P.T.

It might have been just a demo but still worth talking about

Positives:

• Atmosphere
• Psychological elements
• Presentation
• Concepts and themes

Negatives:

• The fact that it was cancelled

Such a tragedy this game got cancelled as this would have probably been the best horror game of all time. I only got to play the P.T once and seen gameplay for it multiple times, it still sends shivers down my spine every time. P.T will always remain a classic but a tragic loss to the gaming community.

If you are one of the lucky few who still owns, or otherwise has access to P. T. proceed with caution.

I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this game was so scary that there were times where I had to stop playing! It is honestly so terrifying that it makes most horror movies look positively tame in comparison!

This game truly frightened me in a way that I had never experienced before, and this was due to the many key aspects of horror game design that P. T. does brilliantly.

The game centers on an unamed protagonist who, for an unkown reason, is forced to walk through the same photorealistic apartment hallway looped over and over again.

P. T. Strips down gameplay to the bare minimum essentials, almost acting as a throwback to the oldschool, point and click, puzzle horror games of the 90s, but with a distinctly modern flare. You are able to walk and zoom your camera in on objects but that is the extent of what your character is able to do. For any other game genre, this gameplay design would severely limit the potential of the game, however, for horror games this choice is perfect. The lack of gameplay mechanics is designed to make the player feel helpless and at the mercy of whatever the game decides to throw at you. There is no way to hide or ward off the supernatural forces you will face in P. T. As such, the limited game mechanics work to help create a very intense and threatening atmosphere.

The game's mysterious nature and unpredictability is another key reason for it's immense scare factor. P. T. Is without a doubt one of the most cryptic games I have ever played. The player is dropped into the game with no knowledge of what is going on or how to progress. The game's seemingly mundane, yet everchanging setting also contributes to the it's ominous tone. The relatable hallway setting gives no hints to the player as to what to expect. The fact that the hallway (sometimes subtly and sometimes obviously) changes each time the player enters also keeps the suspense at an all time high. With each new loop through the hallway, a crippling sense of dread over takes your entire body as your imagination fearfully ponders what horrors could be waiting around the next corner. In Lamon's terms, P. T. is designed to prey on the fear of what the player doesn't see or understand, the fear of the unkown.

This fear is further hammered into the player's psyche through P. T.'s exceptionally memorable sound design. Much of the horror of P. T. is derived from it's lack of sound during most of the game. Over half of the game is completely silent, building the player's tension to near unbearable levels and ensuring they jump at every little sound. When the game isn't silent, it is assaulting the player's ears with creepy, paranoia inducing sounds. Disembodied voices, blood curdling screams, and the eerie sound of a baby crying are just some of the spine chilling noises players may hear throughout the game. There is also a radio heard throughout the game which speaks of a grisly, shocking crime involving a father and his family which, again, helps to further enhance the game's sinister atmosphere.

The imagery in the game is also downright skin crawling. The visual design of Lisa (the murderous poltergeist that shares the hallway with you) is ghoulish and frighteningly memorable. Her mangled face is sure to burn it's way into your mind long after the game ends. She is also able to project shadows of herself on the walls of the hallway (among other ghostly methods of haunting the player) further helping to increase the player's paranoia. Morover, much of the truly horrific imagery throughout the game deals with extremely taboo and disturbing subjects. These include fetuses, unwanted pregnancy, and brutal familicide.

Overall, P. T. does it's job (to scare the player) and does it well. It also presents a thoroughly cryptic and ambiguous story that is sure to keep you thinking even after you finish the game. If you are an avid horror fan and are fortunate enough to come across this game, I would highly recommend playing it, you will get the scare of your life!

This game/demo is on a whole other level of terrifying, easily puts most horror films to shame.

Even just without the ghost, the atmosphere is so undeniably creepy and the fact it's so simple - 2 corridors and a bathroom - is a testament to the quality and effort that went into this.

I'm lucky enough to still have this installed on my PS4 and everyone I show it too, even people so hardened by horror they never get scared, would wince and jump in terror by this, quite a few asked me to stop playing due to the dread this causes.

This is just an absolutely unforgettable experience, one that has earned every bit of admiration since it's release. No other game has made me feel sickened with fear like this, and for that alone, I applaud the makers.

Silent Hills/P.T. is one of the most scariest games that has ever been played by Human Beings. makes me wish the full project hadn't been cancelled (Konami is to blame for that). The atmosphere and setting alone is creepy, ad gets more and more intense as you continue on. It truly has the layer of fear that always makes you want to pause the game after hearing the slightest noise. The way to the ending is quite clever and unique. from collecting pieces of a picture in cleverly hidden areas to steps that require you using your Playstation Microphone.

It's truly a disappointment that we'll never be able to get another game like this again. this game has so much detail and innovation, not to mention that there was so much hype built right after lots of people (Mostly Youtubers such as CoryXKenshin, Markiplier, Dashiegames, Pewdiepie, Etc.) have played an completed it. The work that Kojima put behind it really shows and it is such a shame that we will never be able to get another game as well thought out, as well detailed, and as Nightmare fuel inducing as this.

Rating: 10/10