Hold on to your butts, because this thriller is going to psyche you out! Those Who Remain, by publisher Wired Productions in partnership with independent studio, Camel 101, is a first-person puzzle-solving mystery game set in the sleeping town of Dormont. I am having a really good experience with the game so far, and I would definitely recommend it for the philosophers and horror game fans. It definitely evokes memories of Alan Wake, Silent Hill, Stephen King, and maybe a little of Twin Peaks.
The story of the game opens with our protagonist, Edward, lamenting the loss of his perfect life and contemplating suicide. He is stopped by a message from a woman he has been casually seeing, and he decides to end this relationship in a final meeting. Things in Dormont start to change, and reports of missing people no longer no longer pass us by as rumors. The night seems a little darker and drinks up the neon lights from the street. Shapes of people emerge and blue eyes follow our every step. They’re everywhere.
As the story goes on, we encounter other supernatural creatures with their own symbolic meanings behind their designs. Think of Pyramid Head, for instance. In some cases, the main recurring antagonist reminds me of the enemies from SOMA (glowing blue lights coming from their faces). We also have to contend with Annika’s mother. Annika, of course, is a young girl whose demise lies at the center of all the suffering that has come to Dormont. We encounter her spirit, and she is essentially the only light on our path through various locations in the town.
Those Who Remain gets interesting when we start uncovering secrets of the townsfolk. This is where I felt a Twin Peaks vibe, because it appears that EVERYONE is linked to the death of Annika and her Mother’s subsequent suffering. After uncovering evidences of wrong doings, as well as their justifications, we choose to either condemn souls to hell or to forgive and move on. Let me tell you, the cases for forgiveness get harder and harder as you delve deeper into this madness. The game may leave you questioning your decisions.
I like the level design for most stages. There are a lot of mazes, especially in the other realm. What I love/hate is the light mechanic. Obviously you need light to avoid getting shanked by silhouettes with blue eyes, but the game needs you to be brave enough to walk up to those freaks (inches away from their faces) just to peak around the corner and reach for the light switch. Light can also be a problem. More specifically – electricity. Sometimes you need to make calculated risks when trying to solve the puzzles.
And the puzzles are great. In my experience so far, they were a joy to conquer up until the fire station. There are plenty of people smarter than me, but I had to solve a number combination puzzle in the least enjoyable way possible. Currently I am stuck at the lumbermill. I want to say that there is an item missing from the game, but that’s the reviewer’s version of shaking their fist at the sky. I will say, though: Those Who Remain stops giving you hints. For instance, the gas station and the library use arrows to guide you. The going is tough already with monsters roaming around. I wish our hints could be better in the latter half of the game. Also, if a monster sees you, you’re pretty much dead. They’re way faster than you and they can turn on a dime. We can’t turn left or right very quickly; and that is something I hope the devs can tweak. Just make it a little more sensitive.
Overall, this is a game that will make you jump when you least expect it and maybe even ponder the cruel injustices of life. I joke, but it really is thought-provoking. I am hoping to have the rest of Those Who Remain completed, because I am eager to see the end. From what I understand, the game should last from 5-6 hours, but I’m pretty sure it’s taking me longer than that. There is also a degree of replayability, on account of the decisions which affect the ending. I think a fair rating for the title should be a 9 out of 10. Devs, if you’re listening – more sensitivity! Please! I’ve died many times because I can’t turn fast enough.
Check Out the Those Who Remain Launch Trailer:
Those Who Remain is now digitally available worldwide for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X via the Xbox Game Store, and Steam for Windows PC. The Standard Edition is now available for purchase at a launch SRP of $19.99/€19.99/£15.99, with a retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition set to launch globally on July 10, 2020 .
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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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