Reaction to the game's atmosphere was mixed, with some reviewers finding the game genuinely frightening, while others found it unimpressive or found its presentation simply not as competent or successful as it was implemented in similar games such as the "Doom" series, to which "Shadowgrounds" was often compared. Critics generally thought favourably of the game's graphics, which were complimented for being rich and detailed, especially for a budget title. The game's music and sound effects were praised; Lordi guitarist Amen played guitar on the official "Shadowgrounds" soundtrack, which was composed by Ari Pulkkinen.