Every game review on HorrorExchange.com scores 9 facets, each on a 1 to 5 scale with half points allowed, and each with a short comment explaining the number. This guide covers what each facet measures, what a high or low score feels like when you're holding the controller, and real examples from our published game reviews. The overall rating (0 to 5) starts from the facet average, but we have the final say on how the whole game landed. To see how the whole system fits together, head back to How We Review.
Game reviews deliberately leave out accessibility options and technical performance such as framerates and bugs, as those are not areas we cover.
Gameplay Mechanics
This is the quality and innovation of the core systems: how you move, interact, hide, fight, and solve problems. It does not ask whether the game is hard; that concept has its own facet. It asks whether the way you play suits the kind of horror being offered.
A 4 or 5 means the mechanics feel natural and the game stays out of its own way. A 1 or 2 means clumsy or tacked-on systems. Little Nightmares scored 4/5. The gameplay is dead simple (run, jump, grab, crouch, use a lighter), and that simplicity keeps you locked into the world. Little Nightmares III got 3/5, because online-only co-op with a companion that adds little felt somewhat tacked on.
Atmosphere & Sound Design
This covers environmental mood and audio quality: the creak of a floor, the wind, the sting of music when something spots you. In horror, sound often does as much work as the visuals, and this is especially true for games, where you control the pace and volume (and wear headphones for a fully immersive experience!).
High means you want headphones and a dark room. Low means silence and sound are doing nothing for the fear. Still Wakes the Deep scored 5/5. Josh played the whole thing with headphones, and the wind, groaning metal, and distant water make a low-level dread that never lets go. Little Nightmares III got 4/5, with crawling creatures, buzzing insects, and chase music that all land well, along with the random ambient noise he had missed in the first two games.
Visual Design & Art Direction
This is graphics quality and artistic style. It is not about realism or the biggest budget. A strong, consistent look can beat raw detail.
A 5 means a world with its own identity that you can describe to a friend. A 2 means the look works against the game. Little Nightmares scored 5/5 for a stop-motion look that plays like a dark, sinister children's book full of unsettling details. Little Nightmares III, on the other hand, scored 2/5. Its rounded, plush, animated style consistently softens the horror, so the sinister environments never feel truly terrifying.
Story & Narrative
This is the quality of the storytelling and how it's told, whether through dialogue, voice acting, or things you find in the world. It does not require a long or complicated plot, and sparse stories can work.
High means you care about what happens and who it happens to. A middle score may mean the story is deliberately thin. Still Wakes the Deep scored 5/5. We found a genuinely emotional story about survival, greed, and loss, with voice acting good enough that we cared about each character. Little Nightmares got 3/5, with no traditional story or character development, just a hunger that grows more disturbing. The ambiguity fits, though players who want a clear narrative won't necessarily find one.
Enemy/Monster Design
This is the design and behavior of the things that hunt you. Looks matter, and so does how they move, how they react to you, and how you learn to handle them.
A 5 means a creature you'd describe to someone months later. A low score means forgettable enemies. Little Nightmares II scored 5/5 for the hospital mannequins. They gave us serious Silent Hill vibes, because they only move when your flashlight is off. Little Nightmares III only reached 3/5. Monster Baby is the strongest of the new enemies, but none of the cast reaches the iconic status of the Teacher or Thin Man from the previous games.
Fear Factor & Tension
This measures how well the game creates fear and keeps tension up over time. It is the "did it scare me?" facet, and it can be earned through mood and vulnerability as much as through monsters.
A 4 or 5 means you're gripping the controller or pausing to breathe. A 1 or 2 means the game is creepy on paper but doesn't land. Little Nightmares II scored 5/5. We called the hospital one of the most effective horror sections we've played in a while. Little Nightmares III got 2/5. It is creepy and well-designed, but it never truly scares, because the visual style keeps the horror at arm's length.
Difficulty & Challenge Design
This is the balance and fairness of the challenge. It is not about how hard the game is. A tough game can score well if it feels fair, and an easy one can score poorly if it feels empty or repetitive.
High means mistakes teach you something and the game never feels cheap. Low means frustrating spikes, vague puzzles, or repetition. Still Wakes the Deep scored 4/5. Its hazards, from fire to flooding to structural collapse, punish mistakes without tipping into frustration, so we felt we were fighting the rig, not the game. Little Nightmares II got 3/5, because almost every chapter ends with a big chase sequence and the pattern begins to feel predictable and unrewarding.
Pacing & Length
This covers game flow and whether the length is right. A short game that never drags can score higher than a long one that pads. It is about the shape of the experience, not the hours on the clock.
A 5 means every stretch earns its place. A 2 suggests padding or a slog. Still Wakes the Deep scored 5/5. At five to six hours, it feels full but never drags, and we liked playing it in shorter sessions without losing momentum. Little Nightmares III got 2/5, with levels so long and padded they turn a tight experience into something closer to an exhausting slog.
Replayability
This is the value and incentive for playing again. It does not mean a game is worse for being a one-time experience, as a lot of the best horror is. It helps you decide whether a title is worth a second run.
High means collectibles, new challenges, or a story that changes on repeat. A low score means once is plenty. Here are two games that both landed at 3/5, for different reasons. Still Wakes the Deep is one playthrough for us, though we'd happily enjoy watching someone else play it, and plan to check out the Siren's Rest DLC. Little Nightmares is worth a second run for completionists chasing collectibles or the no-death challenge, and knowing how it ends makes the early hunger moments creepier.
Using these scores
Every review has a Scoring Details section with all 9 facet scores and our comment on each one. Browse every review on the games page, or use search to filter by facet, whether you want a game with a strong story or a short, tense one. You can also read more about Josh on his reviewer page.