Observation
Observation
Game
Game2017
Stories Untold
Developer Screen Burn
Stories Untold is an adventure game developed by No Code and published by Devolver Digital. Written and directed by Jon McKellan, the game was released on 27 February 2017 for macOS and Windows, for the Nintendo Switch in January 2020 and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2020. It is a mix of adventure game genres, including text-based adventure, first-person exploration, and puzzle solving, and is themed… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
327 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
79
LovedLoved
180 positive · 48 negative
95% range 73–84%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 180 | 48 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 45 | 3 | 48 |
| Lemmy * | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,662 of 4,248 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
81% recommend · 163 yes, 39 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 202 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (4,808 of 5,549 positive).
Players praise the unique, immersive storytelling and atmospheric horror. [1][2][3] Some find the text parser puzzles frustrating and obscure. [4][5][6] The game is short but delivers a memorable experience. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
Man it looks great and the vibes are just on point, it does such a ♥♥♥♥ job guiding you. I'm not asking to have my hand held, but the amount of times I was just putting in random ♥♥♥♥ to try and progress was far to much.
- [1]
A brilliantly creepy text-adventure/puzzle hybrid that uses 80s nostalgia and retro tech to construct a genuinely unsettling narrative. Sitting at a CRT monitor, typing in commands, and realizing how each seemingly disconnected episode ties together is a fantastic gameplay hook. A couple of the puzzles can feel a bit obscure, but the eerie atmosphere and stellar sound design hold you in a grip until the final twist.
- [8]
Never played game quite like this. 1st episode insane. 2nd episode wow. 3rd episode meh. 4th episode mindblown. I thought that each episodes were different story but boy i was wrong. i really really think the puzzle is very very creative. except for the 3rd ep puzzle. the puzzle was pretty hard too. had to look it up couple of times. The atmospher and The story combined was Great. that being said i wish it was …
- [7]
Short game, completed in just under 3 hours but I really enjoyed it. It was well written and I didn't fully understand what was happening until the final episode. It's like 4 "chapters" which are basically text based mini games that tell some portion of a dark story, it has a creepy atmosphere from the start and pulls your through to the end. Well worth the few hours it'll take you to get through it.
- [2]
In anticipation of Townfall I thought I would try out some of the originators early games. I thought Stories Untold was a very neat little game that executes on what it sets out to accomplish impressively well. It can loosely be described as a text adventure, but it is sort of a meta spin on that and there is definitely more to it, especially as you progress farther into the game. Stories Untold does a great job of …
Summarised from 34 of the 285 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 9, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Stories Untold sits at 79% positive across 228 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The game received generally positive reviews, holding a score of 81 on review aggregator Metacritic. Eurogamer ranked the game 48th on their list of the "Top 50 Games of 2017".
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 327 · most liked firstI still think about the game STORIES UNTOLD a lot. It's like a great short horror story collection, told purely through in-game interaction with computers / consoles / monitors. Very strange but really effective!
positive · AI labelView post →Got a little Halloween Sale running during Steam Screamfest! Look Outside 30% off GORN 2 20% off Cult of the Lamb 50% off Carrion 80% off Inscryption 60% off And Stories Untold is 99 cents! Trust us, you have to play that game. 👻
neutral · AI labelView post →🐉WHAT'S UP YOU SILLY GOOBERS!! 💚 TODAY WE'LL BE PLAYING STORIES UNTOLD THE HORROR GAME BASED IN A COMPUTER STORYTELL GAME!!! AFTER THAT WE MIGHT DO SOME FISHING OR SOME ART!!! 💚💚💚💚 Kick some ass out there okay!? I love you guys!! #vtuber
neutral · AI labelView post →The vibe starts very Stranger Things, but it takes on its own cool form very quickly! The stories and locations being fun puzzles. BE AWARE EPILEPTICS : The lab story has some strobing light effects. (Had to play through a covered eye myself, lucky I'm not set off easily.)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Currently playing Stories Untold (Steam). Been in the backlog a while. Interesting little 4 story anthology using a text parser at the root. Parser is a little clunky but the game has great mood and vibe and can't beat the price. It's .99 right now! #SteamSale #Steam
positive · AI labelView post →Ah! New Silent Hill Transmission tomorrow. We'll get more information on Townfall, the game currently under development by No Code Studios, creators of the excellent minimalist indie horror, Stories Untold.
neutral · AI labelView post →Games where you're primarily using another device within that game -- especially if it's a full-on computer / CRT style ala Stories Untold, but also mobile phones like Another Lost Phone. Any recommendations?
neutral · AI labelView post →Man it looks great and the vibes are just on point, it does such a ♥♥♥♥ job guiding you. I'm not asking to have my hand held, but the amount of times I was just putting in random ♥♥♥♥ to try and progress was far to much.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I Just finished playing through Stories Untold and the depth, layers, and detail to this story is amazing! And after playing the amount realizations I had from the games surprise was incredible! Highly recommend and as psychological horror game
positive · AI labelView post →Here's a free one. Someone, maybe not Mark who knows, couldn't be bothered to source the game Stories Untold for a thumbnail. So they found a thing that I found on deviantart just now, cranked the levels and whammo, millions of views. Absolutely no clue if the artist was compensated.
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm so mad at this game that I cannot recommend it nor will I continue playing it. Episode 2 The Lab Conduct "Follow the Provided Experiment Brief Exactly" Okay great, let's do this. I can follow the provided experiment brief exactly, let's do it. Experiment 1 Internal Analysis Required Apparatus 3 things are listed here. THREE THINGS ARE LISTED HERE. Okay done! On to Experiment 2 Experiment 2 Surface Reaction Attempt 2 things are listed here. TWO THINGS ARE LISTED HERE. Okay.. I did…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stories Untold is a lot of fun if you don't mind a very Indie game.
positive · AI labelView post →I love the idea of the CRTV in Silent Hill Townfall, almost looks like playing one survival horror while armed with a new Stories Untold game.
neutral · AI labelView post →Not really a game; more of a horror experience. The text adventure parts could have been cool if they weren't so shallow and frustrating. There are points where you have to guess exactly what the developer wants you to type so you end up sitting there for minutes at a time trying to figure out what command to use. The most fun I had was operating the equipment in episode 2, but since there are guard rails that prevent you from failing or experimenting in any way, every experience with this will…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A brilliantly creepy text-adventure/puzzle hybrid that uses 80s nostalgia and retro tech to construct a genuinely unsettling narrative. Sitting at a CRT monitor, typing in commands, and realizing how each seemingly disconnected episode ties together is a fantastic gameplay hook. A couple of the puzzles can feel a bit obscure, but the eerie atmosphere and stellar sound design hold you in a grip until the final twist.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →great game but depressing as ♥♥♥♥. be prepared for that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is a short series of linear puzzle games with a tense atmosphere. The true horror is finding out you're British in the third act.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This experience is not so much of horror but a atmosphere of being in a retro movie- style game. Its a mix of a puzzled-walking sim with a good episodic story. For me its good but not great. *6/10*
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just in time for Halloween, I have a new article out on "embedded soundscapes" in games, using the horror game Stories Untold as a case study. Thanks to @kategalloway.bsky.social for putting this issue together! Check out her work and @cooksterkc.bsky.social's too! williamohara.net/blog/2023/10...
neutral · AI labelView post →In anticipation of Townfall I thought I would try out some of the originators early games. I thought Stories Untold was a very neat little game that executes on what it sets out to accomplish impressively well. It can loosely be described as a text adventure, but it is sort of a meta spin on that and there is definitely more to it, especially as you progress farther into the game. Stories Untold does a great job of building tension in interesting, creative ways - and it definitely packs some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i cant figure out how to play this and i dont want to look up a walkthrough. "The note says how to restart the generator." - read note - "You cant read the note in here, its way too dark." -go outside- "I don't know what you want to do." game is too stupid to be played.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game irritated me at first because I was struggling with some of the puzzles. But damn was it worth it to keep playing. This game baffled me on how good the writing is. Awesome game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An excellent adventure game that looks like a collection of vague, unrelated episodes… until it’s not. Very creative presentation, mixing approaches from different gaming eras (text-based, point and click, moving in 3D), an analogue devices’ aesthetic and strategically limited camera angles to create suspense and immersion. The core twist is very traditional, but it’s less about the twist itself and more about how smartly it ties seemingly disjointed elements into a tight experience where the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"You see the house. The house is grand, sat perfectly amongst the trees..." - Go around the house "You step inside the house" - Go back "I am sorry I don't understand" - Leave the house "You step outside. The house is grand, sat perfectly amongst the trees..." "You can manually operate the generator" - Operate it - "I am sorry, I don't understand" - Manually operate the generator - "I am sorry, I don't understand" - Use the generator - "I am sorry, I don't understand" - Start the generator -…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →in retrospect i'm glad i did a runthrough of Stories Untold between townfall streams because that last big puzzle before the end was the most Stories Untold-ass puzzle in the game so i was in the perfect headspace for that
positive · AI labelView post →Screen Burn's #SilentHill #Townfall releases in less than 3 weeks! Now, if "Screen Burn" doesn't ring a bell for you, maybe "No Code" does, their former name, under which they released, among others, #StoriesUntold. And guess what we're playing, now, over at www.twitch.tv/melancholygeek
neutral · AI labelView post →I love the idea and the execution, it's unusual and interesting. The game doesn't exactly tell you what's happening at the beginning, allowing you to figure it out yourself. When you finally get a grasp of the plot, all the pieces fall into place, giving you an unexpected "aha" moment. Without spoiling too much, the events could technically happen to anyone you know which is pretty scary.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The UI for this game is really cool, unlike any other games I've played before, it's unsettling in the way you feel like this could very well be you sitting on the computer with your keyboard, and it's really immersive. Only issue I had is with Chapter 3, where there's a sunbeam in the game coming from behind the computer screen that makes it really hard to see anything, but I've seen other people just outright nopt have it, so maybe it's a bug for some? Other than that, one of the most…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Starts off so strong, and then takes a complete nosedive. Don't waste your time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Never played game quite like this. 1st episode insane. 2nd episode wow. 3rd episode meh. 4th episode mindblown. I thought that each episodes were different story but boy i was wrong. i really really think the puzzle is very very creative. except for the 3rd ep puzzle. the puzzle was pretty hard too. had to look it up couple of times. The atmospher and The story combined was Great. that being said i wish it was longer. 4/5 banger
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →bought a random horror game with big Stories Untold vibes, less than 20 reviews on steam, goin in blind
neutral · AI labelView post →So we're playing a horror game today Stories Untold... help twitch.tv/abolishregret
neutral · AI labelView post →First playthrough review time. Stories Untold brings four different horror adventures, each with its own style and atmosphere. The game creates a strong sense of horror through its simple presentation and clever use of sound and visuals. Each episode offers a different experience while keeping the same dark and mysterious mood. The old-school style also gives the game a special touch, making it different from many other horror titles. However, the game has a few weaknesses. The first three…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →open the passenger door of the blue car computer: what car the blue one or yours? me: THE BLUE CAR computer: i'm sorry,i don't understand me:OPEN BLUE CAR PASSNGER DOOR computer:which car? me:THE BLUE CAR computer:i'm sorry i don't understand
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good horror game with some nice surprises. Some parts can be annoying if you hit a wall, but just look up a guide for whenever that happens and you'll be fine. You can tell this had a small scope/some limits to it, but the devs at Screen Burn still managed to make a unique and nice horror experience. Gives me some faith that Silent Hill Townfall will be great.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →absolute ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. text parser is completely worthless, writing is poor at best, visuals are painful to the eyes, and actually getting anything to behave how it's supposed to it quite challenging. a game that dares to ask: "what if we made everything bad, on purpose."
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →1st chapter? Good text adventure with weird stuff going on. 2nd one? Now we are talking. Now where is Mulder from X-files. This is great stuff. I love the machine operating sequences. But then comes chapter 3. I got eye damage and the game forces you to try to read from a old microfilm reader machine instructions. I am old enough to have actually used these devices in the 90's and i dont recall my eyes hurting like mad trying to read, zoom and sharpen the image to the current zoom level. My…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Horror anthologies are a very popular genre. Stories Untold puts together a tale that would be gripping on it's own; then adds an interactive element that allows the fans to become the protaganist and enjoy experiencing the story even more. While the narrative could have been a bit longer, or maybe add another story to the anthology, Stories Untold ranks on the same level as best selling horror. Rated 8 out of 10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stories Untold! IT'S ONLY A BUCK!! This game is REALLY fun, especially the first section when you're playing a scary text game on an old computer. I also enjoyed the level with the numbers station store.steampowered.com/app/558420/S...
positive · AI labelView post →Don't drink and drive simulator? weird trash game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short game, completed in just under 3 hours but I really enjoyed it. It was well written and I didn't fully understand what was happening until the final episode. It's like 4 "chapters" which are basically text based mini games that tell some portion of a dark story, it has a creepy atmosphere from the start and pulls your through to the end. Well worth the few hours it'll take you to get through it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is amazing. It follows a unique story that you slowly piece together as time goes on. At first it is a little confusing but you eventually figure it all out. It does tension so well, not through lazy cheap jumpscares but by defining the atmosphere. This game is a must play for anyone interested. Was it really your fault?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall I thought the game was good. + Intriguing story + Unique Concept - Confusing to know what to type for the text adventure section - Sudden flashing lights with no warning - Extremely hard to hear the codes during snow section and just down right confusing a lot of times. There ARE sudden loud noises and sudden images. If you dislike jumpscares like me and looked up if there are jumpscares I'm here to tell you there ARE. And it almost caused me to not play anymore.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →yes Annapurna sucks for billionaire / broader game industry reasons, but they've still published some of my favorites. I really liked Stories Untold from Screen Burn (No Code), will have to give Observation a spin. lots of "saying the right things" on the production side in the transmission video
positive · AI labelView post →I really liked their game Stories Untold, so I'm kinda hopeful lol
positive · AI labelView post →❌im offline now mmmmyeah dina was a lost cause since the start😓 after clearing main story quests, cleared the entire sandwich event & about half of the flower arrangement one! CONSPIRACIES EVERYWHERE, I SWEAR raided @matthiolaasphodel.bsky.social whos playing Stories Untold rn, go take a look~
neutral · AI labelView post →+1 for Stories Untold, thats such a cool and unique game. Really looking forward to the new Silent Hill game the devs are making
positive · AI labelView post →Hey everyone! We are starting a little early today and doing some spookies on a Thursday! I'm joined by the lovely red panda gf @roseredpandaa.bsky.social playing a horror game that I love, Stories Untold! live below! #goinglive #furrylive www.twitch.tv/ghostiegoobat
neutral · AI labelView post →Finished Stories Untold yesterday, and I enjoyed this short but sweet horror game :D This was what I used morse code and the phonetic alphabet for (during the radio operator chapter), but the reveals in the last chapter get grim 😨 - it wasn't a type of game I usually play, but it was good :D
positive · AI labelView post →A masterclass in cryptic storytelling with a satisfying payoff, however some aspects of the gameplay take away from the user experience. One of the strongest features in Stories Untold is how the individual stories appear disconnected on the surface (different locations, different characters, etc.), but the underlying theme of the stories combine them into “one nightmare”. Not only is there an objective connection between the stories, but the devs make this link very clear, leaving very little…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The ending is absolutely awful. One of the worst, most vibe killing, most boneheaded, most pretentious ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ endings I've ever seen. Rest of the game is cool as ♥♥♥♥ though, if a bit undercooked. Episodes 1 and 4 in particular have really rough, very limited text based sections that are just a pain to play. 2 and 3 can be a little obtuse at times and even a little tedious, but are overall a joy to play. I give it Like a 7/10. Would be higher, but ♥♥♥♥ the ending. Its so bad I almost didn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Verdict on SH: Townfall If you've seen "Chernobyl" & loved how it was filmed & written, you may enjoy SH: Townfall. I put it up there as one of the heaviest in the franchise. Themes are also VERY timely. I loved the game "Stories Untold" years ago. Incredibly well done for a team of less than 50!!
positive · AI labelView post →I can't believe we're lucky enough to get ANOTHER Silent Hill game next week, and from the devs behind Stories Untold and Observation no less. We're gonna be eating good for psychological horror! store.steampowered.com/app/1636440/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Stories Untold - Well that won't do, let's get sleuthing gang! twitch.tv/dajicat 🐾🔍🤔 As the game description says it is 4 minigames with 1 story. Can we get all 4 tonight and find out what this untold story actually is?! #horrorgame #vtuber #goinglive
neutral · AI labelView post →Great concept over all - game runs extremely poorly with a lot of glitches and bugs ruining the experience. I encountered a softlock late in the last chapter and all I could do was to restart the entire chapter all over again; I'm sorry but at that point I would rather have a refund. The potential is there, though, don't get me wrong!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →- .... .. ... / --. .-. . .- - / - . -..- - -....- -... .- ... . -.. / --. .- -- . / .. ... / .--. .-. --- --- ..-. / - .... .- - / . ...- . -. / .- / ..-. --- .-. --. --- - - . -. / --. . -. .-. . / .... .- ... / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / - --- / ... .... --- .-- / .. -. / - .... . / -- --- -.. . .-. -. / . .-. .- / .--- ..- ... - / .-.. .. -.- . / .- / -.. ..- -. --. . --- -. / -.-. .-. .- .-- .-.. . .-. / .. ..-. / - .- -.- . -. / - --- / - .... . / .-. .. --. .... - / . -. -..
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm hard pressed to know if I truly recommend this. On the plus side, satisfying moments & very atmospheric. Drawbacks, well, its short, and some game mechanics might not be everyones cup of tea. It is the kind of experience thats hard not to spoil if you talk about the content, so I will leave that be. Was I entertained overall... Yeah. *Picked up as part of Humble Monthly, so essentially cost me a fraction of its store price.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →super disapointing. it was right up my alley but the obtuse puzzle design, cliche story and constant technical problems made it a chore to play
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mmm...there are some great things and some really bad things about this game. Story is good, puzzles in episode 2 and 3 are very good. Sadly the text-based story is terrible, basically if you don't type exactly what the computer wants, the game will stall. In the age of AI, this is frustrating, Stories Untold has not aged well. To add to this the descriptions of what to TYPE are not always clear / misleading....not in the "riddle" kind of way (the text is being clever and needs to be looked at…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Such an interesting and unique way of experiencing a traumatic event.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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