Dismayed

About Dismayed

Dismayed is an indie RPG from JollyRat that drops you into a nightmarish world where sanity is a liability. Released on PC in 2025, it blends first-person exploration with branching dialogue and a sanity-decay system that reshapes the story. You play as someone figuring out the mysteries of their surroundings, but the line between reality and delusion blurs with every choice. The game thrives on disorientation, with shifting environments and cryptic dialogue options that force you to question what’s real. It’s a slow-burn narrative experience where every puzzle and conversation could push you closer to clarity or complete breakdown.

Gameplay

The core loop revolves around investigating eerie locations, solving logic puzzles, and navigating dialogue that affects your mental state. You collect clues to piece together the story, but sanity acts as a ticking clock, stressful encounters or poor decisions drain it, altering your perception of the world. Combat is minimal, replaced by environmental hazards and moral dilemmas that test your resolve. A typical session involves backtracking through warped hallways, decoding fragmented lore, and choosing between options that either stabilize or accelerate your descent into madness. Controls are intuitive but the game’s wonky physics and inconsistent puzzle logic can frustrate. The first-person perspective amplifies the claustrophobic tension, making every creak and whisper feel like a threat.

What Players Think

With a 7.8/10 average, Dismayed divides players. 45% finish it, averaging 12 hours per playthrough. Community moods skew tense (68%) and eerie (52%), though 23% call it “annoying” due to repetitive puzzles. Reviewers praise the atmosphere but criticize the disjointed story pacing: “The setting is haunting but the plot feels like a broken record,” one user wrote. Achievement completion sits at 37%, with 62% of players hitting the “Final Truth” milestone. Critics highlight the sanity mechanic as inventive but flawed: “It creates dread but often feels punitive.” The game’s 89% critic score masks polarized opinions, some call it “a chilling experiment,” others “a half-baked fever dream.”

PlayPile's Take

Dismayed is a niche pick for fans of psychological horror and abstract storytelling. Its identity crisis, part art game, part mystery, is both a strength and weakness. While the atmosphere and sanity system are compelling, weak puzzle design and a meandering plot hold it back. At its indie price point, it’s a low-risk try for players who enjoy experimental narratives. But if you crave tight gameplay or clear answers, this one’s unlikely to satisfy. The 35 achievements add replay value, but don’t expect a rewarding second run. Best played in short, engaging sessions where the madness feels earned.

Storyline

Attempt to make sense of your twisted and macabre surroundings as the story unfolds. Will you figure out what's going on or will you succumb to the madness?