I felt I had to review this game, as aspects of this game are what I have been looking for. In a horror game, for a very long time.
Without spoiling I will attempt to speak to the various aspects of the game.
Firstly, some say it is not a horror game. I will tell you, that this game is horror, the game is very subtle, but slowly and deliberately works into your mind, causing a palpable paranoia as you wander the giant hotel. I found myself constantly feeling watched, and peering down the empty halls expecting someone or something to arrive at any moment. The sound, the music, the graphics, and the relationship between the main characters gives such a sense of reality, the horror seems to be rooted in our world somehow. No over the top horror tropes and no cartoony scares.
Secondly, some critics have claimed that the way they approached the taboo nature of the narrative, was done inappropriately. Again without spoiling I will attempt to address this issue. I am a licensed therapist and I'd like to say that the way they handled this topic in my opinion was very tactful. It was presented through different characters perspectives, and they attended to all of these in a balanced way. I do not believe that they were condoning the behavior of certain characters. If anything that part of the narrative added to the discomfort of the game, as it is a uncomfortable topic and contains many emotions and human behaviors that are not easily addressed and dealt with.
Overall the game wasn't completely perfect. The ending kinda speed away and I am not sure I loved the conclusion,however.....
HORROR GAME DEVELOPERS NEED TO TAKE A LESSON FROM THIS GAME WHEN WANTING TO CREATE A HEIGHTENED STATE OF FEAR FOR THEIR PLAYERS....
True horror needs to be rooted in our humanity. Horror that 'could' actually happen, is the scariest without a doubt.
The atmosphere though was perfected and I hope to see more games like this. 9/10.
Without spoiling I will attempt to speak to the various aspects of the game.
Firstly, some say it is not a horror game. I will tell you, that this game is horror, the game is very subtle, but slowly and deliberately works into your mind, causing a palpable paranoia as you wander the giant hotel. I found myself constantly feeling watched, and peering down the empty halls expecting someone or something to arrive at any moment. The sound, the music, the graphics, and the relationship between the main characters gives such a sense of reality, the horror seems to be rooted in our world somehow. No over the top horror tropes and no cartoony scares.
Secondly, some critics have claimed that the way they approached the taboo nature of the narrative, was done inappropriately. Again without spoiling I will attempt to address this issue. I am a licensed therapist and I'd like to say that the way they handled this topic in my opinion was very tactful. It was presented through different characters perspectives, and they attended to all of these in a balanced way. I do not believe that they were condoning the behavior of certain characters. If anything that part of the narrative added to the discomfort of the game, as it is a uncomfortable topic and contains many emotions and human behaviors that are not easily addressed and dealt with.
Overall the game wasn't completely perfect. The ending kinda speed away and I am not sure I loved the conclusion,however.....
HORROR GAME DEVELOPERS NEED TO TAKE A LESSON FROM THIS GAME WHEN WANTING TO CREATE A HEIGHTENED STATE OF FEAR FOR THEIR PLAYERS....
True horror needs to be rooted in our humanity. Horror that 'could' actually happen, is the scariest without a doubt.
The atmosphere though was perfected and I hope to see more games like this. 9/10.