascot.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2023

This brand new 10th anniversary remake of Slender: The Arrival might be an impressive visual overhaul of what was once a cheap-looking horror game, but at its core, it’s still the same janky and frustrating walking simulator released ten years ago. It may be a cult hit in the horror gaming community, but I didn’t find it very scary, nor compelling. I will give Blue Isle Studios credit for showcasing what Unreal 5 can provide to smaller games and teams, but sadly, mechanic-wise, nothing else of importance has been added.

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6.3 / 10.0
Jul 3, 2019

Slender: The Arrival is a survival horror game. Developed by Blue Isle Studios for Nintendo Switch on June 20, 2019, join us in our review.

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6 / 10.0
Jun 30, 2019

Slender: The Arrival is a front-loaded horror game that brings its best at first but quickly devolves in quality. While later levels help expand the narrative and give context to what you’re doing, it becomes painfully mediocre with fewer scares and repetitious gameplay. As a port, it is well done. Everything from the original games is intact, except for a few graphical downgrades during certain areas. I would still recommend this game at least to experience a pop culture phenomenon. But, know that you’re not getting a solid return on your investment. Slender: The Arrival is available now on the Nintendo Switch. Let us know what you think!

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7 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

I find Slenderman to be a great time capsule for gaming’s history. When we look back on that phenomenon, we can see the impact a video game can have on the real world. It’s for that reason, plus the fact that it’s still frightening, that I can see why Blue Isle Studios wanted to port it to the Switch.

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7 / 10
Jul 1, 2019

GOOD - Slender: The Arrival is a unique take on the Slenderman story that has stood the test of time. The game feels as fresh as it did six years ago, and it has been perfectly ported to the Switch with no setbacks whatsoever. It’s perfect for a first-time experience – though if you have already played this game then we’re not sure that this game offers enough to warrant another playthrough.

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