Scorn
Developer: Ebb Software
Publisher: Kepler Interactive
Platforms: Xbox Series X, PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 14 Oct 2022
Price: $39.99 USD – Available Here
Overview
What makes a game scary? When is a movie a horror movie and when it is not? These are all broad questions with subjective answers. Things that I find scary in movies or video games might not be scary to you and vice versa. For some, it is the emphasis on violence, gore, and jump scares and some expect nothing but a well-created atmosphere, and nothing else is needed. When it comes to video games, pretty much everything today is lumped under the label of horror. Body horror and gratuitous gore are usually the cheapest shortcuts to that label but it is somewhat rare to find a horror game that advertises itself as having more emphasis on the atmosphere. It’s even rare to find horror games that are successful at it.
A few days ago I did some gameplay for Scorn. In the tweet for the gameplay video, I wrote about “what would happen if H. R. Giger and Zdzislaw Beksinski joined forces to make a video game”. So if you want to see some good horror imagery, hit up Google Images and check out his works. If you want to go the extra mile, well…….let me tell you about Scorn.
Story
Well, one of the sure ways to create a tense atmosphere is with the help of a well-written story. Or we can just make it to be as minimalistic as possible. The approach of “show, don’t tell”. And Scorn has such sights to show us (pats himself on the back for that sneaky Hellraiser reference). In any case, you start your journey by waking up and realizing you look like that guy from the cover of Tool’s album Lateralus. No time to find out who we are or what are we doing here, our first instinct is to escape (and perhaps even learn more about the world that we’re in).
Gameplay
Even though the devs point out that Scorn is not a first-person shooter I feel like there might be some inconsistency between them and most of the promotional videos showing the game. One might get the wrong impression that they are watching a horror FPS while in reality, the shooting is only a small part of the game. In fact, it feels like it was slapped onto the game as an afterthought. Shooting at enemies, evading and running around them is often clumsy as it is frustrating.
What you will be doing most of the game is exploring and solving puzzles. And oh my God, let me tell you about puzzles. There are a lot of them, they’re original, grotesque, and might often push you on the verge of a mental breakdown. But oh man, that catharsis once you finally figure it out is something that cannot be properly put into words. There is also a certain level of leeway when it comes to solving puzzles. One of the first puzzles in the game requires you to open a door that was two locks. After some exploration, you find one humanoid and deformed creature that can barely move. You can either guide it to one contraption that will kill him along with his shell so you can rip off the arm from his body and use it on the door lock. But there is also another one that can crack his shell and release it without killing him so you can slowly guide him to that lock. The first choice is somewhat faster so it all boils down to your level of patience and morality.
Visuals
What makes Scorn different and above the rest is, of course, its unique visual design. Everything just feels so…organic. The weapons, the pulsating machinery throughout the game, items you find along the way, even the walls. The atmosphere of the game manages to accomplish something that I have yet to encounter in horror games. The feeling of dread and fear is so overwhelming that the thought of being alone in that world is far worse than expecting some nasty creatures around every corner.
Scorn also comes with a clever level design. You might not notice it at first, but eventually, you’ll realize that pretty much everything is interconnected. That locked door at the start of the game? Play long enough and one of the areas might just loop you back to it once you get the tool to unlock it.
While enemy encounters are somewhat rare, you are not the only living thing in that universe. The overall design of enemies and other creatures is often reminiscent of Silent Hill. They tend to be erratic while moving, in constant pain, and usually missing big chunks of their skin. Just like you.
Audio
When it comes to sound, Scorn has a crafty approach. Not much music to expect but the unnerving atmosphere of the game is always amplified by the ominous ambient and background noise. The soundtrack is always tied to where you are in the game and it often changes and brings itself into focus based on your location. Whenever you come close to a major structure or machinery, the soundtrack will properly respond to it. Another thing worth pointing out is that most of the weapons (besides looking all fleshy and slimy and organic) also sound as if you’re carrying some pulsating organism that might have been ripped straight out of something else that was alive moments ago.
Overall
Scorn is a slow burn. A game that won’t pull any punches. It lures you in with the art but the real selling point is the atmosphere. The lingering feeling of insignificance and the menacing presence of cosmic horror are your only companions. Maybe the best compliment that I could give the game is that it is incomparable. The level of tension and dread that you feel as you play through it is something that any future games have yet to replicate.
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