Whilst the developers of The Tartarus Key, Vertical Reach, have certainly been inspired by first-person thrillers of the PS1 age when creating their latest project, the moody, tense atmosphere produced here may remind one of The Room – the popular mobile puzzle title.
What is The Tartarus Key?:
Releasing today on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and PC platforms, The Tartarus Key is a short but captivating first-person puzzle thriller that will have you hooked from the get-go.
Waking up in a strange mansion as Alex Young, you are tasked with exploring the house and ultimately getting the hell out of there. The only issue? Every door seems to have been locked, and this isn’t a simple ‘find the key’ affair.
Each room houses a unique and challenging puzzle that must be solved in a variety of ways. This might just be the most masochistic escape room ever made, and certainly not as colourful as the likes of fellow puzzle title Escape Academy.
Soon enough, you’ll realise that Alex’s every move is under close watch by cameras set up in the mansion, and traps lie around every corner. Whoever is behind this Saw experience is up to you to discover, as you progress through the thrilling story.
Key Features:
- Escape a deadly mansion filled with dangerous traps, and rescue Alex’s fellow captives… or fail, and leave them to a grisly fate.
- Uncover three different endings, and dig to the heart of the mansion and the strange secrets it and your captors hold.
- Solve puzzles and challenges reminiscent of escape-the-room games in a variety of unsettling and bizarre scenarios.
- A tense, atmospheric adventure that relies on puzzles and plot instead of combat or chase sequences.
Play The Tartarus Key Now on Xbox:
Head over to the Xbox Store and you will now find The Tartarus Key available to purchase for £14.99. If you aren’t on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, then do not fear – the game is also available on PS5, PS4 (although a short delay in some regions), Switch and PC through Steam.
Our review is on the way.
Game Description:
The last thing Alex Young remembers is being at home alone in her apartment… so why has she suddenly woken up in this strange mansion? All the doors are locked by bizarre puzzles and traps, there are cameras following her every move, and she keeps thinking she sees… things… out of the corner of her eye. If she wants to escape alive, along with the other captives she discovers, she’ll need to use her wits in this adventure thriller.
Inspired by the look and feel of classic horror games, The Tartarus Key serves up a mystery filled with twists and turns, and more than a few deadly surprises. Rely on brains over brawn to help Alex survive, but beware – not everyone might make it out alive.
