The Corridor: On Behalf Of The Dead

[b]Note: This review has been revised as of January 21, 2020, as per the developer's request. Beyond this, I have no interest in updating the review further.[/b] The Corridor: On Behalf of the Dead is one mouthful of a title, and it's the debut release from indie publisher/developer Desktop Daydream Studios. Within it, players are tasked to solve a variety of puzzles to continue onward and discover new fragments of memories that are housed by a potential murderer. The plot and lore in this release is quite complex, and at times downright undecipherable, and as such I personally cannot elaborate more on the story. In this very spot before the patch update, there was a big paragraph about how the game was too dark and I had to use an extra piece of software to even get it to a functional viewing level. Well, it's exciting to say that the developer fixed that and turned the lights on. It's easy to see the environments now, but for some reason there's an awful blur to everything that's more than 5 feet in front of you. I suppose the main character is in dire need of glasses, now that he can actually see. The Corridor: On Behalf of the Dead also runs on somewhat of a countdown timer system called Cohesion. Gamers need to act fast to solve puzzles, or explore every area in total detail to find vials of Cohesion to replenish the meter that's constantly draining. If the player runs out of Cohesion, they become "disconnected" and must start from their last save point, or from the beginning of the current area. The save system is also somewhat of a weird one, where one must use a device called an "anchor" in any location that's deemed as safe; after saving once, the anchor starts a cooldown process before it can be picked up, and subsequently before the player can continue on with their gameplay. Both mechanics are completely immersion breaking, and are not felt as a welcomed addition to this title. What the developer did do well is instill the sense of a mechanical, lifeless, dystopian world; a vibe which is aided by the dark ambient soundtrack that makes itself known in key areas. More of this amazing soundscape could've been used, as the majority of the game relies on a boring droning noise. The atmosphere of the game is extremely brooding and oppressive; without the constant nagging of the aforementioned Cohesion system, this release would end up being deeply immersive. However, there's one last major flaw holding this title back from a recommendation, and that's the ending. As this is the first release from Desktop Daydreams Studios, we as the audience and customers have no idea if the developer will keep releasing games in the future, or at what frequency. The choice to end the game on a "To Be Continued" note is absolute blasphemy, and makes this two hour release an utter waste of time. It's a real shame that so much is wrong with The Corridor: On Behalf of the Dead. Some of it can be fixed with a simple patch update, but most of it is better left as a lesson in "what not to do next time" for Desktop Daydreams Studios' next endeavour. The icing on the cake is asking for $16.99 CAD for this dime-a-dozen horror puzzle game. There are a few scares here and there, more accurately described as creepy encounters, and while the atmosphere is good, there's nothing that sets this game apart from those hundreds of other dime-a-dozen releases. Unless the developer shows more potential in the future, it's a hard pass on this one. [h1]Rating: 2.5/5.0 - It's not awful, but it's not great.[/h1] The Horror Network [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/28221963/]Curator[/url] | [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork]Group[/url] Click for Gore [b]The developer provided a free copy of this game for review, through The Horror Network's Curation page.[/b]

I truly enjoyed playing this game. The atmosphere was what kept me going to explore and discover more of what was going on here. If you liked playing Observer and Soma this game is right along those lines but with it's own twist. It's got a nice flavor of creepiness without resorting to jump scares to make you feel uneasy. . The ending is with a 'to be continued' tag and I do hope that there will be more game play to follow. Achievements are available which if you try to complete them will aid you in solving more of the mystery. Okay new Update. The game is now finished with lots more content and lots of graphical fixes!! Such a gritty atmosphere and shabbiness which adds so much to the atmosphere. I can't wait to dive back in and see how everything is resolved. The Developers are hands on and deeply cherish this years long project they have created. I hope you too find this a very interesting journey. 5 stars for a truly unique experience

I actually backed this game way back on their Kickstarter/greenlight and kudos to the dev’s for sticking with the project. It must have been tempting to call it a day but I’m glad they kept going, I always thought the premise behind this game was fantastic, as it puts you in the mind of a suspected murderer. Add in the science fiction element and you should have an interesting first-person psychological horror. I’ve only just got around to playing it, so here are my thoughts. I have to agree it is a thematically "smart" game and straight off the bat the game oozes oppressive atmosphere. Gameplay is broken up into exploring memories of a suspected murderer while piecing together evidence and solving puzzles. Much of the lore and backstory are told by some great environmental storytelling, from children’s letters scattered on the floor, flowers left with a toy car and the ‘something’ in the vents that feeds on a body and drags it out of sight! In particular the Toyama work camp memory really drives home the big brother vibe, with security cameras monitoring ‘workers’ living quarters while mechanized guards patrol outside. The audio design is impressive, especially in the apartment, you can hear the sounds of arguing residents above you, ambient sounds of the world outside and security forces patrolling the area. This really enriches the game world and adds to that feel of constant dread and dystopia as it pulls you in and makes you want to explore the world. The focus on the story is also very intriguing and is delivered by picking up newspaper clippings, dictaphone recordings and exploring memories. You can tell the dev’s have thought a lot about how the story and gameplay are connected. For example, the game makes use of an interesting survival mechanic called Cohesion. Narratively, its a great way of creating a sense of presence, that you are a custodian, linked to a mind via bio mechanical systems.. This also works for the puzzles; mental defenses players must solve to carry on. The save system maintains this goal and takes an abstract system and integrates into the narrative and lore of the game which I really enjoyed. These elements, create a real feeling of being inside the game's world. Onto the lighting, the game is dark, but IMHO, it works. I had no trouble finding cohesion or quest items as I played. I did however play in a darkened room though so that may have something to do with the lighting levels and adjusted the gamma accordingly. Sometimes what’s hidden in the darkness is more terrifying as your mind fills in the blanks! The game does end with a 'to be continued' tag and I do hope that there will be more gameplay to follow. Judging by the dev’s devotion and their communication here and on discord I think we can safely say they’ll be more to come. I’m particularly looking forward to VR support! If you enjoy a thinking man’s horror game, I’d give it a try! 8/10.

Enjoyable horror game! Great atmosphere, interesting puzzles - as a horror game enthusiast I highly reccomend :)

Экстраординарная игра, понравится не каждому но мне в целом понравиллась. Сюжет вообще непонятно из чего состряпали разрабы. Если брать по скидке, пойдет разбавить досуг. 9 странных вещей из 10.

Shame i'm not man enough to finish this game! But loved every minute of it even with the heart stopping fear! Cant wait to see more from this developer. 10/10 Would scream like a girl again!

I definitely highly recommend this game. Scares come when you least expect them and never show up when you're expecting them, - creating perfect paranoia. Puzzles are clever and you really need to pay attention to your surroundings to solve them. I like that the game is sort of timed (don't want to spoil anything by going into detail) to add intensity - but do not fear - carrying your own save anchor helps out a lot and is extra convenient :) The atmosphere is fantastic. The game is a bit short but I know there's more on the way, - and developers are very helpful.

The Corridor: On Behalf Of The Dead is a story based Sci-Fi / Horror game that focuses mostly on setting a strong unsettling atmosphere while adding sci-fi elements around it. You spend most of the game walking around exploring memories and piecing together the story. The cohesion system really works well and adds a nice survival mechanic. Audio is relay nice too and adds a disturbing layer to the experience. 8/10