There are various types of horror games on the market and one of the most popular focuses on blood, gore and huge monsters. Here you will be running through hell followed and hunted by the legions of that domain, trying to kill you. Maybe you can fight back, or maybe you can just hide.
But there’s another type of horror that is equally popular – the psychological, where reality gets morphed and you don’t know what’s real or what’s fantasy. REVEIL is a game that definitely fits into that category. It’s a twisted tale of unfolding events and turns at every corner. Prepare to open your mind.
In this first-person horror narrative adventure, you play the part of Walter Thompson. Walter has a loving wife and a small daughter and REVEIL starts with him waking up in his apartment in a city, going exploring his place and ending up in his daughter’s room. We find out that Walter and his family used to work in the circus. He would create and work on all the mechanicals and contraptions of the circus, whilst his wife and daughter were trapeze artists.
Very soon into REVEIL and you’ll realise that things aren’t what they seem at first. Memories get distorted and Walter ends up chasing his dreams, which puts him into strange new worlds. At one point he enters the circus and then disappears into the most sinister funhouse ever created; full of horror and deadly truths. In another, he is stalked by a hideous creature in an artist’s studio. Then, just when you think you might have a handle on the story, everything gets turned upside down. Obviously, you’re getting no spoilers from me.
The story and writing of REVEIL are extremely good, with how it tells its tale visually being the most important element at play. I think the inner voiceover of the main character does outstay its welcome sometimes, feeling a bit over-written, but that’s possibly being a bit picky. The big twist is a great one, something that you won’t see coming. But then, there are also numerous different endings to find along the way after you have finished.
The gameplay is as simple as any first-person narrative adventure can be. You move in quite a linear way through a variety of real and unreal environments. The main elements focus on exploration and discovering items in the rooms you are in. There is a lovely section at the start when you are in your daughter’s room and she’s left you a map of how to find the key to unlock her diary. And frankly, the things you have to do in REVEIL are a real mix; puzzles, mini-games, and action. The way the game progresses when you are always doing something different, means it never grows stale.
Quite later on, stealth becomes a big part. There are moments when you are left to crouch and be quiet, in hope of avoiding a couple of monstrosities in the dream world. There is one section where you have to avoid noise traps dotted everywhere across the level. This is my least favourite part, but the fear factor is well enacted.
REVEIL looks amazing visually, with some realistic design in terms of interiors. Even better is the strange stuff like the dream sequences. The circus mechanics are out of this world and the big reveal at the end comes across as superb, with brilliant lighting effects. The audio is wonderful as well, with a solid soundtrack and some original music tracks that are very mellow on the ear. I have to say, the voice acting is good too, but there are times when an overuse of the inner monologue doesn’t help.
I love a good narrative adventure, especially one that tackles horror. REVEIL doesn’t disappoint, with neat plot twists and an outstanding revelation. There are some great puzzles to enjoy, very unique, whilst the set pieces feel stunning at times; oh so clever.
A criticism would be that REVEIL feels slightly over-written in terms of inner monologue, but it’s a tiny whine because the rest of the game is wonderful.
