The atmoshpere in Kholat is simply amazing, which most who have played this game probably will attest to. What adds to this is the feeling of a constant, looming threat. The lighting, music, weather effects and ambience all work together to form an ever present feeling of dread. These are also the factors that Kholat rely and ride on. The story sometimes feels formulaic and unnecessarily convoluted. I like a game where you have to figure things out for yourself, but here you never feel that you get the answers you were promised to the question "What really happened in Dyatlov Pass?" Kholat can probably be considered a walking simulator, even though you get things to do and threats to avoid. What really heightens the level of realism is the fact that you get a compass and a map, but have to figure out where on the map you are for yourself. I.e. you can easily get lost while exploring the open game world. All in all, Kholat is a fascinating game where the atmosphere and environment makes up for the lack of interesting story.
