As a seasoned survivor of countless horror games, I must say that The Fear Business has left me with a mix of emotions. On one hand, it’s a delightful homage to the classics, boasting an authentic PS1 aesthetic and a well-designed mansion brimming with intriguing puzzles. Yet, on the other hand, I found myself grappling with some rather frustrating aspects that made my journey through Solomon Manor anything but smooth.
On my fourth attempt to descend, retrieve the fuse, navigate back upstairs, solve the puzzle, and reach the save point without meeting an untimely demise, I found myself slumped in my chair, swigging water, and uttering a string of expletives unsuitable for this context. After catching my breath, I pressed “rewind” and tried once more. On my fifth attempt, success was mine. When The Fear Business is at its peak, it’s an enjoyable, if not overly terrifying, experience. However, when things don’t go as planned, it can become quite aggravating – a level of frustration I hadn’t anticipated. Overall, the good seems to outweigh the bad, but there are moments that try my patience.
The Game titled “The Fear Business” isn’t particularly innovative; it borrows heavily from other games, notably survival horror games from the PlayStation 1 era, such as Resident Evil. It even has a retro look reminiscent of PS1 games. However, the premise is intriguing. You assume the role of Sarah McPherson, a journalist who specializes in covering unusual tales for a program called American Mysteries. Her career is faltering, and she’s eager to uncover a compelling story. The latest episode finds her in Black Hill, a town with around 500 residents, where people have mysteriously vanished.
Small-town America is hella haunted, bro
As a curious enthusiast, I embark on my investigation from the hotel and its adjoining bar, engaging locals about the baffling disappearances. To converse with the Arcade Freak, I must first surpass his high score in the vintage Starship Vector game, similar to Asteroids. Only after this challenge can I gain access to his insights. The elusive Grace, often found in a secluded corner booth, becomes available for an interview once her missing son, Robbie, is located. Rumors swirl about a local cult, the Crimson Society, and their dark practices. Despite my initial fruitless attempts, a mysterious figure in hood and tinted glasses suggests that Solomon Manor – the rumored stronghold of this cult – may hold the answers I seek. Although the offer reeks of discomfort, my desperation to uncover the truth compels me to accept his ride.
As soon as she manages to sneak into the mansion, The Fear Business truly commences. Of course, there are strange cult-related activities taking place, and Sarah’s initial strategy of “enter, gather footage, depart” doesn’t fare much better than you’d anticipate. From that point onward, it becomes necessary to find a way through the mansion and make an escape.
Solomon Manor draws heavy inspiration from Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil, making it evident for survival horror game veterans with puzzles popping up right away. On the second floor, you’ll find a piano with a missing key, a machine part lying at the base of a piranha-filled aquarium, doors adorned with a unique symbol requiring a special key to open, and a conspicuous absence of a fuse in the fuse box. The manor isn’t vast initially, just two stories high, but as you delve deeper and unlock hidden doors, you’ll uncover its extensive depths. Delving into the house is undeniably the most intriguing aspect of The Fear Business, with the thrill of unraveling its secrets being the best part of the gameplay experience.
Enter the survival horror
In most horror survival games, you’ll find that your carrying capacity is limited, allowing you to carry just four items at a time. However, by discovering specific items during exploration, you can increase this limit to six. Your inventory typically includes keys, puzzle pieces, health-restoring bandages, and similar items. The limitation on the number of items you can carry is intriguing, but it seems a bit arbitrary. For instance, one might wonder why your character, Sarah, doesn’t have more storage space, like pockets. This system certainly encourages backtracking and careful inventory management, but it feels like a convention rather than an enhancement that significantly improves the gaming experience. While I appreciate the mansion exploration and puzzle-solving aspects, I can’t help but wish for Sarah to wear pants with more pockets.
One way to rephrase the given text in a more natural and easy-to-read manner could be:
In the manor, it appears Sarah isn’t the only inhabitant. She coexists with a grotesque figure known as “Goat Face,” which seems to be a human in a mask or perhaps a hybrid of a human and a goat, roaming around menacingly with a knife. If Goat Face spots you, your screen will become filled with static, much like an old VHS tape or camcorder. Sarah can fend off Goat Face using wooden planks and metal pipes, but she can’t eliminate him; instead, she can only stun him temporarily to escape. Though not particularly frightening, Goat Face deserves a cautious approach.
Goat, goat facers
The concept of a relentless foe that cannot be defeated but must be avoided is intriguing in theory, but falls short in execution. For one, Goat Face can be outpaced in a straight line if you manage to get a head start, which improves your chances of escape, although not always consistently. However, the problem lies with The Fear Business’s camera and control system. Similar to classic survival horror games, The Fear Business employs fixed camera angles and tank controls, typically contributing to the game’s atmosphere. Unfortunately, these aspects become frustrating when attempting to evade Goat Face. Since the camera angles are constantly shifting and static fills the screen when Goat Face is near, it becomes challenging to see while fleeing. As a result, you may end up dying not due to poor play, but rather by colliding with walls, closed doors, or other obstacles that you can’t see because of either the camera or the static effect.
Typically, it’s wise to steer clear of Goat Face whenever possible. Occasionally, as he approaches, your screen might be flooded with interference. The more static you encounter, the nearer he is, allowing you to adjust your strategy. However, at times, this warning sign won’t manifest, and suddenly, he’ll appear right in front of you upon opening a door or turning a corner. In such instances, your only recourse would be to stun him if you have a weapon and then flee until you can find cover behind a wardrobe or behind a shower curtain. Goat Face won’t inspect these areas unless he sees you enter them, so if you manage to slip in undetected, you should be safe. He’ll storm into the room, growl about blood and death, and threaten that you can’t hide, but then he’ll depart.
It’s wonderful… when it functions smoothly. However, getting surprised by him without a heads-up is not enjoyable, and losing track of your direction or having limited control over Sarah during escapes will inevitably lead to multiple deaths at his hands. In the end, I simply allowed Goat Face to kill me if I had recently saved my progress. It was quicker than waiting for the chance to escape when I couldn’t see the way.
Blow out the candles and make a wish
Let’s talk about another aspect of The Fear Business that I found a bit tricky: its saving system. Like other games, saves in The Fear Business are restricted, but instead of ink ribbons and typewriters, you have Devil Shrines. To save your game, simply extinguish the candle at a shrine. However, once you use a Devil’s Shrine, it can’t be used again, so think carefully before saving. I regrettably used one when I needed to retrace my steps for my next objective, which led to my initial paragraph in this review. It was quite frustrating, and I often felt more like waiting for luck than actually playing well due to the unpredictable Goat Face.
Devil’s Sanctuaries dim certain areas, making navigation tricky. While this isn’t an issue in all locations, it can be crucial elsewhere. It’s an intriguing twist on the conventional survival horror game save mechanism that I found appealing. However, I wish Goat Face wouldn’t suddenly pop up next to me unexpectedly, forcing me to repeat the same levels if I saved in a risky spot.
In summary, The Fear Business serves as an effective tribute to horror games from the past. While it may lack originality, its PS1-style visuals, intriguing Solomon Manor design, and engaging puzzles compensate for its minor flaws. Despite being a relatively short game (approximately 3 to 5 hours), it offers multiple difficulty levels, hidden secrets, and potential for speedrunning. However, I found the controls less than ideal and dealing with Goat Face rather frustrating. If you’re seeking a horror game for an evening, this could be a decent choice. But remember, be more discerning than Sarah when investigating mysterious events. A ride to a cult-ridden mansion might have been declined in favor of staying home.
This assessment derives from a digitally supplied version of the game, courtesy of the publisher. As of now, The Fear Business can be obtained and played on personal computers.
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2024-10-29 17:58