The Chant Reviews
The most terrifying aspect of The Chant is how broken the end result really is. As a freshman release, it’s a strong one, but it definitely needed some additional polish to be something even remotely playable.
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.
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.
A bizarre supernatural horror, The Chant's setup is a promising one, but developer Bass Token's execution is unfortunately lacking; reminiscent of something you might have played during the early 2000s. Nonetheless, this is a perfectly solid, albeit incredibly weird, third-person experience, and there are far worse ways to kill seven or eight hours. If you're desperate to play a curiously odd survival horror with a cosmic, psychedelic leaning, then The Chant fits the bill.
The Chant storms out of the gates with a kooky but intriguing concept of cosmic-horror, but simply isn't able to live up to its own ambitions. It has some good ideas if you look hard enough, but the clunky combat, milquetoast puzzle solving and forgettable story firmly plant this one in the category of B-Grade horror, which, to be fair, is definitely the vibe the developers seem to have gone for. Even with a few good foundational ideas with the use of prisms and a couple of cool boss fights helping The Chant slightly redeem itself, the biggest misfire is that it's just not that scary, and without that, this cosmic-horror is just a cosmic-snooze.
The Chant had the pieces to be a unique piece of survival horror entertainment, but the assorted aspects of the title fail to congeal into a satisfying adventure. The combat is clunky and bland, and the story has its moments, but doesn't deliver in the end.
The Chant is a decent horror action adventure. It’s got a good story and some interesting characters. While it isn’t scary as such I did fall victim to a couple of jump scares which caused me to launch the dog off my lap and lose ten minutes off my life. So Bravo, Brass Token, for that. As mentioned earlier, this is their first original IP and I think the team has a bright future. I would very much like to see more narrative-focused games from them. The game isn’t perfect but there’s a glimmer of something there that makes me want to see more from them in the future.
I'd say The Chant is a very solid entry into the survival horror genre, especially for someone like me who isn't really a big fan of the horror genre in all media. The acting is strong, and the crafting elements help to bring a sense of defencelessness to Jess. The story kept me enthralled, and The Gloom did its job of keeping me on my toes and giving me that horror game experience. The Chant may not look as good as it perhaps should on current gen, but the griminess of the island acted as an eerie backdrop to what first seemed like paradise.
The Chant has some great things going for it with its unique brand of gameplay and interesting story, but problems ranging from underwhelming plot to janky combat bring down the enjoyment factor of the experience by a significant margin.
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.
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.
A rare foray into spiritual cosmic horror, The Chant shows great promise in its story and setting but fails to realise its potential in more ways than one.
The Chant is a horror movie with some interesting ideas.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Decent gameplay and decent level design can't save The Chant from its poor story and total lack of scares.
The Chant has an intriguing premise and setting that set it apart from its cousins in the horror/action adventure sphere. While it doesn’t break any new ground with its mechanics or combat, and it’s definitely not very scary, its exploration of psychological states adds a bit of specific narrative color. Budgetary limitations in character models, lack of refinement, weak combat, and inelegant animations aside, The Chant is just unique enough to make it appealing to fans of the genre.
For fans of psychological games and games like Silent Hill or The Evil Within, The Chant is the perfect choice. However, it's not something that appeals to a broader audience.
Review in Czech | Read full review
The Chant is a promising start for new development team, Brass Token. Its premise on the most basic level might not be something unheard of, but the way that it’s implemented and explored is quite original. I was impressed by the diversity of the enemy designs and the efficient use of a relatively small map.
Despite some weak writing, The Chant is fun to play regardless with exciting fighting mechanics and entertaining lore.
The Chant is a fun horror adventure with its own personality, but it fails to reach 100% of its potential due to a too predictable script and a technical compartment plagued by several shortcomings.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Taking a vacation, Jess ends up at the seemingly soothing Glory Island spa. Soon the situation takes an unexpected turn and she is surrounded by terrifying monsters. Can you reveal the truth about this mysterious cult?
Review in Dutch | Read full review