Visage Reviews
A long-lived and scary survival horror, but also sluggish by some naivety too much in rhythm and inventory management
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you’re able to get past the more irksome gameplay aspects, and have the patience and fortitude to uncover the house’s dark secrets, Visage will reward you with a gaming experience that will have you going to bed with the lights on after playing. All you have to do then is hope something isn’t lurking nearby, waiting to turn them off.
Visage is close to being of the best horror games of recent years, but it's held back by some annoying aspects. The inventory controls are awkward, there were still a few bugs that prevented me from interacting with the environment, and the chapters are far too uneven, with the third being particularly bad. That being said, if you are prepared to work through these issues there is a lot of spooky fun to be found here and it is more than just jump scares for streamers (although there are plenty of those). With a little more polish and a better third chapter, this could have been an essential purchase. Instead, Visage is somewhat haunted by the spectre of what might have been.
Visage is one of the most terrifying games I've ever played, full stop, but it's not going to be for all horror fans. The game's perplexing puzzles, convoluted story, and rough edges will turn off some, but if you can stick it out, there's a good chance it will eventually sink its hooks into you. Good horror can take time to process, and I believe Visage's dark presence will only grow with time.
Visage isn't going to be for every horror fan. It's slower pace, difficult puzzles and lack of direction are going to make many struggle, but that's also kind of the point. For every moment where I didn't know what to do and felt like I was on a wild goose chase, there was another moment of gratification for finally figuring it out. Throughout all of those moments, I was scared and that's indicative that even if I didn't, Visage knows what it's doing.
Even if lacking the slickness of some of its genre forebears, Visage still shocks and entertains once you begin to piece it all together.
Still, with these minor annoyances aside, Visage goes far beyond cheap jump scares and will chill you to the bone if you give it half a chance. It might never completely shed its inspiration, but it spins it in enough clever (and unsettling) ways to keep you hooked. If you’re a fan of horror, you won’t regret stepping into Visage‘s suburban haunted house – even if your character might.
Visage is a visually compelling horror title with some truly excellent moments and a dread factor to boot. If only it wasn't so slow.