The Chant Reviews
The Chant doesn't stray too far from the manual to make a modern third-person narrative horror/action game, but it delivers in each and every one of its sections. Perhaps the combat is the point where it limps the most, but it remains fully functional. The premiere of Brass Token is a pleasant surprise and makes it a study to keep track of in future projects.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Chant is a flawed experience filled with some fantastic moments, stellar monster design, light exploration and puzzle-solving, and a solid narrative to keep things moving. Despite its dated visuals, oversized linear world, and simplistic AI, you can find a nice survival horror romp in The Chant if you let yourself be taken by it.
The Chant has some good enemy design and interesting resource management, but its psychic-horror weirdness just doesn't get weird enough.
The Chant is a little rough around the edges, but there're some smart ideas and a strong story that keep you hooked throughout.
The Chant is a horror movie with some interesting ideas.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Chant offers a far-out setting, unique upgrade system, and some vintage charm, but restrictive level design, listless combat, and dingy visuals strike a sour note. While old-school survival horror fans may find The Chant appealing, wider audiences probably won’t be drinking the Kool-Aid.
If only the rest of the game could reach those standards; it's a frustratingly average title that does nothing particularly well nor insultingly bad. The Chant is just very okay, which is probably the most boring route it could take.
he Chant is a well-made third-person survival horror action adventure, which despite not departing from the formula in which you have to recover a series of objects to unlock a new area and progress in the story, manages to excite thanks above all to the human and fragile nature of the protagonist, involuntarily chosen in a situation bigger than her.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Despite some teething problems, The Chant is certainly worth a playthrough for those who appreciate the survival horror genre. More importantly, this debut title has me excited for what’s next from Brass Token; some small refinements of gameplay elements would make for an outing that I’d happily recommend to anyone with a controller. Here’s to a very pleasant surprise.
A survival horror with some decent ideas, but which fails to express itself to the best of its ability because of an action pace that is far too choppy.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Three different endings are available to those itching to give The Chant another spin, and our own playthrough took only about six or seven hours from start to credits. Even though there are plentiful elements where the gameplay sags, The Chant is a spirited survival horror custom-made for adherents to the genre’s quirks, and they’ll be delighted at the finale.
Fans of survival-horror will get a lot of enjoyment out of The Chant. Its gameplay is exciting and has a unique premise that is rarely explored. While the enemy design won’t make your blood run cold, the creepy performances from the actors will and it’s all tied up in a very slick and polished package for a fair price.
The Chant is destined to become a cult hit, we think. Marrying traditional survival horror gameplay with a unique setting and spiritual themes, it feels fresh but familiar; how many other survival horror games find you fighting plant-like enemies and other monstrosities with incense sticks, oils and salt, after all? In addition to an intriguing story and solid mechanics, once you’ve set foot on Glory Island, you’ll be on the edge of your seat until you’ve reached a conclusion.
A visually striking take on the survival horror genre, The Chant solidifies its own identity within the alternative science of prisms and natural remedies. Unique game mechanics serve to create an unusual but fun experience, even if at odds with the overall narrative at times.
The Chant has some interesting ideas, looks great, and starts its premise out well, but it just deteriorates so quickly into a convoluted mess. Between frustrating combat and enemy designs, characters that aren’t given time to develop, and a story that never really settles into a groove, the game just never fulfils its promise or potential.
This action-focused, survival horror take features a number of magical attacks, enemy-specific consumables and the balancing of mind, body and spirit to brave the storm. However, Jess’ story isn’t memorable in the slightest, while other main character arcs come and go faster than green grass through a goose. There are some enjoyable puzzles and music scattered throughout, and the fast-travel, bestiary guides and skill tree upgrades complement the game quite nicely. But overall, The Chant doesn’t offer anything spectacular. It’s still worth checking out, especially considering the game’s low price point. Although, the best practice should be to keep your expectations in check.
Decent gameplay and decent level design can't save The Chant from its poor story and total lack of scares.
I can’t hide my disappointment with The Chant. I had a real hankering for a supernatural game this year, after getting some hands-on time at Gamescom. Instead, I’ve been left with questions about what this game could have been. It could’ve usurped Until Dawn, one of the best recent examples of a supernatural horror game, but with a more intriguing and deeper plot. It could’ve been a new fascinating way to approach and manage combat situations with three meters that operate together in harmony, giving you complex gameplay decisions to tackle alongside challenging combat. It could’ve been a new campy horror game, a guilty pleasure, similar to some of those dreadful TV shows I named at the start. But unfortunately, it’s neither of these things. Instead, you’re left with a story that feels incomplete and lacking depth. You’re left with combat that lacks any sort of meaningful challenge. And ultimately, you’ll be left like me: very, very salty.
The Chant offers a mix of horror you don't see often in games. It combines survival-horror with elements that could come straight out of a H.P. Lovecraft book. Besides a few flaws the game looks great and the gameplay keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way. The gameplay could use a bit more depth, especially the combat and the skill tree and sometimes you miss a bit of balance. Still, if you start this game, be ready for a ride that keeps the blood pressure going up and down.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
An independent horror game that pays homage to psychedelic horror, which we began to see in the cinema of the 70s, and brings original ideas, but with mechanics that have become outdated.
Review in Spanish | Read full review