SPOILERS ALERT FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW AND WANT TO KNOW IF THE GAME IS WORTH LOOKING INTO:

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honestly the game wasn't bad. but the problem is the story, the only thing that happens in the plot is the twist at the end but i can't call it a twist because nothing really elluded or built up to it per say, the main issue is that it doesn't really lean into the "pyromania" theme of the game. the hallucinations are fine but i feel like we should've gotten more story in the world, like more about Nikolas Dad since we only get info about him is his passing and what is pressumably a pilot helmet and photo of him and his team near his grave, i feel like there should be more flashbacks regarding his backstory with Nikolas like maybe he taught him about survival or about his past job as MAYBE a pyro himself, but it's just an idea. maybe more about his mom or something, maybe more enemies than just the firefighter and victims.

also for the pyromania persona thing at the end, i think the appearance should be more than just pale skin, burning eyes and blood. i think a more scalded look would fit him. I also think there should've been a few more weapons like a shotgun with an incendiary attachment like the one in killing floor, or a home made flamethower like in resident evil 7. not a full arsenal of weapons but thematically appropriate ones. again, just an idea

i can sort of see why people may not like this game and say it's cry of fear at home, but the game has a good chunk of it's own identity, the problem is it's a bit too barebones and needs more filler or fleshing out. the puzzles boil down to fetch quests for 9 out of 10 times, for me it's not too big of a deal but i think maybe it would've been neat to use the lighter for the puzzles like with the dynamite one.

on more positive notes i like the loneliness the game gives off, the fact theres only like 1 human character that being Nikolas, it excells the isolation so well, the game also looks great for the most part.

overall, i'd say it should quell the cry of fear hunger just a bit but not enough for satisfaction. I mean all this in good faith and despite the flaws i mentioned in this review i think theres something to be found in there.

though the ending of the game kinda was a bit stupid, not sure what Nikolas means by sacrifice but, who am I to guess

over all I give this a 6 or 7 out of 10

What I'm going to talk about is HOW I SEE the game. And it's nowhere near bad in my opinion.

Maybe the developer(s) didn't think about this deeply, but I still think it has really cool depth to it.

And yes, I'm aware that this game is almost a copy-paste of Cry of Fear (especially the corridor part). But holy, I can't ignore the really good things about it. Some people might misunderstand or just don't see it. Which is a big reason why I am writing this in the first place.

I'm going to compare this game to Cry of Fear a lot, how deep it is, atmosphere-wise, etc.


Atmosphere: They did a really good job capturing it. Way more crispy and consistent with it than CoF in my opinion. Not much to say, it's really good. And the forest is way more terrifying than CoF's forest part. That entity had me crying and ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. And when I read some of the patch notes while playing it, "The forest creature now has a 'jumpscare' if it captures you," I encountered it once a bit close but never again. Had me in shambles. And I think the forest is one of the big highlights here with the ending.

Gameplay: Okay, now there might be some controversy about it. I know not many people like the jankiness of "old" games, but I just find it satisfying. Inventory management is really good, especially when you reach a certain point in the game where it makes you forget about the weaker weapon (pipe) so you don't use up more space. And it's pretty linear. Short indeed, but I had a real blast with this game nonetheless. Now, the length and the "clunky" fighting are not for everyone; most of the negative comments that try to be something don't give enough good reasons to hate it. I call it a skill issue.

Now it's time for the spicy stuff that I really appreciate.

This game teaches you one significant "mechanic" throughout the game: Run, Crouch, Run.

The best example is when you reach the enemy waves. Something is chasing you and you need to get ammo, and how do you get it? Run, Crouch, Run. And it's really great foreshadowing for the final boss.

Sounds: I really think this is the "weakest" part of the game. The pistol is a bit off but I don't mind it. But the part where you're on the roof and get a lightning.mp3 jumpscare is kinda funny AND loud. But still, I don't think it's that bad, especially considering how consistent the game is and how short it is on top of that.

Music: Really great. Way more aggressive, and in some tracks, you can hear the "fire" sound effect (idk what that is) but it's really cool. It's going to make more sense with the story.

Story: And the REAL reason why I'm writing this. Again, it might just be my perspective and the developer(s) didn't think about it, but it's WAY more than coincidental.

So comparing Nikolas to Simon, he's way more straightforward, raw, and aware of what is happening. It's not hallucinations, it's OBSESSION. A different kind of pain. And the parents' situation makes his case worse, which is understandable. But I like that he keeps the lighter as a memory to try and get out of it. But instead, he just wants to go all-in cause it's so strong.

The BIGGEST and most interesting difference between Nikolas and Simon is that they both have no control, but one of them HAS A GOAL.

Depression vs Obsession.

Simon doesn't have control and tries to survive without any goal vs Nikolas who also doesn't have any control BUT wants to do something. The obsession is so strong that he has no choice but to roll with it. And why does this matter? Cause obsession is way more straightforward and isn't as complex as depression can be. He is aware in one of the cutscenes that he's killing innocent people. Victims.

The atmosphere, and especially the music when you face your obsession, is way more aggressive compared to CoF. And I like that you can interpret why the game is so short. I just really like what they did with this concept and it's too much of a coincidence, so at this point, I think the developer(s) knew what they were doing.

AND THE FINALE. Facing your Pyromania.

And also the endings. Now you would expect that killing your Pyromania would help. Hell no, obsession is way more "addictive" than depression. What I think happened and why he died is because he went all-in (which is canon in every ending) and assuming that he didn't burn, I think he got carbon monoxide poisoning.

Because even the negative part of yourself IS STILL YOURSELF.

WHICH MAKES EVEN MORE SENSE if you ACCEPT your Pyromania. You live with it. Because it is a part of you. And in this ending, we are going to prison (maybe for life), while the firefighter might've saved us from the fire since we survived in this ending.

That part is CINEMA. The music with the fire effect in the background, and overall ONE OF THE BEST BOSSFIGHT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN GAMING.

not much happening here. you walk around, you kill basic monsters. almost no plot except the ending

worth the price entirely for shadow bonnie escape chase, it made my tingle wingle