True Virus developed by Farmind Studio alongside 100 GAMES, published by Ultimate Games, is a unique experience that is reminiscent of some of the early horror-based video games. While this makes it stand out from most contemporary horror video games it really changes the gameplay formula for contemporary gamers as a whole. Moreover, the horror genre really allows for some creativity to be implemented by the developers in making the game look and feel differently from an aesthetics point of view. This focus on a creative horror game allows for some creative story telling and in combination with the point and click puzzle solving really allows for some intuitive thinking on the players part. True Virus is a unique horror game that emphasizes a unique interactive experience melded with interesting aesthetics all culminating into a decent story.
The gameplay is a point and click puzzle solver with a focus on players who pay attention to detail and enjoy solving mysteries as they play. This really is reminiscent of older point and click puzzle horror games of the past where the main focus of the game is to encourage critical thinking. This separates it from the general market where action takes the forefront when designing games as it can easily entice a large audience of players. However, in regards to the gameplay of True Virus it focuses on making the player think and examine their surroundings in fine detail. This focus on observation although is a great strength for the genre it is in can alienate potential players who are more action oriented. Moreover, in terms of the puzzles although they are challenging, they are a lot more intuitive and based upon the player’s ability of observation very similar to some well renown games. The puzzles in True Virus are reminiscent of some of the riddles found in games like the Nine, Nine, Nine series of games, Professor Layton, and some of the features in the Ace Attorney games. This makes the overall experience quite high especially in terms of solving puzzles. Aside from the gameplay, the horror elements in the game provide a nice contrast and basis for how the game feels.
In regards to the horror elements in the game, it is immediately evident in the opening of the game where the player is first greeted with a rotating environment of a psych ward. This sets up what the player’s expectations from a horror standpoint. Furthermore, in regards to games where he opening setting of the game is set in a psych ward are few and far between with the most precedented horror game being Resident Evil 4 taking place in Spain. The choice in setting can drastically impact what kind of story can be written and the direction that it can go in. True Virus plays it safe by utilizing a psych ward and it is more unsettling with the art direction they took the game in. The artistic depiction presented in True Virus has this unsettling nature about it and cleverly utilizes it to its advantage making it nightmare fuel to some extent. Aside from the artistic renditions in game the music is unsettling and gets into the player’s head due to it repeating in some areas leaving a lasting impression.
As for the story of True Virus really wants to captivate the player with the story being scattered around through interacting with the environment. While interactive story telling is no stranger to video games how the game implements it is something that can be hit or miss at times changing how the player can perceive the world through the game. The game spreads the story through dialogue and context clues in the atmosphere of the world showcasing that there is something wrong going on. By making the storytelling in such a vague way it really changes up the pace of the story and can leave some players guessing as to what will happen next.
Farmind Studio alongside 100 GAMES developed a good short horror point and click game called True Virus. Gameplay wise it is reminiscent of older horror games that focused on puzzles with the environment projecting the necessary unsettling atmosphere for the player. The atmosphere of the game needs to set the tone and True Virus really nails it down with the art and sound design. This is then proceeded by the story leaving various clues for the player to solve before ultimately revealing the twist in the story. True Virus is an easy 7/10 with some good qualities, but missing some much-needed nuance to really separate it from the rest of the horror genre.
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Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila
I would describe myself when interacting with games as a strategist with a pension for stealth and loud explosions.
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