The scores so far
Noisy Pixel: 8.5/10
- Verdict: “Great” — reviewed on PS5, October 2026.
- Praise: the horror narrative, the way the game weaponizes farming-sim habits, and genuinely terrifying yokai encounters that reward observation.
- Criticism: a slow ~8-hour opening, forced story decisions (like breaking curfew), and uneven depth between systems.
Steam players: Very Positive
- 91% positive across 670 all-time reviews at launch week; recent reviews even warmer.
- Players echo the critics: strong atmosphere and sound design against a deliberate early-game pace.
Related coverage: Siliconera called it “a delightful mix of horror and farming,” and the Automaton interview framed the design goal as creating unease rather than classic horror tropes.
What reviewers actually praise
- The two-faced structure — cozy day loop, dread-filled nights — lands. The best ideas (yokai gates, candle sellers, curfew tension) only exist after dark.
- Sound design: ASMR-like ambience and calm seasonal tracks punctuated by unsettling night knocks. No voice acting, and reviewers didn’t miss it.
- Hunting depth: bait-and-trap per animal is the most intricate system, and mastering it feels earned.
- Sunshine Mode: reviewers appreciate that a no-horror option exists, even those who think it misses the point.
What holds it back
The consistent criticisms are pacing and agency: the long story-first opening, story-mandated rule-breaking, and uneven system depth (elaborate hunting next to simplistic tool upgrades — some upgrade materials are store-only). None of the critics called these dealbreakers; all of them called them real.
For the buying-decision version of this analysis, see is it a horror game? — and for length expectations, how long to beat.