Left-Hand Path

Great skill based gesture controls for spell casting. You really feel like you're actually casting your abilities. It does take a bit of getting used to, but progression is a nice combination of getting better at the casting mechanic and increasing your powers in a souls inspired upgrade system. Instead of increasing generic stats, your upgrades are all enhancements or modifications to existing powers, and it's very rewarding. I purchased the game about a year ago, but I really haven't played it much until it's recent emergence from early access. Whenever I've encountered a problem I've found the developer has already answered it in the game's discussion forums. He is very engaged and actively supportive of the game post release. I highly recommend this game. It's a dark, disturbing world with a cryptic and engaging story. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all ends.

Unfortunately I cannot recommend this game with clear conscience. Now let's get to details why. First the most obvious part - it's age is shown. Graphics wisely - it's not that big of an issue, though the general aesthetics does not lend itself to good graphics after, well.. almost 5 years. The great things about this game are certainly - the spellcasting system [even though it tends to have some recognition issues from time to time, and I love the inclusion of low terror mode. Grimoire is interesting and useful addition, some additional bookmarks could help though, given you already use single bookmark to navigate the pages. The big issue with the Grimoire is that it shows what could've been. Most if not all books and scrolls are shown in single projected screen, rather than use what already is in form of grimoire - tech is there, add a spell to 'read' it and there we go. Rituals are also fun to cast, however most of them, however you will find yourself look for correct place to cast it. Storytelling is also quite fun, though there are tons of books without interaction, making it quite jarring given many of the spells will be in form of books in the first place. With simplicity [and length] of text in game already - additional flavor text could've been added, though frankly - quality over quantity might've worked better. Visible deterioration of those books could've helped in explaining why you cannot open then. With that out of the way - let us go to terrible - unfortunately controls are atrocious, at least outside of spellcasting with Index controllers. Admittedly - those are not controls that the game was designed for, so I can only hope that other controllers are better in that aspect. Inability to calibrate your controls and predominantly - teleport based locomotion can be of major issue, and the game was obviously designed with teleport locomotion only in mind, despite additional movement option being implemented. Ignoring for a moment the detail that the locomotion is flipped from that of majority other options, and adding in note lack of turn controls [useful for cable management without external hardware to keep the cable from twisting], that have become standard in following years - the movement speed of enemies will force player to move around. Usually - with teleport. Normal movement WILL allow you to keep your distance but your spells will no longer work - the drawing is done in relation to the environment rather than in relation to character, making any attempts to cast spells when moving - futile, forcing players to use less convenient [for some] method - teleportation. Additional issue is lack of duck controls or player height calibration. Lack of which is fine and lends itself to immersion, though in some cases may force player to go prone for purposes of travel through few segments, as even kneeling will be too high for the purpose. All in all - game with great concept, though fell short due to progress made in recent years in VR market, and lacks quite a few features that impact enjoyment. Potentially great fun, if you are using controllers designed for it, though in some cases [e.g. Index] you will find yourself keeping your hand twisted in weird angle all the time to match what you'd need in-game.

Ich hatte mich voll auf ein neues Horror-game gefreut aber... Die Bewegungsteuerung finde ich auf der Rift absoluter mist per knopfdruck um 180° drehen? und in der Option kann ich nur einstellen mit dem rechten stick zu laufen aber umschauen geht nicht per Trigger? Warum nicht einfach linker stick laufen und rechter stick umschauen klappt doch in allen anderen Spielen super. Ich hab das tutorial durch und bin ein paar räume bis zum ersten Gegner gelaufen aber dann konnte ich nicht mehr die Steuerung ist einfach zu frustrierend vorallem wenn man Spiele wie Vertigo2, Alyx und Boneworks gewohnt ist. Das Kampfsystem macht sicher Laune aber ich will mit mit meinem verkabelten headset nicht die ganze zeit im Kreis drehen deshalb leider einen Daumen runter von mir und das Spiel zurückgeben.

Edit: After getting the developer response, I decided to give the game another go. Most of my issues were resolved in the full release. The new tutorial experience cleared up my confusion on rituals, and the path to progress is much more obvious than before. I have a few minor complains, but they're mostly aesthetic. So I've switched my review from negative to positive.

Seriously, if you're going to make up words/abilities, please at least write up some documentation on what the baseline abilities do...I really feel like I've wasted time, misery (and underpants!) only to find out I selected an upgrade that effectively makes my least favorite spell glow blue or blow me kisses. Meanwhile, I have to head back into Shawshank with the bull queers to 'guess right' and get lucky. No thanks. I'll be watching carefully and if someone wouild be so kind and put something together (just a little more than what a kind gentleman already has posted.) I'd really like to keep playing.