Good horror games have been a bit thin
on the ground ever since the AAA industry apparently misplaced the
recipe, but in inadequately-dark times like these one need only turn
to the indie scene for delicacies like The Last Door. I've
always been a big gothic horror fan, and the sensibilities of Poe
and Lovecraft are put across strongly with retro-minimalist graphics
that leave most of the horror to your twisted imagination.
In chapter 1 you receive a cryptic letter from an old friend and decide to pay a visit to his creepy mansion because you fear something is amiss. (Spoilers: something is amiss.)
In chapter 1 you receive a cryptic letter from an old friend and decide to pay a visit to his creepy mansion because you fear something is amiss. (Spoilers: something is amiss.)
Gameplay is standard adventure game
fare. Puzzles are fairly basic and logical, but the emphasis is on
mood, which is made all the more chilling by an excellent musical
score that contrasts pleasingly with the otherwise retro aesthetic.
The horror is more subtly chilling than panic inducing. There are a
couple of jump scares, but they are deployed effectively and used as
a spice rather than a crutch (to mix old and limp metaphors).
Mostly I'm posting this because I want
to spread the word for selfish reasons. Currently they need about 6k
in donations to make Chapter 2, and I want to find out where the story
goes dagnabbit!
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