Artifact

Editorial Has potential

Artifact is an ambitious early-access sandbox with a possession-based mechanic and Lovecraftian horror themes that divides its audience sharply. The core appeal is there for those who enjoy open-ended, systems-driven gameplay and erotic storytelling with genuine atmosphere—several players praise its writing, unique mechanics, and willingness to let players discover how things work. However, the execution is uneven: UI is clunky and sometimes non-functional, progression is opaque (leading to frequent frustration about what to do next), the time system is punishing, art assets are incomplete or placeholder, and content feels unfinished in places. Most damaging, the game currently has stability issues on some platforms—installation failures, crashes, and being unable to load despite Steam claiming it's running. For players seeking a complete, polished experience, this is too rough to recommend right now, even if the underlying concept is compelling.