ItвЂ™s a real shame, because thereвЂ™s an almost Silent Hill vibe to Those Who RemainвЂ™s setting and its psychological brand of horror. It got to the point that, whenever she showed up, my shoulders would sag and IвЂ™d just want to hurry up and get through to the other side. On more than one occasion, she caught me purely because the game either offered no clue where to go, or because the design of the chase environment was poor. As generic as they come, Mother is the stereotypical creepy woman, shuffling awkwardly at unnatural speeds as she chases Edward throughout Dormont. The worst of these creatures is вЂњMother,вЂќ introduced very early on.

Their inclusion feels unnecessary, never really adding anything to the experience except irritation. TheyвЂ™re a nuisance, easily avoided most of the time. Half the time, whether itвЂ™s the spotlight creature or one of the hulking monstrosities of the otherworld, they just arenвЂ™t scary. Looking like something from The Evil Within, its ruined form and a spotlight where its face should be, this being stalks the area while you search for puzzle pieces or evidence documents to progress the story. Sometimes itвЂ™s in the otherworld, sometimes itвЂ™s the weird, twisted creature that shows up in the real world. Where Those Who Remain falls down, is in the ill-advised enemies that appear in set areas. ItвЂ™s a simple mechanic, but itвЂ™s really quite effective at times. Within the otherworldly versions of each place, youвЂ™ll be tasked with finding a way to manipulate the real world, often by opening a previously inaccessible route or somehow allowing light to spill into a previously darkened room, banishing the creepy lurkers within. ItвЂ™s a bit jarring and more than a bit painful on the olвЂ™ viewing orbs when youвЂ™re exploring a dark room, then open a wardrobe to reveal a blinding white light out of nowhere. Most scenes in Those Who Remain will have an вЂњotherworldвЂќ form, visited only once youвЂ™ve found a doorway made entirely of retina-searing light. Exploration is only possible by finding ways to light the way through each area, be that via the simplicity of flicking a light switch, or through more complex, puzzle-oriented means. The game sets out its stall early, teaching you that safety is only found in the light. ItвЂ™s remarkably creepy, and wherever the darkness looms, the shadowy figures lurk. They donвЂ™t move, they simply stare in your direction with glowing eyes. On the edges of the light, where the shadows creep in, figures begin to emerge. ItвЂ™s when you start your journey to nearby Dormont, that things take a turn. YouвЂ™re left alone, with no means of defence, in the middle of nowhere. In many ways, itвЂ™s a fairly unassuming beginning.

The phone rings (gotta love a horror trope), a voice whispering a warning to stay in the light, before EdвЂ™s car is stolen, leaving him alone in the darkness. Nobody behind the counter, nobody in his loverвЂ™s motel room. Of course, this being a horror game, Edward finds the motel empty. She wants to meet in a motel near the sleepy town of Dormont, leading Edward to get in his car, resolving to end his affair. Before he can make that fateful decision, gun in hand, he gets a text from his secret lover. Yet the beginning of Those Who Remain sees him drowning his sorrows in whisky, nursing suicidal thoughts.

Those who remain xbox one