Dark Meadow: The Pact Reviews

by Badkitty_

It's got amazing graphics and an interesting plot so far, but if it takes IAP to actually win the game or even get far in it, if I can't kill the bad guys on my own without IAP or even have fun in the game without heavy grinding, then I am saying to this developer and to all other developers who follow in kind: NO.

I won't support what you are doing.

I will support developers who may charge a little more for a really GOOD game, and it better be good. Give me better graphics, a better plot, challenging levels, interesting ways to earn weapons that do not involve ads or signing up for third-party websites or offers because that disgusts me.

Just give me a good game that doesn't disgust me from a moral standpoint and that makes you as a developer proud.

Then perhaps I will support it with my hard-earned cash.

But I won't give you money and then buy your idiotic IAP like sun coins. Zynga started it and others have followed in their greedy ways. You have lemmings who are clearly always going to buy something. But it's up to the individual consumer to just say no and either not buy the IAP or not buy the game.

In this case, I chose to not buy the game, because of the reviews. Clearly the developer designed the game so that anyone who doesn't purchase the IAP can't enjoy the game or even finish the game without them, unless they do heavy grinding which means they are not enjoying the game.

by XxSniper ShotxX

The game starts off well. Graphics are excellent, playability is moderate. As the game progressed and I reach the elevator I began to realize that this free game will cost me $$ in order to continue, least you have more than 8 first aid kits! Once you get to the elevator you are challenged with one creature after another until the elevator no longer operates. From this point you enter an are where creatures become progressively hard to kill. It is easy to burn through a first aid kit with one battle. If you die, you have to repeat the elevator scene again. Which means more battles with creatures. All this while your inventory of aid shrinks. What to do? Spend money to keep alive. This game has a false sense of free until you are hooked and that's where you need to open your wallet. Fortunately, I decided not to get raked with this option. if you want great games stick with you gaming platforms and stay away from free. It only cost you more in the long run!

by KittyChan323

It's not a bad game, the graphics are great, the story is interesting and really draws you in. However this game is designed for them to make money. Supplies that you need are limited and the game continues to increase in difficulty so that you need them even more, however things like first aid kits and bombs are made scarce or expensive so that you have to use real money to buy them. Sun coins are made difficult to earn so that you can't get the most important items that you need and a lot of them are required to buy them so you end up needing to spend real money to get more sun coins or else take a long time to earn enough. Good weapons and accessories get ridiculous with prices 1,000,000,000 gold, seriously?) so you either spend eternity trying to earn enough or buy more. If it weren't for trying to drain your pockets out of need for necessary items, this would be a lot more enjoyable. But still it's not a bad game. A bit glitchy, but still pretty good. I wouldn't say that I don't recommend it, just have to warn you you'll need to spend money if you want to make it more bearable.

by Jeshikalu

You'll spend most of your time just trying to level up, which of course is always time consuming, but if you have the time then go for it. The graphics are really nice, but the storyline is horribly predictable. For those of you who are easily scared by horror games, this game is rated 12+ so honestly it's not that scary. This is not the kind of game where things jump out at you, the fights aren't that intense, and the monsters aren't terribly gruesome looking. I recommend the game for killing time on a long flight orsomething. This free version is a little more of a bother only because you can't buy some of the weapons, but there are other weapons you can get by on. That's the only noticeable thing I've noticed between the two versions. Ads only appear on the menu screen in the free version, but they're small and easy to ignore. Last thing: killstreaks are fun. :)

by Ancient Ikthus

This application surprised me with its captivating story and fantastic graphics. The gameplay is similar to most current Unreal Engine adventure games, following Infinity Blade in style. While it is a recycled formula, it remains an enjoyable one which allows the game to feel very enjoyable and smooth. However, the game crashes whenever resumed after minimization, and when this is coupled with an long, unstoppable intro, it becomes increasingly aggravating to the play the game while taking any breaks. This is particularly frustrating since it breaks kill streaks, thereby erasing sometimes hours' work. Because of this, I can't quite give it 5/5. However, I still highly recommend DarkMeadow and consider one of the best in the store.

by 78h5555:)

I love this game, but it just crashed when I was in the middle of the fight, doing really well. Incredibly annoying. It crashes a lot on startup too, during the intro. I am begging you, Phosphor, on behalf of everyone who loves this game, please fix this! It has so much potential, and I adore the storyline. Perfect level of creepiness -- the script is fabulous. The graphics are incredible. I love the controls and the fighting style. Hard not to love a game that gives you a crossbow. ;) This game would easily get five stars from me, if not more, if the crashes were fixed. Looking forward to the next update! :D

UPDATE: I tried restarting my iPad and the crashes stopped. But that long, unskippable intro is starting to get on my nerves. This game has so much potential -- without the bugs it would be my favorite game ever!

by Spoiler Alret

For starters it's a great concept especially for this platform. It could do a lot better when trying to implement the feel of horror. Although lacking in battle mechanics(battle intensity) it's pretty good at attempting to set the mood. Having the need to feel protected in the "sun rooms" is a great way to show the gamers that there is horror and it helps drive the sense of hopelessness from the way the game increases difficulty every other time an enemy is defeated. Also the fact that a singular boss is there is quite troubling for gamers, because it tells them that i may have killed you but that doesn't mean your completely dead. Also contributing to the games horror, are the background stories that are depicted within certain rooms. Overall I give this a 4 star rating because of its ingenuity in attempting horror with this platform.

by Laanan1

Absolutely fantastic game, except for two things. One, the game crashes on suspend, which means you have to start over whenever you have to pause the game, even for a moment. This is really annoying for a mobile game.

Two, the menu system for purchasing weapons and leveling up detracts from the experience of this well crafted atmospheric thriller. Since the first room is used extensively in the game, why not use it to keep track of the player's level? You could have a chalk board in the room with a character sheet drawn (creepily or whatever) on the board. Monsters could occasionally drop pieces of chalk, which would be single use, and the player would use them to "level up." Perhaps the room could even be a different one from the first, so that the player would have to work a little bit to spend the skill points.

As for the "store," again, it pulls you out of the story. Where is this "store" in the game world, anyway? Instead, you could have a crazy guy in some or many rooms around the hospital who like collecting and trading things...maybe bones or something... The game story has a lot to draw on for this kind of thing. Then the player would occasionally trade for items, weapons, perhaps even parts of weapons, to add a crafting aspect to the character development.

Maybe I am expecting too much from an iphone game. On balance, one can't help wishing for just a little bit more from a game this good.

by Kateyylol

Honestly I think this game is absolutely amazing. The story, the graphics, everything is just great and the fact that this is a phone game and a FREE phone game makes it even more perfect. I literally found this game my freshmen year of high school when I first got an iPhone. So that was about... five or six years ago? I stopped playing when I reached the top of the elevator because it got too hard for me, but every now and then I think about this game and even recommend it to people just because I think it's crazy that such a good game was made and able to be used on a phone like this. I really hope the developers release more in the future because I know this hasn't even been updated since 2012.

EDIT: I love this game so much. I replayed it in 2016 but now that I have an iPhone XR I looked it up hoping to play it once again in 2019 but I can’t since it hasn’t been updated in so long. Really sad, I’d love to play it again. Please update! Forever my favorite phone game!

by InThe603

I absolutely LOVE this game. 😍 This is the best game I have ever played on the iPad, and one the best that I have played period...on any platform. Why is it so hard to find an adventure story that is a modern day RPG? It seems as if nearly all the adventure games for the iPad are really just hidden object games and the RPGs for other platforms are set in the done-to-death ancient fantasy genre.

The game is long, captivating, and intricate. The setting is realistic enough to be both creepy and mesmerizing. Two minor...a couple of times the game seemed to glitch during a fight and reset my character as if it were dead...I don't think it was, but each time I was dying. There were also a couple of times when I could see a gem but not pick it up. A death/reawaken cycle scatters the gems so this wasn't a big deal. Neither issue is enough for me to rate the game as anything less than 5 stars tho...this game is AWESOME!!! Would love to see more from this developer!!

by Linuxiac

This is one of he best games on DarkMeadow store. I was looking for a penumbra-style game for my iPod and wouldn't you know I found it. Worth all 500 plus Megs of data. The creepy intercom guy is cool. Although I would have to say one thing: there is too much combat in this game. I know it's suppose to add to the creepiness to turn every corner and have to battle, but it just gets monotonous to have to battle the same spawns over and over(especially after you reset and are trying to get back to where you were.) and it def. takes away from the atmosphere and general creepyness to respawn and have to run around for half a hour just to find enough gold to upgrade. Also the first time I played it it froze after he jumped out of the bed at the beginning.

That being said this is one h *e ll of a game for its price: FREE! It was obviously crafted, not made. Awesome storyline. superb audio. Cool animation. Very little texture clipping, glitching, ect.

A well earned 9.5 out of 10!!!!

by Hikerjk

I'm writing this on my old iPhone 5 because as I was browsing DarkMeadow Store, I saw some horror games and remembered vaguely this game I loved years ago, but couldn't remember the name. I spent almost 20 minutes searching for it on my iPhone 6s and couldn't find it, so I was forced to scroll through my brutally long list of previously downloaded apps and go back a few years to find this game. When I found it I was so sad to see I couldn't download it because it was not compatible with iOS 11. I dug out my old iPhone 5 and re downloaded this game onto it.

As I'm playing through it again I am reminded of how amazing this game is. Reading the reviews on the game shows that a lot of people love this game, and there is no reason why it hasn't been made compatible for iOS 11.

Now I am not app developer, and I don't know how much time and resources are needed to make this change, but I sure hope it is done soon so more people can enjoy this masterpiece of a game.

by Ganondorf9801

This game is fun. I enjoy the gameplay, the battles, and the storyline. I have given this game rating a 5 because it is one of the most challenging games in DarkMeadow Store. I was wondering if you could update the Trickster so he looks like the deluxe version? He looks cool already, but I'm looking for a more creepy trickster. Also, could you please do something about the sun coins? I don't want to pay money for a bunch of them, but could you please put some random chests with sun coins in them? I would appreciate it because I am just a little bit tired on not having any sun coins when fighting Ella or the elevator Boss. I'm really certain that by doing these couple of things, this game would have better results with people not passing on any bad information. Oh, could you also fix the dirty fountain? I don't know when or how to use it, but it doesn't do anything.

Thanks for this awesome game, guys!!!!!😄

by Sunny-R-Stars

I have tried so many apps, and none were this fantastic. The plot is engaging , the gameplay is phenomenal, and the graphics are sharp and realistic. The whole game gives that unique feeling you get after watching a great movie. The music is ominous and the dialog is entertaining. I love this game. Some people complain about the level grinding, but that's the best part. It lengthens the gameplay and builds suspense. Don't get me wrong, the sun coins can be annoying and I'm sad how fast the old man runs out of things to say, but the game makes me happy. It's creepy and intelligent and fun to play, out if ANY app to get, GET DarkMeadow. I wish that there was more, other levels, gear player customization, different things to find other than coins, daily challenges, and other additions, because this game simply must go on. I play it every day, and it has yet to become boring for me. It's just too visually stunning and fun.

by Busephaelus

If you like amnesia the dark descent you will like DarkMeadow. Later you might want to upgrade to the paid version but you should play this before you spend the six dollars. You get to explore the ruins of the hospital looking for evidence of why you are stuck in this hospital and what the evil creatures are that constantly are attacking you. To defend yourself, there are a variety of swords and crossbows available to stop the predators before they get to you. The only problem I have run into is that sometimes when you buy a new weapon, the one you were using before will be what you pull out. I still don't know what I have equipped until I fight but even if you die it isn't bad because you come back in a safe room with everything you had before. Definitely worth at least the free download if not the full version.

by Akninirith

The Dark Meadow is a game with a few flaws - and only a few.
It is a bit on the "grindy" side of RPG-dom, with slow gains dominating a decent middling part. It has a few issues with gameplay being less than a rainbow of variety - both crossbow and sword combat, but there's room to expand a bit with combos and whatnot. A couple of features are missed here and there.
With that said, this game is visionary. I play games for a number of reasons, but good storytelling is high on that list. Using an absurdly small voice-acting cast, this game has been given more character with its Wonderlandish humor and Lovecraftian personality than a great many on consoles or full-size computers. No real music, but exceptional atmosphere. No convoluted plot, but a tale achingly beautiful in its winding fabled telling. No price, but easily hundreds of dollars worth of fun. Would rate six stars, but cant talk curntly bsy gettig spleen crved oubdhjjrbbfwhjjjjjjjjjjand monsters want to kill me only slightly less than I want to kill them.
PS Monster design is seriously disturbing and I seriously love it.

by ItchyTriggerFinger31

I honestly love this game. It's graphics are head-and-shoulders above anything else on DarkMeadow Store. On top of that, the storyline is intriguing, while the dialogue with your mysterious friend is humorous at times, there is something about it that creates a dark and ominous feeling.
The combat is good and fun, though it could be a little more involved and the dodge buttons could be a mite bit bigger.
One of the best aspects of Dark Meadow is journals and newspaper clippings and books (etc. etc.) that the player can find, which serve the same purpose as the recordings in bioshock or the scanning ability in metroid prime, which is to reveal the backstory behind the story without the player being told directly. They are interesting, and provide replay value to the game.
Overall, the game is extremely creepy and appropriately dark. While the controls are a bit odd and the restricted movement may turn the player off at the start, you will quickly realize it only reinforces the idea that you really have no way of getting out of the Dark Meadow.

by Rjrifmbjeksd

Beautiful graphics, creepy monsters, fun crossbow mechanic, excellent voice acting, witty script and interesting story. Definitely worth a download, even if this isn't your genre. The difficulty may turn you off eventually, though. It's difficult to tell where some monsters are going to fire or swing, and your dodge animation is pretty slow; eventually you'll read the tells, but it's not easy. Dodging feels a little unwieldy, and is unfortunately a requirement to do serious damage, landing "hits" instead of "grazes" (so you can't sit there and eat damage whilst hacking away). Regardless of the tricky and punishing combat, it's worth it to continue the story and hear what the witty, crazy(?), wheelchair-bound gentleman over the intercom has to tell you next.

This deserves special notice, because this is apparently the guy's first time at professional voice acting. He reminds me of Zoltun Kulle from Diablo 3, and he always says something new. That is a lot of voice acting to stay fresh, and it's all marvelously executed. I couldn't find the name of the guy, but if you're reading this, keep it up!

Five star-worthy on graphics, sound, story, and voice acting. 4.5 stars for combat.

by AJ0764

This game is awesome...and I'm not saying that lightly. The developers gave us something really good here. The graphics, storyline, and music/sound are very impressive. You get to explore a creepy, "abandoned" hospital/institution...you get to find journal entry pages, newspaper clippings, letters, etc. which allows you to discover the history of this horrific place you find yourself trapped inside...collect gold, sun coins, as well as other useful items to aid you in you escape...and best of all, you get to combat gruesome creatures! This game reminds me a lot of playing Resident Evil back in the day. I played the free version of this game and I promise you that it is completely doable without purchasing anything with real dollars. However, there is a $1.99 version that you can buy. It says there is additional content in it, but I'm not sure about that yet. But if there truly is additional content, I will definitely purchase it (despite already knowing the storyline). It's that fun. I loved that it had an alternative ending too; that was very cool. Give it a try...I don't think you'll regret it. 😊

by Jwar30

I cannot recommend this game highly enough. It's not even the kind of game I normally play, but there's something about it that I love (graphics, background story, sound, gameplay, etc.). I had it on a tablet a few years ago and gave up because I kept dying and could never afford more first aid kits. This time around I was patient -- take time to level up, kill enough enemies to get sun coins (you get them for every five in a row you kill), and find gold to buy better weapons. You do not have to spend your money unless you're determined to beat the game right this second. Seriously, play this game. You're going to die a lot at first, but if you take the time to build your strength, it's totally worth it.