Daemonologie
Daemonologie
Game
Game2024
THRESHOLD
Developer Julien Eveillé
Threshold (stylized in all caps) is a 2024 psychological horror game developed by Julien Eveillé and published by Critical Reflex. The player controls a government employee who must regulate the speed of a train using a whistle on a tall mountain. The mountain is tall enough where oxygen is limited, so the player must refill their oxygen by breathing into limited canisters. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
259 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
74
Fresh
159 positive · 55 negative
95% range 68–80%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 159 | 55 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 2 | 1 | 40 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
743 of 860 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
74% recommend · 147 yes, 51 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 198 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (1,160 of 1,363 positive).
Players praise the oppressive atmosphere and unique mechanics like oxygen management. [1][2] Some find the game too short and pricey for its length. [3][4][5] Bugs and lack of saves frustrate several reviewers. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [6]
This game has an excellent presentation. The visuals and atmosphere create an immersive and unsettling experience. The world is bizarre, the mechanics are strange and intriguing. However, I played my first hour without an auto-save. There is no manual save function. There is even a brief warning about limited checkpoints when you begin the game. Though I couldn't have imagined it meant an hour without a save point. …
- [1]
Threshold is a retro PS1 styled psychological horror game that is heavy with a very oppressive atmosphere. The game has unique gameplay elements, where you manage work tasks while monitoring your breathing. Fresh air is a commodity in this work environment. Your first playthrough will take approximately 90 minutes, while to 100% all the achievements in the game will take approximately 4-5 hours. There are a total of …
- [3]
I didn't really want to give this a thumbs up or thumbs down, but it's an experience and certainly more than I can say about the myriad of crap I end up trying. It's only 1 hour long so quite pricey for the length. The game occurs in a very small playing area and involves simple busywork as the story advances. Don't expect any large-scale exploration or awesome gameplay, think more 'interactive horror story that …
- [2]
This is one of the best games I’ve played in 2025. The ending and remaining achievements strongly suggest alternate endings and additional secrets, but while I might return at some point, my first playthrough was a perfect narrative experience. Atmosphere, story, mechanics are all wound perfectly tight. Runs perfect on Steam Deck.
- [4]
It is a difficult recommend unless you, like I had, received it as part of a bundle or on sale. It's a fascinating and bizarre experiment between what needs to be done and what you feel compelled to do. While the environment is deliberately simple in its melancholic treatment of you as a disposable cog-in-the-machine, it invites a curiosity that transgresses the powers that be. The ideas and piecemeal presentation …
Summarised from 34 of the 231 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 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
THRESHOLD sits at 74% positive across 214 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The game received generally favorable reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received "mighty" approval, being recommended by 56% of critics. Eurogamer found Threshold's pacing well-constructed, and enjoyed the game's mysterious worldbuilding and how it remains unexplained to the player. The gameplay loop of blowing the whistle to control the train's pace almost became a "meditative experience" to Polygon's reviewer; he described how he "fell in love" with Threshold's sound design, concluding that the game is worth replaying. Rock, Paper, Shotgun experienced significant glitches that forced them to restart five times,…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 259 · most liked firstTHRESHOLD is OUT. It's time for you to experience the THRESHOLD in this short atmospheric horror game with a unique country-based difficulty system. BASED ON A FUCKING TRUE STORY.
neutral · AI labelView post →Yesterday, THRESHOLD won the Jury's prize in the Indie Game Contest. That surreal moment overhelmed me with gratefulness. First to my wife for supporting me in every step of the journey. To the GD friends, the Fainting Room and the Lyon Dev Community.
neutral · AI labelView post →THRESHOLD is OUT. It's time for you to experience the THRESHOLD in this short atmospheric horror game with a unique country-based difficulty system. BASED ON A FUCKING TRUE STORY.
neutral · AI labelView post →I might find myself in a very difficult situation in the near future, would you kindly help me secure the future of my family by wishlisting my game THRESHOLD? This will help with the algorithms! Thank you! ❤️ s.team/a/2580020
neutral · AI labelView post →What a year. I haven't had proper vacations in a year, working 2 Game Dev jobs for a year and a half. I'm super grateful for everything that happened lately, for your reception of THRESHOLD but most importantly for our little baby Willow. ❤️ Time for a good rest now. 😌
neutral · AI labelView post →Oh.... My god... ❤️ This feels surreal, I'm so astonished that THRESHOLD made it all throught winning an A MAZE Award. 😭 It feels like my intent with the game has reached its goal and delivered the message I wanted to bring to the world. Thank you everyone. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
neutral · AI labelView post →If you don’t have Combat Reflexes, any GURPS game with the possibility of unexpected combat becomes a horror game. Especially if you lack High Pain Threshold as well. Then you have the “AHHH! I’M BEING ATTACKED!” to “AAAAH! I’M BLEEDING!” doom loop.
neutral · AI labelView post →Are you one of the 134,525 people who have THRESHOLD in you Wishlist? Well, it is currently at 6 bucks! It has some unique elements that you haven't seen in a game before and 85% of players enjoyed it! Give it a try! s.team/a/2580020
neutral · AI labelView post →"Coolest" negative review for THRESHOLD yet. More seriously there has been a lot of great reviews for the game lately and I think most of you know by now how critical it is to game to get reviewed by their players. So if you have a spare 30 seconds on your hand... 🥺🙏
neutral · AI labelView post →Just so we're clear, THRESHOLD is a short game. Expect an hour and a half if you're slow. 😊
neutral · AI labelView post →The alienating aspect of THRESHOLD actually transcends your Player experience. I'm working hard on fixing bugs that came up! If you enjoyed your time with the game, please leave a review. It's critical to the game's exposure.
neutral · AI labelView post →THRESHOLD was hard to build without spoiling the best bits when marketing it. It's gonna be worse for the next game.
neutral · AI labelView post →OMW to the @eastgames.org Indie Game Contest. Last year THRESHOLD won Jury's Award, this year I'm attending as a Jury member. ☺️ Rediscovering the fascinating world of @jumpovertheage.com's Citizen Sleeper during the train Trip. ❤️
neutral · AI labelView post →THRESHOLD is nominee for Berlin's @AMazeFest. Again, this is beyond my expectations that this little game managed to get this far. Thank you all. 🥺
neutral · AI labelView post →Threshold is a GDWC 2024 Winter Season Finalist. Competing for Best Indie Game. ❤️❤️❤️ thegdwc.com/awards/
neutral · AI labelView post →Game controller vibrations are now available in THRESHOLD. Enjoy chewing down on glass in 5DX : s.team/a/2580020
neutral · AI labelView post →When you play my game, know that it's how I watch. 😌❤️ Thanks to everyone who played and shared THRESHOLD.
neutral · AI labelView post →September was kinda huge for THRESHOLD. It was shown at Tokyo Game Show and GFusion, China. How cool is that? Would have never imagined such a trajectory for this modest game.
neutral · AI labelView post →I'll be speaking at GAME CAMP about THRESHOLD. The talk shall be slightly different from the Post Mortem I did at the Indie Game Lyon, more focused on the challenges of releasing an Indie Game while working full time in AAA AND having baby. 🥵
neutral · AI labelView post →Welp, @pataloon.bsky.social's game, THRESHOLD, comes out soon! And it is on popular upcoming!!! Congrats!
neutral · AI labelView post →Short horror narrative game Threshold has surpassed 25,000 copies sold. (THRESHOLD Steam page)
neutral · AI labelView post →New Horror Game Video on the Gaming Channel! Today we are checking an amazing horror game called THRESHOLD by @pataloon.bsky.social #horror #gaming #horrorgame #indiehorrorgame #threshold youtu.be/V-NUjQ86KQQ?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Gotta thank @notsaberfr.bsky.social for pointing out every concept I wanted to bring up in THRESHOLD. This is by far the most accurate analysis I've seen about the game. youtu.be/4qfOyjRJZoA?...
neutral · AI labelView post →We showed THRESHOLD at Tokyo Game Show and the Japanese visitors loved it. Go play it!
neutral · AI labelView post →This game has an excellent presentation. The visuals and atmosphere create an immersive and unsettling experience. The world is bizarre, the mechanics are strange and intriguing. However, I played my first hour without an auto-save. There is no manual save function. There is even a brief warning about limited checkpoints when you begin the game. Though I couldn't have imagined it meant an hour without a save point. A game demanding that its player dedicate extended periods of play is just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →it's because of that that i feel like there's something of a Sicko Threshold for people to look at any one work and become interested enough to fall down the rabbit hole of wikireading and game-playing. but i think as a result, once it's in your brain you can Never Go Back.
neutral · AI labelView post →Threshold is a retro PS1 styled psychological horror game that is heavy with a very oppressive atmosphere. The game has unique gameplay elements, where you manage work tasks while monitoring your breathing. Fresh air is a commodity in this work environment. Your first playthrough will take approximately 90 minutes, while to 100% all the achievements in the game will take approximately 4-5 hours. There are a total of 5 endings to find. + As your first playthrough plays out, you will be fully…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is one of the best games I’ve played in 2025. The ending and remaining achievements strongly suggest alternate endings and additional secrets, but while I might return at some point, my first playthrough was a perfect narrative experience. Atmosphere, story, mechanics are all wound perfectly tight. Runs perfect on Steam Deck.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My fan art of of Shae by @luvvixide from game [Threshold] #pixelart #indiegame #furry #OC
neutral · AI labelView post →THRESHOLD - PS1 Style Horror Game About Working In High Altitude, Full Game Playthrough youtu.be/_pMCNTVYkfo
neutral · AI labelView post →Everytime I mention my next game, it's another one. But I've never been that far since Threshold, so there's hope this time. We might get DIARRHEA FOR EVERYONE.
neutral · AI labelView post →Some initial interest and wonder very rapidly turns into frustration as you struggle to work out if the game is just broken and not progressing, or if the game itself is an exercise in tedium. I'm still not sure, but after 90 minutes or so of waiting for the game to progress and something interesting to happen, I no longer care to find out.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“Bear Talks Games: The Doomguy Threshold.” I’d like to credit @thatharper.bsky.social for coining this, commenting on my “combat in survival horror should be at least a little shit” thread from a month back. Playing several horror games back to back put me in mind of this, of this Threshold.
neutral · AI labelView post →The three main aspects of game-message, mechanic, writing- doesn't add up. The cargo reveal scene was meant to be shocking but it was not, I was like, bro. That's it? That's what all the fusses about? Non-vegan people like me can't sympathize with dead cows if writing don't make us engage in their perspective in advance. <Padak(2012)>, one of the most famous example of stories about animal cruelty, did this job magnificently well through setting protagonist a mackerel who's about to be…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Train MUST Run | THRESHOLD | Indie Horror Game www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADlH... #CJUGames #Threshold #HorrorGame #HorrorGames #HorrorGaming
neutral · AI labelView post →Threshold is a short, weird little horror game that really leans into atmosphere. The random tasks, limited oxygen, and strange train setting give it this surreal vibe that’s pretty memorable. It’s more about tension than scares, though it can feel a bit slow and the ending is kinda confusing. Still, the mood and sound design make it worth playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →wonderful atmosphere and the gameplay was fun; repetitive, but in a hypnotic kinda way unfortunately the constant bugs and subsequent restarts left me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied with the lack of substance within the actual story itself sadly underwhelming, at least as far as mysteries go
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not my favorite, have to say. The premise is interesting, and the graphical style is that ps1 era homage. Gameplay is very repetitive and tedious which I suppose is the point given the message the game is trying to convey. I was not particularly moved or affected by the story/message very much. I guess this game just didn't do much for me. Also encountered a softlock towards the end that forced me into getting the bad ending. I really don't care enough to go back and replay for the good ending…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn't really want to give this a thumbs up or thumbs down, but it's an experience and certainly more than I can say about the myriad of crap I end up trying. It's only 1 hour long so quite pricey for the length. The game occurs in a very small playing area and involves simple busywork as the story advances. Don't expect any large-scale exploration or awesome gameplay, think more 'interactive horror story that gradually reveals more about itself as you do chores'. It's weird and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's absolutely amazing that they manage to squeeze in so many softlock bugs in such a short game. Worst of all, you can't reload old saves, so you have to start from the very begining and do the very repetitive tasks everytime you find one. And from the gameplays I ended up watching online, the story is not even as interesting as it looks in the beginning. If this wasn't from a Humble Bundle, I'd ask for a refund
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"The air is thin up here." -------------------------------------- I see where it's coming from and great story after all BUT could have been handled better. Mechanics become boring after first 30 mins.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a difficult recommend unless you, like I had, received it as part of a bundle or on sale. It's a fascinating and bizarre experiment between what needs to be done and what you feel compelled to do. While the environment is deliberately simple in its melancholic treatment of you as a disposable cog-in-the-machine, it invites a curiosity that transgresses the powers that be. The ideas and piecemeal presentation were captivating. However, where the game would overwhelmingly benefit from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This one is unfortunately tough. The game has a certain eerie style, a mystery. Something is a little bit off. Hmmmm very very exciting.. So obviously I went in expecting a psychological horror mystery game. Aaand BOOM this is NOT a horror game. If you're expecting any cool or interesting mystery, you probably won't find it here. Instead you get a pretty "standard" game with a message it's trying to present to you as psychological horror. In spoilery talk: the game is basically about…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →waste of time, PETA garbage
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of my favorite games I played in 2025 with Mouthwashing, CRITICAL REFLEX never disappoints (although Mouthwashing is on a completely different level and an incredible masterpiece, but that's not the subject). While playing, I felt a tension and sense of urgency I haven't felt since Pathologic 2. Everything it does, it does to perfection. But I won't spoil anything, as I really recommend to go blind. It's an experience that only works once (well, I played the game twice, but the second…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very interesting game that had me on my toes from start to finish. On one hand you have the low-poly graphics and the industrial, metallic sound scape that create this atmosphere of uncertainty and dread, and on the other hand you have the premise of the game - the outpost exists in a hypoxic environment and therefore limits your ability to run, jump, and even communicate with your coworker, making oxygen a resource that you have to carefully manage in order to survive, which adds to the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This feels like one of those short, artsy experiments that you finish in one sitting and then immediately side eye the price tag like you just paid cinema money for a youtube short. I do relate to the characters when it comes to eating glass though, so i definitely recommend it, both the game and eating glass, you don't know what you're missing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very good game with interesting ideas, over pretty quick as to not overstay its welcome, and i belive leaves you to question how far are your moral grey areas
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Feels like underbaked, boring and pretentious vegan propaganda
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed my 2 hours with this game. It's kind of a dystopian blue collar mystery. You have a job and are urged not to question it until so and so happens. The air supply gimmick gets a little thin after a while but it's just there to push the story along. Apparently there are multiple endings but the game isn't that compelling to make we want to replay it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a great example on how to deliver social commentary towards real life problems using the grotesque and avant-garde. The low-poly graphics and the minimalistic audio serve the suppressive atmosphere well and the simple and short dialogues help making the games setting feel all the more mundane. The gameplay can feel a bit like a chore, which I think further underlines the general atmosphere the game is going for, and while it didn't overstay its welcome for me personally (and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To be honest, this game is a solid middle ground for me. I bought it because Critical Reflex usually publishes great games, and their taste is impressive. The atmosphere is nice and there’s a good sense of mystery at the start, but the ending and the “big reveal” just didn’t hit as hard as I hoped, I expected something more shocking or complex. I marked it as “Recommended” to support games with this style and vibe, but I really hope future updates or sequels add more mystery, interesting…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is super unique and I loved it, bizarre/unsettling atmosphere and not really something I can compare to anything else. Don't take my playtime into account as I tend to have a lot of idle time in games, but I do highly recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely great atmosphere and sense of mystery. However the revelations and endings feel very lackluster and don't really satisfy you in any way. The gameplay loops is also trivial and becomes a bit too repetitive to care to replay more than a couple times.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm 16 and this is deep ahh game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →vegan propaganda
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game only has autosaves. When do they happen? In this 100 minute game, I was about 70 minutes in, right after a conversation with the bosses, but it was time for bed. On returning I was several visits of MO back, a visit to the bosses back, probably about the 40 minute mark? I wasn't loving it, and this has killed my momentum. Bye.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →From the description of the game "Uncover a mystery." - This is the only thing the game has going for it. There is no real story, there is no exposition, characters are not really developed. I mean, the game is literally only 60 minutes long, and that "mystery" is a nothingburger when its finally revealed. Where is the psychological horror? Oh dead animals raining from the sky for 2 minutes is all the horror you will get? Oh so spooky, oh my psyche is so damaged, oh the humanity, oh no the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm really glad I played THRESHOLD. This short experienece managed to immerse me into its world and storytelling like few other games have ever done. Not just due to the fact that you are able to pick from a select list of countries which will cause several locations and names to be changed to localized variants, but simply due to the atmosphere and monotony of being a guy who maintains a tiny section of a railroad. Despite this, the loop somehow remains both engaging and tense throughout its…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're into job simulator type games, you might be into this. Personally, I just found the gameplay mostly tedious, and honestly the atmosphere was a lot less creepy than it should have been for a game about the horrors of industry in a dimension that doesn't follow conventional logic. As others have said, the game's reveal was a big flatline too. It felt like early creepypasta where young writers thought the sight of blood was the scariest thing of all time. I don't feel compelled to go…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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