Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle
Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle
Game
Game2019
Daymare: 1998
Developer Invader Studios
Daymare: 1998 is a third-person survival horror game developed by Invader Studios and published by Destructive Creations and All In! Games on September 17, 2019, for Microsoft Windows, and on April 28, 2020, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A prequel, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle, was released in August 2023. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
258 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
57
Mixed
107 positive · 81 negative
95% range 50–64%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 107 | 81 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 16 | 3 | 42 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mixed
1,076 of 1,639 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
58% recommend · 108 yes, 78 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 186 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mixed (2,969 of 4,308 positive).
Players say it captures the atmosphere and nostalgia of late-'90s survival horror games. [1][2][3] Many note it has clunky controls, bugs, and poor voice acting. [1][4][5][6] Some find it a decent Resident Evil clone for a low price. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
I am giving this one a no right off the bat. The game was marketed as a throw back to 1990's horror games, and it does not have the same feel, not even remotely, this is a clunky, sluggish, cheap, rendition of the newer Resident Evil remakes with a half stolen plot line from the terrible movies. Yes it will have many throwbacks to the 90's, but they are more references to games and movies from the 90's, the actual …
- [6]
Incredibly clunky and poorly executed Survivor Horror entry, I really wouldn't waste your time on DAYMARE: 1998, I bought this during the last Halloween STEAM sale and had deliberately postponed playing it because of the negative reviews, but took the leap because I wanted to scratch that Survival Horror itch. The game is absolutely riddled with bugs, poorly implemented and frustrating mechanics, atrocious voice …
- [1]
Pros. It perfectly captures the atmosphere and nostalgia of late-'90s survival horror games. Cons. It also perfectly captures the clunky controls and frustrations that came with them.
- [2]
Honestly i am having a great time with this game. The dark, eerie atmosphere really pulls you in, and it's got that classic survival horror feel. Creeping through pitch-black halls with just a flashlight feels nerve racking in the best way. The enemies are genuinely creepy, and the scares hit just right without feeling cheap. Daymare: 1998 keeps the pressure on, making every encounter a tense fight for survival. …
- [7]
It's ok-ish. You have to start somewhere when making games. This is very obviously inspired by Resident Evil & it does some parts well & other parts are miserable. The voice acting is some of the worst you will ever hear AND I understand that this game was done on a budget so you have to make cuts somewhere. I had the most fun w/ the gameplay & the level design isn't too bad. I paid 2 bucks for the game & I finished …
Summarised from 34 of the 256 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Daymare: 1998 sits at 57% positive across 188 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Daymare: 1998 received "mixed or average reviews" from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received weak approval, being recommended by only 18% of critics. IGN Italy gave it a 6.8, finding it to be a difficult game, which tried to live up to the hype and ambition of its developers while at the same time presenting very good ideas that deserved greater attention. The experience was mentioned as the one with flaws that often outweighed the strengths, with the possibility that a sequel would find its rightful place. Multiplayer.it noted that Daymare: 1998 is a well-made survival horror game that, although…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 258 · most liked firstMy review of Daymare Town, the latest first-person point-and-click phantasmagoria by Mateusz Skutnik. A gorgeously weird and captivating sojourn through a creepy pen-and-ink fugue state, full of uniquely odd creatures and surreal settings. adventuregamehotspot.com/review/5634/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Pros. It perfectly captures the atmosphere and nostalgia of late-'90s survival horror games. Cons. It also perfectly captures the clunky controls and frustrations that came with them.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best first era RE clones with modern quality of life features and enough options to customize your play style.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“Fans of Mateusz Skutnik’s unique vision will feel right at home in this compellingly twisted four-game compilation”-Will Aickman reviewed Daymare Town for AGH adventuregamehotspot.com/review/5634/... #indiegame #adventuregame
neutral · AI labelView post →Honestly i am having a great time with this game. The dark, eerie atmosphere really pulls you in, and it's got that classic survival horror feel. Creeping through pitch-black halls with just a flashlight feels nerve racking in the best way. The enemies are genuinely creepy, and the scares hit just right without feeling cheap. Daymare: 1998 keeps the pressure on, making every encounter a tense fight for survival. Definitely a solid pick if you like your horror dark and intense. I'm still…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm super excited to show off our fully textured ships! Our artist has done an amazing job turning board game miniatures into amazing in game ships. Check out his portfolio: www.artstation.com/grubber #gamedev #godot #scifigames #strategygames #screenshotsaturday #daymare
neutral · AI labelView post →Survival horror meets indie charm Daymare: 1998 is clearly and without a doubt inspired by Resident Evil, and it honestly really nails some of that atmosphere and gameplay. The environments are gloomy and creepy, the soundtrack builds tension in all the right ways, and the enemy design is unsettling enough to keep you on edge. It genuinely plays like a weirder version of the RE2/RE3 remakes. It’s not a complete copy though, because it does do some things differently. The inventory and ammo…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Flareon is Playing (Art by Daymare-exc). [Source](https://bsky.app/profile/daymare-exc.bsky.social/post/3maqnai5zd224) (Bluesky)
neutral · AI labelView post →Played this game and I think its overall good. Some real janky gameplay, bugs and a sharp difficulty curve - this game isn't easy by any means especially towards the end. But overall the environments are built well and you can tell a lot of love went into making this game. Good job. Gameplay mechanics are somewhat outdated but if you've been a gamer in the 90s and 2000s this isn't a big deal at all. Voice acting isn't good by any means and the game gets a pass despite that - it's that good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoyed what I played of this game. Sadly a lot of people accuse this game of being a Resident Evil clone but in actuality that game originally started out as a fan remake of Resident Evil 2 before Capcom sent them a cease and desist and then invited them over to the studio so they can give input of RE2 Remake. Then Capcom lent them some staff to help with the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I started a game called Daymare today. It started out as a fan made RE2 remake long before capcom were planning one...and then it got ceased and desisted and adapted into...this And while It definitely has it's share of jank and cheese, it does a great job with it's atmosphere. Looks good too.
neutral · AI labelView post →The weekend arrives and so to does the feature game for the week. Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle @InvaderDevs Grab yourself a copy here store.steampowered.com/app/1530470/... Find out more here voxodyssey.com/daymare-1994... #indiedev #gamedev #indiegame #indiegamedev #indiegames #voxodyssey
neutral · AI labelView post →I can’t recommend this… there are too many things that don’t work as a whole. I understand that this started out as a fan recreation of Resident Evil 2 in Unreal and it can be seen throughout the game as you play where things were repurposed for this game. This is very Resident Evil inspired, from the story to how the game overall plays and looks but this is very unpolished on a basic level. The setting/date is not really there. 1998…? It has references in the form of movie posters, graffiti,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →voice acting is diabolical.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today I Played: Daymare Town Once a flash game series is now an inter-connected Indie ReMasterpiece uniquely hand drawn in Mateusz signature style. If you enjoy the art, the dev Mateusz Skutnik also makes comics and a bunch other games on their website. #indiegames #gog s.team/a/2619240
positive · AI labelView post →The rest of the current batch of game reviews. - Strange Antiquities - Daymare Town - The House of Tesla blog.zarfhome.com/2025/09/post...
neutral · AI labelView post →Blogposts I want to write/have started writing, that I never publish: ANSI colour cubes, How do ICC profiles work, making my own keyboard, EFNW, Fluentflame, our game Double Catch, the beautiful art of Daymare Town, and more. But I have so little energy, and who would read them? Just bots?
neutral · AI labelView post →This is one game that could have been alot better with a little bit more a budget. The gameplay and graphics are on point however everything else suffers especially cutscene quality and character models just look cartoony with their awkward animations. The gunplay is excellent however with a reload system I think other games should implement.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am giving this one a no right off the bat. The game was marketed as a throw back to 1990's horror games, and it does not have the same feel, not even remotely, this is a clunky, sluggish, cheap, rendition of the newer Resident Evil remakes with a half stolen plot line from the terrible movies. Yes it will have many throwbacks to the 90's, but they are more references to games and movies from the 90's, the actual feel of those 90's games, that ammo desperation, that fear of walking around…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's ok-ish. You have to start somewhere when making games. This is very obviously inspired by Resident Evil & it does some parts well & other parts are miserable. The voice acting is some of the worst you will ever hear AND I understand that this game was done on a budget so you have to make cuts somewhere. I had the most fun w/ the gameplay & the level design isn't too bad. I paid 2 bucks for the game & I finished the whole thing. I think it's a decent palate cleanser type of game if you're…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been trying to get through this game since it came out and I just can't do it. Recently I tried to replaying this game after years of ignoring it. I played the prequel game that came out the other year and that was awful so I thought maybe I'll go back to the original and try to beat it and I just cannot get past for the first level it is so poorly made. I just get so bored with this game and it just feels so cheap and poorly made that I just can't finish this game. I just cannot recommend…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's dirty cheap on discount so if you want a knock off RE go for it. Devs tried to innovate a bit and for a few couple of hours it is not that bad. But overall it is not good. Very little enemy / scenario variety. Only 4 kinds of enemies: zombie, tough zombie, spewing zombie and really tough zombie. Kbm controls work fine in battles, but looting is sometimes annoying - you need to catch a certain angle on some items for "take" icon to pop up. Slog in act 4 (out of 5) becomes insane - many…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Daymare: 1988 is a survival horror game that was heavily influenced by Resident Evil franchise to the extent that it has a large amount of references scattered throughout the levels as you continuously try to advance the storyline. The premise is relatively complex and enough to get the party going. However, even though I still recommend this game after I finished the campaign, it has some glaring issues that will probably put off most of the fans of the genre. But first, let's go through…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredibly clunky and poorly executed Survivor Horror entry, I really wouldn't waste your time on DAYMARE: 1998, I bought this during the last Halloween STEAM sale and had deliberately postponed playing it because of the negative reviews, but took the leap because I wanted to scratch that Survival Horror itch. The game is absolutely riddled with bugs, poorly implemented and frustrating mechanics, atrocious voice acting, and one of the worse end-boss fights I've played in recent history.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Chill first person shooter with zombies. It's < $5 right now - it's a no brainer! Pick it up & enjoy. Puzzles are a bit mid to workout but otherwise can't complain for the price!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →S tier - Lufia - Dragon Warrior 3 - Final Fantasy 3 & 7 - Sonic Adventure - The Guardian Legend - Ecco the Dolphin - Silent Hill - Mario Kart - Dark Cloud 2 - Chronotrigger - Zelda: A link to the past - Submachine (flash) A tier - Oddworld, Abe’s Odyssey - Resident Evil: codename Veronica - Banjo Kazooie - Mario RPG - Donkey Kong Country - Earthworm Jim - Battletoads - Wizards and Warriors 2 - Megaman 2 - Populous - One Chance (flash) - Daymare…
neutral · AI labelView post →Tonight I wanted to do a stream, and thanks to my wonderful Lady helping me decide, I'm gonna stream something new that just happens to be a scary game! Daymare 1998! I got it on my PS4, and I figure why not give it a shot? It's a love letter to OG RE games! Gonna see about going live in an hour!
positive · AI labelView post →This is game is quite impressive! I'm a huge Horror fan, Third Person Survival Horror being amongst my favorite genre's of games. This game is a clear nod to Resident Evil, and it executes the concept VERY well! If you enjoy games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Et Cetera; then I do recommend this game! HOWEVER. I want to mention some things first. First, the Good: -Extremely Well Optimized. Not a single frame drop in the hours that I've put in thus far. -A full campaign with multiple…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just finished #Daymare1998 on #PlayStation 5 (PS4 back compat). I had some expectations for this game but it's kind of a janky mess. It has some neat ideas but also some questionable design choices and overall lack of polish. And no performance enhancements (30fps only).
negative · AI labelView post →Daymare Fighter of the Nightmare Champion of the Sun You're the master of Karate And friendship For everyone
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →its ok. its a knock off but its a chill game. it could be better but so could a lot of things. i enjoyed it from start to finish. will never play it again though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sloppy jank and not the good kind There's just a lack of polish that cant be excused and the game takes itself too seriously while getting alot wrong within its own seriousness. I've had this game for a while and every time a try to give it another chance, it quickly reminds me why I always quit playing. Take for example the 1st harder enemy encounter after the cooling room puzzle, they just randomly and unceremoniously throw this enemy in that is not only faster but does more damage in a very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →+ Strong points: - Although stiff, the gameplay is not bad - Puzzles better thought than in any Resident Evil - Some ideas (like Samuel's hallucinations) are interesting - Some detailed environments - Weak points: - Never really manages to free itself from its models - Narration sometimes talkative and often very average - Badly placed checkpoints - Limited bestiary - Only four weapons are available - Artistically inconsistent Summary: Daymare 1998 is a continuation of Resident Evil 2,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Forever-Free Friday] Daymare Cat. Hand-drawn indie platformer for Windows, originally released in 2013 but had an "anniversary edition" QoL update last year. Pay-what-you-want on Itch.io.
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm on Chapter 4 out of 5 and I plan to finish it, but felt compelled to share my review. It's clear the developers have a love for old school survival horror with numerous references to other games. However, the game is barred down by a lot of Unity jankiness. I lost progress a handful of times and had to restart areas because of one glitch or another that stopped my progression (such as going up an elevator lift and getting stuck in mid-air and being unable to move). The combat is fine,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →its more funny than good but its better than your average indie attempt at making a resident evil inspired game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DAYMARE 1998 IS A MUST-PLAY FOR FANS OF SURVIVAL HORROR AND RESIDENT EVIL SERIES! SMOOTH PERFORMANCE/PLAYED ON (GeForce GT 1030/i7-3770 ) ---- Let me start off by saying I played the second game before this one off-Steam. Not gonna lie, this first game was actually more fun than the sequel for me. And the second game felt even harder somewhat? I was really looking forward to playing as a female in Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle and I did find it a fun experience although complicated later on, I'd…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its not a bad game, but its so poorly done i refunded and cant recommend. Theirs no direct way to go, if games that are very "complex" in that you have to solve puzzles specific to this game with zero explanation or any help prior, unless you look it up on youtube or something, then this is the game for you. Straight out of level 1 you have limited ammo, not enough to finish all the zombies without looting a blackened map with just a flashlight even if you hit ALL headshots. You have a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Daymare 1998 is pretty much a Temu RE4 but a decent one. It has pretty decent atmosphere, level design and graphics but it falls short with character models and voice acting. Worth a playthrough if you're wanting to play a RE4 clone.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I cannot deal with this game. It is so close to being decent, but it just keeps stumbling so badly at every turn that I can't continue. I tried playing it once a few years ago, finished act 1 and gave up. Tried again now and got further, but I'm giving up again. Biggest offender? The godawful writing and voice acting. Oh my godddd they just keep talking and talking and talking and talking and it's all so horribly written, and not even in a funny way, it's just mind-numbingly boring, and the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Daymare: 1998 is like that horror movie you find on VHS in your uncle’s basement — a little clunky, a little cheesy, but somehow still creepy enough to make you keep watching. The atmosphere is great — dark hallways, flickering lights, and enough jump scares to make you spill your coffee. The gunplay feels a bit old-school, and the inventory system sometimes makes you feel like you’re juggling chainsaws while being chased by zombies… which, honestly, is part of the charm. It’s not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Games a janky 99 cent store version of a Resident Evil title, was ok though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shift + Space makes me run faster? Cool cool cool, love finding that out TEN HOURS IN by accident. This game just doesn't give a f*** about you. 7/10, tho
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Daymare: 1998 is an interesting homage to the Resident Evil franchise, complete with 90s graphics, cheesy characters, and a tough difficulty. Inventory management forces you to think carefully, while boss fights can be tedious and unfair. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3471502769
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☐ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'll start by saying this I only said no to recommend this game because its been out since 2019 and there are still issues that were there at release, this title seems like it could be a good story and game but the lack of attention on certain aspects and bugs makes it somewhat unenjoyable to play. I've played all the classic games like this and the "space ones", but for some reason it seems like I am gliding on ice when walking around and my speed ramps up while walking to a running pace as…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →half-boiled egg
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#8 ~ Atlas & Meanie ~ Mateusz Skutnik ~ RandOCtober 2023 Having been jumping between game universes, Atlas and Meanie seem a little lost at the Submachine/Daymare Town/Slice of Sea intersection here. Still, I'm sure they can puzzle it out. (Characters belong to DarkSunRebel and ChibiNetherlands)
neutral · AI labelView post →In my opinion, its better game that resident evil 2
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am biggest old school survival horror fan, but this game is big DISAPPOINTMENT Game has interesting ideas, but bad execution Cons Terrible Story - It tries to take itself too seriously and becomes very annoying. Game breaking bugs - Sometimes Reloading shotgun gets bugged, any keys are not responding except WASD. To fix get grabbed by zombie, or reload last checkpoint. To avoid bug don't push multiple buttons when reloading magnum or shotgun. Jacky animations - They are too…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game holds a special meaning for me because its developer gave it to me as a download code. It came to mind years later. It was a pleasant surprise. Time flies, but I haven't forgotten this wonderful moment.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Daymare 1998 is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ epic and I'm not afraid to admit it, just don't expect it to be on par with the best parts of newer Resident Evil titles. Do not be fooled by the "1998 it's like le heckin classics" marketing - I WAS fooled at first and turned it off at Chapter 2 the first time, right before it clicked as more of a desperate struggle action horror title and actually got good two hours in. Really, this game has everything stacked against it - a B-movie story that barely comes together…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#Vtuber LIVE! Just a little late but all good 💛 I was having a Daymare...1998 (get it? it's the game we're playing :P ) www.twitch.tv/astradecarco...
neutral · AI labelView post →A tribute to 3rd person RE games. It was okay, but there are better options out there.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →scratches that RE itch
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're a survival horror fan, this game is definitely worth checking out. It has some issues, but for an indie horror game it's very good. The puzzles are also done decently well which is not always the case with some indie horror games. (I loved Tormented Souls, but some of the puzzles in that were ridiculous). Overall, not a bad game at all, especially if you're a survival horror fan.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →gonna be finishing up DAYMARE TOWN (hopefully, we'll see how big the game is) with my gf on stream today! come watch us discover more and more weird fucked up little guys at bimbo.city
neutral · AI labelView post →Every one of these looks like someone you'd meet in the game Daymare Town
neutral · AI labelView post →I want to give this game a fair chance. I really, really want to. But my god - how can you have THAT for your finale and say: "Okay let's charge $29.99" it's an insult really. even if you take it as a B movie factor with cheese - that finale was not it. On top of that you have repetitive enemies and a story that - kind of went nowhere and then somewhere, and then nowhere again. Yeah buy this on deep sale if you really really want to enjoy it
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Terrible. There is nothing worthwhile in this game. A much worse copy of the RE plotline, with dialogue and voice acting so bad its painful. I regret every cent of the 3$ I spent on it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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