Visage Reviews
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.
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.
Even if lacking the slickness of some of its genre forebears, Visage still shocks and entertains once you begin to piece it all together.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
Visage is a definite proof that a standard walking simulator can be a very intensive horror experience. Shame about predictable scripting and lack of any journal or quest log.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Visage is haunting but frustrating. If you were to ask me if this is a good game, I’d be inclined to say that it’s simply ‘okay’. If you were to ask me if it’s a good horror game, I’d say its terrifying, heart-stopping and simply unmissable. The stories about each character are interesting, if a little disturbing, and it’s fun working through the puzzles that come up while you’re moving through the chapters. The inventory system is nothing short of a nuisance and it made me want to stop playing at times, especially coupled with the sanity meter and the cycle of not knowing where you’re supposed to be going. If you can set that aside though, and you want an experience of a horror game that will chill you to the core, I don’t think it gets much better than Visage.
Visage requires patience as you progress through some truly horrific chapters, rewarded with even more nightmares as you encounter many supernatural elements. There are some beautiful environments to investigate, but the reused assets and unused space only hurt this game’s immersion. In many ways, this works as an adventure inspired by PT, but it’s defining elements are found in its unique features.
Visage is a great debut for Sad Square Studio and certainly a decent testament to how to create a horror adventure. Despite its shortcomings, this is one of the best horror games that have recently appeared in the gaming environment. If you're a fan of digital horror and still have an open wound in your heart in the form of P.T., Visage is the experience you've been waiting for. If you have the courage for it.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Visage has so much going for it as a horror experience that even the most frustrating control issues are easily forgiven. The deep themes of dread and trauma may be too much for more casual gamers who just want a good jolt, but Visage is an absolute must for hardcore horror fans looking for some substance behind their scares.
After being successful on Kickstarter four years ago and later on its Early Access, the first title of Sadsquare Studio really reaches our expectations. Filled with great gameplay ideas, the game always tries to find new ways to send shivers down the spine of the player. We're not so sure about the handling of the inventory but despite that, Visage prooves that it only takes some interesting concepts and a genuine passion for the genre to make great horror games.
Review in French | Read full review
Visage is terrifying, but lacks good guidance at times.
A genuinely scary and intriguing horror portmanteau which overcomes the fiddly inventory system and slightly repetitive environs through its inventive interpretation of its film and game influences. If you're a horror fan who wants to find out how Konami's P.T. may have turned out, you'd be hard pushed to find a more terrifying surrogate.
Visage takes over from P.T. and offers a title of psychological terror that will delight lovers of horror and the supernatural. One of the most chilling games in the history of video games.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Visage achieves a real tour de force. It allows itself to put us in confidence and control before destroying us in the most efficient way. The chapters being all different, the game is renewed each time. Its atmosphere and its difficulty turn it into a game that you shouldn't put in all hands. In my opinion, Visage is a success and you should give it a chance at least once in your life (if you feel up to it).
Review in French | Read full review
Visage isn’t just a simple a PT clone, but an evolution of that concept. Its scope is significantly bigger and it doesn’t feel like it’s just trying to copy it, as it clearly tries to implements its own ideas and become its own thing. Visage is a homage to countless survival horror games and movies that came before and it’s utterly terrifying and challenging. This is a horror game for horror fans and doesn’t hold back.
Visage offers a genuinely frightening and utterly engaging experience that’ll keep players on the edge of their seat as they unravel its eerie secrets. Fans of horror will love uncovering more of the haunted house and seeing what creepy sights are lurking in the shadows, whilst the puzzle-design is solid and will force you to think outside of the box. Sure, some puzzles could be a little frustrating and there are a few visual glitches in place when examining or using items, but they’re minor issues in what is otherwise a compelling (and at times disturbing) horror escapade. Fans of the genre will NOT want to miss out on Visage.