GOG still has a character limit for reviews but Withering Rooms can be summed up as such: a one-man's triumph in game design, Moonless Formless deserves all the praise he's getting for his creation. It's a modern horror classic that will have you coming back for more, and more, and more. Unreservedly recommended to horror and Souls-like fans out there. It is just that good.
For my fellow audiophiles: yes, the soundtrack is in FLAC format.
Went for an impulse buy on launch due the seemingly Silent Hill inspired aesthetics, and I really wanted something new to play this Halloween. Instantly regretted it. Don't waste your money, not even on sale. This is a dull, broken, unscary, poorly optimized, idiotic mess with zero redeeming qualities. Refunded. -- To end this comment on a positive note: there's tons of other horror(-themed) games on GOG that are worth your time and money such as Tormented Souls, Murderhouse, Amnesia: The Bunker, Dredge, Lempo, Visage, HROT, Dusk, Daymare 1994 Sandcastle, DOOM64, Carrion, Prodeus, Gylt, Bleak Sword DX, Shadowman Remastered, In Sound Mind, The House of the Dead Remake, Insomnis, Unwelcome, Xeno Crisis, Costume Quest 1 & 2... I'm sure you will find something in this list that is much more satisfying to play. You're very welcome. Fuck this game and Happy Halloween 2023.
GYLT was in danger of becoming a game that would be lost in time after the plug was pulled on Google Stadia. Thankfully it has now been ported to PC where it looks, runs, and plays smoothly. With bullying as its core theme, supported by a minimal cast of characters, the story GYLT tells is compelling and the voice acting manages to sell it well too. The artstyle is lovely. Gameplay wise its linearity keeps the pace tight. Stealth & exploration are key here. By no means is this an open world game but exploring the town and campus is encouraged and rewarding. Sally, our main protagonist, is armed with naught but a flashlight which is primarily used for exploration and solving environmental puzzles. The puzzles are easy to sometime clever, nothing advanced. Defeating enemies with the flashlight is obviously also a possibility though one can go the pacifist route by evading all enemies (except bosses). There's only four or so enemies with little variation in their behavior; pacing back and forth, and chasing Sally upon detection. There's three endings but only one demands an additional play through if the player hasn't met all the requirements. The soundtrack is absolutely stellar, composed by Cris Velasco (Carrier, Darksiders III, Prototype, Clive Barker's Jericho)! Overall, I enjoyed my 5 hour playthrough of GYLT. It felt like Alan Wake Lite with some Silent Hill vibes thrown in the mix. As a horror game, is it scary? Not quite, some spooky imagery and a jump-scare here and there. Two stars in the horror department. 4 stars in total since it's being sold at a fair price for a budget title that is a joy to play.
TL;DR SAW with PS1 era graphics, good puzzles, underdeveloped story/characters, virtually no horror. A bunch of unfortunate souls have been trapped inside a mansion, it is your job to solve puzzles to rescue them. I found the puzzles to be engaging and generally well-designed. But for a game that’s centered around themes of kidnapping and SAW-styled deathtraps, TTK is insultingly tame in the horror/gore department. Sloppy writing causes a main character to trauma bond way too fast, the rest have with no real personality save for superficial traits such as a disgruntled doctor, a disgruntled cop, a pompous rich man. One of the characters has endured dissociative identity disorder as a result from being experimented on at the mansion. Upon her rescue and revelation of her condition, the other characters just briefly express empathy but brush it off as if nothing happened. As TTK borrowed inspiration from the 90s era of survival horror, it is vital to point out that Resident Evil – Code: Veronica’s Alfred Ashford was an infinitely more fleshed out character with a more nuanced depiction of said disorder. Aside from the puzzles, TTK’s strongest points are the soundtrack and atmosphere. The latter really is spot-on with limited visibility of darkened hallways, creaking noises, disturbing visions. Though the general audio volume throughout the game seems to be on the quiet end, Josie Brechner’s ambient soundtrack is eerie, tense, ethereal and unusual. “A Brief Respite” stands out as my personal favorite. I did somewhat enjoy my time with TTK, but since the puzzles only have one solution, once it’s over it’s over. There are multiple endings, which may warrant one additional play through. We’re halfway through 2023. Several games that are worth your time and money have been released so far with a many more to come. The Tartarus Key is not one of them. At least not at full price. Get it on a discount, but don’t expect to stick around it for long. A distraction at best.
