Hell is Us – Demo Impressions

This is a wild one. I downloaded the Hell is Us demo on a whim, and I’m really glad I did. At the most basic, you can say it’s some kind of Dark Souls-lite, at least regarding the fighting. What makes Hell is Us more than it looks is the very mysterious setting that I can best describe as something between the books Roadside Picnic, and the Southern Reach Trilogy. I found the atmosphere thick and weird, with a dark, foreboding tone that engulfs the whole experience in this strange land.

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The Sinking City 2 – Kickstarter

Frogwares just launched their Kickstarter for The Sinking City 2. So, if you want to see a sequel to this somewhat odd Lovecraftian third-person survival horror game, now is the time to invest. I enjoyed The Sinking City for the most part. However, I felt they totally fumbled the ending, coming off as pretty weak and linear. Also, having to run defense for Innsmouthers in the middle of the story felt strange and very forced. I guess, the lure of good-boy points by the press was too tempting, but it didn’t work at all for the narrative. Anti-racism only goes that far, after all. Here is the trailer:

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Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer – Demo Impressions

Kathy Rain has become older, as we all do, and is now running a private investigation firm in Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer. However, things are not going great, with her finances in the gutter. But as luck will have it, the struggling city she lives in is having their first serial killer. The stumped cops are so out of their depth, that they are offering a juicy six figure reward for any lead that will lead to the killer’s arrest. A perfect opportunity for Kathy to save her business!

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The Forgotten City – Midas Mayhem

The Forgotten City is an RPG/Adventure made by Modern Storyteller. What is somewhat unique about this title is that it started out as a mod for Skyrim, which you can find on Nexus. I have not played the mod, so I went into the game without any prior knowledge of the story, or setting, besides what I had seen on the promo shots, and read what it was about on the store page. I have to say, impressive work, considering it’s not even on the same game engine – just that alone must have been hell porting-wise, but in the end, it was all worth it, because it’s a great game that I think deserves its standalone status.

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Call of Cthulhu – Prepare for Madness

When it comes to games inspired by Lovecraft, you kinda know what to expect nowadays. There will be references to cosmic horror, madness, and cults, and the environments will have plenty of nautical elements. Call of Cthulhu by Cyanide Studio is no different. Besides the trope checklist, is it still a good experience? I would say yes, even if this kind of story has been told before. The writing is solid, and at times it actually felt true to the source material, which helps with the immersion.

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