There are plenty of horror games I try to avoid because I get scared pretty easily, especially since I tend to play most of my games at night. That said, I decided to try this one after an indie developer reached out on social media and invited people to check it out.
A solo developer, AJB Games Studio, made the game, and I always enjoy supporting passionate indie developers. I also dream of making my own game someday, so I especially appreciate the work and dedication that goes into creating a game independently.
The developer offered free codes to people interested in trying the game, but I decided to purchase it myself to show my support. I also went to the Twitch stream to show the audience that my reaction is genuine and not made up.
The horror within
If you have not played the first chapter, Martha’s Doll, you are probably in the same boat as me. I haven’t played the first game, so I don’t understand the story. The only lore I can piece together comes from the notes and letters I found. That gives me some understanding of what is going on.
Lore-wise, it is interesting, and hopefully it expands a bit more. I am more interested in the possessed dolls, the deal with the demon, and the voice warning you to turn back. Of course, I would turn and run the hell out if this were real life.
There isn’t much more to say, and I hope the developer expands on it through puzzles or dialogue in their next game.
Follow the light
The game is fairly linear, so you should not have to worry about missing much as you move around and explore. A few moments feel a little janky, though I would describe them more as unresponsive or unintuitive. Picking up items, for example, is not always immediate and can require you to adjust your positioning and press the button a few times before the game registers the interaction.
This can become frustrating during a speedrun or in a tense situation where you want to move as quickly as possible. Moments like these can take away from the impact of the scene because you end up being more frustrated with the controls than immersed in what is happening.
The puzzles themselves are fairly straightforward. In most cases, you need to pay attention to your surroundings and look for the clues provided. There were a few moments where I realized afterward that I should have paid closer attention or inspected something more carefully (I wasted a stupid amount of time figuring out where the clue was). That said, I actually wish there were more puzzles like these. They fit well with the way the horror is designed and can create some great tension when you are forced to stop and carefully examine your surroundings.
The lockpicking mechanic felt somewhat unnecessary, especially since it is primarily used near the beginning of the game. I would either introduce more opportunities to use it later on or remove some of the extra keys so the mechanic feels more meaningful.
I also liked the camera. The night vision is a nice touch, and having the camera actively recording adds to the atmosphere. However, I wish there were more you could do with it, or that it played a bigger role in the gameplay. As it stands, it is a nice addition, but the mechanic feels like it had more potential that could have been explored.
The Experience
The game has plenty of jump scares and tense, unsettling moments, and I have to admit, it genuinely freaked me out. In that regard, the game absolutely did its job. I do think it could have benefited from having more of those moments, especially toward the latter part of the experience.
The game is also very short and can be completed in under an hour. Still, I feel like it accomplishes what it sets out to do. Considering a solo developer made this, a lot of time and effort clearly went into creating the experience and making sure players get the intended scares. I would love to see the developer expand on the idea, build out the story and gameplay, and potentially turn it into a much longer experience in the future.
Overall, I don’t regret paying for the game, and I genuinely enjoyed my time with it. If you’re looking for a short horror experience and want to support an indie developer, it’s currently available on Steam. Go check it out and give it a try.
