I'm always looking for unique and innovative horror experiences, and they are some of my all-time favorite games. When I first heard about it, in the ashesIt's an upcoming indie horror game developed by Rat Cliff Games, and I was intrigued by its meta concept: a video game about a haunted video game. After watching the disturbing trailer and playing a 30-minute preview build, I can confidently say this. in the ashes Even if it's rough around the edges, it has the potential to be one of the most memorable and disturbing horror games in recent memory.
concept of in the ashes It's simple but effective and that's why it works so well. You play as someone left alone at home on vacation and are sent a link to a “mysterious unfinished game.” in the ashes Via a 90's web forum. As you explore the game's dark and twisted world and solve its many puzzles, you'll discover just how evil this game really is. The lines between reality and the virtual world begin to blur as a cursed game begins to have a horrifying effect on your own life.
what to configure in the ashes Another thing is how it deals with the concept of “ghost games” in a very meta and self-aware way. The game-within-a-game looks like a retro first-person horror title from the late '90s, with low-poly graphics and a grainy CRT filter. You can also see callbacks to software like MSN Messenger and Windows XP playing on old PCs from the era as part of the overall experience.
“in the ashes They do a great job of setting the scene, showing the origins of the game, and slowly introducing us to just how terrifying things can be…”
in the ashes It does a great job of setting the stage for the game's origins, and slowly introduces you to just how terrifying things are going to be. As the game progresses, the game world begins to glitch and change in unexpected ways, breaking the fourth wall and questioning what is real and what is part of the cursed game's effects. It makes me think. It's a clever twist on the “media obsessed” trope, and it's both refreshing and unsettling.
The game is a unique combination of first-person exploration, puzzle solving, and psychological horror. As you explore the game's eerie landscape, you'll uncover clues, decipher puzzling puzzles, and make decisions that shape the story and your own mental well-being. This feels like a game made with multiple endings influenced by player choices, but with only 30 minutes of gameplay, it only scratches the surface of what the full game has to offer. This is just an introduction.
This game captures the essence of the 90's incredibly well within the game. This feels like all of his horror games from the past decade have been blended into one, and it works strangely.with aspects of Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil, and silent hill It all combines into a horror pastiche that immediately hits you with nostalgia in the weirdest way possible. This feels like a game you've played before, but it hides far more secrets than a simple callback would suggest.
But what really appeals is the atmosphere and storytelling in the ashes stand out. The game's visuals have a retro aesthetic that is both nostalgic and very unsettling. The environments are filled with eerie details and Easter eggs that hint at the dark history behind the cursed game. And the sound design is absolutely chilling, with eerie ambient noises, distorted audio logs, and a skin-crawling soundtrack that heightens the tension. It teleports you back to an era that many of us remember and perfectly recreates the feel and way the game played that is difficult to recreate with modern technology.
“Exploring themes such as obsession, creative burnout, and the toll a project can take on your mental health, Among Ashes offers a surprisingly personal and introspective story that adds depth to the horror. Masu.”
The most appealing aspect of this game is its ability to blur the line between fiction and reality. As you delve deeper into the fate of the game's world and its creator, you'll find disturbing parallels with your own life. Explores themes such as obsession, creative burnout, and the toll a project can take on your mental health. in the ashes A surprisingly personal and introspective story adds even more depth to the horror. It also perfectly recreates the feeling of playing alone at home with only your internet friends on his PC, allowing you to spend time with him.
Let me tell you, I love this concept, but there are a lot of issues I'd like to see resolved as it nears completion. There are some clipping issues, as well as some areas that are difficult to click due to mouse movement and visual glitches, which can make the experience tedious. This doesn't even touch on the intentional design choices seen in '90s horror games, such as walking around in total darkness, which can be frustrating.
At the same time as the success of in the ashes's ambitious premise remains to be seen, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to immerse myself in this unique and disturbing horror experience. The game's meta-concept, retro aesthetic, and psychological storytelling all converge to create something refreshingly original in the world of horror games. If Rat Cliff Games can deliver on the promise it has shown thus far; in the ashes It has the potential to become a memorable and groundbreaking horror game. It's a bit on the junky side, but that's part of its charm and makes it all the more interesting.
As a fan of both indie horror and games that utilize the medium in clever ways; in the ashes Checks all the boxes for me. I can't wait to dive headfirst into that cursed virtual world, unravel its disturbing mysteries, and see how deep the rabbit hole goes. If Rat Cliff Games can live up to the potential it has shown thus far; in the ashes This could be a groundbreaking horror game that stays with you long after you stop playing.
While the Steam FPS Fest is being held, in the ashes A playable demo will be available on Steam on April 15th. The game is scheduled to be released on PC in late 2024, and is a must-see for horror fans. That could be something really special.
