Bloody Disgusting
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At a glance, Amnesia: Rebirth could be taken for just about any other horror game of its ilk. That’s understandable given the last decade of influence Frictional has had on the genre. What Frictional does so well, what it’s always done well, is adapt. Bubbling under the surface of Rebirth are so many slight tweaks, changes, and improvements to a tired, but winning, formula that raises it above the copycats and potential usurpers. This is a game grown from regret and from mistakes as much as it is from success, and while Rebirth works as a title on so many levels, its best use is in how Frictional has reincarnated a seminal horror game as something relatively familiar on the surface, but quite different under the skin of it.
There are plenty of stories out there that lead you by the hand and captivate you by simply watching what the characters do, but so few are like Paradise Killer, where everybody could be either your confidant and friend, or a stone-cold murderer with dark and sinister plans, perhaps even both at once. The only way you can possibly be sure is to slip on your sunglasses, turn on your sentient notepad, and get ready to do that delicious detective work.
Hunt Showdown is a worthy alternative to the usual multiplayer types out there, and it deserves to be seen as an important step in how the future of multiplayer shooters goes.
If you give yourself willingly to the Old Gods, World of Horror will be an immersive and intoxicating horror experience. It's perhaps appropriate that the core of World of Horror comes from something ancient, and is reborn in a new and terrifying form.
Despite being such a common setting in horror, it feels like there aren’t that many big games that utilize the woods (The Forest is probably the best other example), especially to the level Darkwood does. Every decision is informed by the setting, from the survival mechanics to the enemy types to the tone and story. This cohesion of theme makes it stand out in the crowded indie horror market, providing scares that AAA games have trouble achieving. But just like getting lost in the woods, be prepared to spend some time fumbling around in the dark before finding the path.
If grindy loot-fests aren’t your idea of a good time then the Vermintide series really isn’t for you, even if you find its melee-focused combat more appealing than the run n’ gunning of co-op shooters. That said, Vermintide 2 is a great sequel, and although there are still some niggling issues Fatshark has yet to stamp out, it’s a gloriously over-the-top, sword-swinging, spell-slinging romp packed with content and a perfect representation of this much-loved setting.
There’s a criticism to be made for Friday the 13th Killer Puzzle being more of the same with a horror license slapped on top. It’s absolutely true, but in fairness to Blue Wizard, more of the same is a-ok when it was great to begin with, and having Jason and so much of his history packed into a compelling selection of bite-sized puzzles is a huge plus. The addition of daily kill competitions adds a bit of longevity to proceedings too. With all the uncertainty (and craziness!) surrounding Friday the 13th in recent months, it’s nice to have something that so successfully celebrates Mr. Voorhees’ baby boy attached to a great puzzler.
But what makes Life Is Strange 2 such a great experience is the brothers. They have fully fleshed out characters; their actions hold a tremendous weight, their journey a means to start a new life together. Their humor and love for one another are sincere, making for characters you could see yourself hanging out with. So far Life Is Strange 2 looks to be a road worth taking; from the dawning of the sun, into the late of night, there’s so much more to experience.
Book of Demons does interesting things with a genre dominated by stat-heavy grind titles with furious clicking/button mashing. The majority of the busywork is abolished in favor of ease of use and it’s honestly quite refreshing. As mentioned before, the setup of Book of Demons really could make it an accessible way into the genre for those not familiar with it/enthused by it, and for seasoned dungeon crawler fans it offers up something of a respite from the usual formula.
Elastic has really thrown down the gauntlet here and although fans have had to wait, Last Year: The Nightmare is easily one of the best, most inventive horror games of the past several years and one that will hopefully ply us with new skin-crawling content in the weeks and months to come.
Mortal Kombat 11 is a great fighter, perhaps the best the series has been to date. It’s a visual spectacle filled with lots of ways to play for players of all skill levels, and features the most enjoyable fighting game story I’ve ever gone through. It also has some boring new characters, crippled further by the extensive customization suite, and a growing disconnect between the regular fighting and the fatalities. Small issues, but issues all the same. Still, you’ll probably be having too much fun to care.
Frogwares has created an interesting and absorbing world of horror, and it’s deliciously rich in story and world-building. The sanity system works well, throwing some horrific visions at you, and capturing a feeling of nightmarish helplessness. Yes, it comes with some signature flaws too, but The Sinking City is a fine horror game and an engrossing detective RPG.
Paratopic is a brief trip through an unnerving twist on reality and it admirably packs in so much atmosphere and mystery into that diminutive framework. The most telling sign of its quality is in how its scuzzy psychological creepiness stays with you, whether you like it or not.
My own lack of emotional investment doesn’t negate what Observation does so well. No Code has created something truly unique. It defies easy “x meets y meets z” categorization. While there are recognizable component parts—the map of a ship-builder, the numerous small mechanics of a microgame collection, the rubberneckery of an immersive sim—I have never played anything quite like Observation. But, I’m guessing it would be awfully familiar to the AI in my pocket.
Wastelands is a satisfying experience and an excellent step up in the story of Life Is Strange 2. Given the episode’s ending, I cannot imagine what will even come next. The Diaz brothers, along with the rest of the cast, make Wastelands the strongest chapter so far in the story, offering great emotion and characters.
Layers of Fear 2 is a brief, electric bolt of terror, a game that begs to be played in the dark and on the biggest screen possible and with a pair of sound-canceling headphones.
Even with countless VR horror games coming before it and effectively siphoning the effective scare juice the series created, Five Nights at Freddy’s VR maintains the series’ identity and utilizes the headset to great effect. Any further attempt at delving into the virtual reality space should try to push new boundaries, but as an opening gambit? It’s an interesting and unsettling success with a few rough edges.
Complaining about Outer Wilds inscrutability is a little like criticizing Rome because you don’t know which sights to see. Do a measly Google search. Mobius Digital has, at times, erred on the side of giving players too little information. But, as a result, they have created a world that casts you as Isaac Newton. They are eagerly waiting for you to discover its gravity.
Samurai Shodown is a brutal experience. While some unfortunate decisions can alienate newer players, and the appropriate functioning of online features is yet to be seen, everyone with an important amount of patience will find one of the most demanding and funniest fighting game in recent memory.
Control consistently delivers the bizarre without trying too hard to be bizarre. It’s a weird, wonderful, and generally fantastic game that’s hampered by an unfortunate technical handicap.