Joymaker
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About Joymaker
Joymaker is an indie psychological horror game developed by Several Confused Clowns and released on November 4, 2025 for PC and Mac. It positions itself as a story-driven experience where environmental storytelling and tense exploration take precedence over jump scares. The game’s abstract setting blends surreal visuals with unsettling sound design to create a disorienting atmosphere. While the developer’s name hints at chaotic creativity, the result is a divisive title that leans heavily into ambiguity. Its single-player format focuses on figuring out a fragmented narrative through scattered clues, making it a slow-burn experience that prioritizes mood over traditional gameplay loops.
Gameplay
Joymaker tasks players with navigating a shifting, abstract environment filled with cryptic symbols and distorted audio logs. Core mechanics revolve around methodical exploration, players search decaying rooms for hidden notes and manipulate glitchy objects to progress. Controls are intentionally sluggish, with a deliberate camera system that forces players to pause and inspect every surface. Puzzle-solving often involves connecting abstract shapes or aligning warped perspectives, but the lack of clear objectives can lead to frustration. Sessions often feel like a balance between discovery and tedium, with minimal combat or action elements. The game’s pacing is deliberately slow, requiring players to sit with unease as the story unfolds in nonlinear, often obtuse fragments.
What Players Think
The PlayPile community rates Joymaker 78% with a 7.2/10 critic score. 72% of players complete the base game, averaging 32 hours per playthrough. Community moods are split between “unease” (43%) and “frustration” (31%), with some calling it “a masterclass in discomfort” and others dismissing it as “pretentious meandering.” Achievement completion rates are low for the first half of the game, spiking sharply in the final act. Positive reviews praise its “haunting audio design” and “rewarding late-game reveals,” while detractors cite “needlessly convoluted puzzles” and “a story that feels unfinished.” The 32-hour average playtime is notably higher than most horror games, reflecting its punishing pace.
PlayPile's Take
Joymaker is a niche pick for fans of cerebral horror who don’t mind spending hours decoding vague clues. Priced at $29.99, it offers 30+ hours of content but demands patience and a tolerance for ambiguity. With 42 achievements, the mid-game spike in unlocks suggests a design shift toward traditional progression. While its artistic ambition is undeniable, the game’s self-indulgence might alienate casual players. Stick with it if you enjoy slow reveals and abstract storytelling, but don’t expect clarity or comfort.
Game Modes
Single player
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