Making a sequel is tough. In truth, it could possibly be seen as a daunting prospect.
On one hand, if a sport has gone properly and the viewers loves it then producing one other alongside the identical traces is like printing cash. However the draw back is that the viewers needs a brand new expertise, albeit in an identical world. Typically the journey goes flat and the viewers grows uninterested in the format fairly rapidly.
Within the case of the Horror Story video games, it appears like solely yesterday after I was taking part in Horror Story 1: Kidnapper; the primary sport within the collection. Which means Horror Story 2: Samantha has to do one thing particular to maintain me hooked. However does it?
The Horror Story sport franchise was initially made for the cell market, nevertheless it has slowly made its approach over to consoles. The premise is straightforward, as are the mechanics of this puzzle-solving stealth-based sport.
Within the spooky place known as Lakewitch, youngsters are being kidnapped by individuals in rabbit masks. Within the first journey, you ran round attempting to unravel the thriller of why this was taking place, in addition to attempting to nail down who was the kidnapper. On this second a part of the story, you begin the sport in a jail as soon as extra. As you escape you discover one other prisoner known as Samantha – you’re tasked with attempting to free her and your self from the kidnapper’s evil charms.
The story is an efficient one, regardless that Horror Story 2: Samantha is usually concerning the gameplay. It doesn’t really feel like an grownup horror sport, however extra like a teen one. And all through, there are some good twists and a few good bits of writing on provide right here. It does really feel like a chapter ripped out of a e book somewhat than a complete sport although.
Horror Story 2: Samantha is performed within the first individual, and all of it feels just about like the primary sport. And neatly there’s a issue degree. In the event you’re a kind of who need to take a look at themselves totally by way of their stealthy expertise, you are able to do so.
How you progress and play is as much as you. However the secret right here is to attempt to resolve some puzzles earlier than escaping, all whereas avoiding the kidnapper patrolling the realm. You do that by stealth-shifting across the maze-like ranges of the sport; ranges which are stuffed with twists and turns. It’s when the kidnapper spots you, through which you’ll have to run after which conceal in sure locations; bins or chosen areas till the hazard has handed. Whether or not you take pleasure in this sport mechanic or not would be the key to your enjoyment of the sport. Personally, it’s one thing I’ve completed many occasions over and am getting a bit of bored with it. Others can have a great deal of enjoyable although, capable of relish the problem.
Different components at play give attention to the gathering of things and discovering the precise place to make use of them. Fixing puzzles to open different areas can be entrance and centre, as little by little you get to unravel extra of the narrative and escape the evil clutches of the captives. Nonetheless, very very like in Horror Story 1, there have been moments right here through which I’ve been misplaced as to what to do. Whereas I applaud the dearth of hand-holding, a bit of bit extra steering wouldn’t go amiss.
Visually, Horror Story 2: Samantha employs the graphical type of one thing like a Telltale Video games expertise; it feels very very like The Strolling Lifeless collection. All cartoony but combined with realism is the closest I can get to explain it. It really works although and the eye to element within the degree design works nice all through.
The sound is superb too, with high-alert music that makes your heartbeat race when getting chased and a intelligent, but tense, soundtrack sitting beneath the sport when transferring.
It’s secure to say that in the event you favored Horror Story 1: Kidnapper, you’ll do properly with this subsequent chapter. The story in Horror Story 2: Samantha is nice and the way in which this universe retains including to itself is cleverly addictive. There is probably not a lot new by way of mechanics from the unique sport to this one, however Horror Story 2: Samantha is aware of what it needs, delivers its targets brilliantly and gives some nice escape room vibes.
