Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2016
Back in 1995
Developer Throw the warped code out
A throwback to the survival horror and mystery games of the original Playstation, Back in 1995 faithfully re-creates everything from this forgotten era of games. From the Steam store page
99 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Sep 24, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
63
Fresh
57 positive · 33 negative
95% range 53–73%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 57 | 33 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
9 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Mixed
96 of 147 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 99 · most liked firstI'll preface this review by saying that I love survival horror games. I've spent several thousands of hours playing and watching many games of the genre, including the Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark and Fatal Frame series, so it goes without saying I have no problem with dated controls or graphics. I was really excited for Back in 1995, and I wanted to like it. I was practically waiting down to the hour for it to be out on Steam. I already knew it was going to be a short game,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well that was disappointing... I was somewhat really interested by Back In 1995. I grew up loving the PlayStation and the images from the Tomb Raider 1 to 5, MGS, Resident Evil 1 to 3, Silent Hill, FFVIII or Syphon Filter 1 to 3 are forever stuck in my mind. I love the aesthetic from this era. I think for certain genres, survival/horror in particular, it brings not only nostalgia, but a sense of weirdness and it is forcing you to imagine the details hidden in the pixelated mess that some of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We are far from the PS1/SS days. This game seems to get a bad rep and that's a damn shame. We seem to forget that Resident Evil and Silent Hill are games that are classics, and expecting that from this game is not the way to opproach "Back in 1995". This game is for those people that cherish the days when you'd get a magazine from the store and find a demo disc in the back and get play all the demos for hours until you say "OH man I want that game when it comes out!" It's not trying to be the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Two things that bother me about "Nostalgia" games is that they always look worse than the games from the era and they are full of references to better games. I could forgive all of that if this brought something interesting or memerable to the table. You will fine no jems here my friend. Other reviewers have said what I would say about this game. Don't bother with this one.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Memory Lane? Full disclosure: review copy provided by the developer/publisher! In my restless dreams, I see that game. Silent Hill. You promised you'd take me there again someday, Konami, you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. But you never did. Well I'm alone there now... In our 'special place'... Waiting for someone to capture that spirit while actually doing something original. Unfortunately, in spite of a commendable effort, Back in 1995…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995 is a retro-styled survival-horror game that takes most of its influence from a 1994 Japan-only 3DO horror game known as Dr. Hauzer and Silent Hill. The game has the sort of things you would expect from such an undertaking, such as fixed camera angles, limited supplies, tank controls. What may be a bit less predictable in the journey itself. Now, let me first clarify something here and now; this game is not in the same league as the Resident Evil's and Silent Hill's of yesteryear.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The rest of the negative reviews on this page really explain in far more detail than I'm willing to go into about why this game completely whiffs on what makes older survival horror games fun and interesting, but this game is basically an hour of kinda meandering build-up and an absolute blue-balling mess of an ending sequence with very little substance to its plot or atmosphere. Nah.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A throwback to the survival horror and mystery games of the original Playstation, Back in 1995 faithfully re-creates everything from this forgotten era of games. No, it freaking does not. I played and enjoyed the first Silent Hill and Resident Evil decades after their initial release. I don't remember the main character spinning in place as slowly as jewelry in a QVC showcase or swinging their weapon like they were moving through cottage cheese. I don't remember the textures being so…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The name of the game is Back In 1995, however I remember playing Alone in the Dark in 1993 and that didnt even look this bad. "Back in 1995" promised to be a throwback to PS1-era survival horror. The very first (and extremely major) gripe I had from the get go was the CRT filter. It has three filter options, CRT static, CRT standard and no CRT filter. The static filter option made my head hurt immediately, and the game is unbearably ugly without the filter altogether, so I went with normal…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Does exactly what it says on the box: Plays like a game from 1995.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you enjoy both (1) the impressionistic look of early, primitive 3D graphics as seen on the PS1/Saturn/3DO; as well as (2) slower-paced, puzzle-sprinkled gameplay that is lighter on action but heavy on atmosphere, I think you'll love this game. If you think a game's price point should be based on how many hours you get out of the game, this game is gonna disappoint you. I personally value quality over quantity, and I felt like the "heart" the developer put into this game was palpable. This…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game takes "classic" to a whole new level. If you didn't grow up in the 90's playing horror games, this one IS NOT for you. On the other hand, if you remember your PS1 days and games like Silent Hill, then you MIGHT want to give this a try. Tank controls, warping unsightly textures your eyes will never get used to in 2016, static cameras, etc. It's all here. The game is even presented in 4:3 aspect ratio. Don't get me wrong, it's nowhere near the caliber of Silent Hill or Resident Evil of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not a game for everyone, thats for sure If you are a fan of games like silent hill, house of the dead, resident evil, splatterhouse maybe ? then u good to go. Living in a world that is infested with AAA games, is so refreshing to see a game like this getting released on steam. Back in 1995 is a blend of all the good stuff of those old games, remember beating the last boss of HoTD? Facing tyrant in RE? well you already know that graphics dont matter to enjoy a good game, and this is what back…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Do you like shooting psone-era Thanksgiving turkeys? Because they are creepy as ♥♥♥♥. Pros: Awesome recreation of a late 90's console survival horror game Short enough that it doesn't wear it's welcome out Classic item fetching, back tracking and puzzle solving staples of the genre Cons: Enemies aren't much of a threat Story is pretty hard to follow / not there
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There's nothing quite as nostalgic to 90's kids such as myself than retro survival horror games. Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, Silent Hill, Eternal Darkness, Parasite Eve... they all conjure memories relating back to feelings of tension, suspense, and fright through a newly discovered video game genre. Back then, we weren't so desensitized, and even pixels that we could barely make out horrified us in forgotten ways. Back in 1995 attempts to put the player back in the glory days of horror…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Big survival horror (RE/SH) fan here. Game has a lot of fundamental issues such as enemy AI (easily killed because they are stuck). Setting up the controller is a challenge as the default settings don't appear to work for anything other than possibly the PS4 controller. If you are using an XB1 controller you can start the game with KB/M and then go into the OPTIONS while IN THE GAME. There you can move around your controller settings. I believe I had the layout of the steam contoller and the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm not against this game being slow and clunky, but it frankly doesn't have enough going on to justify its already sparse 2ish hour run time. Even the games of the era it's trying to imitate had more going on. Its heart is in the right place, but there are far, far better survival horror throwbacks out there.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →About Even though really short experience, Back in 1995 is a love letter to the golden era of gaming, evoking the atmosphere and gameplay of the hit titles for the original Playstation. That being said, and even though I recommend this game for a single playthrough, it's very far from the best games back then in terms of quality and gameplay. Note: when you finish the game, continue playing! Pros Old, clumsy atmosphere Retro shader and gameplay The second ending was kind of unique Cons…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An okay game but a great piece of art. Don't let the mixed reviews discourage you. If you are a fan of PS1 horror games, namely Silent Hill, you will feel right at home here. Yes, the game is really short, but that serves the purpose of post-modern story telling the developer chose to follow. It's really good, not to spoil anything, but it's kinda simillar to MGS2.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I want to love this, but it just does so many things bad even though the foundation is solid. Like many nostalgia games it overdoes things and thus starts feeling more of a parody than a tribute even though the story and such is serious. But that's small potatoes compared to a game-breaking bug I stumbled upon. It's possible that it won't repeat if I just reload my save file, and I will try that, but it was just the straw that broke the camels back for me when it came to things that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A really cool recreation of early 90s Playstation Survival Horror games. The game doesn't overstay it's welcome, with barely 3 hours playtime it is just long enough so that the gimmick doesn't grow tiresome. Controls and camera angles could use some polish. It's tank controls of course, but it feels significantly jankier than Silent Hill 1 for example. If you are nostalgic for the PS1 era, this is a cool little throwback! I hope to see more indies adopt this kind of low-fi aesthetic! Oh one…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Reviews are pretty negative for this game, probably for lots of obvious reasons. It looks ugly, the character moves obnoxiously slow, the combat is pretty abysmal, the sound design is dubious, and it's only a couple of hours long. However, all of these do sort of come together to form a pretty decent amalgamation of a 1995 survival horror game. It's very much a love letter to that era (the ending makes this pretty clear), and if you are of that certain age that can appreciate it, this game can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995 seems to be polarizing for people due to its price vs gameplay hours at the moment. I think that's a silly argument considering I've paid less for games I had more time with but they werent that FUN. I had alot of fun throughout the game. It wasn't particularly hard, if anything for a survival horror game it was pretty easy but the dev really got the atmosphere down and I really had to stop and admire the low poly work. Really great work, as a fan of PS1 and PS2 level models I was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't know that I could recommend this game enough. Forget the price, even if the game is short, this is a dream for someone who loves classic horror games like myself. This was a fantastic 3-4 hour journey for me that didn't purely rely on nostalgia, but felt like it honestly could have been made in 1995. The graphics, the sound, the puzzles, the general eerieness...this has it all. Also, if you think you've reached the end, don't stop playing, just push a button when it says to push and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's not great. The experience is very faithful to mid-90s PC/PSX/Saturn games, especially visually and narratively (which is often tongue-in-cheek), but also including clunky, semi-responsive controls. I imagine I'll be going back to check it out more, since I've bought it, but there's nothing really here that you don't get from playing Resident Evil/Silent Hill.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So I saw the Mixed rating, I read the negative reviews, I heard scathing opinions on Youtube but I bought this game anyway because the first 3 Silent Hill games are my favorite games of all time, and I love the original PSX release and I think we need more PSX/N64-era indie games. I heard one of the biggest criticisms was about the controls, but I never had an issue with tank controls. It's how I prefer to play Silent Hill. After playing the game for myself, I personally was not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995 is a pretty cool and good PS1 style inspired game which I bet were heavily inspired Resident Evil and Silent Hill (Resident Evil for the tank controls and Silent Hill for the story, atmosphere, monsters, and inventory system). You play as a man named Kent who thinks he is still in the year 1995 even though he isn't and can't accept the fact that he's in the present even though he keeps thinking about the past and accepting the "past reality" instead of the real reality . If you're…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The idea of this game is in the right place, unfortunately that seems to be the only thing going for this game. The story is weak, the gameplay is weaker, and the graphics are somehow worse than games from 1995. The camera angles disorient (and I love Tank Controls and RE Cameras, but this game doesnt seem to pull it off the same way, I would constantly get lost in one room thanks to how the camera would switch around. I dont have that problem in older Resident Evil or Silent Hill games from…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was really interested to play this, but in the end it's just 90 minutes long, fails to be scary or disturbing, and offers no challenge at all. Maybe someday we'll get another attempt at this concept, but for now this game just isn't worth buying.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a loveletter for everyone who loved horrorgames back in the days.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995, ex-KGB and CIA leaders joined forces with Activision to create a spy video game. Now The Great Game unpacks how Cold War rivals turned real espionage into digital intrigue. #Spycraft #ColdWar #Gaming #CIA www.polygon.com/videos/46469...
unlabelledView post →30th Anniversary of one of the best games of all time. Back in 1995 remember seeing the game on a Toys R Us catalog that was usually sent along with the newspaper with at whopping $80+ USD price tag. It took me some time to get my hands on it, but it was worth every penny.
unlabelledView post →Back in 1995 is a trip back in time to a period where Playstation 1 had just come out and games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil were new. By evoking the mechanics of those older games, Back in 1995 tries to recapture what made them enjoyable and fun. While it doesn't always succeed in this endeavor, it is an appreciated trip down memory lane. If you were someone who was around for the PS1 era of gaming and liked tank controls and the games that used them, you'll find yourself smiling during…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is tough to recommend as it feels unfinished with no real gameplay and no depth. This one had a lot of potential and they could've made something really special. Regardless, if you'd just like to briefly play a 3D game that looks like it came from the late 90's (silent hill, alone in the dark), then you'lll enjoy what it has to offer. Otherwise, stay away.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I recommend this game, but for only a specific group of people. If you're a huge fan of classic survival horror, you'll be able to ride the nostalgia train to the end. But there are flaws: the game provides no challenge in combat or puzzles, the monster designs are uninspired, the story has clever moments, but ultimately falls flat, and there are bugs, from ugly clipping to terrible camera angles, that are NOT related to the dated source material they're trying to imitate. Overall, I wish…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995, my MiL *loved* Joey Cora like Joey was a backstreet boy. She watched every Mariners game and adored every minute. She couldn't have explained how a run was scored if her life depended on it.
unlabelledView post →psx style horror, It's no big deal; it's pretty minimalist. The story gets pretty weird the end. 7/10 More psx style horror and weird games: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45665580 And part 2: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46219602
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While a very flawed experience, with practically every individual element of the game showing a lack of skill, I found the whole to be more than the sum of its parts. The dev's artistic vision shines through the rough and unpolished surface of this game in a way I rarely see. That said, I really think this game would give a better experience if at least the following things were improved upon in an update: 1. Have someone with a good understanding of the language edit the English…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Definitely not for everyone. This is reminscent of the really early 3d survival horrors. Like, pre-Resident Evil 1 survival horrors. With those expectations in mind, this definitely works. It's roughness feels deliberate and with affection for its inspirations, and it definitely works to tell the game's wider story. And to be honest, for me the game's style was already my thing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good idea, poorly executed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well that was disappointing,Sadly the game itself looked somehow well made from that era however it doesn't mean the story had to suffer or be rather not engaging for I finished the 1st chapter and legit had no reason not feel to keep going on with the game at all,And the pacing of a story is is rather off,as in most horror games from before the 2000's they didn't spawn you in the game and tell you hey you see that tower go there,for all I knew this protagonist had no reason to go there,He just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you can tolerate slow movement speed and can get past a couple tricky puzzles pretty early on, Back in 1995 is a surprisingly fascinating game that goes in unexpected and creative directions, which is well worth the time of anyone like me who grew up with survival horror classics.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →How... do I explain this game? While its very much an homage to games from the PS1 mainly Silent Hill as well as an obscure game called Dr. Hauzer. While the game may be off-putting now with its graphics and controls to just the feel of the game as well, Back in 1995 takes the player back to the past with a simple question. (I will avoid saying anything since its part of an interesting twist). While the game is intentionally clunky and a few bugs such as taking damage at certian ranges from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A short and sweet experience worthy of a purchase outside the context of a steam sale. A pleasant gift and beatable in a livestream amount of time. In about 2 hours. Aim is sligthly assisted. Give it a while for your character to aim before you shoot.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995 tries to recreate the experience of a forgotten PS1-era survival-horror game. I appreciated the developer’s passion and attention to detail… but did I actually enjoy playing it? Well... 😅 Check out my written review: theretrowildlands.com/blog/back-in...
unlabelledView post →Back in 1995 Pioneer of Retro Low-Poly Horror Games Turns 10 A new feature examines how Back in 1995, the 2016 indie horror game that started the PS1-ish retro 3D revival, deliberately reproduced hardware-era glitches like texture distortion and z-fighting as aesthetic choices.
unlabelledView post →Back in 1995 is one of those games I truly wish I could give a neutral review and this should be a function in the Steam review system. The game has some fun elements going for it but is dragged down by a lot of the faults. I did find the retro and old graphical style charming, I appreciated that the puzzles weren't particularly cryptic and I didn't get stuck for long periods of time. Some of the aesthetic designs are neat, and without spoiling any of the story the narrative started slow and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in 1995 #Scotland faced #Japan for the first time in the Kirin Cup and the game ended goalless. How many players can you name below? 🏴🇯🇵
unlabelledView post →Back in 1995, this trailer was the SHIT. Never did actually play the game, though...
unlabelledView post →Randomly discovered a lo-fi PS1 style survival horror game called Back in 1995. It’s nothing special, but it’s scratching an itch
unlabelledView post →Bad cash grab :\
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I find it hard to review ‘1995’ as a game. It feels like it is so close to being a good horror game, and proudly wears its nostalgia for early fixed camera horror. The only problem is the developer seems to want to create a game reminiscent of such game play styles, without fully making a horror game. The problem comes from the vague story beats, which at first feels like it is alluding to a deeper narrative within the game. Really travelling the road of games like ‘Silent Hill’ but is quickly…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ever wanted a game modeled after mid-90s survival horror that doesn't understand mid-90s survival horror? Back in 1995 has you covered! Weird warping textures that make it look like the floors and walls are doing the wave? Check. A character who can't run in an already slow-running game? Check. Small selection of enemies even slower than the main character to ensure they're completely non-threatening? Check. Enemies that look like sweet potatoes? Check. Gameplay that constantly gets bogged…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →bit short so get it on sale but fun if you like it old school.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tottaly messed up. Where do I start? * No key rebinds. Forget about it, you have to press "Y" to examine or pickup something. They do not even show you the controls for keyboard and mouse. * Poor translation and voice acting. * Frame limit of ****18 FPS****. What the ????? I'm refunding this right now.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Glad I only paid a couple bucks, because this thing is boring as watching a potato grow arms. I don't remember being this bored when I played Resident Evil on PS1. But I also didn't pay just a couple bucks for Resident Evil, so I guess you get what you pay for.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Back in 1995" Miss those days....
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you want an interesting reflective game on games of the year 1995 you should get this. it's about 3 hours long and a cool fun time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Xbox One controller is just not working for me. Works with all other games. Not playable.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a person who's watched Joe Gran's YouTube channel for a long time, one of the characters that has stood out to me the most has been 90's Nick, because I come across his archetype quite often in online circles. This feels like if that character made a throwback game. It's not a good game by any stretch of the word, but it nails down the feeling and aesthetics of mid-to-late 90's PS1 poly aesthetics (which I can admit are quite likable!). That being said, the combat is boring, there's very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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