PC Critic Reviews

Phantaruk is a solid game that makes a great first impression but like that annoying party guest that does not know when to leave, the longer the game goes on the less terrifying it becomes. The game mechanics stay the same throughout which cause the player’s anxiety to become numb like a dentist’s anesthetic prior to filling a cavity.

I like the concept quite a bit, and there are a few other games out there that prove it can be done extremely well, but there are just too many issue here holding back the things the game does well for it to be an easy recommend.

Phantaruk is a first-time survival horror romp that, sadly, tells better than it shows.

The several hours needed to complete Phantaruk were quite pleasant. Sure, there are lots of better indie games (especially in the "scary" genre) but Polyslash has a chance to dazzle gamers with their next game. Their debut is a well done mix of horror and stealth that needs some polishing and a better story.

Although Phantaruk suffers from several errors, including obsolete visuals, it brings up some great horror situations in which you will tremble with fear. Just do not expect much more from the game.

Poor visibility, unremarkable environments and lack of map end up causing a state of perpetual disorientation, so you stumble upon the door to next section purely by chance. And if you stumble upon the monster instead – well, just sprint to the nearest vent, since it’s not scripted to get you out of there. On the other hand, you can’t even throw a piece of junk to attract its attention elsewhere, so you end up sitting there, doing nothing, until it finally gets bored and shambles away. Yes, it’s that bad. [Issue#212, p.60]

A basic and short survival horror with a decent audio. There aren't many moments of tension, and the gameplay is too simple, as are the graphics.

It’s one of those horror games that think it’s sufficient to smear the screen with darkness, provide the player with a flashlight and scatter some bloody offal every couple of steps. [10/2016, p.53]

For a horror game, Phantaruk is not scary at all. The persistent monster can kill you in seconds, but it's more annoying than frightening. The same goes for the timer - thanks to the game's linear structure, you always know the next life-saving syringe is just around the corner. Zombified test subjects are so badly animated that you can't help but laugh while trying to avoid them.

Bugs, choppy frame rate, and some finicky controls make exploring the drab and sterile environments a clunky chore. There is something here, though.