About Identity V
I’m a broke college student so free games are basically my only entertainment between classes. I picked up Identity V three days ago because I was tired of paying for games that drained my battery or crashed mid-match. This is a 1v4 survival horror thing where you either run away as a survivor or hunt as the killer. It’s set in this creepy Victorian mansion world with dolls and clocks everywhere. The art style is more cartoonish than realistic but honestly that makes it less jump-scare heavy for me. I’ve played maybe 15 rounds so far and it’s been pretty solid on my iPhone 15 Pro. No overheating or lag which surprised me because my phone usually gets hot with games like Genshin.
Core Features
You pick between playing a survivor who needs to decode five machines and open a gate or playing the hunter who chases them down. There’s like 30+ characters each with their own abilities. I main a survivor named Doctor who can heal herself which is clutch when the hunter is breathing down your neck. The maps are small but detailed with pallets you can drop to stun the hunter and lockers to hide in. You can also customize outfits and accessories but most of the cool stuff costs real money. There’s a rank system that matches you with similar skill levels so I haven’t gotten totally destroyed yet. The controls are basic tap and drag but the camera sometimes gets stuck on walls when you’re running. Still way better than the other free horror games I tried where the buttons felt laggy.
Real-World Use
Last Tuesday night I was stuck in my dorm room after my 6pm chem lab and I just needed to chill for an hour. I opened Identity V and played three matches in about 30 minutes. Each round takes like 10-15 minutes max so it’s perfect for study breaks. I actually appreciated that I could quit after a match without losing progress. The tutorial is pretty short but I still messed up my first two games because I didn’t know you have to tap the decoding machine three times not just once. There’s also a practice mode against bots that I should’ve used first. My roommate Alex saw me playing and now he’s downloading it too because he’s also broke lol. The only annoying thing is sometimes teammates go AFK mid-match and you’re stuck alone against a hunter.
Pricing & Value
It’s completely free to download and you can unlock a bunch of characters just by playing matches and earning in-game currency. You get some free skins and stuff from events but the really cool outfits cost like $10-20 each which I can’t afford as a student. There’s a battle pass thing for about $5 per season but I’m not spending that. The whole game is playable without paying a cent though. I’ve seen some people complain about pay-to-win but honestly most of the paid items are just cosmetic. The free currency system is slow though. You earn like 20-50 coins per match and a new character costs like 2000 coins so you’ll grind for a while.
Updates & Support
The app store says the devs push new content every few weeks. I can see there’s an event going on right now for Halloween with limited time skins and modes. I haven’t needed to contact support so I can only guess based on other reviews. A lot of people complain about long loading screens sometimes and I’ve noticed that. When I play during peak hours like 8pm the queue takes like 30-40 seconds. The devs seem active on social media posting patch notes and stuff. The app updated once since I downloaded it and it was like 200 MB which is annoying on my data plan but whatever.
Data & Privacy
The app asks for a bunch of permissions when you first open it like access to your photos and microphone. I denied all of them and the game still worked fine so that’s good. It does require an account to play even offline though. I used my email but you can also log in with Facebook or Twitter. The privacy policy is like 20 pages long which I definitely didn’t read. I did notice it tracks your gameplay data and shows ads sometimes but not during matches just in between. For a free app I expect some data tracking so I’m not too bothered.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a student on a budget who wants a fun horror game without spending money Identity V works. It’s not perfect but it’s free and runs decent on my iPhone 15 Pro. Just don’t expect to get every skin without paying or having patience. I’ll probably keep playing until I get bored or my finals start.
How do I decode machines in Identity V?
To decode a machine, tap it three times to start the process, not just once. Each round requires you to decode five machines to open the exit gate, and matches typically last 10-15 minutes.
Can I play Identity V without spending money?
Yes, the game is completely free to download and you can unlock characters by earning in-game currency through matches, though it requires grinding (about 20-50 coins per match, with characters costing 2000 coins). Paid items are mostly cosmetic, so the game is fully playable without spending a cent.
What should I do if my teammates go AFK mid-match?
If teammates go AFK, you'll be left alone against the hunter, which can be tough. To avoid this, try playing with friends or use the practice mode against bots to improve your skills before jumping into ranked matches.
Why does the camera get stuck on walls when I'm running?
The camera can sometimes get stuck on walls due to the game's tap-and-drag controls and small map layouts. To minimize this, try adjusting your camera angle manually while running in open areas, and practice in bot matches to get used to the controls.
How does Identity V compare to other free horror games like Dead by Daylight?
Identity V is a 1v4 survival horror game similar to Dead by Daylight but with a cartoonish art style that reduces jump scares, and it runs smoothly on devices like the iPhone 15 Pro without overheating. It's also free with no pay-to-win mechanics, making it a better choice for budget-conscious players than many paid alternatives.
