so fun

update: sound now saves! Sound sensitive folks beware— the new version starts at 100% volume every time. There’s no way to permanently adjust or disable sound. I started playing this in 2014 when it was new and was fascinated by the simple set up and rich storytelling. Once every few years I’ll come back to it. It’s fun to play with different goals in mind - how quickly, with or without huts, cover the whole map or just get what you need, etc. The new interface roll out for the 10th anniversary is overall a big improvement. As with any UI change if you’re used to the old way, it takes a while to get used to the new way. For me, the hardest thing to get used to was the fact that some of the timing and features are actually different. So some strategies I used before don’t really apply in the same way. That does add to the fun to have new challenges though. I would give this five stars if it weren’t for the fact that I can’t disable volume in the 2024 version. Assuming they adjust that in an app update, I’ll give the fifth star then 😁

This Simple Task Brings Comfort

I’ve had ADR since it first released and I’ve played The Ensign and A Noble Circle too. Many many many times. At this point, I’ve completed the game so many times and I’m so used to it that I can beat it in about an hour start to finish. Somehow, even…what? A decade later? I still enjoy playing the game even though I know precisely what will happen. It has become my bed time mantra. Somehow, playing this game, stoking the fire, running through the motions, has given me a way to quiet my mind and go to sleep. I literally play it every night before bed. The small lines of dialogue have become even more relatable and this game now truly brings me a sense of solace. When I first started, I had a sense of wonder and horror and imagination strike through me when I played the game. It’s a brilliantly done story. Done perfectly with so little. I have loved it from the start and hope to have it for years to come. Please play The Ensign too. It’s worth it. Enjoy the little Easter eggs that were planted in there. Question your morals. Embark in chaos. Go forth and conquer.

Absolutely Phenomenal

Myself and 4 of my cousins have always been very into various types of gaming. Personally I had never experienced a game similar to this in any way. At first I was indifferent about it, It wasn’t as if I had lost interest seconds into it, but I wasn’t sure what it was all about. I took my time, I read every little message that popped up and carefully progressed through the game, soaking up every little detail. I finished the game for the 7th time earlier today and decided I would leave a review just because of how extraordinary I find this game. I want to say a huge thank you to Amir and Michael for all of the time, effort, and thought put into A Dark Room. I 10/10 recommend this game to anyone who wants to expand their gaming genre and explore a text based, time extensive game. Please take your time and try to appreciate everything about the game, and I promise you it will be worth it and you will love it. P.S. The Ensign is also a very great game and once I have ventured farther into it and beaten it just a couple more times I will be sure to leave a review there as well.

Honestly, give it a chance

A friend of mine introduced me to the desktop version back in March of 2016. I thought it was kind of far out there and wasn’t too intrigued. After playing it for a second day, I got hooked. Ever since then I’ve been trying to play it, but I’d misplace my save file and my laptop broke. When I saw this was offered on iOS three days ago, I had no hesitation in buying it. I was so eager to play, I finished it in 3 hours. It may not seem like very long, but I knew what I was doing. It was just as frustrating when I played it the first time, but even more enjoyable. I had beaten it twice on desktop. It seems vivid and confusing, but if you notice the different nuances and patterns, it all becomes clear. You don’t get a parade upon finishing the game, it’s better, you get wisdom and insight. I plan on finishing it 3 more times this week. This game is perfect for those who want a game that allows you to explore a landscape on a limited plane, or for people who just want a game to play on the train or during a union break. I highly recommend it

Challenging but fun

To be honest I had no idea what the game was before purchasing it. I read on a list somewhere that it was a good game and decided to give it a shot. It was out of my normal scope of games but after playing for a period of time I really got into the progression of everything. After quite a bit of progression, things just kinda stopped. I wasn’t sure how to make the next step happen or what to do. I put the game down because of frustration and went onto the next app. After about a month of not playing, I picked it up this morning figured out a few things and finished it tonight! Point being, give the game a shot. It is different than most you will see but it turns out to be a lot of fun. After finishing, I actually was disappointed it was over. I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want it to end. I will say, that I think I could have shaved quite a bit of time off if I knew how it would end. I guess that is what a second play through is for although I’m not sure whether I will or not. Give it a shot, it’s only $.99.

My favorite Mobile game in over 13 yrs

This has by far been the best gaming experience on any mobile device I have ever experienced. For context, I have been partially gaming on this platform since the first iTouch came out in 2007. I generally do not review titles, but felt compelled to leave my thoughts after just completing this one. The creator ensures that there is never a dull moment. The pace is constantly increasing. I honestly can’t think of a time during my play-through in which I wasn’t constantly doing something or trying new things. I was fully invested from start to finish. Overall the game left me feeling very fulfilled, on the same level as some of the best console games I have played. If there was any game that I could recommend to anyone on mobile, it’s this one. You will not regret it. Thank you to the creator for the time you put into this game and for giving us an experience that is rarely achieved on this platform.

I love it. But I’m having one problem.

So I got this game a few months back, and I’m already in love with it! It was kind of boring at first, but once you really dive in and get your stats up, it’s really fun and interactive! My only problem is that I cannot obtain for or meet. I know for a fact I have at least 200 for. But it only says I have six. and whenever I try to buy something, I can’t afford it because I need more. Like I said, I know I have enough for. I just got 100 for for example, but now it only says I have six. I have at least 300, but it only says I have 19. And then it’ll go down to zero without even taking any. I don’t know if this means that someone’s trying to steal my fur, if this is just part of the game. But, I don’t know what to think. It’s been happening for about two days now. I don’t know what to do. but I really love this app! If the first thing didn’t happen, I would’ve given the rating five stars. But then again, maybe it’s just part of the game. If anyone can give me advice on this, that would be really helpful. Thanks, love the game!

New UI is Clunky and a bit Confusing

I’ve loved this game for years and have replayed it over and over, as well as The Ensign. I recently recommended it to someone and they ended up telling me they were confused about some of the mechanics, so I redownloaded it and realized there’s a new UI that makes some aspects of the game more confusing for no good reason. The new UI (ex: the new font and the way inventory information is displayed like when looting) is much less clean than the original (Making a text based game harder to read is is perplexing to me). That, combined with the addition of more sounds makes the game less eerie in my opinion. The bare bones straightforwardness and lack of (environmental in the case of the sound design) context was part of its charm and made discovering the layers of the game much more impactful and the more tense bits a little scarier. An option to choose which UI you want would give the best of both worlds for people who like the old and new UI.

Two years after the game made its App Store debut, A Dark Room developer Amirali Rajan has pulled back the curtain on the game's sales...

Game Developer Tue Dec 29 2015

Amir Rajan BS'06, who graduated with a degree in software engineering, is not sure how or why his app for “A Dark Room” became so popular.

The University of Texas at Dallas Mon Sep 29 2014

Great games don't always need amazing graphics and sound, but they do need a strong premise and a lot of heart. A Dark Room, an outstanding...

Cult of Mac Sun Jun 29 2014