Highlights
I missed the golden period of PS1 horror video games. The unique Resident Evils handed me by. I by no means performed Silent Hill and Parasite Eve and Dino Disaster had been by no means on my radar, I used to be too busy with my Nintendo 64. It is solely been not too long ago that I’ve embraced the style, enjoying via remakes from collection like Lifeless House and Resident Evil, alongside Biohazard and Village.
![Collage of the best retro horror games (Parasite Eve, Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil)](https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/retro.jpg)
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Which basic retro horror video games hold you up at evening?
I’ve discovered a brand new love and appreciation for the style, so when Blumhouse made their announcement at Summer season Sport Fest, I used to be excited. Through the latest Play Days occasion in LA, I bought to take a look at the primary title from the writer, Worry the Highlight, and it ticks a whole lot of containers.
The Blumhouse Approach
Blumhouse’s mannequin throughout the film trade is to provide administrators the cash they should make their movie, with full artistic management — one thing which, when replicated for the video video games trade is ideal. We have seen not too long ago that folks yearn for smaller indie titles, with the likes of Balatro, Animal Nicely and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes all inside Metacritic’s ten finest video games of the yr to date. With budgets ballooning, and c-suite execs vying for extra management inside growth, the Blumhouse information is nice.
Worry the Highlight’s story is equally as fascinating. Initially launched on Steam final yr, it was pulled in October, in an effort to make enhancements and add “some new gameplay”. It is reported that money from Blumhouse allowed Cozy Sport Friends to take a step again and make these adjustments.
After enjoying roughly 20 minutes of the sport, it seems to be like a stable funding.
Fearing The Highlight
After I first noticed the trailer for Worry The Highlight, I sort of anticipated a survival horror sport, but it surely’s not. It is an journey sport with some survival elements. It tells the story of Amy and Vivian, who break into their faculty, steal an ouija board and carry out a séance which fits horribly incorrect. The ritual and what instantly adopted offered some moments that, for the faint of coronary heart, will definitely trigger a scare or two, and it positively constructed up a degree of intrigue.
Following the séance, I used to be let lose within the faculty corridors to try to work out what occurred, fixing puzzles and spending some platform-esque ability checks, all whereas, because the identify would counsel, avoiding the highlight, which is the core approach during which your character will get broken. Most of my demo time was predominantly targeted across the sport pre-ritual, so I did not get to see lots of the scares Worry the Highlight had in retailer, nevertheless, I’m assured that the sport’s early promise will ship on that.
It was clearly designed to evoke the sensation of a 90s teen horror/drama flick, and it is executed to close perfection.
Worry the Highlight does a whole lot of issues nicely, but it surely does nothing higher than its aesthetic. CRT traces, which could be turned as much as match its late-90s really feel, adorn the display screen, and completely designed polygonal characters take the… highlight. It was clearly designed to evoke the sensation of a 90s teen horror/drama flick, and it is executed to close perfection.
The sport wanting because it does is not the one approach that it creates this ambiance although. The character animations are implausible and actually assist to promote the scenario, at one level, I used to be holding a candle strolling in direction of a plaque, and unprompted, my character moved stated candle to light up the writing. It is little touches like this that make the sport really feel actual. That is cleverly constructed upon additional by Cozy Sport Friends. For instance, Vivian’s teenage angst is typified by the truth that her well being meter is a pair of lungs which may solely be healed by bronchial asthma inhalers hidden across the faculty.
![Still from Silent Hill 2 Remake of James holding a noose.](https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/my-soldiers-rage-16.jpg)
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It is a good time to be a fan of psychological horror.
Mechanically, there’s nothing particular about Worry the Highlight. It is a pretty commonplace story-based journey sport. Nonetheless, the place it seems to be set to really shine is thru its atmospheric storytelling. In the event you’re a horror or journey sport fan and this wasn’t in your radar, it is one to keep watch over. I did not know what to anticipate earlier than enjoying it, however got here away feeling prefer it was one of the nice surprises of the present.
You possibly can take a look at all of our protection from this yr’s Summer season Sport Fest proper right here.
![fear-the-spotlight.jpg](https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/fear-the-spotlight.jpg)
Developer(s) Cozy Sport Friends
Writer(s) Blumhouse Video games