Review · Adventure · iOS · PC · macOS
Distrust
By the LumiKin editors
Reviewed: 01 May 2026
iOS · PC · macOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4
Alawar Entertainment · 2017
LumiScore
64/100
Good
Distrust is a survival strategy game that develops problem solving and critical thinking, but features intense horror themes for older players.
Growth (BDS)
47
Risk (RIS)
2
Daily limit
120min
Age guidance
13+
Developmental benefits
| B1 | Cognitive | 0.64 | |
| B2 | Social-emotional | 0.33 | |
| B3 | Motor | 0.25 | |
Distrust offers strong cognitive challenges, requiring players to employ problem-solving, strategic thinking, and critical analysis to navigate its randomly generated environments and manage a group of survivors under extreme conditions. The game's unique 'altered perception of reality' mechanic enhances adaptive thinking and memory skills as players must discern reality from hallucination. Learning the unique skills of 15 characters further promotes strategic planning and learning transfer.
Design risks
| R1 | Dopamine pressure | 0.03 | |
| R2 | Monetization | 0.00 | |
| R3 | Social risk | 0.00 | |
The primary risks in Distrust stem from its intense horror theme, featuring a terrifying force and the psychological descent into madness. While violence is present in fighting the 'unfathomable,' it is not gratuitous. Crucially, the game presents no monetization pressure, dopamine manipulation, or social risks due to its single-player focus and lack of microtransactions or online interactions. The 'distrust' theme is internal to the game's narrative, not a real-world social risk.
Heads up
- Monthly spendTypical real-money spend by engaged players: $0–0/mo.