Residuum

Developer: Will Nightingale

Publisher: Will Nightingale

Platforms: PC

Review Key Provided: Yes

Release Date: 27th October  (Demo available now)   

The influx of PSX-era horrors doesn't appear to be slowing down, but that's ok as far as Indie Horror Gamer is concerned. The grainy visuals and aesthetic lend a particular brand of ethereal mystery to games; pair that with a skilled game designer, and you get an experience that'll still thrill and spook, despite the ubiquity.

Residuum (an antiquated term meaning a residual, or something left behind) begins with the player, Adam Korr, in the back seat of a truck. You're on your way to a secret scientific facility, as two guards chat away in front of you. On arrival, you're planted inside a tube of liquid (think Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back after his spell outside on Hoth), then escape into the dark facility. Something, naturally, has gone wrong. Very wrong.

Wandering through the decaying underground base and reading the scattered notes slowly reveals the world you find yourself in. The scientists are experimenting with how to combat Alternates, a species that can alter its form to mimic humans. Fast, ruthless, and merciless, these creatures could spell the end of humankind if their progress isn't checked. Several of them are imprisoned in the facility and, whaddya know, they've got loose, slaughtering the majority of the staff and security.    

Adam has several tools at his disposal, but they often reflect the broken-down world he exists in. A torch illuminates the many gloomy corners but needs constant winding; a heartbeat/microphone combo detects nearby heartbeats but is unreliable at best. Eventually, Adam acquires a shotgun, but even this weapon is cumbersome and hard to use against the lightning-fast Alternate that joins the others in the final segment of the game.

Residuum's enemies are its standout, and each hunts the player differently, requiring a distinct approach. The first Alternate lurks in the shadows, waiting for Adam to take a wrong step; the second charges across the room if he looks at it too long; and the third, a lithe, angular creature, attacks on sight, forcing the panicked use of the shotgun. Your aim is to escape, but matters soon change, as Adam becomes personally involved with the facility, adding another dimension to the desperate struggle against an inhuman menace.     

Throughout Residuum, its tight, claustrophobic corridors and rooms hide a modicum of navigational puzzles, none of which are overly taxing. The facility is a decent size, but it never overwhelms the player, your current task clear and generally singular. The balance between going about your business and avoiding the Alternates is well judged, and developer Nightingale has created an oppressive atmosphere, helped by the constantly draining torch. Residuum's doom-laden story is well written, leaving the player in no doubt as to the situation's seriousness.

While short, Residuum is challenging enough to extend to around three to four hours of gameplay. It wears its Nineties and analogue horror references proudly on its sleeve, delivering a tense, nerve-wracking experience, only slightly let down by a rushed ending that, while a little unsatisfying, at least sets up the possibility of a sequel.     

CONCLUSION

A claustrophobic, well-designed and tense horror-thriller. If you're not tired of PSX-style horror games, Residuum is a must-buy.