Sylvio

Yes, "Sylvio" is a first-person indie horror game made in Unity. From that description alone, it would seem doomed for genericity - but this is perhaps the most innovative, unique horror title of 2015. The first chapter does a great job of familiarizing you with the game's quirkiness. You're granted a blunderbuss that shoots potatoes. You fight against almost laughably unintimidating spheres of moving black mass. The protagonist voices her lines emotionlessly, almost inaudibly. You may be tempted to write off the game right then and there, and unfortunately, many do. Sylvio's debilitatingly bizarre presentation obscures an incredibly impressive gameplay mechanic that serves as the core of all the spine-chilling, goosebumps-giving, jaw-dropping moments in the game: the EVP audio equipment and its accompanying sound design. The true star of this game. (Sorry, Juliette!) Using the audio equipment, you will be inspecting every corner of the map for ghostly sounds that you can record and subsequently play back and hunt for clues. Through backmasking, rewinding, fast-forwarding and slowing down the audio, you'll hear all sorts of voices from the beyond. Some are helpful, some are not, and some are even... hostile. I finished the game in roughly 10 hours, though you can complete it in a solid 8 if you're not interested in finding the many collectibles that shed more light on the stories you encounter. To be honest, the game overstays its welcome a bit towards the end, and drags a little in some parts. Fortunately, the synth-laden soundtrack and static-ridden locations in the game provide just enough of a dynamic feel to make it a worthwhile journey. As a closing remark, the main complaints I have heard are about the voice of the protagonist, Juliette. It's a divisive voice that may make or break your experience with the game - but she doesn't speak much except for during seances, so I can't say I identify with the chagrin. Overall, I hold "Sylvio" as the most underrated horror title of the year, and recommend it if you're looking for something new out of the horror genre.

This game is unlike any other first person horror game I've ever played. It has so much intrigue and atmosphere, that you want to keep playing and finding clues and recordings. The voice acting is very well done, and in my opinion really adds to the game. Graphically speaking, it is not the best looking game out there, but the gameplay and the attention to the audio and recording device is really what drives the narrative of this game. The audio recorder and its place in the game are really well done. When you come across a recording with your mic out, the machine will automatically record it for you. You then can play it back and analyse it to your hearts content. Hear something strange? Play it backwards....still doesn't sound quite right play it backwards at super-slow speed. The recording device Is really the star of this game and you can tell alot of work and effort has gone into perfecting it. I really recommend this one if you are into horror/mystery type games, there have been a few jumpscares but nothing that scary so far. I also feel like I should mention the soundtrack, as it is reminiscent of old John Carpenter films like "The Thing", very synth heavy and really adds to the game. I honestly hope it is added as DLC, I would like to buy it as well.

For a game made by, basically, one guy, it's a huge achievement. Sylvio creates a very subtle, bizarre and uneasy atmosfere, and although I had trouble to understand the main plot, the surrounding stories about the people who died on the Saginaw Park are sinister and uncanny, such as the experience of interviewing ghosts and manipulating the audio to "translate" their speech. It's such an unique and intense experience that, the fact that Sylvio is not a very well polished game isn't really so important. Not going to forget this one very soon.

I can't recommend a title that has had a major game breaking bug since release(Summer 2015). I envy the people who were able to play and complete the game since I really enjoyed the parts that weren't broken. It's a really neat game with great concepts and I would have really loved to actually be able to play it. Unfortunately, I am stuck in the beginning of the game because I have the invisible orb/human form bug. I've reinstalled several times and nothing seems to fix it. All I wanted to do was play through the first game so that I could buy and play the sequel but that is no longer a possibility. I refuse to buy another game from these Devs when they won't even fix the first. Maybe they would have more than 46 reviews if they didn't release a broken product. Just saying.

An amazing and unusual horror game. Its main focus is not to throw a bunch of monsters at you (though it does sometimes), but focuses rather on a scary and mysterious atmosphere with a gripping story combined with challenging and interesting puzzles. It also runs quite smoothly on my three year old pc. Im playing with an xbox 360 controller and it works perfectly. I highly recommend this game!!

Straight up, let's just say that the graphics of this game aren't much shakes. It's a good thing, then, that the makers of Sylvio understand the importance of SOUND in a horror game. In fact, with the exception of the trifling fact that they forgot to include the noise of your character's own FOOTSTEPS, they've pretty much based their entire game around it. That's the good news. But before we get too far into the positive stuff, let's just concentrate on some early negative impressions. Along with the whole "silent footsteps" thing, you'd be forgiven for thinking that your character possesses full-blown powers of LEVITATION, as she seems to almost "float" above the ground rather than travel about on terra firma like the rest of us. She furthermore doesn't need her hands to hold flashlights and other objects in front of her. Now, I know that such - let us say somewhat "abstracted" - interactive mechanics have hardly been uncommon since Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but when it's coupled with virtually nothing else which seems to "ground" your character in the real world...well, she almost might as well be one of the ghosts that she's chasing. She also seems able to jump or fall down enormous distances without, say, breaking both her legs like any of us regular mortals would. Luckily for the game, though, it soon becomes interesting and unusual enough that I mostly - MOSTLY - managed to get past these reservations, at least until I quit the game altogether about four hours in. One way or another, there's certainly no denying that for all its ambition and relative innovation, it could have used quite a bit more polish before being unleashed on an unsuspecting public (especially at that price). Another thing which made it a tad hard for me to get into - something which all you staunchly anti-"handholding" people are gonna chalk up as a pro, so what would I know? - is that it takes a while to get the gist of what exactly it is that the game wants you to "do". I mean, there's a lot of things in this game which are hardly intuitive: Not the controls (un-remappable; C for flashlight?), not the story ("I'm just sorta, kinda, gonna go in this big spooky park place and, I dunno, maybe talk to some ghosts, I guess"), and not the part where you use your microphone and tape player to decipher words or short phrases which the dead offer up to you, then get on-screen "distance metres" to tell you where you're supposed to go next as your "reward" for the information uncovered in the messages. A few of the puzzles are admittedly quite clever, so there's definitely some good ideas here, and the actual "tape-decoding" bits are suitably spooky and novel in execution...helped in no small part by the fact that the ghostly voices are, to begin with, Euros speaking in what is clearly not their first language - i.e. English - so by the time that you slow down and speed up the voices, or play them in reverse, they ARE quite genuinely eerie-sounding! Oh, and speaking of which, the voice acting is on the whole fairly decent - not great, but decent - and ♥♥♥♥ it, the GAME on the whole is pretty decent, if by no means perfect or astonishing. There's still a few other reservations that I have - some part of me isn't entirely sure that they shouldn't have passed on the infrequent and borderline-pointless "combat" elements of the game, for example, and just opted for an out-and-out "walking simulator" - but in the end, it was the extreme repetition and overall TEDIUM of the gaming experience which did in the patience of this particular player. I mean, I like a moody, snail-like pace as much as the next guy, but this game takes such "tasteful aesthetics" to new and frankly trying extremes. I'm actually looking forward to the announced sequel to this game, because I think they got quite a lot "right" this time out, but also quite a bit "wrong". Undeniably interesting devs, in any case. I'm not gonna go so far as to say they've done something truly "original" here - I've already gotten in trouble for such bold claims in Steam reviews of late - but yes, definitely "different", and definitely worth a look to anyone who considers themselves genuinely interested in the numerous possibilities which the horror genre currently presents to game designers (maybe best to wait for a significant sale, though, just to be on the safe side). Verdict: 7.5/10.

Lightning in a bottle. They built an adventure game around a very clever game mechanic of playing tape at different speeds. This brought back childhood memories of trying to record ghost sounds with a Fisher Price tape recorder. Had I been able to do playback modulation, then I am sure it would have looked just like this gameplay. Hunted for ghosts on an ubuntu linux computer system, with radeon mesa graphic drivers. This game uses the Unity game engine, and it works through the Steam Play compatibility libraries. I had to use the PROTON_USE_WINED3D launch option to get it to run. There were some technical rough spots with later level design, puzzles in the last levels were a bit poor, but overall a solid recommendation even at full price.

[i] I’ve pressed play to hear what the EVP caught in the wind. Among the static, a broken women’s voice can be heard. She speaks in slow and melancholic tone “I didn’t want to… Daddy… They put me to sleep… I’m not alo…” Her voice turns to short scream. I’ve stopped the recording and played it backwards, at half the playback speed. At first there was nothing except distortion but a faint sound can be heard. It’s a horrid imitation of human speech, with no discernable accent or phonetic pattern. Its words now etched into my mind: SHE IS HERE WITH ME.” [/i] In the late seventies, something terrible has happened in the Saginaw Park. Since then, no living creature, except for the crows, can live there. You play as Juliette Waters, a professional Ghost Whisperer, as she travels into the park to put her skills to the ultimate test. Sylvio is a first-person survival horror game inspired by Silent Hill games and Twin Peaks in the best possible way. Its unique story premise, creepy atmosphere, and bone-chilling ghost recording gameplay left me in awe and hooked till the end. Considering it’s made by one person, this amazing horror indie game is very rough in its execution. You‘ll spend 70% of the time investigating and solving puzzles, and 30% shooting and defending yourself. There are 13 chapters/levels in the game and you’ll need between 8-12 hours to complete the game. You start each level by using the Electronic Voice Phenomenon recorder to capture the messages from ghost residues or trapped apparitions. Since ghosts exist in a realm where time flows differently, you’ll manipulate the playback speed and direction to uncover what they have to say. Some of these ghosts will part with their secrets peacefully, while you’ll have to “reason” with others before communicating by using your compressor shotgun. As much as the investigation and sound manipulation segment of the game excels, the combat is quite floaty and imprecise, barely getting a passing grade. The biggest problem with this game is sheer obscurity on what to do next. Puzzles in the first few levels are straightforward and logical. As I reached the second part of the game, I was often stumped on how to proceed, as puzzles can reach the infamous “moon logic” levels of difficulty. When you uncover how to proceed, you’ll scratch your head thinking how that puzzle made any sense. Controls are also obscure, with too many keyboard input requirements for something simple. There is a guide in the main menu that I recommend you to read first. Even after this, I didn’t realize how to change and use objects in my inventory until near the end of the game. Your gun, for example, uses two types of ammo: solid, blunt objects to solve puzzles, and sharp and deadly ones to fight the ghosts. On top of this, you’ll notice a small compressor meter on the gun that loses its power every time you shoot. You’ll have to pick up compressed pesticide canisters to refill your weapon’s range and power. And all of this could’ve been simplified or better explained in the game, but it’s not. Regardless, the outstanding sound and music immersed me completely and sealed the deal for me. Talking to ghosts got me unnerved every time. Juliette sounds like a curious and fearless kid, and yet very fragile and afraid adult at the same time. The voice cast in general is superb. The graphics are okay, but the art direction is amazing. Decrepit and mist-filled park locations felt eerie, packed with tension, unwelcoming and alien. Lastly, the unfolding story never disrespected my intelligence and chewed plot points for me. You’ll uncover some answers, but you’ll have to use your brain to get the full picture. Among throngs of cheap jumpscare games out there, Sylvio has masterfully done the rising dread and uncertainty. If you can go past through rough design and no hand holding, this game will leave a lasting mark, just like a well told short horror story does. [i] The young man’s voice has changed to a rhythmic thumping sound as if it’s trying to tear the fabric of the universe apart, “…the blood of the mist inside my skin.” Only the screams of others could be heard in the background. [/i]

[h1]«Откуда ты знаешь, что ты не пациент?»[/h1] [b](с). из игры Outlast[/b] [b][u]Sylvio[/u][/b] – это приключенческий инди неинфарктный хоррор от 1-го лица, ещё один «всход теплицы» [b]Greenlight[/b], который, к моему глубокому удивлению, пустил к себе в свой уютный домик и, наблюдая за моей очарованностью внутренним убранством, закрыл еле слышно за мною дверь на несколько замков… Но я даже и не думал оборачиваться. [h1][b]==========[/b][/h1] [quote][b]Введение:[/b][/quote] Нас встречает яркий свет уличного фонаря посреди деревьев, глубокая космическая музыка и приятный женский голос: [i]«Меня зовут Джулия Вотерс. Я занимаюсь записью звука в сфере EVP (electronic voice phenomena; звуки, обнаруживаемые на электронных записях и интерпретируемые как голоса духов). Или как говорят мои друзья, я – охотник за голосами призраков. Но я вижу это скорее, как общение в обе стороны, ведь мне интересно узнать почему духи решают задержаться между мирами, а может они и вовсе лишены выбора. Возможно что-то удерживает их здесь, возможно я смогу им помочь сделать шаг к свету… Я не знаю, но я могу слышать их, они говорят, и поэтому я записываю их голоса. Я живу в двух часах езды от известного семейного парка, который был закрыт уже долгое время, но я слышала, туда есть другой проход по старому деревянному мосту. Я только купила старое записывающее оборудование и решила, что это будет отличное место, чтобы его протестировать.»[/i] Вы – Джулия Вотерс, охотник за голосами призраков. Удачи и да поможет вам Бог. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2799830930 [h1][b]==========[/b][/h1] [h1]Плюсы:[/h1] [quote][b]Атмосфера:[/b][/quote] Вот положа руку на сердце, у меня сложилось ощущение будто я тону, но я умиротворён, заворожён, и будто бы сам начинаю грести руками, погружаясь всё глубже в эту мягкую, сладкую бесконечность. Я не знаю, как бы точнее описать эти ощущения, это надо пропустить через себя самому, ибо множество аспектов, которые далее будут перечислены, сыграли в одно гармоничное произведение. [quote][b]Звук/Музыка:[/b][/quote] Музыка – ощущение космоса, бесконечности, с налётом призрачности. Музыка для души, умиротворения, спокойствия, несмотря на то, что у нас хоррор, игра не обезображена музыкальной истерией по ушам и сердцу. [b][u]Музыка, как тонкая материя между наших миром и миром духов.[/u][/b] Звук работает со всех сторон: голос главной героини, шепчущей [b]ASMR[/b]-ом, как бы боясь потревожить этот призрачный мир вокруг себя; звуки окружения; леденящие душу завывания на фоне. Хоррор здесь работает скорее образами, нежели примитивизмом. [b][u]Звук, как инструмент проникновения в призрачную материю.[/u][/b] [quote][b]Сюжет:[/b][/quote] Заинтриговал изначально. Поохотиться на призраков без помощи протонных бластеров, вызвало неподдельный интерес, я старался выхватывать всю доступную информацию по мере прохождения, понять, что вообще происходит? И кстати говоря, концовка оставила после себя достаточно много вопросов, да и не только она… Однако, я не был взбешён этим фактом, я был сосредоточен на попытке понимания, и это – прекрасное ощущение. [quote][b]Геймплей:[/b][/quote] У нас есть:[list] [*]Микрофон со встроенным осциллографом; [*]Магнитафон; [*]Блокнот с ручкой; [*]Пневмо-ружьё (с виду самопальное) [*]Машина (!).[/list] У нас есть 3 вида работы с аудио:[list] [*]Отдельные слова и фразы в шуме статики; [*]Длинные предложения с разного рода изменением голоса (ревёрс, замедление, ускорение). Для расшифровки которых, мы работаем непосредственно с записью при помощи магнитафона; [*]Найденные аудиозаписи. Если у нас [b][u]есть ружьё[/u][/b], значит из него по кому-то [b][u]надо лупить[/u][/b], однако не одним уроном едины, оно пригодится и для решения задачек. У нас есть два типа патронов: острые и тупые (первые для урона, вторые для решения головоломок). Но помните, ваше главное оружие – это микрофон и магнитафон. [b][u]Обезвреживание духов, поиск отзвуков призраков, новой информации – это ключи[/u][/b] к прохождению, ибо на локации по ходу прогресса появляются новые метки. Кстати говоря, даже если визуально вы нащупаете какой-то интересный предмет, вы его не подберёте раньше времени, пока на нём метка не появится. [b][u]Поездка на машине, спасает потраченное время[/u][/b] и ноги главной героини. [b][u]Ворон[/u][/b] – птица мудрая, ворон [b][u]помогает[/u][/b]. Не бойтесь его, следуйте за ним, он подскажет. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2799831018 [h1]Минусы:[/h1] [b][u]Визуал крайне небогат[/u][/b], хоть и немного приятен, однако не отпугивает от слова «совсем». Мне вообще было всё равно, насколько порой несуразно всё выглядит и местами пустынно. [b][u]Проблема неосновных локаций[/u][/b]. Если на машине по большой центральной локации дают покататься, то многие неосновные локации, имея слишком широкий излишний масштаб, не имеют возможности вместить 4-х колсёного друга. [b][u]Невозможность бега[/u][/b]. Да, по сути бегать то не от кого, но поймите правильно, неосновные локации, отмеченные выше, местами могут утомить, особенно если вы любитель полазить, где не просят. [b][u]Отсутствие озвучки, отсутствие субтитров на аудиозаписях, в интро[/u][/b]. Опять же, может стать проблемой для многих людей. Английского много (не как в условном [b]Neverwinter Nights[/b], если играть на английском), слушать много. Благо ещё, когда работаешь с пойманными голосами, слова выписываются в блокнот, а во время путешествия, пока главная героиня озвучивает свои мысли, это выводится на экран. Но тем не менее, проект средней сложности в плане усвоения материала. [quote][i]«Боялся, очень долго откладывал, думал, что там совсем нет субтитров, как я буду это проходить в полном непонимании, однако справился, спасибо, что всё-таки есть письменные вариации текста. Этот проект времён Greenlight - очень хороший пример того, как создать мощный поток, водоворот, способный утянуть за собой без права возврата, на скопленные средства из свиньи-копилки за время учёбы в школе. Я в восторге.»[/i][/quote] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2800886486 [b]=================================================[/b] [b]Пациент:[/b] [h1]ClickamaN[/h1] [b]Психологическое состояние:[/b] Неделю не выходит из палаты, лежит в койке, улыбается, говорит, что слышит их (?). Просил достать ему аудио-магнитофон с функцией записи. Однако вчера, видимо ночью, своровал с поста дежурной медсестры маркер. Утром в палате были исписаны стены, разными словами и фразами, пациент сидел на койке и бормотал: «Они говорят, не ходи, он ждёт… Сильвио ждёт…». [b]Лечение:[/b] Отвар ромашки, дозировкой 20 гр/350 мл на один приём в день. Лёгкие галлюциногены, дозировкой 15 мг сушёных грибов 3 раза/день. Глицин, вечером 5 таблеток Из еды: каша овсяная, сосиски, яйца варёные, цикорий.

Awesome sound design makes this game ultracreepy. Ugly, clunky graphics makes it even more oppressive. I enjoyed it a lot.