![]() ![]() Multiple endings is always a welcoming addition as well. Those Who Remain delivers a decent mix of aspects we’ve come to love, or hate, in horror games. I found myself connecting more with the other few characters than I did with Edward himself. One that shows the lengths some will take when battling their personal demons. Spooky stuff aside it’s an emotional tale of grief. Some minor performance issues and tedious item collecting were the only real downfall during my visit to this dark, foggy and corrupted town. Even after wrapping up the story, I find myself still trying to understand the purpose of some of the aforementioned areas. It was an interesting addition to the adventure, but felt out of place at points. This Twilight Zone-esque plane had some really cool visuals within it rooms of houses flipped upside down, objects floating and spinning out of control, even labyrinths of large stone walls to navigate through. Traversing to the ‘other’ world a hazy, gravity defied, altered vision of Dormont, was an interesting and unexpected concept added to the mix as well. ![]() They also served as a quick reminder that I hate being chased and forced to hide. Never providing much challenge, I found myself escaping these scenarios with little effort. ![]() It helped break up the sometimes exhausting document hunting. There a few chase/hide and seek sequences with some rather grotesque and intimidating entities thrown into the mix as well. It’s easy to miss a single cabinet and I found myself frequently backtracking to find it. However, searching for some of these necessary items could be a nightmare on its own. I didn’t mind the slow burn of the story reveal. You spend a lot of time (almost too much time) digging through lockers and cabinets, seeking documents which all assist in connecting this puzzling story together. Effortless puzzles and item collecting are what you’ll be doing the majority of the playthrough. The gameplay in Those Who Remain revolves around exploration for the most part. It gives the game a bit of replayability value, which is great to see. I’ve only achieved one so far myself, but I’m curious to see how the others unfold. To my understanding, there are three endings that can be triggered. Without giving much away storywise you will be forced to make some drastic decisions during your playthrough. He does however, present you with a fate choosing system, which I absolutely loved. You do eventually encounter a mysterious masked man, whose full intentions aren’t quite known until the final act. Meeting only a handful of NPCs, the story reveals itself in small pieces over time. The light is your only real ‘weapon’ or means of survival while you uncover the dark secrets this town is hiding. Leaning into rooms to flick light switches on, just inches from these entities was an awesome way to build the tension. It’s a great mechanic to make the player feel uneasy, especially inside of buildings. These supernatural visitors aren’t going anywhere, and observe you the entire game. One of the most unsettling aspects, was constantly being surrounded by dozens of glowing blue eyes from mysterious, dark silhouettes, just out of lights reach. ![]() By limiting line of sight, as well as almost all background noise, it really amplified the nerve-racking and claustrophobic ambience throughout this devastated town. Horror games don’t need to be crammed with jump scare tactics in order to make the player feel uneasy. Now stuck on foot, Edward has no choice but to venture into town, leaving his own personal agendas on the backburner (for now at least). Having no luck finding her, he makes his way back to his car, only to witness it being stolen. Seeking out a grungy little motel on the outskirts of Dormont, Edward decides to meet with a woman who is clearly not his wife. It’s apparent his marriage is in crumbles, and to top it off, is grieving over the loss of a child due to a car accident. The first few moments of this dark and mind bending tale introduce us to Edward, an emotionally broken individual. This eerie, suspenseful, and terrifying visit to the town of Dormont was one I wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon. Slated as a first person psychological thriller, I was excited to try it out and see what kind of madness the developers brewed up. Since its announcement, it seemed to have sparked some interest within the gaming community. More recently, Those Who Remain a new release from Camel 101 and Wired Productions, launched on multiple platforms. The Medium, a System Shock reboot, and the next installment of The Dark Pictures Anthology, are just a few upcoming titles to name that are in the mix. 2020 is shaping up to be fairly promising for fans of the horror genre. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |