Post
by LackadasicalBeast » Mon Jan 23, 2017 11:44 pm
Hello world! And probably helping in the heinous act of necro'ing a thread too, but eh, enjoyed the game, a lot. XD
Gameplay itself may not be too dissimilar from other survival games I've played overall; go out, forage for supplies, perhaps do a 'quest' or explore, return home and maintain the perimeter. Darkwood is, however, unique, as far as games I've played, go, visually, thematically and some of the mechanics, and how dynamic it can be. A few others, say modded Minecraft and 7 Days to Die, did make me scared, not with cheap jump-scares and 'boo' moments in general (most of the time), but they made me apprehensive because you can hear enemies without seeing them, and you don't know where things are, and with the latter game, the inevitable 7th day horde is a ticking event you have to prepare for.
In Darkwood, character's line of sight is quite narrow, and exploring heavier forested areas or inside most buildings means you can't see much, especially at night, and the sound and location designs along with items that have both practical uses and physics attached to them makes it genuinely compelling. And spooky scary - a weaker enemy loping around indoors moves things around and generates echoing, distorted noises, and at night-time the lack of knowing, combined with brutal combat means you don't know what might be out there or where, makes each night an event to prepare for and dread slightly.
A spookyscary game that doesn't rely on canned 'boo' moments, closest may be the Banshee-screams, given the noise/screen effect, but otherwise relies on atmosphere (literally thick in some areas, yay) and feeling fragile/paranoid.
So yes, thanks. XD Honestly looking forward to more of the game!