The install time was 5 minutes, The game has a footprint of just over 7 gigabytes, a small footprint compared to the AAA developers out there.
The Menu is clean and sets a mood, dark, somewhat gritty but still peaceful. The melody in the background is calm but foreboding.
The tutorial phase does well to walk you through how the game works and shows you how basic controls operate. There is a refresher in the pause menu as well if you get stuck. The premise of the game is, You are Kaede, a young woman visiting her Aunt’s hometown to find a family Heirloom. Kaede is beset by hallucinations or visions. These visions can let Kaede see through the eyes of the spirits. A premise I’ve not yet seen in gaming and adds to the horror aspect of the game.
The game starts out with a text conversation with your sister, who is relaying information from your mother to give up the heirloom and just come home. When you arrive at a train station outside the village you’re greeted by the place looking like a slum town that’s been abandoned with quick built structures that people have been living in. Once you make your way through the Factory district you start seeing visions, and the part of the tutorial that allows you to see through the eyes of the spirits is unlocked. The premise is to use the vision of the spirits to hide from them. Stay out of their line of sight and you’re safe, for if you’re seen, the spirits chase and kill you.
I’ll be honest, this game is not for the feint of heart, it is scary, the music sets a tone, and the sound effects ram it home. It was so scary to me that I couldn’t even get through an hour of gameplay without having to take a break. The TL; DR of this is If you enjoy horror games, you’ll Love Atama.
Now Let’s Grade Atama on the previously Mentioned Factors
Gameplay: 4.5 Gems. The controls aren’t clunky and work very well. It is easy without being challenge less. Yet there is still plenty of challenge as you progress.
Graphics: 4 gems. The graphics aren’t amazing, but they work very well for the game, the gritty atmosphere generated, the color scheme, and the artwork seems to be chosen to heighten emotion rather than just prove as eye candy.
Difficulty: 4 gems. As the game gets more into your head, you’ll start making mistakes. The actual game can be considered easy, but it will get in your head if you pay attention. Once it’s got you, you’re done. Just like one of the spirits.
Soundtrack 5 gems. The soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the game, every sound seems to be crafted to invoke suspense.
Immersion: 4.5 gems You will get lost in the game, I have no doubt about this.
Overall Ranking 4.5/5 gems
The game sucks you in, chews you up, and laughs as it chews. You will hear the laughter of a baby on the street and flinch after playing Atama. This game evokes fear in a way you would expect the DC Villain Scarecrow to be the one behind the writing of the game.
My Thoughts:
Honestly, Horror is not my preferred Genre, but This series isn’t about what I like to play, it’s about giving honest reviews on games. And Honestly, The game is well written, hard to ignore, VERY scary, and if you enjoy being scared, This game will absolutely deliver on every level. The developers obviously have great care and meticulous planning involved in each aspect of the game and want to bring you an experience. And in that I feel they not only delivered, but they also exceeded expectation.
Featuring art from Broken Optics. Who also has done art for this channel. You can hit him up on twitter under the handle @brokenopticsart or at the link artpal.com/brokenoptics/
Also look up @teamZutsuu and @slowbeef on Twitter, they’re the ones who made the game what it is and They’ve made me a fan, even if I’m too weak to finish their game!
I’ll tag all of them in the description so you can check them out.
Is it worth the 19.99, Absolutely, I also recommend buying the soundtrack if you want to take the suspense with you on the road. Picking this game up will be a welcome addition to any horror lover’s arsenal. But you’ll want to play with the lights on!
