Downfall: Redux

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4.3/5

( 27 Reviews )

4.3

27 Reviews

English & 6 more

Overall most helpful review

Posted on: February 16, 2016

TheElderGod

Verified owner

Games: 268 Reviews: 3

A brilliant counterpoint to The Cat Lady

I played the original version of Downfall a few years ago after playing the writer/director’s The Cat Lady. Even then, I thought Downfall contrasted beautifully with the other work. Although both have similar aesthetics, one is a tale of hope, while the other is a tale of utter despair (though it does have sweet and lighthearted moments). The redone version of Downfall retains that contrast and aesthetic while adding in the unique gameplay that made The Cat Lady such a smooth, intuitive experience. While there are a few story elements from the original Downfall that I missed in this updated version, the differences between the two Downfalls just mean that both are worth playing. While I found The Cat Lady more enjoyable overall due to the nature of its story (I’ll leave you to figure out whether it was the one full of hope or the one full of despair!), I’m very glad to have played Downfall and even more glad that this story has now be told with more polished gameplay.

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Posted on: February 16, 2016

Ruhepunkt

Verified owner

Games: 258 Reviews: 1

Good remake, but not another "Cat Lady"

"The Cat Lady" is easily one of the best point and click adventures I ever played- not only because of its immense atmosphere, but also because I loved the well-written plot and the deep characterization of its protagonists, the good soundtrack and its unique graphical style. Its predecessor "Downfall" didn't accomplish that brilliance: Although it was very intriguing, the plot became somewhat unfocused after a while and rushed through many horror cliches, leading to a rather disappointing ending. The characters were not written as good, too and also the puzzles felt somewhat random and did not make much sense at all. So what to expect of the remake? "Downfall Redux" feels just like an update- no more, no less. In fact it stayed very true to its original with some minor tweaks to the story to fit it in the canon of "The Cat Lady" more smoothly and added voice acting, overhauled graphics and new music. The soundtrack is fantastic and brings along haunting Dark Ambient, soft piano pieces and even a really cool Punktune. Characters and animations are much better now, while the mostly greyscale backgrounds of the haunted hotel could get a bit boring sometimes though. I did not like the voiceacting very much either- especially Joe's voice could not convince me. The puzzles are very much like in the original (which is not a plus). Biggest changes in storyline are that Agnes and her role have been slightly altered, while the Queen Of Maggots had a much more "Cat Lady"- like appearance (even with a cool "hush a candle" scene). The horror cliches were turned down a tasteful bit. And there's a cameo of Susan now, too. The endings are quite different and depend on the dialogue choices you made throughout the game. And wow, I LOVED the "buried alive" scene which was redone beautifully! So "Downfall Redux" is a good game after all- but it really doesn't play in the league of a "Cat Lady". If you can accept that you will have some fun for about 6 hours.

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Posted on: February 21, 2016

MasterProg

Verified owner

Games: 197 Reviews: 1

Great if you get past bad voice acting

The strongest parts of the game are its visual style, story and music. Voice acting, especially in the prologue, is quite bad. If you can get used to the voice acting, this game offers a great experience for around 6 hours. If you've played the orignal Downfall or The Cat Lady, you'll definitely like this one.

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Posted on: August 14, 2019

Confuzed.

Verified owner

Games: 512 Reviews: 15

Strong Horror Game, Falls Short

A horror adventure game with a strong atmosphere and an artistic look on characters and their relationships. The visual style really accentuates the creepiness and the disgust that the game wants you to feel. Part of one of the strongest contemporary horror series around, this title does not let down. You come to care about the characters and about what the outcome will be for everyone, but these outcomes are where I believe the game falls short. Not in the "well this isn't what I wanted" way, but in the "seriously? These are the endings?" way. But that's my take, and I definitely encourage anyone reading this to try it out and come to their own conclusion!

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Posted on: April 20, 2021

ARIADNETZN

Verified owner

Games: 183 Reviews: 4

Good but flawed (minor spoilers included)

I am a big fan both of The Cat Lady and the original version of Downfall. I view these two games as complimentary to each other, the former being the positive outcome of a grim horror story while the latter does its best to crush your soul. So when I first found out about this remake, I was extremely excited. The Positives -The game looks amazing. The graphics have improved dramatically since TCL and I wish they were able to print an artbook because I would buy it immediately. -Great soundtrack. Both the piano based tracks and the various songs that play throughout the game are exactly how they need to be. -Some interesting puzzles that are, thankfully, not impossible to figure out, a big flaw in many games of the adventure genre. Harvester games focused more on the story and less on riddle-solving and I think that works splendid. -Lots of gore. If you enjoy body horror Downfall has quite a lot of it and I love it for that reason. -No animal murders this time around. This was by far the least likeable part of the original game and TCL and I am thankful to not have to deal with it again. The Negatives -The voice acting. With a few exceptions (namely Agnes, Ivy, the Queen of Maggots, the Good Corpses and Susan) the rest of the cast is quite underwhelming. I love Jesse Gunn's music, he is a deeply charismatic singer and musician and his guest appearance on TCL was great. I don't know why but unfortunately his performance here is subpar. -Some of the story changes did not leave a good taste in my mouth. I loved the pessimism of the first game and I wish this remake did not try to add a more positive twist to the plot. -A little on the short side, especially if you are do not try to get all the endings. Overall this is a good sequel to The Cat Lady. If you enjoy horror and/or adventure games I highly recommend it.

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