Recent reviews by vertigoelectric

This is a game you can start up and play, assuming it feels like cooperating. Performance is not great, making it easy to see through walls and occasionally fall out of the map entirely. Checkpoints exist, but restarting them does not reliably reset the game state, which can lead to soft-locks or events triggering in the wrong order. Progress often happens less because you did the right thing and more because nothing critical broke this time. I give it 1 bad game state out of 5 wall clips.

This is, without question, a game that exists and can be interacted with. It starts when initiated and continues until it is stopped. Actions produce expected responses, and systems operate within their apparent parameters. Time can be spent engaging with it, during which events occur and progress is registered. When finished, the experience concludes.

A short and mildly interesting game with a somewhat clever idea.

I enjoyed this. It's short and fairly simple, and the gravity challenges are neat. Some of the puzzles can be cheesed pretty easily, thus bypassing most if not all of the given challenge, but honestly I only found that amusing. I hope this developer continues to make more.

My experience with 'The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation' was pretty great. The game managed to create a really good atmosphere—dark and foreboding, with a highly detailed environment. The story, based on a movie I've never seen, caught my interest, and now I'm curious to watch the film as well. As someone who enjoys stories involving curses and ghosts, this game was right up my alley.

One standout aspect for me was the character animation. I thought the characters were designed and animated very well, and even the animated lip syncing during dialogues, while not perfect, left an impression. The game has a lot of dialogue, but the moments where I wanted the characters to move along were rare. The voice acting was quite good, and it's worth noting that while there are multiple subtitle language options, the Steam version only has the original Taiwanese voiceover. I noticed a trailer for the Playstation release with English voiceover, so if that's important to you, you might want to check out the console version.

The sound design added another layer to the experience, with scenes featuring incredible ambiance that I plan to record for my video game ambience channel. The game includes several chase sequences, requiring you to run, hide, and escape from something. These moments were exciting, but at times, they became a source of frustration. There were a few trial and error moments that felt a bit unfair, like running into dead ends or not knowing where to go, though that could just be my own shortcomings.

The game also featured puzzles that added an extra layer of engagement. They struck a good balance, challenging enough to make you think, yet none were overly difficult. While a few puzzles seemed a bit unnecessary, being a fan of puzzles, I still found them enjoyable and appreciated the additional interactive elements they brought to the overall experience.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed the game. Being a fan of Asian-themed horror, the Taiwanese setting enhanced the experience for me. I highly recommend it to fellow enthusiasts of ghost stories and horror in general. Additionally, the news of a sequel on the way has me quite excited.

https://youtu.be/53B8KRw-blA

A short and simple but delightfully colorful and creative puzzle game.

I've been letting Obscuritas collect dust in my backlog for a long time, and I wish I'd gotten to it sooner. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. It starts off like any run-of-the-mill horror game in a big creepy house, but ends up taking you through a variety of locations and settings so you always have someplace new to explore. There are also a myriad of puzzles and challenges, which range from clever and satisfying to sometimes being somewhat obtuse and frustrating. However, each new challenge is different enough from the ones before that it doesn't really get too repetitive.

One of my favorite aspects of Obscuritas is the sound design. The ambient noise and audio effects in this game do a fantastic job of keeping you on edge the entire time. Another thing I loved about this game is the way it always managed to surprise me with something new. It plays a lot of tricks on the player in many different ways that always drove me to keep going to see what might happen next.

If you're a fan of horror and puzzles, I think you'll have a good time. Even if you aren't big on puzzles and have to use a guide to solve some of them, I think the rest of the experience is still worth it.

While I highly recommend you play it for yourself, I recorded a no-commentary longplay of Obscuritas in case you'd prefer to watch me fumble through it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K66HX5F8c7Q

It's a fun little dungeon escape game with a handful of puzzles that are worth the short run time and the zero asking price.

First and foremost, a huge thanks to the developer for providing a key to explore this indie gem. Here's my take after spending some time with the game.

An accessible indie horror title that balances simplicity and engagement. Well-executed voice acting and eerie atmosphere make for an enjoyable, if not particularly frightening, experience.


My time with this indie horror game was far from a terrible experience. The engaging narrative, well-executed voice acting, and commendable attempts at cinematic presentation were highlights of my playthrough, successfully balancing simplicity and engagement to provide an accessible experience. The introduction of a security camera mechanic added an intriguing layer to the gameplay. However, during my playthrough, it remained largely untouched and didn't significantly impact the overall experience, feeling like a missed opportunity to enhance immersion and engagement.

Additionally, I couldn't help but notice that some character animations and item interactions were janky and buggy. While this might be a concern for some players, I personally found these imperfections amusing, adding a bit of charm to my overall experience. It was mostly just visual and didn't break the gameplay in any meaningful way.

• User-Friendly Experience:
  - Simple mechanics, perfect for a quick playthrough.
  - A run-of-the-mill horror title, but that's not a bad thing; it keeps the experience accessible.
  
  
• Engaging Narrative:
  - Cast as a nighttime motel worker, the game starts with mundane tasks that gradually turn unsettling.
  - Despite some quirky interactions, the game manages to stay engaging, avoiding tedium.
  
  
• Spine-Chilling Atmosphere:
  - Eerie and ominous tone with well-executed jump scares.
  - Sound design deserves special mention for creating a sense of dread.
  
  
• Well-Done Voice Acting:
  - Surprisingly high-quality voice acting that adds to the overall immersion.
  
  
• Cinematic Attempts:
  - Several cutscenes with commendable cinematic camera work, enhancing storytelling.

• Transitional Hiccups:
  - Jarring transition between cutscenes and gameplay.
  - Abrupt sound cuts during fades can be distracting.
  
  
• Short and Sweet:
  - The game's brevity is both a pro and a con.
  - An extended runtime might have allowed for a more in-depth experience.
  - Some character animations and item interactions were janky and buggy, which, while potentially problematic for some, added a charming and amusing aspect to my personal experience. It was mostly just visual and didn't break the gameplay in any meaningful way.

In conclusion, while not groundbreaking, this indie horror game offers an enjoyable experience for those looking for a quick and accessible scare. The blend of engaging narrative, effective voice acting, and atmospheric elements makes it a worthwhile journey, despite some quirks and missed opportunities. For players who appreciate simplicity with a touch of charm, it's worth checking out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFw83ZOSIb0

This is a very short but interesting experimental game with a neat narrative-driven twist that you probably won't get by watching it alone. I strongly suggest you take the very short time it requires to play this and try it for yourself.