Loved the haunting aesthetic, made more terrifying by the adoption of the PS1 art style which just added an integral layer to what makes this game so frightening. It reminded me quite a bit of the old "haunted" video game essays that used to come out of Nexpo.

It can be a little janky, but I feel like it adds to the charm, staying true to form given what the game is trying to go for in terms of being inspired by the fifth generation of gaming. Solid direction, very eerie and macabre in it's execution. One of the better walking simulators I've played and a very solid indie game I'm surprised hasn't been talked about as much. Would like to see more from this studio.

this game wonderfully executed the descent of madness in solitude. while i haven't played the other endings, i was quite satisfied with what i did experience. i plan to go back and replay for the rest.

the art style is wonderful. it's hard to go wrong with low poly, as many mainstream games neglect it in favor of high definition 3D models. but what i've always admired about low poly 3D styles was texture over detail. they manage to do this without making the environment monotonous. at times, the texture can be muddied, especially in the more horror sections but this is so little of the time that it's easily forgivable.

the game never rushes you to continue on, and for the most part they make it clear when progression will occur. it felt very self-motivated. i liked taking my time to check the island for any secrets that lay hidden.

the part that people complained about most was the camera. but to be honest it was a matter of figuring out how it worked (which did not take long). so i think people just have a common misunderstanding and write it off as horrible controls without even giving it a try. after learning exactly what changed, the chases became kind of fun. i feel the worst part was the filter, but even then it wasn't a big deal.

while i have not completed the rest of the endings, i adored the story. its slow start ramping up into a nightmare was one of its best qualities. it intentionally keeps some parts vague, but less of a pretentious way and more of a way to leave up to interpretation. so fun and so underrated

Really caught me by surprise. I got it being a fan of the Robert Egger's Lighthouse film, but this really stands on its own and goes in a direction you don't expect.

First of all, it has probably one of the most unique experiences I've had playing a game which is having a second person controlled section where you are running away from something, but in the perspective of what's chasing you. This was so out there and cool and it really sold you on the mystery of what was chasing you. I really loved it.

And in general the atmosphere of this game is a knockout. And there's tons of minor moments and missable Easter eggs that reward exploration.,

The game's narrative is really abstract and hard to follow, but it is still engaging and it goes in some crazy directions.

The last third of the game feels a little weak to me, once you figure out what's going on. It sort of turns into a generic DOOM type shooter for a moment, but even this isn't too bad because there are many ways the story can go just from that event. I will also say it is worth replaying the game, but it can be a bit of a slog having to repeat the same events as before.

This is a great horror game and one I would highly highly suggest. I went through it and 100%ed the whole thing with all achievements. When I do that, the game is worth it

If you watched and liked Robert Egger's brilliant The Lighthouse, you'll love this game, right? Well, kinda.

Visually and atmospherically, NOLUL is a gorgeously realized game. The low fidelity PS1-esque graphics perfectly complement the lonely experience of being a lightkeeper stranded in a seemingly desert island and, to its credit, most of the horror elements stem from its creepy ambiance rather than cheap jumpscares. There's a deeply unsettling feeling of diligently doing your everyday chores with the looming sensation there something's terribly wrong but you can't quite put your finger on it.

Story. This is where NOLUL loses a lot of its shine. While its plot is intriguing and leaves you feeling satisfied by the end, you probably won't experience it to its full extent by yourself. Unfortunately, this is one of those games with multiple endings that require you to look up a guide because the (very few) hints are excessively cryptic and not enough for you to figure out everything by yourself.

The plot itself is also told in a purposefully disconnected, non-linear way and its obscure overtones get easily lost because of just how little guidance there is. And this is coming from someone who's used to being challenged by the media I consume.

While I appreciate the dev's vision, I can't help but think this could've been a much better game if it focused more on the first aspects of my review (intresting atmosphere, psychological horror) rather than the latter (needlessly convoluted story). Play it for the vibes, if nothing else.

Pretty decent! Have not really played a quick 2 hour game like this in ages (and maybe never in the modern indie horror space), and as an experience in gradually intensifying vibes this does its job fine. The last third in particular gives just enough new context and questions to make an impact, although in general I do find all the component thematic parts here a bit slight. There’s nothing wrong with something narratively opaque, I just don’t think the ideas here really suggest much beyond their semi-surprising coexistence together. The act of trying to figure out where to find an item to interact with something to progress further is often more tedious than not too. Still though, I can’t be too mad at something that pulls through with a rare second person camera perspective.

NOLUL (Lighthouse) is a simple game that holds a great atmosphere, that's probably because of the stylized PSX visuals and great sound. You're the sole keeper and that solitude makes even the slightest happening have impact on you.

As you progress you'll have to adjust to the uncomfortable presence but whatever is fucking with you will ramp it up faster than you can cope.

The plot itself is obscured and it won't be easy for you to comprehend the full mystery without replays, but after trying to replay I found that the eerie situations don't have much staying power and you'll feel like you're going through the motions again until you see a chance to act differently in this playthrough. It is a short game but replays don't even come close to the first trial in terms of immersion, which is a shame since the first time experience is great and I wish it was more bearable to re-run and explore the mystery more.

This was the changed director's cut which almost reinvents the entire second half. Looking at the original makes it clear that the changes are net positives but still isn't enough to captivate in subsequent runs.

A horror game full of incredible ideas that end up tragically curtailed due to the game's repetitive nature. You play a lighthouse keeper plagued by strange visions and occurrences as you work the mundane tasks of cranking the rotor handle and refilling the lighthouse oil.

The first day was well-paced and had me excited for the game's overall structure, but by day 2 the game had become a bit of a navigational mess, requiring the player to stroll up and down the small island again and again in search of new objects without much prompting on what to do with them. During this period I nearly bounced off the game.

But without spoiling, the game really ramps up towards its finale, making memorable moments and a better use of its wandering gameplay, but only does so long after the fatigue has set in. If the first half of this title had the thematic inertia of the second, it would have likely been a HUGE hit with me, but I just can't recommend it to anyone but die hard indie-horror fans with the tremendous gameplay wall in the way of the real meat of the story.