After struggling with (and then giving up on) Stadia's performance issues, my wife and I were disappointed to lose out on playing GYLT. So I'm thrilled that it has finally been freed from the now-sunk prison that was Stadia. The gameplay is quite approachable for a "survival horror" title, consisting largely of sneaking and distracting/hiding from enemies while collecting items and solving puzzles. You do gain an offensive capability, so it's not all Amnesia in that regard; you can fight back if you so choose. Narrative-wise, there is some easily understood symbolism stemming largely from the main character's experiences with bullying and depression. For better or worse, it's pretty straightforward, not delving very deep into the themes at play. You'll need to look to something heavier like Hellblade for that. While GYLT does technically count "horror" among its genres, I would hesitate to compare it to something like Silent Hill. Yes, the ominous environments do a good job of conveying dread, but you probably don't need to worry about it keeping you awake at night. If you're looking for depraved imagery and trauma-inducing mindjob sequences, you'll have to keep moving. If you have previously played anything where your ability to remain hidden depends on how you deal with light/dark and sound, this should be familiar. If you have not, this game is not a bad first stepping stone. The game is also supported by a great soundtrack and excellent voice acting. Overall, it's an approachable, if simple, stealth survival puzzle game that is concise and competently executed.
