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Decay: The Mare

Review · Adventure · Xbox One · PC · Linux

Decay: The Mare

Reviewed: 01 May 2026

Xbox One · PC · Linux · iOS · macOS

Daedalic Entertainment · 2015

Ludograph rating

D

Caution

39 /100

Automated review

Decay: The Mare is an adventure-puzzle game that develops problem solving and critical thinking, but involves significant horror and substance references.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 24 · R 2
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

24

Risk (RIS)

2

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.40
B2Social-emotional
0.03
B3Motor
0.15

Decay: The Mare offers a challenging psychological horror adventure with engaging puzzles and a deep story, fostering problem-solving, critical thinking, and spatial awareness. Its focus on narrative and puzzles provides a rich, immersive experience.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.03
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game's psychological horror theme involves significant fear and horror elements, along with explicit substance references related to the protagonist's addiction. While not employing manipulative design mechanics or monetization, its mature content requires careful consideration.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.67
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.33
R4.4Substance References
1.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
1.00

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~4 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Decay: The Mare safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Decay: The Mare a rating of 39/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. There are notable risks worth knowing before letting kids play.

What age is Decay: The Mare appropriate for?

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

How long should kids play Decay: The Mare?

Our session recommendation for Decay: The Mare 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 Decay: The Mare?

The game's psychological horror theme involves significant fear and horror elements, along with explicit substance references related to the protagonist's addiction. While not employing manipulative design mechanics or monetization, its mature content requires careful consideration.