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Below

Review · Adventure · PlayStation 4 · PC · Xbox One

Below

Reviewed: 17 May 2026

PlayStation 4 · PC · Xbox One

Capybara Games · 2018

Ludograph rating

B

Good

61 /100

Automated review
06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 45 · R 8
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

45

Risk (RIS)

8

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.70
B2Social-emotional
0.03
B3Motor
0.45

Below offers a deep and challenging exploration experience, fostering critical thinking, spatial awareness, and strategic planning through its procedural labyrinths and survival mechanics. Players learn from their mistakes in a perma-death environment, promoting adaptive learning and problem-solving.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.17
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game's perma-death mechanic and challenging nature, combined with elements of violence and fear, could be frustrating for some players. While not designed to be manipulative, the constant threat of loss and the drive to discover secrets might lead to extended play sessions.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.67
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.67

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~1 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Below safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Below a rating of 61/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

What age is Below appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 13+ for Below, based on benefits, risks, and content review.

How long should kids play Below?

Our session recommendation for Below is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Below?

The game's perma-death mechanic and challenging nature, combined with elements of violence and fear, could be frustrating for some players. While not designed to be manipulative, the constant threat of loss and the drive to discover secrets might lead to extended play sessions.