I love fall. The colors, the bite in the air, the turkey homicide, and football. But the true reason I love fall is that it represents the holidays, the first of which is almost here. So let’s do a quick Halloween review. Halloween means it’s time for my wife and I to pull out the best of creepy (or creppy/spoopy) and binge it all. Silence of the Lambs, Let the Right One In, John Carpenter’s The Thing…but one item that will be missing is a little demo that hit the PSN sometime last year. A demo that I believe earned a right to have its own review.
Environment
Horror games typically aren’t my thing. Environments in horror games make or (more likely) break the game. They usually never really scare me because, like with violence, it is still so obviously fake when compared to a movie or a sloth. Movies look like real people having real crap happen to them, and sloths…well…they are very real sloths.
I mean…what? Why does this creature exist? What unspeakable horror has the world done in order to have this trolling around in it?
I have jumped once or twice through the F.E.A.R. series, but there was never a continual feeling of…concern. Then I noticed people talking up the experience of P.T. I had to play it alone because my wife hates most things horror and does not like to be scared. Playing it alone certainly helped the vibe of the game, as well as playing with headphones so my wife would not hear what was transpiring.
You walk around and around in a house. Exhilarating. But, after the hundredth time rounding a corner, you know when something is out of place, escalating the dread you have as you approach whatever is…unusual. And there is a lot of unusual.
The sound in this one has a huge impact on the environment. Creaky doors, crying babies, radios, phones, crackling of static…talking paper bags…yep. The graphics are good, but muted by the dark atmosphere…which is another main reason I hate horror games. I don’t like squinting at the screen, unable to see because of the darkness…it’s just uncomfortable and gives me a headache.
The environment is great…it’s what makes this horror game a horror game. Though I was confused at first, this game’s world ultimately made me become a part of it…to the point that I was afraid to look inside digital doors…because I’m a wimp who can’t separate games from reality.
Gameplay
You walk around looking at things. Seriously, that’s the gameplay. There’s a moment or two when you actually interact, but that’s not too often. There is literally nothing else to say.
Walking. It works.
Is it fun? Are roller coasters fun? You’re just sitting. Are movies fun? You’re just watching. Is jumping so violently your bladders explodes fun?
Yes.
However, I can’t justify giving this game an amazing gameplay score. You just don’t do a lot. You mostly experience it.
Replay Value
Now to the sad news. This demo was taken off the PSN. If you deleted it, you cannot re-download it. I deleted it. I want it back for Halloween so badly. However, the first time through really is the best. You know what will happen if you play it over again.
While I unfortunately can’t speak from experience about how re-playable this game is, it seems like the terror would lose its hold after the second or third time. What does make this game special is the way scary moments are triggered. In games like F.E.A.R., the triggers are obvious the first time through. While you might jump the first time, you know exactly what to expect and when. P.T. has much less obvious triggers. While you can still figure them out, certain events might seem more random even the second or third time, still catching you off guard.
For a horror demo alone, its longevity is impressive.
Online
No
Conclusion
If you have this game, go through it again for me this Halloween, will you? I’d appreciate it. Turn out the lights and use headphones. Do it alone. I have reviewed so many titles that are best if the experience is shared. It’s about time I get to tell you the opposite. This game is made to be enjoyed one person at a time. No one should be in the room with you. Phones should be on silent. No interruptions.
I, however, will not get to enjoy it. Thanks, Konami. Instead, I’ll just keep plugging along in The Taken King, eating pumpkin bread with hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps.
This is the best time of the year, everyone! Orange is everywhere! Pumpkin flavored crap cannot nor should be escaped! Holiday games will flood the market! I love every single one of you! I just wanna pollinate all of y’all!
If you want, leave your favorite Halloween game in the comments for everyone to benefit from.
If you do not have this game, don’t know anyone who does, or don’t want to experience a horror game, then please enjoy the videos below.
#FucKonami for screwing everyone over leading to Silent Hills’ cancellation.
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Yep
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Konami sucks man. They screwed over the development of mgs V as well by treating their workers like shit. Ridiculous!
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Indeed.
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But pachinko!
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I think it had a lot of potential for being one of those games that would be timeless classics. Especially with Kojima, Del Toro, and Reedus on board. But Konami decided to back pedal on it and now all we got is Allison Road to look forward to. What a shame, man. What a shame.
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I almost didn’t want to do this review simply because of the heartache.
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Well, Konami did what they thought was best. Which was apparently killing off any supporters they had left. To each their own, I guess.
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Pretty much.
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At least the horrifying sloth is trolling around the world… Veeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy sslllloooooooooooooowwwwwlllllyyyy…
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And that is really the horrifying take away here.
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If anyone hasn’t played the first Dead Space, check it out. It holds up great and is one of the scariest, most disturbing games I’ve ever played.
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Walking is all you need to make a good horror game. I mean, just look at Until Dawn, walking and solving puzzles, with the occasional (every 5 seconds) jump scare, and yet, it’s still one of the most mentioned games today.
Does continuously trying to learn how to play the King’s Raid count as a horror game? I mean, or screaming in the end anyway 🙂
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typo, *your*
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Hahaha, very good points.
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Amnesia was successful with pretty much the whole walking around concept (dark descent at least, didn’t play machine for pigs)
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I’m waaaay too much of wimp to play any type of horror game! I did watch some great reactions to it tho (including the ones you provided).
Great read! I dig your style of reviewing!
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I usually am too, but I can’t pass on something that seems to be on it’s way to becoming a classic.
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That’s pretty amazing considering its a demo!
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I mourn the loss of Silent Hills like I mourn the death of a best friend. lol
P.T. is what I consider to be the gold standard of horror games nowadays. It sucks we lost Silent Hills but P.T. did the job of inspiring others so now we have the likes of Allison Road in development and Layers of Fear enjoying great success in Early Access.
I played the first hour of the latter and its goooooooooooood.
I definitely recommend it for you and or anyone else who loved the idea behind P.T. but never played it or can’t play it again.
It IS in early access however which is why I limited myself to the first hour (wanna save the rest for the finished product).
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Sweet! I can’t wait to try them then if they are getting that type of praise! PTs soul can live on!
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P.T was such a mind-bender. Just every time that damn door opened was creepy enough, but when you start to draw even the slightest conclusions about the why you might be there….the goosebumps…oh the goosebumps…
That puzzle was ridiculously complicated though. I love it.
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It really was. That was what made it special.
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The hype was because it promised a great Sillent Hill game that will never happen..
Great review and an extra like for the Teens React. 😉
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It promised something very different which was exciting for me. Not being a horror fan, I still wanted that game.
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I feel like the inability to see it fleshed out makes it that much more desirable
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True.
It’s a shame so many problems shut it down…
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Just now this gave me an idea for how to use e-spying in an actually cool way. Imagine that game covertly connected to your cell phone to find out your ring tone and then loaded it into the game world and made it ring and you get all confused because it’s YOUIR FRICKIN ring tone, but your phone isn’t ringing, and then you notice it’s in the game and you start to get dizzy, questioning reality. ^^ Which will eventually transition into queastioning your privacy. 😀
As for those Teens React videos: Those faces are as fake as can be. Apparently this is how to become a huge success on Youtube. Fake jump scares are a clichee for a reason. … I guess it should soothe me to know that kids still like clowns. … But my cynical side tells me that this is kids enjoying the experience of someone else being their monkey.
As for sloths… Ever considered they might all be avatars of ascended masters who attained full enlightenment and are now serenely watching creation unfold?
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No, Sloths are evil…no question. Remember in Metal Gear when the boss enemy starts telling you about yourself and begins talking to you about the games that you have played? Kinda a similar idea…except not as invasive to privacy.
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I usually play through Alone in the Dark for Halloween (I know it well enough that I can finish it within three hours).
However, I was looking for something different this time. Some point and click adventure for example. Maybe I’ll play through Barrow Hill again.
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Nice…I’d have to say Halloween is Bioshock for me.
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Turkey homicide, Lol 🙂
But #FuckKonami, i had so much hope and then these idiots are like “lol, nope fuck you and your games”. Silenthills had a lot of potential. Del Toro and Kojima in one game = a blockbuster game. I wonder what Allison Road will be like, it’s pretty creepy but got like no story or lore.
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I made it a habit to play Amnesia The dark Descent. My very first horror game ever.
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Maybe I’ll give that one a go.
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You like football huh? Don’t happen to be looking for more football blogs to support?
If I had the money, I would probably get Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water for Wii U.
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Watching football is very special to my family. Never really looked up any football blogs though. I’ve heard of Fatal Frame but never played it myself.
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Who’s your team? Seahawks are #1!
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So I live in Seahawk territory and they are the local team I support, but I’m Buffalo Bills all the way as far as NFL. My first memory is watching the bills. It’s a painful existence but I stay true to them. My family is die hard college fans though. Saturday is “the day.” I watch every game humanly possible.
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That’s funny, I would say the Bills are my second favorite. As far as college football goes, the only games I’d watch would be the last three.
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I’m almost the opposite…I could just watch the NFL playoffs and be fine…except I’d never see my team…but Saturday…all college all day.
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Well maybe following my blog would help you keep tabs on the NFL! It would be awesome if you did… please?
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I’ll look into it. Trying to keep this blog and sign in mostly about gaming though.
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OK, hopefully you can find some room in your WP Reader for me 🙂
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Please tell me you liked because you wanted me to post my link: http://www.thefanstribune.wordpress.com
Or else I look desperate (not that I care, cause I am)
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I happened upon yours and I always like to support and like other bloggers!
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There was a download link floating around a while ago for PT. This guy had recreated it from reference material and re-released it for free online. So if you have a PC that can handle it, you could still play it.
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My PC can hardly handle streaming video… 😦 Good advise though for people who have that option! Hope y’all enjoy it for me!
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Here is the link, in case anyone is interested. http://www.the-outline.com/portfolio/punity-pt-hallway-recreation/
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Someone said this earlier, but I’m a sucker for the Dead Space series as well. They got a little less scary as they went on, but I think injecting a few sloth enemies into the 4th installment would solve that in a heartbeat.
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Oh man. Dead space with sloths. You don’t want me to sleep again.
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I can see it now: lights up on Sloth Space (and, knowing how wildly successful it will be, Sloth Space 2).
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Noooooooooooooo!
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I just had a conversation the other day with a friend about PT. He brought up some good points to counter my negativity towards the cancellation of the game.
1) It was a badass FREE experience, so that in itself is a really good thing.
2) The full game would struggle to mirror what the demo achieved, because PT was a great short and sweet (not so sweet) experience.
3) It was a badass FREE experience.
We both agreed that it would make for a perfect $15 title that could be released on the PS, Xbone, or PC platforms. The teaser is totally a solid experience as a standalone I think. It’s just too bad that people who didn’t download it and keep it can’t experience it. That’s a huge bummer.
Also, PT is the scariest piece of media I’ve come into contact with. Movies don’t incite fear in me, and a lot of games fall short of the fear delivery that came along with my first time playing it.
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Man they would make a lot of money for a cancelled game if they put it up again. You’re right.
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Hey SevenFlorins! I’ve nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! Respond to it how you will, I do hope you accept it! 🙂
https://animeprinceblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/lynlynsays-nominates-the-anime-prince-for-the-one-lovely-blog-award/
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I sadly found out about this game after it had already been cancelled and the demo was no longer available on the PSN store. I hope that someday it might either be un-cancelled or the demo will go back up. I would LOVE to be able to play this or the full game at some point. It definitely looks creepy in a good way. (Plus it’s Norman Reedus!)
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I think someone was kind enough to share a link where you can download a recreation of this game for PC in these comments. 🙂
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