Crow Nation is a brand new throwback survival horror recreation that challenges what individuals may actually need from the style. SFB Video games has crafted an interesting experiment right here by firming down numerous the horror components, and streamlining the puzzle mechanics. What we get is a tighter gameplay expertise that distills down the survival horror style traits into their baseline components. The sport asks a hyper particular query up entrance: What’s your favourite a part of Survival Horror? Is it the graphics? The bounce scares? The puzzles? Dimension of the map? What makes the Resident Evils and Silent Hills stand out over common horror? I began Crow Nation as a enjoyable expertise for Halloween however ended up with one thing deeper to ponder.
Our journey begins with our protagonist, Mara Forest, arriving on the deserted amusement park: Crow Nation. Mara is trying to find the founder Edward Crow who has mysteriously disappeared. Mara is armed with a handgun and her personal cryptic motivations. She finds clues, solves puzzles and saves a cavalcade of different individuals additionally investigating the enigmatic nature of Crow Nation and its founders. It’s a comparatively easy plot with a couple of twists and turns however for probably the most half strikes ahead at a predictable tempo. It checks sufficient bins to be participating, particularly in the case of the opposite solid of characters that seem however that isn’t precisely what stood out most for me.
Making an attempt to rekindle that nostalgia really feel, Crow Nation’s visible model leans closely into the Ps 1 period with its graphics. Grainy filters and blocky featureless character fashions are used along side a Resident Evil stock system to essentially hammer residence these comfortable recollections within the reward heart of your mind. The digital camera is tilt shifted, however will be turned to show extra of the atmosphere. Every degree felt like a Halloween themed diorama, with tiny little particulars to find upon nearer inspection. I personally spent approach an excessive amount of time inside every map, combing over each single part, solely to be rewarded with taste textual content to make me snigger or additional flesh out the world that I simply might have missed in any other case. Your in-game actions are expertly scored alongside a soundtrack with a deep degree of darkish ambiance, dripping with suspense and intrigue. The music pushed me right into a deep sense of unease and by no means let go.
It’s from there that I’ve to dig into precisely what stood out most to me about Crow Nation: The Puzzles. I really like the Resident Evil collection, however particularly for the puzzles. The suspense and horror elements are extra of a deterrent with how closely it will get in direction of the tail finish of these video games. Right here in Crow Nation, the main focus is solely on exploration and puzzle fixing. Discover a door that wants a passphrase? You greatest consider that you’ll come throughout a employees memo that may have somebody complain about precisely that and supply you the reply. Discovering a pc terminal that wants credentials? Boy howdy is it satisfying to seek out the keycard an hour later in a protected, two buildings over. The map of the amusement park can also be considerably small, so getting stumped means going to different rooms and attempting to see what’s missed. Backtracking isn’t actually a chore on a map this measurement. Moreover, with the theme park aesthetic, there is a particular allure to discovering the mermaid trident to unlock the trail ahead.
Just about immediately, the park does turn into flooded with various varieties of monsters reminiscent of zombies, blobs and tree beasts, however most will be prevented by shortly operating previous. When that isn’t doable, the builders have offered a trusty hand gun, in addition to different varieties of weapons and weaponry discovered all through the park. But, once more, as if to say “let’s not make the sport too scary” ammo and well being packs are a dime a dozen, so enemies actually are a non issue right here. This can be a welcome change up for me as a result of that’s not what I’m right here for. I’m right here to seek out two completely different coloured gems to attempt to match into the eyes of a statue to open up the subsequent space of the map. In fact, if you wish to take these monsters out, the gunplay very a lot follows the unique Resident Evil the place you maintain the gun out, then purpose slowly and methodically. That is in all probability the weakest a part of Crow Nation. Aiming is tremendous imprecise, and has a extremely wild form of sway to it, so operating away previous enemies was my most well-liked possibility.
By decreasing the concern issue, SFB Video games has modified the main focus of what the sport presents and as a substitute leans heavier into ambiance, and puzzle fixing. Luckily, these are precisely my favourite elements for most of these video games. Give me a giant spooky home with numerous objects to seek out and clues to unravel and I’m in heaven. A haunted home escape room so to talk and Crow Nation delivers completely on these fronts. It isn’t till later within the recreation that fight turns into a necessity and that’s the place my enthusiasm wanes. The finicky aiming is irritating sufficient to typically need to keep away from it in any respect prices. Exterior of that Crow Nation is extremely profitable at what it delivers. A good package deal of intriguing puzzle design and nail biting ambiance that’s completely tuned in problem. There’s even a touch system in place to make sure you don’t get caught too lengthy on any single puzzle. I beloved my time with Crow Nation and it’ll undoubtedly be making an look on my Recreation of the Yr listing.
