Silver Chains

Review

On a dark and dreary night somewhere in the English countryside, Peter loses control of his vehicle, crashes through a fence and hits a tree. He is not hurt, but the car is no longer functional. He can see a huge building off in the distance and proceeds to go see if he can get help there. As he approaches the house there is a shadowy figure in a lit room on the upper floor. Hoping to get some aid in his situation he continues up to the house and heads towards the front door. As he approaches, he is either knocked out or he blacks out. While unconscious, he has a vision of a massive tree in a meadow that suddenly burst into flames, and a child's voice beckons him to leave quickly. He awakens from the dream and realizes that he is in a room of the house, with no idea how he came to be there. The doors are locked, so he looks for a way out.  Finding a torch, he is now able to enter a very dark room; once inside, he discovers a hole in the wall through which he can crawl out. He proceeds with caution, as the house seems abandoned, yet the lights are on in many areas of the house. As he continues looking for anyone who might live there, he comes upon the spectral figure of a girl who knows his name.  She gives a warning, “Mother is after us.” Why is mother coming after us? Why did the ghostly girl know his name? A dreadful fear overpowers his senses . . . he must escape from this place!

Released on Aug 06, 2019, by the developer Cracked Heads Games & published by Headup, I Have tagged it as Indie, Adventure, Psychological Horror, Casual. It features a vividly detailed and realistic graphic design that is incredibly well-made. A sensational audio design sets the atmosphere which will often have you on your seat's edge. This captivating story will have you hooked until its conclusion. There are riveting puzzles to solve with various designs and levels of difficulty.  In some puzzles you will collect items that will be needed to unlock your way forward for answers and freedom. Partial controller support is available; I preferred the keyboard and mouse for my playtime.

This has been one of the most incredible horror titles I have had the pleasure to play in some time. I was unbelievably hooked from the start of the game. The graphic design is unlike most games in the genre where it’s overly dark.  Instead, they set in place a system that’s more dependent on puzzle-solving and atmosphere. The picturesque design with all the highly detailed artwork was an absolute pleasure to play. Even with this unusual design for a horror game, it works brilliantly. My anxiety level was quite prevalent as I played; from the crackle of thunder at just the right moment to the outstanding jump scares, I was unnerved for most of the game and I loved every minute of it! There are also some chase scenes to survive (not overused), creating a well-rounded experience that I enjoyed immensely. I was worried it would be a lot of running for my life, but was pleased it was not. The puzzles were fun to discover as you unravel the mystery; some are a bit more challenging than others, yet still of casual difficulty.

At the end of my playtime, I was left awestruck by the conclusion of the story. I had sort of figured out part of the plot as I played, and I was correct! I enjoy tearing down a game and figuring it out before it is over. I had still only figured out part of the puzzle, as the story is much deeper than the one thing I guessed would happen. You will come to know the interior of the house well, as you will be traveling back and forth through the many floors to solve the puzzles and find a way to escape. As I conclude, I must say this has been such a fascinating game; I am left at the ending longing for more. If you love a great atmospheric horror game, you can bet you’ll love this!

I did experience one save game bug during my gameplay; all necessary information has been passed onto the developer so it can be patched. I restarted a new game and was able to get past it and finish the title with no more issues.

Achievements can require multiple playthroughs to acquire. I have unlocked 14/16 during my first playthrough.

Review written by DamageInc.for Zeepond.com!