Blair Witch Reviews
Though its lack of polish, pacing problems, and predictable story make it difficult to recommend unreservedly, Blair Witch is nonetheless packed with a number of successful scares and memorable set-pieces that draw admirably on the franchise's lore - and oh, do I love that dog.
Blair Witch is a harrowing walk in the woods that deserves a spot in the horror game pantheon alongside Amnesia, Silent Hill, and their like.
An interesting horror game that never manages to escape the shadow of its '90s inspiration.
A fine take on psychological horror cut down by bugs and wonkiness.
An uneven mix of tense psychological drama and buggy, half-broken gameplay mechanics but the end result is still one of the better movie tie-ins of recent years.
Blair Witch does a good job capturing the sensation of getting lost – something I actively try to avoid. A memorable final act partially redeems the tedium of getting to that point
The stakes are high in Blair Witch, as these woods aren’t known to take prisoners. But with two characters at the heart of this game, I only really care about one of them coming home alive.
Blair Witch too often lets trivial combat and simple puzzles get in the way of an engrossing and unsettling setting that captures the true spirit of the original film.
It’s a shame the pacing does such a number on Blair Witch. It deals with some heady topics like PTSD, mental illness, and police shootings. Instead of hitting you hard and fast and hooking you, it lets your attention fade in between major plot points. Furthermore, it doesn’t use the Blair Witch lore to effect.
So, is the Blair Witch game a good fit for a franchise many have mostly written off by now? As a fan of said series, I would say yes. It absolutely has its faults, with the poorly paced gameplay and story elements being the worst offenders, but the amazing set pieces and psychological horror do a great job of raising the heart rate of anyone willing to venture through the forest. Ultimately, there are a lot of interesting ideas here, but they simply don't come together like they needed to in order to make the best of them.
Blair Witch is a horror game with some good ideas poorly executed such as the use of a video camera to change environments or the relationship between the main character and his dog.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Its mechanics, setting and artistic design come together when offering a title that tries to generate fear in the player, respecting his intelligence and avoiding falling into the most manic topics of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There's a lot of things to like about Blair Witch, from the way it invokes the imagery of the original film, to some inventive camcorder puzzles and intriguing depictions of trauma, but most of these aspects aren't given the time to really develop. There's the skeleton of a really good horror-based walking sim here, and while it's still worth checking out for horror fans, it feels more like a first episode of a series rather than a standalone game. A missed opportunity; all Woody and no real Buzz.
Blair Witch VR should have been the definitive way to play this interesting psychological horror title, but the new limitations overshadow the increased immersion. Admittedly, this is compared to my experience original release, but exploring the woods feels more on-rails than before. Some changes do suit the format, but I would have liked to see more ambition and confidence in the players. As a result, this is an interesting but not essential version of a flawed original.
Believe me when I say Terminal Reality's three-volume Blair Witch series is a better use of your time. Or better yet, watch the original found footage classic The Blair Witch Project if you haven't already seen it. It may be hokey, but it's culturally significant – and you may actually walk away a bit shaken.
Blair Witch manages to offer a gameplay that has reached its limits by propping it up with an intriguing storyline, a good dose of atmosphere and a couple of interesting mechanics. However, it tends to overdo in the end and, above all, he needs a little more technical cleaning.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blair Witch VR Edition is an effective transposition into virtual reality of an horror game that is certainly not essential but has a nice dark and evil atmosphere.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Blair Witch franchise has never been able to capture the magic of the original movie in the years since, but this may be the closest attempt yet thanks to the effective use of the a psychological focused story and gameplay that feels fairly fresh within the horror genre.
Blair Witch nails the feeling of the original movie, producing the same paranoia and terror as many felt in the cinemas back in 1999. An essential experience for any horror fan. [OpenCritic note: Gary Bailey separately reviewed the console [9] and Switch [8] versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
Blair Witch is great at building tension and letting you get lost in its unforgiving forest, but sometimes it takes that too literally. It mostly overcomes that, however, thanks to your magic camcorder and superb pooch.