[h1]A nod to the classics, with nowhere near the same appeal.[/h1]
[h3]In-depth analysis with the pros, cons and verdict further down.[/h3]
🟩 [b]Pros[/b]
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[*] The [b]art direction[/b] strongly evokes the survival horror genre from the good old PSX era. In fact, it's even complemented with deliberate graphical "imperfections" reminiscent of the technical limitations from that time, such as texture warping, a scanline filter, and possibly some dithering (or an attempt of it). It often looks quite convincing.
[*] The [b]nostalgia factor[/b] can be felt throughout the title, for example, with a Resident Evil-esque inventory tinted with blue gradients, blocked camera angles, or even a typewriter where you can save the game... Theoretically. More on that later.
[*] The [b]sound design[/b], albeit simplistic and heavily inspired by Silent Hill, can be effective and may startle some players. Although it doesn't instill the same level of perpetual fear as the aforementioned pillar, it remains serviceable and contributes to the overall atmosphere of decay and claustrophobia.
[*] The [b]monster design[/b] is, likewise, functional; though not particularly terrifying. This is probably due to desensitization related to the rampant conception of more nightmarish aberrations in media. That being said, these creatures don't look goofy either, so that's fine. Instead, they're simply there to entertain the player, resembling horrid cryptids that, in practice, are walking sacks of meat ready to be sliced or shot. Nevertheless, they're easily stun-locked and therefore do not pose much of a threat.
[*] The [b]moveset[/b] is definitely on point. You have a few, crucial buttons, and all of them do their job precisely like you want them to... There's even a much-appreciated quick-turn button. Generally speaking, your movements are fluid and responsive (then again, I have the necessary IQ to take full advantage of tank controls). I also noticed that, whenever you aim the weapon at a monster, the protagonist stops in place, allowing you to use the movement keys in order to redirect his arms instead. That way you can attack up, down, or in the middle. This isn't a limitation; it's the way we remember it, the way we like it.
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🟥 [b]Cons[/b]
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[*] The [b]pacing[/b] is definitely one of the weakest points. It's very important for this type of game to build up the tension, and when the brown stuff finally hits the fan, to up the ante and make the player even more disturbed, some way or another. Unfortunately, here, this doesn't happen that much. The moment you get into the sewers, you're not really going forward on the scare-meter, as I like to call it. You aren't advancing through a gripping story, or getting more entertained with an escalation of gunplay and/or exploration. You're simply progressing, spatially, and nothing else; from one room to the next, one dark tunnel to the other. There may be junctions and crossroads here and there, or even the umpteenth hanged body, the blood stains, the ubiquitous rust; alright... But, in the end, it's all the same. You're moving, moving... And not really getting any enjoyment out of it. At least, nothing more compared to when you first started.
[*] And this brings me to another facet - the [b]level design[/b]. I became disoriented so damn quickly, it's almost comical. After ten minutes or so, I was already yearning for a map, but sadly, Into The Dread didn't grant me the oh-so-coveted wish. If there was one element worthy of emulating from the likes of Silent Hill, Resident Evil, or heck, even Dino Crisis, it was the map system... Which brings me to the question: what if it was there all along and I simply missed it? Still, my earlier examples made it way easier for the player to locate any map. It was pretty much idiot-proof. Why not do the same here, if the intent is making an homage? Who knows. Perhaps I was right, and it wasn't hidden at all. I was really supposed to memorize the layout, or draw it. Perhaps I just didn't pay enough attention to my surroundings, and I could've made it by recognizing the little details... One thing is for certain though: the times of Maze War are long finished. You can't make a labyrinthine level design in today's day and age, at least in this genre, without putting some effort into it. If it's not a map, it should be visual or audio cues; even a bit of variation would do wonders. Instead, I'm presented with an endless tangle made out of metal and cement, with the occasional shrub or wooden box to spice things up a little. Sure maybe there's a room or a hallway that isn't recycled, but it could be better.
[*] The [b]bugs[/b], though not numerous, are very common and game-breaking. First and foremost, the typewriter... For a moment I genuinely thought I had to find ink ribbons to save, like in Resident Evil. That wouldn't have come as a surprise, since the similarities between these titles are glaringly obvious, to the extent that you may find yourself wishing to play those instead. Having said that, the issue wasn't about needing ink ribbons. The issue was that there isn't a dedicated button to save your progress. No need to go back to that sentence: you read it correctly. If you're using a mouse and keyboard configuration (which actually works surprisingly well for a game that encourages the use of a controller), then you won't have a button that writes the data onto a selected empty file. I went to the extra mile of trying every single button, both on the mouse and the keyboard. Then I tried double cliking, triple clicking... And yet, the end result was still the same: a file with "No Data" in it. You're forced to finish the game without saving, which, given the short duration of Into The Dread, is feasible, but it is nonetheless disappointing that such a basic feature doesn't function correctly. Additionally, there are bonafide door animations where the low-poly intertwine with an ominous first person view. These are both iconic and well-executed. However, by the time one finishes playing, you're rolling dice on where you'll end up to. Maybe the intended room, maybe the one you just left... This even costed me a significant amount of health due to a monster standing just outside the door. It's perplexing how these issues slipped through play-testing, but I'm hopeful they will be addressed in future updates.
[*] The [b]plot[/b] is, to be quite frank, derivative and thus forgettable. I won't delve into it, for three pragmatic reasons. For one, it is a subjective matter: some people may see it merely as a pretext to further the gameplay (which is acceptable). Secondly, I usually avoid spoiling this kind of things, unless strictly necessary, as I prefer players to discover the story themselves (a brief synopsis is usually good enough). Thirdly, and most importantly, there simply isn't enough content to comment on. So, don't go there expecting the same level of storytelling seen in similar titles, because you won't find it. Normally, this wouldn't translate into a drawback in my book, as I can appreciate games that stick to being games first and foremost. However, this time I've made an exception since, evidently, Into The Dread desperately needs something more that elevates it. Being a carbon copy of a nostalgic memory, only in terms of graphics, is not enough.
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[h1]💭 Verdict[/h1]
So why am I recommending it? All things considered, the price is fair, and for some, there might be a good experience laying somewhere in here. One may interpret the shortcomings as plus sides. Above all else, I give this thumb up primarily as an encouragement - not only for this developer but for anyone else who has considered proposing other callbacks to a genre that, in the end, would really benefit from being properly explored again.
[code][url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/autisticreviews]Memox Reviews[/url], the only curator who doesn't kiss anybody's arse.[/code]
