Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Infliction: Extended Cut
Developer: Caustic Reality
Publisher: Blowfish Studios Pty Ltd
Genre: Action, Adventure
Price: $19.99
Also Available On: Steam, XB1
Infliction: Extended Cut is an horror title from independent developer Caustic Reality that's not afraid to show its sources of inspiration. From its dark, depressing setting to its grim tale of family disputes, alcoholism, and abuse, there's isn't much new in the grounds that Infliction covers. That said, the paths it treads wind up worth taking, even if they do get a bit rocky from time to time. In this regard, it’s thankfully propelled by its competent defense of the argument that pain is felt in far worse ways when coming from loved ones as opposed to total strangers.
In Infliction: Extended Cut, players follow the story of a husband needing to return to his home to find a plane ticket his wife left behind. The setup is perfect, allowing gamers to become acquainted with the typical-eighties setting, not to mention the immensely interactive interface. What initially starts as a mundane trek through a dimly illuminated home turns into something far more sinister, as the setting warps into something that's not quite right. Lights flicker on and off, whispers echo in the shadows, and movements appear stalked amid rattling in the darkness.
Clearly, Infliction: Extended Cut is at its best when it wraps gamers up in frightful anticipation. Its premise might not be revolutionary, but its intense atmosphere, introduced in its excellent opening parts, holds up well. The lived-in feeling the house gives off adds a familiar sense of horror to it as it is slowly unwrapped in distorted fashion, and the art and environmental story pieces found along the way can be unsettling. Even better, its sound design is top-notch, and the oppressive silence it uses, when punctuated by ghastly moans or tearful audio recordings, can be unnerving.
Make no mistake. Infliction: Extended Cut is far from flawless. It shows its indie roots on occasion, particularly in the death cuts it winds up repeating. And as if to add insult to injury, these are unskippable, invariably serving as transitions from one set of objectives to another. Whereas the animations hold interest at first, they do wear out their welcome soon enough; the novelty has most definitely worn off by the third or fourth instance they're repeated. Gamers can stand to watch the same spirit rip out their heart only so many times before the moment loses shock value and instead becomes a source of irritation.
Another big issue is in how Infliction: Extended Cut presents itself as a series of glorified fetch quests, if nothing else an unnatural design decision in the face of its haunting atmosphere. Instead of letting gamers explore the house freely and taking in its oppressive air, it instead pushes them ever forward, encouraging them to rush ahead and, in the process, rendering immaterial much of the tension it hitherto built with care. Which is just too bad, because its best moments are when it's most quiet, when it envelops itself in darkness and places the unknown just out of reach.
Infliction: Extended Cut ends up being a mixed bag. Its opening sequences are strong, but instead of building momentum and ramping up in intensity from then on, it eases up on the tension. Still and all, it provides more hits than misses. For all its stumbles, it succeeds in ingraining itself as an intense romp through a haunted homestead. In the final analysis, it proves its worth; it may not deliver the brand of horror with the consistency veterans of the genre expect, but it nonetheless manages to leave most other gamers with cold sweats they’re not likely to get over anytime soon.
THE GOOD
THE BAD
- Decent title from a one-man operation
- Sterling atmosphere and sound design
- Interesting set pieces that provide the backdrop for decent scares
THE BAD
- Fairly short experience overall
- Haunting look and feel conflict heavily with progression mechanics
- Relies on fairly repetitive moments that feel more like padding than progress
RATING: 7.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment