So, first of all, the description for the game is wrong. I was expecting a sort of Resident Evil survival mixed with Metroid style "get power-ups to unlock new pathways". But Scorn is extremely linear with each level usually having a central puzzle or mechanism you're trying to activate to progress, with some enemies blocking your path.
The hallways are usually very small, so I've only come across like 2 enemies I was able to run past without killing them, which so far is fine because the ammo and health are extremely well balanced where I happen to have JUST ENOUGH to get to the next ammo station.
Two hours in and Scorn is more puzzle game than horror and honestly it seems like atmosphere was the big focus over gameplay. While the atmosphere is certainly disgustingly beautiful and full of gore, it's really the only horror in this game next to the body horror going on.
One of the big factors when Scorn was first announced was that the experience is like being thrown into a world with no guide or reason to what's going on and I can certainly say it's lived up to that. The HUD only really shows your ammo and health and there are no tutorials to speak of. When I got the healing item, I died four times before realizing it was a healing item because I'm so used to being told when I pick up important objects.
While I like how little the game tells you what to do, it's really not that big of a deal when it's not open world and you're backtracking around for the most part. It's described as "Scorn takes place in an open-ended world with different interconnected regions. Each region is a maze-like structure with various rooms and paths to discover." and to be honest I kind of disagree. So far, the path you're supposed to follow has been pretty straight forward and being someone with poor short-term memory I thought I would struggle but I haven't. The "various rooms and paths" have all been on the path you have to take, kind of removing the maze element.
So far Scorn is an insanely well-done atmospheric horror game but for me the gameplay is lacking. A weird way to put it is I'm not having fun, but I am enjoying it. I've been waiting seven years for this game, and it feels like I'm just relieved it finally came out and I don't have to keep wondering.
Now for the most obvious appeal of Scorn, the graphics. This game is extremely weird with a horrific world that begs you to wonder just what happened. The entire ship is alive, and the enemies feel more like an infestation trying to spread rather than something natural. almost like the lack of tending to the ship's "health" has led to a virus outbreak in certain areas.
One of the big factors when Scorn was first announced was that the experience is like being thrown into a world with no guide or reason to what's going on and I can certainly say it's lived up to that. The HUD only really shows your ammo and health and there are no tutorials to speak of. When I got the healing item, I died four times before realizing it was a healing item because I'm so used to being told when I pick up important objects.
While I like how little the game tells you what to do, it's really not that big of a deal when it's not open world and you're backtracking around for the most part. It's described as "Scorn takes place in an open-ended world with different interconnected regions. Each region is a maze-like structure with various rooms and paths to discover." and to be honest I kind of disagree. So far, the path you're supposed to follow has been pretty straight forward and being someone with poor short-term memory I thought I would struggle but I haven't. The "various rooms and paths" have all been on the path you have to take, kind of removing the maze element.
So far Scorn is an insanely well-done atmospheric horror game but for me the gameplay is lacking. A weird way to put it is I'm not having fun, but I am enjoying it. I've been waiting seven years for this game, and it feels like I'm just relieved it finally came out and I don't have to keep wondering.
Now for the most obvious appeal of Scorn, the graphics. This game is extremely weird with a horrific world that begs you to wonder just what happened. The entire ship is alive, and the enemies feel more like an infestation trying to spread rather than something natural. almost like the lack of tending to the ship's "health" has led to a virus outbreak in certain areas.
My biggest complaint right now are the enemies. Even though they're pretty easy to deal with, my deaths have been because I can't move left or right to dodge their attacks in the tight spaces you encounter them in and when you have to get in close to attack them, it can be frustrating.
While I am enjoying my time with the game, I feel like there's a huge lack of narrative. I love the world itself, and various things you interact with are REALLY cool, but what's the goal of my character?
Why am I going deeper into this alien ship that my character is clearly part of? What happened to everyone else?
That's the question I hope the game answers, because as of right now it's difficult for me to be inspired to continue with the game when there's no clear reason why I'm doing anything.
While I am enjoying my time with the game, I feel like there's a huge lack of narrative. I love the world itself, and various things you interact with are REALLY cool, but what's the goal of my character?
Why am I going deeper into this alien ship that my character is clearly part of? What happened to everyone else?
That's the question I hope the game answers, because as of right now it's difficult for me to be inspired to continue with the game when there's no clear reason why I'm doing anything.
If you like body horror, atmospheric horror, thinking up theories for games, and puzzles then you'll probably love Scorn. If you're a more casual gamer that enjoys games you can just pick up and play whenever, I'd say this might not be for you.
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