The White Door
Genres: Puzzle, Horror, Mystery, Point & Click, Story Rich, Atmospheric, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 9-1-2020
Developer: Rusty Lake
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Easy
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 2–3 h
The White Door is a short point-and-click puzzle game from Rusty Lake. You play Robert Hill, a man with memory loss in a mental health facility, following a strict daily routine on one half of the screen while exploring his dreams and memories on the other. It suits solo players who want a calm, story-led puzzle game for one evening, and it works as a gentle entry into the Rusty Lake world.
Around 90% of more than 1,600 Steam reviews are positive. Players describe it as quietly sad, a story about grief that is calming rather than scary, and less creepy than other Rusty Lake games. Puzzles are mostly simple and serve the story; reviewers call them easy but well balanced against the plot.
The common caveats are length and depth. Most finish in two to three hours, and one negative reviewer found it barely a game, with a story too vague to land. Fans of tough brain teasers will be underwhelmed. At its low price it is a good evening for story fans and Rusty Lake followers; puzzle veterans can wait for a sale.
Pros
- Split-screen routine and memories tell the story side by side
- Quiet, moving story about grief and recovery
- Low price for a calm evening
Cons
- Easy puzzles offer little challenge
- Short, at two to three hours
- Abstract story does not land for everyone
About
Robert Hill wakes up in a Mental Health facility and suffers from severe memory loss. Follow the facility’s strict daily routine, explore his dreams and help him recall his memories.
The White Door is a new point-and-click adventure developed by the creators of the Cube Escape & Rusty Lake series.
Features:
■ Pick-up-and-play
Easy to start but hard to put down
■ Interactive storyline
Follow a daily routine and recollect memories in a playful way, filled with brain teasers and riddles
■ A unique Rusty Lake split-screen adventure
Experience Robert Hill's stay in Rusty Lake's Mental Health facility with an innovative split-screen gameplay
■ Absorbing atmosphere
Each day in the facility has its own atmosphere, suspense and a variety of unexpected and surrealistic events
■ Immersive and haunting soundtrack
Atmospheric theme songs composed by Victor Butzelaar
■ Special achievements
The White Door has more secrets to unravel
