Here They Lie (VR) Reviews
Ultimately, Here They Lie is not a particularly great game. It's very average, and if this wasn't taking place in a virtual setting, and wasn't one of the original show pieces for the tech on PlayStation, it'd probably be borderline bad.
I’ll be honest; by the time Here They Lie’s credits rolled, I still didn’t really have a firm grasp of what it was all about… All I know is that it kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
Horror is a very natural fit for [VR technology], but some awkward juxtapositions between Here They Lie’s art direction and theming, and the critical lack of physical feedback after providing such a sensory overload in other ways, is perhaps an argument that the best horror experiences we’ll see on VR will be the “walking simulators” that focus on psychological fear rather than physical threats.
Here They Lie is likely doomed to obscurity and it probably is for the best. This is a weird and cult type game that may one day find its fans, but limiting it to VR may not have been the best choice, since there really is nothing here that demanded it. If Here They Lie is ever on sale and you need to get use out of the PlayStation VR headset, it will make for an interesting experience, just not a deep game.
Walking (Home at Night) Simulator
If you're ready to spend a few hours holding up on your control stick, looking at some colorless environments for shoddy clues that are imperative to the plot, and a lot of head turning for some cheap jump scares, then Here They Lie was made for you. Otherwise, I would not waste the time with it.
Here They Lie is grotesque and horrifying, but it’s also a thought-provoking, philosophical head trip that makes some of the best use of VR to date.
Here They Lie is a clever game for the PlayStation VR and its motion sickness does make wonder whether this game would be better suited for the PS4 Pro for faster framerates. The game’s momentum starts slow and every now and then the game will really make you jump which is where the developers have succeeded. However in terms of gameplay, it is a little light in its nature but the nonetheless is an interesting look into both the horror genre and into the psyche of the main character in this horror thriller.
Here They Lie has some scary moments, and some totally bizarre ones, that will stick with me for a while. Sadly, I'm more likely to remember the game making no sense, ultimately being rather boring, ugly, unintentionally funny, and requiring VR without actually making use of the system.
After a promising start, Here They Lie tries too hard to tell its story and ends up turning into a nightmare to play
What follows next is lacklustre. Predictable jump scares, ringing telephones, spooky notes, guys in animal masks humping things and malfunctioning flashlights litter the landscape, and with each new instance, you’re left less and less impressed. Take your pick; this could be a result of mickey mouse writing or because you’re more concerned with how much game you can take before you need a sick break.
I simply find its visuals too compromised for it to be playable. Looking at this game in VR is like looking at a deteriorated painting while wearing someone else's prescription glasses... after they've been dipped in marmalade.
With Here They Lie, I stared long and hard into the abyss, only this time it didn’t stir; instead, I was left gazing at an under-cooked horror experience that while surreal, fails to deliver a fulfilling end product. Horror games should present an exercise in nerve-shredding tension whether they’re built for virtual reality or not. Sadly, Here They Lie leans too heavily on VR as a novelty to justify a by-the-numbers entry into the genre.
Four things prevent “Here They Lie” from being completely creditable. It’s unrelentingly depressing. You never feel you’ve triumphed against anything. And although you make the occasional moral choice, it’s less a game than an experience. It’s also the most nausea-inducing VR offering I’ve ever played. The developers care more about affecting your mind and controlling your emotions than they do about your physical ability to complete their slice of grim fantasy.
Here They Lie is a disturbing psychological thriller, the digitization of a nightmare. The gaming experience is, for this reason, interesting and meaningful. Much of the credit goes to the virtual reality headset, which transforms this disturbing Walking Simulator in a hellish journey.
Review in Italian | Read full review
An engaging surrealist horror that is elevated by some great sound design and a wonderfully nihilistic setting, Here They Lie might not change up the formula too much but it remains an effective PSVR scare-a-thon that you don't want to leave in the ground.
Here They Lie is not a perfect horror game – but it's tense and well worth experiencing if you're looking for some frights for your new PlayStation VR headset. The narrative could have been stronger, and the way it displays textures is odd, but the cavernous environments and clever control scheme make this a ride worth taking.
Here They Lie smacks of cynicism – a game designed with the knowledge that horror works really well in VR, without anybody involved knowing how VR games should operate. It’s distinctly unpleasant to play, and I fear it’ll be only one of many horror games that pull the same stunt as virtual reality continues to hold sway.
This PlayStation VR exclusive delivers on dread, but its confusing narrative and awkward controls make it a failed experiment
Horror elements are overcooked and, alongside seriously limited interactions, lead to a game that’s not half as frightening as it thinks it is.