Those who remain ps45/7/2023 ![]() That’s not to say that the game is bad, per se. Unfortunately, while the game’s narrative is strong, the actual game it is built around is decidedly less so. It makes the choices feel hard, lending them the much needed weight to make something like that succeed. Most of the things these people do are awful, and yet they’re simultaneously understandable, motivated by real feelings and emotions. The game does a good job of making both choices feel valid or rather, making them both feel equally poor. Oftentimes a whole level will be dedicated to learning about their actions and their motivations. The game does a good job of slowly progressing both narratives, tying them together into a larger whole.Ī major aspect of the narrative is the presence of certain moral choices, where a mysterious figure prompts you to choose to condemn or forgive select characters in the story. ![]() Edward’s tale combines well with the central tale of Annika, a teenaged girl whose death kicks off a series of nightmarish events for the small town the game is set in. When someone steals your car, and you’re forced to hoof it on foot in the dark woods, the scares come out, and the story gets going.įrom there, the game weaves a fascinating tale, combining small town vibes (always a fun horror staple), a grieving mother, and a touch of body horror into a compelling story. When you arrive at the hotel, it’s abandoned completely, with no sign of guests or employees. Players take on the roll of a man named Edward, sitting alone at a desk, when all of a sudden his phone goes off with a text. This theme is directly carried over into the game’s narrative, which is easily the strongest part of the experience. The emphasis on safety in the light and danger in the dark, the mysterious, shadowy enemies that constantly stalk you, and it’s use of wind and weather effects to hammer home the atmosphere all evoke that game in my mind, to good effect. The whole thing, visually at least, reminds me somewhat of the Xbox 360 cult classic Alan Wake to an extent. The art direction works to the game’s advantage well, and the lighting really helps add to the scary atmosphere of the levels you’re exploring. This is helped by some generally strong visuals. It shows that the game does a good job of building the tension throughout its levels, keeping you uneasy and constantly like you’re in danger. Often times, you’re scaring yourself more than the game itself actually is, which in this case is a compliment. The game does an excellent job of building suspense, keeping you on edge for nearly the entire experience. ![]() ![]() And it is within that exact niche that Those Who Remain seeks to carve out a space for itself, blending psychological and atmospheric horror together into a frightening whole.Īnd when it comes to that central goal, Those Who Remain is actually quite successful. There was a resurgence of the genre a few years ago, thanks to games like Layers of Fear and the Silent Hills Playable Teaser.įor the most part, though, horror has become something of a niche genre these days. Survival horror games are a dime a dozen, and plenty of games walk the line of horror. True horror games, games that focus on being strange and alien and frightening above all else, are relatively rare these days.
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