izigame.me

Gameplay and Presentation ~ Very Positive
+ Very strong abandoned theme park atmosphere that evokes childhood nostalgia.
+ Great horror sound design inspired by the greats. The music is also nice.
+ An overall "analogue" aesthetic that helps ground the game in its intended era (1990).
+ Graphics inspired by the pre-rendered backgrounds of yore, but executed in real-time 3D, with full horizontal camera rotation. This leads to a perspective and style of aiming that hasn't really been done before, and it is well done.
~ The decision to use rounded designs and chibi proportions in a survival horror game does make the game feel a bit harmless at times due to shape language. Objects with sharp, ragged edges tend to be a lot more terrifying than soft, rounded things. But I also love how the game looks. It suits the theme park vibe; it's not supposed to be a terrifying place by itself, rather it is spooky because of the events that caused it to become abandoned and crawling with monsters. That juxtaposition is in itself unsettling and I imagine was part of the intent. The monsters are also still freaky enough to feel threatening, thanks to their erratic animations and bloody appearance. So it's still a spooky game, but don't go in expecting Silent Hill levels of fear and mastery over psychological horror.
+ Good control options. Can use either tank controls (harder) or modern controls (easier). The path of least resistance felt better for this game, but it also made the game quite easy, so I may do a second playthrough using only the tank controls. Also, you can disable the HUD elements entirely and the game remains 100% playable that way.
+ Hint system implemented in the form of a fortune-telling machine you can physically interact with, which doesn't hurt immersion. You get 10 uses, which should be more than enough for anyone to finish the game without ever needing to open up a walkthrough.
+ Intuitive map system that helps you remember where things are, without obnoxiously telling you where to go.
+ Effective "jump scares" (not the bad kind, trust me they are not cheap, annoying or overused at all).
- The regular notes could have used more styling. It didn't feel like I was reading a sheet of paper I just found, it felt more like reading a video game text box pop-up with a transparent background.
Story ~ Mostly Positive
Fairly enjoyable dialogue for the most part, but I felt that there was too much of it for how simple the story is. There are also too many notes and tutorial notes scattered everywhere, diminishing the feeling of isolation and horror a bit. Some of the notes may have made some of the puzzles too easy, sometimes outright giving you the solution to a later puzzle, (shark shark shark shark dolphin), but overall, it's not a big deal.
The story could have had more subtlety or mystery, letting us piece things together ourselves, or it could have used symbolism for more mature themes. Instead, what you see is what you get: you know exactly what's going on at all times. However, I can appreciate that the game doesn't bite off more than it can chew, as it could have felt pretentious if executed poorly. Instead, the story feels somewhat cute and nostalgic; it's like the story an imaginative innocent child growing up in the 90s could have genuinely come up with after having visited a theme park, but told in game form by a talented team.
While it results in a story that isn't super deep or interesting, it was still enjoyable to experience because of the great art direction. There's nothing wrong with having a story that anyone can understand, and I think this game would make a great introduction to the survival horror genre for kids, even if those who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s will also find a lot to love here, and are likely the main target audience.
Closing thoughts ~ Very positive
Overall, this game is an easy recommendation. If like me, this game's visual style caught your attention at first glance, then you will most likely enjoy it. I hope the devs continue to make games in the future, as there was a clear vision and passion put into this game, and I appreciate that a lot.