Perception Reviews
Perception’s premise is better than its delivery. Playing as a blind character opens up many opportunities for horrifying gameplay, but Perception falls short when it comes to implementing a threatening monster.
Thanks to its atmosphere, the game manages to create a certain palpable fear in the player, which is fundamental for a work of this kind. The game would benefit from exploring some of its mechanics at a deeper level but as it is, Perception can bring an interesting, even if rather short, experience to the players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Perception is a release with a very interesting premise and a solid story that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Being blind and using echolocation to find your way around the creepy mansion feels great and the fact that danger could be lurking around the corner will keep you on high alert. Being able to turn the game into a full-on walking simulator with no danger or into a permadeath scare-fest is a nice touch, and it allows players of all skill levels to enjoy Perception on Nintendo Swtich.
If you're in it for the action or actual horror you'll very likely walk away disappointed. But if you like a slow burn of suspense, periodic things that will make you jump, and some stories that will reveal themselves to you slowly and through a variety of means as you wander an ever-changing house, it will offer several hours of enjoyment. I've never played a game quite like it, and there's something to be said for a title working earnestly to challenge gamers with something new, even if it may not have hit all of the marks it was likely aiming for.
Perception is an interesting psychological thriller that I definitely recommend you check out on Nintendo Switch. The unique gameplay premise of the game by which you must use sound to be able to find your way around the location mixes things up, placing you in the shoes of a blind woman who won't let her disability get in the way. Abandoned houses are creepy by nature, but exploring an abandoned house as a blind woman who literally can't see what lurks in the dark is a thrilling experience. Playing in the dark is the best way to enjoy this 3 to 4-hour release, especially if you're playing in portable mode with your headphones on!
Perception is a game that holds all the basic elements to make for a decent horror game. The idea is unique, the sound is atmospheric, and the story does have potential. It’s everything that’s in between that, sadly, lets the whole experience down. The gameplay hook that it rides upon never really feels as interesting as it wants to be and the stalking mechanic just slows down what is already a laden-footed ordeal. If you are into your ghost hunting TV shows then this may very well be up your street, but, if not, then there’s a chance that you may find the adventure to be underwhelming.
By putting you on the shoes of a blind woman, Perception creates a unique survival horror experience, with heavy focus on narrative. It does a good job of playing with your… well… perception of the darkness and your surroundings.
Unless you're a big fan of horror adventure games, Perception is one you can easily skip. The plot isn't particularly engaging, and the horror elements are predictable with jump scares, characters and story dialogue that is typical of this genre. Even if it does fulfil all of the necessary criteria, it serves as a reminder that the horror genre is far too reliant on clichés to get by, and will only appeal to the thrill seekers happy to overlook its generic design.Ultimately, the biggest downfall is the core concept that drives Perception. The echolocation mechanic gets old quickly and seems like a better idea in theory than in actual gameplay; walking around in the dark in any game isn't normally enjoyable, and in this one it's no better – even with the added sense of meaning from the narrative. It's an aggravating concept that should not have really got past the early design stage, and detracts from the already average quality of this short-lived horror adventure game.
I think the game’s title of Perception works out to have a double meaning, obviously concerning your main character’s lack of sight, but it also applies well to whether you’re likely to enjoy the game as a whole. If you’re in it for the action or actual horror you’ll very likely walk away disappointed. But if you like a slow burn of suspense, periodic things that will make you jump, and some stories that will reveal themselves to you slowly and through a variety of means as you wander an ever-changing house, it will offer several hours of enjoyment. I’ve never played a game quite like it, and there’s something to be said for a title working earnestly to challenge gamers with something new, even if it may not have hit all of the marks it was likely aiming for.
While Perception isn't consistently great, it does do certain things very well and is worth a play by anyone looking for an interesting experience. By taking away one of the most important senses most people have, Perception gives players the feeling of being thrust into the unknown and absolute darkness.
There is little that The Deep End have done wrong with Perception; this is a game that cannot be missed, as it breathes fresh life into the adventure-horror/ mystery solving genre. I often say videogames can be a form of literature, and I strongly believe Perception is exactly that.
Perception isn't really doing a whole lot gameplay wise that the majority of these types of games haven't done before. If players are a fan of narrative driven, creepy experiences, Perception offers that, and even if the game can be completed in a few hours, it's entertaining.
Perception tries to take the immersive sim genre in a few new directions by adding in horror between story beats. While the presentation is top notch, the scares just aren't there.
Perception's unique echolocation gameplay hook is enough to sustain the game for its 4-5-hour run, but I was saddened that The Deep End Games didn't explore this mechanic any more than it did. Had it, Perception's shallow plot and characters might have found some redemption. Ultimately, Perception is more carnival than amusement park – cheap thrills than top shelf. If you like horror games, you'll like Perception, but you've probably already experienced a bunch of horror titles scarier than this one.
Bar one or two genuine scares Perception doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to horror, a lot of the animations were boring and didn't intimidate neither me nor brave Cassie. Perception fails to deliver on the horror side, but boasts clever mechanics and an engaging but flawed narrative. The artstyle is oiriginal and works perfectly with the darkness and echolocation mechanics.
Perception builds upon one unique gameplay element throughout its entire brief run, but fails to see what makes a horror game memorable.
Perception is interesting, in the first place, as an experiment that touches on non-standard themes and offers an unusual gameplay. But the stories are rather simple and predictable, and additional elements, like hide-and-seek and distraction, seem like a not very successful attempt to tighten a short walk.
Review in Russian | Read full review
I had high hopes for Perception, which made this experience all the more unfortunate. Clearly The Deep End Games had a unique idea for a video game here, but it just doesn’t translate well to the medium. It’s evident by the care that went into researching the hardships that blind folks must deal with daily — like how Cassie uses her mind and technology to survive — that The Deep End Games is very passionate about the subject matter. However, in the end, this is a video game, and when the main gameplay mechanic becomes a hindrance during the first hour, there’s not much that can be done from a presentation perspective to help alleviate it. The whole game-breaking bug that forces you to start over from the very beginning doesn’t help either.
As stated before, Perception has some great things going for it. There’s no doubt in my mind that The Deep End Games put so much passion into this project. It just falls flat due to the fact that it isn’t that good of a horror game.
Perception's blindness is both its biggest strength and weakness. While it did lead to some frustrating moments of being lost without a clue what to do, it also meant really having to think about the environment and truly wondering what each noise what. Perception was ultimately terrifying when it was at its best.