Murder House

Yeah, it is good.

This is a fantastic game, with some flaws. The flaws don't necessarily ruin it, but I can't help but feel like this would be a top-tier horror game if there were just a few changes. Here's what it does very well: +Excellent atmosphere and characters and story that keep you invested. +Good jump scares, got me every time. Very scary and unnerving. +The Easter Ripper is a fantastic stalker, and I was dreading running into him while exploring. +Fantastic retro style. I played mostly with the VHS filter and CRT scanlines with the fixed camera angles, and it was a blast. The camera did seem to get stuck on walls a couple times, but it worked well mostly. I also tried first person and in some ways it was even better, but I do prefer that classic Resident Evil style. Overall, I appreciate the many different camera and filter options available. Now for the bad things: -The puzzles are all over the place. Early on, when I got an item I knew right away what to do with it. However, in the latter half of the game I would find key items and have no idea where to use it, which is a BIG problem, because the last thing I want to do is wander aimlessly around this murder house while being stalked by a psycho killer. -Same point again, but VERY poor direction about what to do next. The house is pretty small, but if you don't follow a guide you'll be wandering around again and again and again until you either look up what to do or get lucky. The piano puzzle is pure garbage. -You can find three different weapons, but they're all basically worthless until the final fight. I feel like there shouldn't be weapons if they make no meaningful difference while playing. (Edit: After watching some let's plays weapons can give you a brief reprieve, but I never actually realized that while playing, Still, your bullet count doesn't matter. Is it worth it? YES. But, pull up a guide and use it when you have to, and you WILL have to. That said, I did really enjoy this and kept thinking about it after I beat it. Edit: Also, don't miss the after credits gameplay. Ties everything up nicely.