1706170128
Who’s afraid of ghosts?
Developed and published by Digital Happines, DreadOut is a series in the survival horror genre with clear inspiration from the much better known Project Zero saga. The first chapter of DreadOut was released in two episodes: the first act in 2014 and the second in 2015. Despite a decidedly muted, generally negative response, the developers decided, after almost ten years, to try again with an official sequel from a single act. In short, a complete title aptly titled DreadOut 2, the direct sequel to the first chapter. We have to face the unfortunate decisions that the protagonist, a certain Linda, made during her first adventure. Don’t worry, the developers are well aware of the lack of success with the public and have decided to add a little extra, namely a kind of trailer that summarizes – not exhaustively – the main events of the first chapter. We learn that Linda is a high school student and that (in the first game) she was busy enjoying a day out of school with a group of friends and her teacher. Unfortunately for them, they soon discover that they are lost and stranded in an extravagant village where paranormal events soon come to light, often changing their lives permanently. Furthermore, the events of the first chapter end with the release of the serpent Blorong, an evil creature with very unpleasant intentions.
Linda survives the events of the first chapter unscathed for two reasons: she can sense supernatural entities and she can escape easily – and she also has a fair amount of luck. But back to the present, to DreadOut 2: Months have passed since the first episode and Linda is trying to return to a normal life. But in addition to the horrors she’s experienced, she’s also suspected of being behind the deaths in the first adventure, and no, no one believes her. The same classmates see her in a negative light and so Linda isn’t doing particularly well. But to round out a wonderfully negative setting, the ghosts from the first chapter rise and also invade the town where Linda lives. She is the only unfortunate person who can see her and therefore recognize the potential danger that is spreading dangerously. Will Linda be able to overcome this other catastrophe?
Ultimately pretty classic gameplay.
DreadOut 2 features a semi-open world structure divided into main and side missions. The key aspect of the entire title is linked to Indonesian folklore, which is faithfully told and explored here with faithfully reproduced creatures and legends. A dive into the supernatural Indonesian culture, almost completely unknown to us and with significant potential. Most of our concepts regarding reincarnation, the afterlife, smells, and the effects of light and shadow are (at least mostly) completely turned upside down and reworked from new and surprising perspectives. DreadOut 2 is full of crazy creatures, but not all of them are evil. Some are afraid, others want to be understood, etc. Linda’s job is to exorcise them, but to do it right, she has to get to know them first. Therefore, we find ourselves involved in real-life journeys to vast locations (although technically reversed) to delve deeper into a world that, without too many frills, has an undeniable folkloric charm. But how do you carry out the actual exorcise? The heroic (?) Linda has – as in Project Zeroe – the ability to exorcise ghosts with her smartphone (with a perpetual battery). The smartphone’s flashlight is useful for illuminating dark environments (and there will be some), while the camera can show us the countless ghosts hidden in reality. As in Alan Wake, some ghosts are sensitive to light, while others fear it and/or suffer and take damage upon contact. The camera will be our most faithful and of course most used tool, but it is not the only one.
This chapter unprecedentedly introduced short-range weapons – temporary and often collected throughout the levels – useful for killing “physical” enemies (new typology for the saga). There are also bosses that we can defeat by exploiting certain elements of the environment, memorizing their attack patterns or alternating our attack modes (smartphone and physical weapons). After all, there are types of enemies that cannot be defeated, and in this case the only option available to us is to hide (often in unimaginable or very questionable places). DreadOut 2 doesn’t have any major pacing problems in this regard, even if the less action-packed phases are much quieter and freer (it’s up to the player to decide how to take advantage of them). As far as horror goes, DreadOut 2 brings nothing new to the table. The jump scares – present – could be “intercoms” for those experimenting with the genre, but the title’s strength lies once again in its bestiary (some unpredictable, some truly terrible). The transitions from the world of horror to the real world are fascinating and well depicted, with the necessary in-game consequences that Linda will fall victim to despite herself – a bit like that raw little gem from Deadly Premonition.
A very perfect achievement.
Graphically speaking, DreadOut 2 disappoints. It has potential, there’s no denying that, but it’s clear that it’s not able to fully express it. This is not related to the port to Nintendo Switch, the game was already blocked on other consoles several generations ago. The game, based on Unreal Engine 4, undoubtedly brings improvements compared to its predecessor, but at first glance it remains unimpressive and the quality of the textures is not outstanding. Even technically, DreadOut 2 still remains weak despite the progress compared to the first chapter. The fact is that Linda is not easily manipulated. The protagonist is clumsy, reacts poorly and this can lead in the most exciting moments – especially in boss fights – to dying and dying and dying… turning the gameplay process into trail-and-error phases where luck intervenes more than luck objective ability of the player. Anyone who is patient will definitely be rewarded. At least the images remain stable at 30 frames per second most of the time. It’s a shame knowing that the game lives peacefully on folklore and creatures, the only real reason to live the adventure to the end. The sound is average, with pleasant effects that fit well with the different phases of the game, sometimes inciting terror, sometimes a temporary calm. The music then completes the whole thing and provides the right level of fear, ideal for a horror of this type. Note that the game is not localized in French, which is always unfortunate, even if it is not very harmful.
VERDICT
DreadOut 2 is not easy to review. Anyone who loves horror and is willing to face a gaming system that is partly made of wood and offers some downright frustrating moments will find a very deep world made up of supernatural creatures inspired by real legends. A game that shares an absolutely fascinating piece of culture, but is unfortunately undermined by a graphical structure that is clearly outdated.
#DreadOut #Nintendo #Switch