Masochisia

Masochisia
68
Metacritic
84
Steam
73.894
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$7.99
Release date
9 October 2015
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
84 (361 votes)

A young man discovers through a series of hallucinations that he will grow up to become a violent psychopath. How will he respond to these revelations? Can he change his fate? Can you even... change fate...

Show detailed description

Masochisia system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows 7 with SP1 or later
  • Processor: 3GB Dual-Core
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 1GB VRAM
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 2 GB available space
  • Sound Card: Any

Recommended:

Recommended requirements are not yet specified.
Updated
App type
Steam APP ID
396310
Platforms
Windows PC
Mac
Linux
Similar games
Popularity
Reviews
Write a new review
Infusco
Infusco

Buggy, boring, pretentious and predictable. Overall a low quality product, a dissapointment.

In any case, dissapointment is the world of choice whenever you try to find stories dealing with the motivations behind murder. They always focus in how circumstances made murderers the way they are, why is so hard to accept that there are inherently bad people?
Why is that humans need to find exotic explanations to the existence of evil?

A fireman saves a koala from a wild fire in Australia, healing the wounds and giving it water. Meanwhile in Johannesburg a woman driving her child to the school witnesses 4 men burning alive another one in the other side of the road for whatever stupid reason. The problem is not in their circumstances, it is in their wicked brains.

We all have violent compulsions, violence is clearly a fascinating theme to many of us, but trust me, having a bad childhood won't make you eat children alive.

bam777772002
bam777772002

I still cant get back into this game.. not after what i did.

Zombie David Bowie
Zombie David Bowie

Masochisia is the most disturbing game I have ever played in my life. But it's also a very well-told story that knows just how to knock you to the ground. It gets incredibly tense and paranoia-inducing at times, forcing you to persevere through your character's distorted vision, among other things. Jump scares are kept to a minimum, and manage to avoid feeling like a cheap trick. The animation is done in such a way that it always feels like things are moving around you, which just adds to the whole experience. Nobody wants to tell you anything about what's happening, which is exactly as infuriating as it should be. I finished the game and I still have no idea what was going on, and maybe that's the point. But I learned that you can escape destiny, just that there's no point in doing so.

Despite its short playtime, this game has stuck with me in a very profound way. Certainly more than other games. This is one of those games that proves that video games can be art. And this game is a fantastic work of art.

Also, I was wondering if it's possible to learn anything about the story/events behind the game. What it's based on and such. Is that possible?

Smol Bubu
Smol Bubu

Abuse, trauma, illnesses and insanity. There can't be a person who haven't felt them at least at some point in there lives. Some humans are weak some are strong. But just because someone had faced abuse you must not judge them to be weak or strong. In this game we explore a controversial issue in psychology, the birth of the psychopath. People say it's not curable some say it's possible. If you explore the menu in this game there is an option called

Get Help

Read it carefully and keep it in your memory forever..

This is supposed to be a horror game, but i was extremely calm at all points except for the jumpscares. But, let me say that if you are not accustomed to horror games or shows, this will scare you. And don't forget that the story is based on a true incident. Yes it's not a gimmick not a promotional act, the game was based on a real serial killer whom I will not spoil but give the initials : AF The game has various hints and codes everywhere to point to the serial killers name. So it would be a spoiler to totally reveal but the hint is enough i think.

So this game is relatively very short, it took me two hours to just play it. But, since i got it on sale I'm not going to complain. The art is creepy and you need to scroll your way through to get to the next scene. I feel some voice acting would have made the game better. The music is medicore and atmosphereic, some soundtracks were quite better than the other ones. The themes and the story is relatively confusing and it might take some playthroughs and extra research to help you through if you are interested. And at the end of the chapter you will get a nice jumpscare of a life time (but all it did was make me laugh and giggle)

So yes a decent little horror point and click adventure game meant for audiences who can handle horror for a limited time :P

Edit: I found something like creepy stuff on my desktop after i finished the game- be sure to check your desktop often ;)

Kocheu
Kocheu

A great (short) game about Mr. Albert Fish

Nens
Nens

I regret that I bought it on sale, it definitely deserves full price.

Fantastic little masterpiece with great artstyle, atmospheric music and unusual theme. Fact that it's based on true story makes it even better (requires some code cracking or knowledge about serial killers to discover who the main character is).

In Steam store game is labeled as horror which is pretty misleading and people who expect jump scares may be disappointed. It's suppose to disturb you, not scare you.

I wish game could be a little longer but that's the only downside.

NOTE: Masochisia will drop txt files on your desktop.

tenavosi
tenavosi

Brilliantly horrifying. I couldn't recommend this game more.

lime
lime

Well you are in for something different with this game, fellow Steam user....a terrifying experience for sure, its end is something I have never seen in any other title....

Art
Art

It's one thing to create opressive, terrifying experience to challenge the audience and their way of thinking, it's something totally different to use real, tragic and gruesome events in detail as a game content. Game aknowledges you it's based on true story except it's in fact very loosely connected to story of protagonist it depicts, instead it uses killings of children which happened in reality. That's my major NO for this game, why that was even neccessary? Dev could create a shocking story which wouldn't be connected to any real events and it would be still well... shocking. Instead you're supposed to reenact a brutal killing of a young boy(which happened for real) for what? So the dev and the game can be more edgy and controversial? Refunded.

Equally or maybe even more disturbing thing for me personally is the fact that even negative reviews, concentrate on length of game or some txt files it creates on desktop, not on the actuall story which expects you to execute real-life killings in game. Maybe most people aren't aware of this and think it's fake like the rest of story I don't know. Like I said using very difficult topics and oppresive story and atmosphere to communicate something to the audience is fine. Using detailed death of a kid as a 'game content' is not, it's lack of basic respect for fellow human being.

^creengy^
^creengy^

Artsy "Anatomy of Murder" episode, teenager's wet dream, telltale slide show.
Try The Grandfather if you liked this.

LivingSandman90
LivingSandman90

Let me tell you what.. this game is amazing. I was emotionally invested in this game and found my self wanting to kill some of the characters without even thinking if there are/were any other options to progress. If you can relate to anything that happens to the main character or how his home life was you can take your virtual revenge in this game. The story is great and creepy and the dialogue is great as well. This is a very short game but I want to play it again to see if there are other ways to handle certain situations.

Leviathan
Leviathan

For most people this game will be dreadful. Disgusting. Frightening. Disturbing. And yet it is fascinating. It will bring you beautifull and terrifying experience of being an insane murderer and this is just satisfying as hell.

The gameplay is very simple. There are no difficult puzzles or whatever. The story is very well-told but simple and short, the music is mostly silent and creepy and the graphics... just odd enough. And most importantly, the more you play, the more you realize that it's not you who plays the game, it's a game that plays with you. Literally.

But if you can't enjoy some sick and uncomfortable things, this is the game you probably should skip.

HumanOnScreen
HumanOnScreen

I'm not a fan of point-and-click games (this one is), but Masochisia is surprisingly good. Although, not something you want to play before bed, just a heads up. The psychological aspect gets to you, and it's disturbing.

marinime
marinime

There is a bug in Act 5 that is not letting you advance through the game. It seems that it has been addressed but not fixed in the past couple of years. The game is great but what good is it if you just get a teaser? So disappointing!

bella
bella

Pros:

+ delightfully creepy artwork

+ haunting and beautiful music

+ packed with references, both big and subtle, to the real-life case it's based on - I've played through it three times and each time I've noticed more details

+ many morally crushing dialogue choices

+ great, very creative portrayal of the story

+ type of horror is mostly psychological and atmospheric, with very few cheap jumpscares

Cons:

- sometimes takes some trial and error to navigate the map

- can be a bit difficult to know where to go to further the plot

- lacking in controls, its a slow scroll guided by your mouse and clicking to navigate and pick dialogue choices

Summary:

Some forewarning, you WILL be disgusted by this game. It forces you to do things and make choices that will (or should, at least) go against everything you would ever want to do. The atmosphere is just sublime, the story is layered and the more research you do the more you notice about the intricacies of it. It's a pretty short game, about 2 hours long, but its an awesome feat, even if it isnt "fun" in the traditional way. All in all, a haunting experience I couldn't recommend more.

Edit: Someone in the reviews asserts that it's a fetish exploitation game "hiding behind a bunch of horror tropes" and the only thing I have to say to that is 'what?'. This is a horror game. It contains themes of masochism, as is obvious from the title, but, a) such topics are presented in a mature, non-glorified way, and b) it's not explicitly sexual. Nothing sexual is so much as mentioned in the entire game, and the dev omitted many, many things about the real life case that are far too disturbing and depraved to put into a game. I could go into detail, but it would be blacked out as spoilers anyways, so I'll assure you with certainty that nothing about this is meant to be attractive, appealing, or sexy in any way, just good old-fashioned disturbing.

pikamelody
pikamelody

Read my guide on decoding Masochisia!
*turns from thumb-down to thumb-up*

^---edited on March 12, 2017 after watching the entire walkthrough and writing the Masochisia Decoded guide

v--original review
I got stuck at Act V without the needed items in my inventory. I think this is a bug that many have already reported but haven't been dealt with by the devs. So I decided to just stop playing and watch a YouTube walkthrough instead.

Frankly, I think Masochisia is quite overrated. If I had to point out flaws there would be many, especially unnecessarily redundant lines and scenes, grammar and spelling issues and more. (If you were a grammar/spelling police like I am, you wouldn't very much enjoy it.) Though petty, these issues made the gameplay turn out a bit awkward as a whole.

Yet I admit I was attracted by the story and its theme. I haven't gone through the whole walkthrough on YouTube yet, but in my opinion, Masochisia seems worth a visual novel rather than an "adventure game", despite its technical crudeness. I would rather watch it than actually play it myself.

GusGalaxy
GusGalaxy

Shocking, but well thought out, as colorful as a dark game could ever be, it's a twisted masterpiece!

Londude
Londude

I gave it a shot, but it was incredibly boring and tedious. The developer tries way too hard to make the game seem creepy, and it falls flat. The dialogue is juvenile at best. I also spotted grammatical errors.

This game most likely appeals to people who cut themselves and who love Wednesday Addams.

natalogical_x
natalogical_x

What a CRAZY and PSYCHOTIC game!!!! Totally effed up in a lot of ways, but that's what I loved about the game. It was fun to play. I would recommend it to people who love psychological/indie/horror games definitely!!!

fieryace
fieryace

Good, and worth playing, though keep in mind it's only 2 hours long when considering the price. As for all the people freaking out about how intense it is... I didn't think so, and I think calling it horror is a bit of a stretch. I honestly had a harder time stomaching the wikipedia page on the real events than I did finishing this game.

JessyNyan
JessyNyan

Pretty fucked up game. Awesome.

Papiika
Papiika

It really looks like a great game and I´m sure it is

Pity though that you lose all your items because you reload 1 f*cking checkpoint

Kaffe
Kaffe

An amazing psychological horror game with a great music, fitting artstyle and fantastic writing. This is definitely not for everyone, this is a very disturbing game based upon even more disturbing real life events and should not be played by people who are very sensitive to horror and horrific things because this game is full of it.

jnh7
jnh7

Pros:

-If you fetishize abuse/pain/killing, you might like this

Cons:

-Prolonged pseudo-psychological dialog
-Text choices that don't matter
-Borings twists that you can see from miles away
-items mean almost nothing
-there's 2 puzzles in the entire game.

This is not a game. This is more like an interactive story. I didn't enjoy it, but some angsty tweens might

Dr. Peter Venkman
Dr. Peter Venkman

Strange game. Loved it. Beautiful artworks also.

InkFae
InkFae

This is a hidden gem. If not a rough game to get through.

I honestly can say I've never played a game that made me feel this creeped out. I enjoy horror movies and games, and I don't often get scared from them. But this game had me disturbed through almost the entirety of the game. If I'm completly honest I had to disconect myself from it. I didn't know who the game was based off of, and once I did, I got incredibly disturbed by my own first conversation (due to my need to just talk interact with everything). Although this conversation was innocent, I knew where it was leading. I walked away from this game for a year before being able to play though it to its end. (I will refrain from giving the name of the person until my last words of the review just incase there is someone like me). The game does a fantastic job at keeping you in a limbo of the state of everything. Are we in the past? Are we crazy? Who are we? Honestly knowing who the game is based around makes it incerdibly difficult to proceed. I went through the entire game going "I DON'T want to do this". The game leaves us the role of the libertarian (should we want it) in the loosing battle against fate.

The game walked a fine line when it came to its content due soley to the subject. The game looks at dangerous and dark extremes of masochisim and sadisim, it was obviously stated in the title of the game. And yes the these extremes are slightly fetisized to the playable chararacter; not to fetishize killing or being beaten, but because that is how the person the game is based off of thought. The game does not however actual fetishize it to the player. The game's goal is not to be kinky or sexy in any way, shape or form. It is just flat out creepy and disturbing. The actual man did many far worse things then what is detailed in the game. The game is honestly a kiddie pool of darkness compared to what was actually in the mind of the man its based off of.

I've seen people angry about how the converstation choices don't really matter, and I'm not really sure thats true. The conversations that can be held can either make things easier or harder to understand pending on your choices. In one playthrough I missed a piece of information by antagonizing a character I didn't in the previous playthrough and this lead them to not pointing me in the direction I needed to go (had I not played this mostly through once I would have had no clue where to go). But as I said before the game is about either a loosing battle against fate, or embracing your fate, the conversations aren't meant to chage the key points of the story, just how you get there. Some of us stumble upon or fate while others follow the path.

Everything, from the art style to the music to the way the truth is revealed to us is disigned to keep us off kilter. The general ambiance is both soothing (the valley and the creek and maybe the woods) while also creepy (the portraits in the house anyone?). I really liked the music when I noticed it (act 6 had some of the prettiest) but for as much as I liked what I heard it was often the last thing I payed attention to. (this may be due to my own refusal to down the pills all the time and had the heartbeat pretty much constantly through acts 2-5). But that doesn't mean there is an empty space there, it just wasn't meant to be the focal point of the game.

I also loved the little gifts the game left me on my desktop.

I'm not sure I'll ever play this again, but it was and interesting play, and would definitely would say play it once.

************
Albert Fish

Not Quite Average
Not Quite Average

Twisted brilliance, with beautifully creepy artwork, well thought out characters who all made me feel uncomfortable, and a narative that runs through all the acts of the story. Although your choices don't really make a difference to the overall game, the conversations feel real and interactive. The constant level of intensity created by the (amazing) soundtrack, characters and the style of the game mean that even though the game is short (possibly too short for the price) you feel fully involved for the duration, and it has the perfect quality of a horror game that puts you seriously on edge for the entire time, to the point that somebody knocking on my door made me scream louder than I'm proud to admit. Not only this, but it gives an interesting and terrifying background to the true story of Albert Fish (which I fully reccomend reading the wikipedia page for). Over all, a 7.5/10, and the only reason it isn't higher is that, for a broke student, 5 pounds is a lot of money to spend on a game that took me less than 2 hours to complete. I look forward to seeing what else Jon Oldblood can create in the future.

Universal Mind
Universal Mind

I am not going to say much. You have to play this for yourself. Doesn't take long to finish, but the story and what you witness may stay with you for the rest of your life. A masterwork of art in videogame form.

Thorncrag
Thorncrag

While I laud the attempt at creatively engaging the particpant in a unique way, Masochisia's treatment of mental illness is both infantile and haphazard, and it attempts to manipulate the player into making macabre choices in entirely unrealistic scenarios. Combined with weak storytelling and a plot which I've already forgotten, I can't recommend this title. I also did not appreciate the developer's violation of the fourth wall by having the characters attempt to communicate with the player outside of the game.

14billionyears
14billionyears

Outside of the dark trappings and real-life basis (somewhat), this is a fairly simple point-and-click adventure game. There are jump scares here and there, so be warned about those. The art style for the characters was very unsettling - probably my favorite part of the whole thing, in particular Michael. There's also a little bit of 4th-wall breaking, with files left on your desktop and other things I won't spoil. I'd say it's worth playing through once.

Cap.Barbabruna
Cap.Barbabruna

10 minutes after I finished the story I tried to wrote a long and marvelous comment but the only thing I truly have to say is after the ending is I felt myself dirty..... and I like that!

LudaMudaxd
LudaMudaxd

That game is the perfection :)

Earnest
Earnest

An honest description of this game would be:

A buggy mess.
Epilepsy seizure inducing maching.
Child abuse porn.

I'm afriad I'm not sicko enough to play this.

Teejay_z
Teejay_z

I absolutely loved this game and the mysterious story in it. I am so glad a friend recommended it to me. 10 out of fucking 10.

Corvus Dove
Corvus Dove

Games simulate something. They tell stories. This software does all of these things but somehow does not qualify as a game.

And when it's over, you will be watched.

kidbot899
kidbot899

A highly disturbing masterpiece based on an even more disturbing killer. Going in to this game, I knew it would be dark and disturbing but i still wasnt prepared for what awaited. From the trippy graphics to the music I was captivated by the get go. While the movement was kind of annoying, it provided a sense of unease. At first, I felt bad for Hamilton, and in a way I still do, but at the same time I am repulsed and horrified by his actions. Upon finishing the game, I looked up the man this game was based on and I must say, this game is fairly tame compared to the true acts of violence the man committed and yet, it is fitting in the way that it makes the player feels. With out spoiling it, I will say his second kill will stick in my brain for a long time an that particular part of the game was so disturbing and so sad that I dont think I will ever forget it. I can not say that I recommend playing this, and I certainly never will play it again, but as Steam doesnt have a star system and only a yes/no recommend system, I must say I do so that people dont think the game is trash. It is a true masterpiece. Disturbing and Depressing but a masterpiece nonetheless.

IAmThePonch
IAmThePonch

This is a rough one for me. As a point and click horror adventure game, it's extremely simplistic. As an experimental version of horrifying real life events, it's a super mixed bag.

First, the game play. There's not much to it. Points of interest are easily seen in the environments. Puzzles are extremely simple, with maybe one about halfway through being mildly tricky, but nothing in here is going to tax your brain.

Second, the game looks quite nice. The art style for the characters in particular pops off the screen, and there are several moments later on that are difficult to unsee.

Now let's get to the storytelling. This is based off an incredibly heinous real life killer from the early 1900's known as Hamilton Albert Fish. Reading about the crimes he committed is absolutely gut churning. And the game attempts to make this an almost biopic in the same sense as The Elephant Man, in that it's pretty surreal and goes to some weird places.
The problem for me is that the places it goes feels forced as hell. All of the characters that Hamilton speaks to in game are composed almost entirely of inane babbling about fate and how he "is destined" to become who he becomes. And not only that, but a major character he sees is designed in such an obvious and heavy handed way that it almost made me roll my eyes.

Now, look, I'm no stranger to messed up stories. I've spent the past year and a half reading the bibliography of Jack Ketchum, and as anyone who has read him will tell you, you won't be able to unsee any of the books he's written. Something he smartly does is make you understand the antagonists of his books. He doesn't defend their monstrous actions, but he at least fleshes them out into complete, three dimensional characters. I THINK Masochisia was going for something similar, but the fact of the matter is that it tries to make Hamilton sympathetic, and I'll tell you why in this spoiler filled paragraph:

A big thing in the trial of Fish for the kidnapping, rape, and murder and subsequent cannibalisation of Grace Budd, a very young girl, was that he pled insanity, saying that he was told by angels and voices to commit such awful crimes. AND THAT IS THE WHOLE PREMISE THIS GAME IS BASED AROUND. It's trying to paint a picture of someone struggling with who they were, when, I'm sorry, but when you read the details of the case, you know he was just trying to save his own skin. It turns out that the game is attempting to bite off way more than it can chew by posing questions about fate and destiny. It just comes off as pretentious and in very bad taste. And look, yes, he was horrendously abused as a child, but most abuse victims don't do anything on the level that Fish did. Was Fish wrong in the head? Most likely. Do I think he believes angels were telling him to do it? Fuck no. The fact that the game tries to pose such "big" questions in the framework of this murderer hangs over the few things that this game does right, and quite frankly its understanding of mental health and reliance on hack "surrealism" techniques such as in between level psychologist sessions (which Silent Hill Shattered Memories did 100X better) and having characters appear in random places at random times just leaves me feeling like I watched someone jerk off for 100 minutes- there were a few interesting parts but on the whole it is an undesirable mess and nothing that hasn't been done before and better.

For the few things the story does right- there's a well known guide that shows the various Easter eggs directly referencing real life facts of the case that is pretty neat and shows this case is one the developer knows very well. There are a few scenes that really stand out, with one particular one sticking in my mind for being genuinely upsetting.

But for me, its writing is simply not strong enough to achieve its admittedly lofty ambitions. It's not an inherently bad idea- the best of dark fiction and true crime non fiction helps people understand why someone might do the awful things they do. But with the way it was executed here, it left a very bad taste in my mouth. And at the end of the day, ignoring my personal feelings on the matter, it simply is not a story told very well. It has a small handful of moments, but on the whole, I would say skip this one.

thatwriterguy
thatwriterguy

A truly hellish experience.
To say Masochisia is a game about pain would be an understatement, its a game about torture.
Playing this creation feels like dipping a finger into the black pit of humanity, the stain lingers.
I will never forget this game.

It's Bread
It's Bread

I love psychological horror, but this didn't really hit the mark. It was a graphic and gory game, sure, but it seemed like too many of the elements that you're supposed to ponder are lost. It would have worked better as a graphic novel, without the suggestion that you could "change your fate" because it adds a conflicting tone to the story trying to be told; where you say one thing but do another because the story and ending is linear.

Loved the art, loved the music, loved the gore, but the execution of it being a game was... janky? I ran into a few bugs and the map was quite confusing.

All-in-all it was not a bad game, but it's not on my recommendation list.

Lurple
Lurple

Disturbing, especially if you’re familiar with the real story. The gameplay isn’t much, the but atmosphere is good. Recommended, but only for those looking for something very dark.

Necrobern
Necrobern

(Mentioning minor spoilers) The game can be summarized as a visual novel where forces you to pick moral choices in a very dark scenario. It is quite short, but keeps pulling your strings in almost every single scenario and conversation to see if you go along or against the cast. It also increases the creep factor with some small interactions in your PC, and that might upset some people. However, from almost the few seconds your start the game you'll get jumpscares here and there, and not only are plenty in number but in my opinion unnecessary in many situations.

Since can be beaten in arround an hour is worth giving it a try. The game has a good atmosphere and despite its simplicity as a "make your choice" novel with some very basic animations and premise it can still get some players by surprise.

Nice
Nice

Falling somewhere between walking simulator and adventure game, Masochisia is....a thing. Not a particularly easy to review thing because truthfully there ain't much game in this game. And any discussion of what goes on in a game that is 99% story will inherently be something of a spoiler.

I'll try to keep it fairly vague: You play from the POV of a fella of indeterminate age named Hamilton. Hamilton lives unhappily with his family in a creepy house near a valley and a creek. His father is a drunken abusive sadist. His mother is an abusive broken shell of a woman. His brother Walter is essentially a member of Slipknot. How could anyone emerge from such a background with either sanity or humanity intact?

Well, a heartbreakingly large number of people have done exactly that over the years, actually. Hamilton...not so much. He copes by popping pills and doing non-OSHA approved things with needles. Oh, and he's made some friends. They're not particularly pleasant, but then again nothing in this game is.

You remember that glut of games that came out post-The Stanley Parable that made a point of monkeying with players' expectations of agency in very meta ways? You know—Undertale, SUPERHOT, Pony Island, that kind of stuff? Masochisia is one of those, but it's chasing something more dramatically-focused. There's lots in here about destiny vs. choice, and the game clearly wants to emotionally implicate the player in the nasty goings-on in a Funny Games sort of way which I...ultimately find unconvincing as much more than another dramatic tool, but it is admittedly a tool that's being put to good use here. Game's only about 2 hours long, but the experience is engrossing and despite my questions re: exactly how much agency the player has here, the ending manages the neat trick of feeling both inevitable and satisfying.

But I like the music, the art style is consistent and thoughtful (if unpleasant), and the whole affair's dripping with an atmosphere of dread that's very effective. Just walking across a room feels oppressive. Usually jump scares make me giggle—these made me jolt and didn't take me out of the experience (the opposite actually), and I suspect the atmosphere has almost everything to do with why.

Do I recommend this? Fucked if I know. I don't regret spending however much I actually spent on the game, and for the most part I enjoyed my time with it. So I guess I'm clicking YES, because it ultimately made me feel horrible—which is specifically the experience I paid up to have—marred only by a few issues of gameplay jank and narrative wank. You'll probably hate it though.

Lumps
Lumps

Really nice experience. For some reason it reminded me of Coraline...

Anyways, the plot was nothing like Coraline but it was still really good, so if you're into these sorts of things check this one out, it's short and worth the small price

Tabasco.ace
Tabasco.ace

This might be considered a spoiler, but it should have somehow been said or mentioned in the games description: The game kinda breaks the fourth wall, and also leaves text documents on your desktop. This might have been okay, similar to some other games like Undertale and OneShot, but this game felt a bit too creepy about it. Also, the game has you brutally murder an innocent child, then chop up their body and burn their clothes. Not really what I was expecting from this game, and honestly I don't think it was very appropriate to put into a game at all.
I'm sorry for the negative review, but maybe it will help someone.

Madash
Madash

i liked the atmosphere and style but i couldn't be arsed to finish it because of something very basic....the movement. It was just too slow and boring and being forced to go back and forth for something unknown is dumb.

LootRat
LootRat

Visionary game.
Makes me rethink my life's choices.
Chop bodies.
Then burn evidence.

Dr Mutilated
Dr Mutilated

I enjoyed this game. It's one hell of a unique game.

Chlora_Virgo
Chlora_Virgo

For quiet some time I wanted to play Masochisia and I liked it a lot.
Here's my dissection. Please, beware, spoilers are present in the second part of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oP3FrY5OxU

It's a very decent game that has really strong narrative. Recommend to check it out!

AaToSMeD
AaToSMeD

I was bored. Wasn't interesting for me.

Murder Mom
Murder Mom

Demonization of mental illness, now with HD sound effects of child dismemberment!

A game can be gruesome and enjoyable, but good golly this was not it for me... A plot twist at the end, or at least, the realization I made (Spoilers: That this was based off of true crime ) painted the whole scene as exaggeratory and disrespectful.

VileIguana
VileIguana

Uniquely disturbing. It doesn't take long to finish but for the price this game is definitely worth it. One of those games that will leave you thinking about it for a long time, and wishing there were more like it. If It's on sale, don't even think twice just buy it and play it.

MickeyG42
MickeyG42

This was, without a doubt, one of the best games I have ever played. I tried to think about and rationalize each decision, trying to change my fate. In the end, what can we do but follow our path. Excellent game, I look forward to your next project.

not_imposter_lynx
not_imposter_lynx

Yes, the game is disturbing. I don't recommend watching or playing it if you're battling ptsd of physical or mental violence or are very sensitive considering those topics.

Aside from that I FELT this game. The story is tragic and the characters relatable in a way or two. Music is well matched, art is beautiful but twisted and intense.

The game definitely has a replay value value which I can appreciate (although I will need a short break).

If you've ever played something like The Cat Lady you may "enjoy" this, that is, I recommend this game. Again with big trigger warning.

Vinnie
Vinnie

Amazing Amazing -Disturbing a little bit- AMAZING!

キルケー
キルケー

There are two sides to this game, one is impressive, almost breathtaking, very well done and the other feels like just gaps filled with a rather cheap material from some kind of psychology school book just to make it all work together. Still, it's not the game's content, but what can it help you to see inside, that makes it unforgettable.

jake_the_great
jake_the_great

Check this one out, then check your desktop
surprisingly creepy without relying on jumpscares

Kaeysa
Kaeysa

Great story. Great creepy atmosphere. Art is wonderful. Overall, it's a wonderful game.

Anonymous
Anonymous

This game was great! I've never played anything quite like it. It was a quick game and kept the tension high the whole time, which isn't always easy in the horror genre. I highly recommend this one if you like dark, engrossing and unique horror games.

Zombi3fred
Zombi3fred

A pretty creepy point an click game.
The atmosphere, the art design and especially the soundtrack are really f*cking good.
It is based on the serial killer Albert fish.
Overall an interesting experience I don't regret.
I still reccomend to take it on sale because it is really short.

Parafoxical
Parafoxical

CONTENT WARNING: This game is about real life serial killer Albert Fish, and it uses the names and likenesses of two of his real victims. It also deals with domestic abuse and child abuse.

That should be the Developers Note, not their very inadequate 'Masochisia is an experimental take on psychological horror games as a narrative. Individuals struggling with depression, abuse or mental illness may be uncomfortable with some of the themes. The experience is intended for mature audiences.' , 'Based on a true story.' and the content warning of 'This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: General Mature Content'.

People can call it brilliant, clever, breathtaking or any other number of compliments, but in my opinion it's in extremely poor taste. I'm a huge horror buff and I have high tolerance for dark themes and gore but as far as I'm concerned 'games' like this cross a line that should never be crossed, taking real life tragedies and turning them into so called entertainment. If you're interested in the psychology of serial killers there is a humanly decent way to learn about it without turning to your gaming platforms.

AG Stradivarius
AG Stradivarius

This game is definitely very disturbing. The atmosphere and story are awesome. The art style is disturbing yet really good. I really like (no spoilers) some special stuff the game does, that was really neat. The only thing I really hated was the movement and going through the "maps". That was really annoying. Other than that, the game was really disturbing, with really tense music yet I enjoyed it.

thatlittleghost
thatlittleghost

Very nice. I mean, it's gore, disturbing, and probably inspired by Albert Fish, real-life psycho. I loved it.

Dr. Jones
Dr. Jones

Fucking psycho. I love it. The game has this one bug where you lose items if you load the game after closing it so you have to get them back but it's ok.

TampaxHero
TampaxHero

Boring....just boring. all these positive reviews about how scary and messed up this is must be coming from kids. the story drags, the dialogue seems to be made up, and dont get me started on the constant back and forth scrolling. yes its based on a true story, but it seems they only took the reported acts and then created and story around it. this is way more supernatural than previous reviews or the game itself admits

plasticlunchbox
plasticlunchbox

** This is by no means for everyone, if you are easily bothered by sensitive content/subjects, beware. You will encounter brutally disturbing situations that become even more intense as you learn the truth about the game.**

Now with that out of the way, I 100% recommend you give this a try. It left me utterly shocked and expectations were blown through the roof. As a fan of psychological horror, I can certainly say this is a wonderful representation of what a thrilling and impactful playthrough should consist of within the community. Masochisia leaves your mind in shambles as you follow the poetically charged visual narrative. Not only is the dialogue tasteful, but the hidden messages and references are very interesting. It is complemented with unique art styles and puzzles to keep you engaged.

As is disclaimed at the start, it is based on a true story. I highly suggest you play through the entire game before researching the background. It will only make you appreciate it even more as all the little pieces start to fall in place. I am astounded by its authenticity and ability to place you in the perspective of such a corrupt individual. It really provides a grim but insightful viewpoint of human depravity in this world.

I have seen similar games of this manner fall into an unhealthy portrayal of the core theme, almost glorifying and trivializing it. This game absolutely does not do that. It is developed in a way that can depict a gruesome thought process you can experience/enjoy, but still iterate its horrors and bring awareness. There are people that will reach beneath the layers and pry our foundations of trust, just to make room for their manipulative motives to seep in and gain an advantage. There are people who will use a false sense of righteousness and belief to justify their moral ambiguity. There are people who will use you as a pawn to get what they desire. These points are typically universally understood, and of course this doesn't account for all. although, it is always good to be reminded so you can safely approach reality with a cautious mindset.

I wholeheartedly place this game in the top ranks of my all-time favorites.

"Who will I kill? Do the names really matter? It wasn't about who they were, but rather what they are."

TomaszPL95
TomaszPL95

That's some proper nightmare fuel if I've ever seen some. It's super creepy to enter the shoes of someone as mentally disturbed as this game's character and the art style and sound effects don't make it any easier. The atmosphere is thick, dark and beautifully schizoid. What is real? What is but an illusion produced by a deranged mind? You'll know in the end. Probably. Maybe. Kinda? You've got this. Or not.

Cyborg Slave 4 Satan
Cyborg Slave 4 Satan

I would have played it longer, but this game freaks me the HELL out in the best way possible. Cool aesthetics, great audio, and a neat story (thus far). I hope another game like it is in the works!

fragkitten
fragkitten

Disclaimer: Take my review with a grain of salt as I'm just one of those people with a family history that is dark as obsidian. As a survivor of both childhood abuse and assault, this game was not for me at all.

I can see and appreciate what the Devs were trying to do here, but many of the images and most of the script hit a bit too close to home so this is a great big NOPE from me. It was really hard to hit the down thumb on this. But I can't recommend it as horror.

I'm familiar with the story of Albert Fish, having spent some time learning about serial killers for a paper I had to write. His story in particular was one that I could barely stomach.

I won't be refunding this title because aside from the content that made me queasy, the artwork is nice and I didn't run into any bugs at all. The small amount that I played ran smoothly and I was able to figure out how to move around, explore, and use items without much trouble. The game itself is good.

Part of me had always wondered what a horror game based on Albert Fish would be like. I feel like this one missed the horror mark that I was looking for. I wasn't afraid, I was nauseous because I had to listen to a child being beaten and begging for mercy. Not my cup of tea at all.

Again, I appreciate what they were trying to do-- I just can't stomach an experience that forces me to sit through child abuse. Games should be fun, not traumatizing.

psychological
psychological

10/10 Hidden Gem.

fun fact: i studied psychology

Vequiur
Vequiur

深度剖析式马后炮心理疏导,只要全程保持冷静走心体验并认真选择每一项对话并且努力注意流程诱导和暗示信息,玩到自己选择的流程结尾确实能说得通,心理分析拿捏到位。但真的是马后炮式的心理分析,介于游戏源于真实案件的制作背景,既不能太认真也不能肆意妄为。还是三观独立最重要,可能这样《Masochisia》作为游戏的界线也就划清了。

weirdokay
weirdokay

upon finishing the game for the first time i was completely floored by it in its entirety. what an incredible game. i cannot recommend this game enough. thanks so much to Oldblood. i very much look forward to their other & future works.

TokyoNova.EXE
TokyoNova.EXE

I've played through this game many times and still get a feeling from it that I've never gotten out of a point & click. It's dark, and it's intense, but never in a way that feels shallow or cheap. The emotion in this game is genuine, and quite honestly it helped give me a therapeutic escape through some really hard times. The story is thought-provoking and certainly well written, the world is pretty and unique, and the characters are captivating. The music is also placed well and fitting for the atmosphere. The CRT effect is a nice touch as well, and is applied in a way that adds personality, where other games might try to use a similar effect and leave me with nothing more than a headache. This was made with care, and appropriately approaches heavy topics with a morbidly intriguing sense of creative style.

devilnewmexico66
devilnewmexico66

I don't think I've ever felt so heavy after anything like I have with this game. You're thrown into the shoes of a very tortured person in way that immerses you- drowns you- in voices that you may not want to hear, and challenges your moral compass. It's obvious the developer has taken time and careful consideration to tell this thought-provoking narrative in a way that is explicit, but incredibly transparent and raw; And with that, the visuals and sounds beautifully compliment.
The only critisism of this game is within it's technical design; I had to reset as a key item would disappear from the inventory if I logged in the session later, which took me out of the story a little.
Overall, Masochisia is a compelling, hard-hitting narrative that leaves a powerful mark.

sakura
sakura

i bought this game on sale because i like story-rich p&c with interesting graphics.

the video and pictures on the store page look better than the actual game. i liked the landscapes but the characters are not as interesting-looking as i hoped. the scenes are pretty static even for a p&c game.

the dialogues are not voiced. this always reduces the worth for me of a story-led game unless it's as perfect in every other aspect as fran bow. either the story of this game wasn't good enough to redeem the lack of voices or the lack of voices made the story less alive, i didn't find it very interesting.

there are bugs and if you're unlucky like me, you can't finish the game. it seems some people make an effort and succeed to get past it, but it happened to me closer to the end and by the time i couldn't be bothered. i just watched the end in a walkthrough video for the sake of seeing the ending.

Big Hat Paul
Big Hat Paul

Gross, unsettling and sort of based on a true story. If you're weak to gore and children involved in... incidents... I'd stay away. Otherwise, check it out.

19rachelhb
19rachelhb

This is a nasty little game. There's a lot of sick stuff in here, as expected for a game based on Albert Fish, but it doesn't feel gratuitous (maybe besides the early sound-effects of a kid being beaten - that really got me, and I could have done without). It's definitely one of the more unsettling games I've ever played.

A note: I had a game-stopping bug that prevented me from finishing for a while, but after a few months I returned and found I could complete the game, so the devs must have fixed it.

de la Nae
de la Nae

Recommended, albeit with some vague hesitation.

Junaily᠌ ⁧⁧3/>
Junaily᠌ ⁧⁧3/>

[b]At first it was just atmospheric and a little creepy, but then this game threw me onto the desktop and broke the fourth wall :с Oh, I LOVE IT

angrymurash
angrymurash

The game is great but it is bugged so I could not play it to the end.
You can't pass warehouse guardian because you don't have anough items.
Refund...

Ledfox
Ledfox

Somewhat spooky story, but short and uninspired point-and-click gameplay.

There are lots of scares available on Steam and I don't really consider this one of them.

ShinOnna
ShinOnna

This is an awkward "recommendation", because I am aware that this game will make many of my point-and-click allies feel unpleasantly awkward.

The game is an experience which I personally liked. There are issues, of course, but as a whole, at the end of the game I feel like it was worth the time I spent on it.

PROs:
Variety of characters
Maze-like map maneuvering
Picturesque backgrounds
Contrasting, sketchy character designs
Atmospheric noises and sounds
Curious representation of popular topics (the Devil, Death, Life and Mental Health)

CONs:
Lack of character development
Not knowing when you're choosing an important answer and action that can change or limit your gameplay
Not enough information about the thread-changing choice-system
Too much legwork
Mental health seems to be represented a bit lightheartedly, while the game itself goes for the grotesque
Too easy

This said, I had a guilty pleasure of enjoying it.
I'll gladly future projects of the studio to see where they go from here on.

Fuyuhiko
Fuyuhiko

Super short, and buggy as hell. Never thought a point and click game could be this buggy. But overall it left a good impression on me. Recommended

if you cant figure out how to enter the warehouse... its a bug, reload the cahpter

Bee
Bee

I have nothing really to say, other than that this game is worth giving a go if the gruesome subject matter is something you can stomach. Entertaining, disturbing, and just a lil bit spooky. Didn't love the jumpscares but I appreciated that they actually seemed to have somewhat of a purpose other than pure shock value.

Dienes
Dienes

Exceptionally short, with little story and next to no puzzles. The story is surface level and isn't redeemed by the twists. It has clever moments but isn't enough for the price - get it while its on sale.

kbarrett_90
kbarrett_90

Excellent game. The way it ended was so unique. I thought it was a glitch at first. Loved it. Wish it was longer.

Ronny Dibble
Ronny Dibble

I don't want to spoil anything so I'll keep this short. I was spooked from beginning to end, and I wasn't disappointed. It's an unsettling interactive story which I found to be super creepy and memorable.

Milk ♡
Milk ♡

I am probably on some kind of list now because of the things I chose to do in this game. 10/10 fine family fun.

Ender
Ender

Well that was fucked up... Now I'm going to go read more about Albert Fish and get even more disturbed.

Wheat Rat
Wheat Rat

Hard to recommend, and strongly disturbing. However, if you can stomach it there's a dark and foreboding story there about the child that would become the Werewolf of Wisteria.

MsLatina
MsLatina

This game was surprisingly nice , the story is well written and also a bit crazy with the slurs ... also the ending could of have been delivered better but it is what it is . 3 out 5 stars. Cheers

Encolpius
Encolpius

Great game I played a couple years ago i think. I came back to see if they'd made anything else and thought i'd leave a good review.

babydolldaydreams
babydolldaydreams

Super creepy game with an awesome art style. The subject matter is disturbing, but I enjoy games with dark themes. I really hope this developer makes more games in this style. The characters and even the trees in the game look uniquely drawn.

There are some typos in the dialogue, but nothing too bad. Also, I'm not sure if it was my mouse or if it's just a little difficult to go scroll from side to side in the game. Sometimes you need to have it positioned just right for it to work.

Other than that, I enjoyed the game. Please read the warnings of the game before you play if you're not used to games with such dark themes. :)

FeanorsCurse
FeanorsCurse

The atmosphere is pretty good, but overall I don't think there really is much of gameplay at all, and for a walking simulator doesn't work. Can't say much about how it ends because at one time the game just broke and got stuck. A scene is supposed to play but it just doesn't.

tsevech
tsevech

Certainly fascinating, however there's virtually no actual gameplay. The game is so short that it might only be worth buying only if it is strongly discounted.

Gehenna
Gehenna

This game is so old now, that i hardly spoil anything with saying - read up on the real story, and this somehow just becomes all the more f'ed up.
Amazing game, i wish oldblood would have made more in the same vein so to speak.