Reveil Review (piedpyper)
Overall I enjoyed it! I'd say 4/5 stars. It's a good length, I finished it in two sittings but you could do it in one if you really wanted; not a quick 1-hour game, but also not so long the suspense loses its effect. The graphics, voice acting, and music are good, and the environmental sound effects really add to the psychological suspense and immersion. It also plays really well on the Steam Deck. I'm gonna dock a star for unintuitive controls, especially when interacting with doors, knobs, anything that had to be turned or slid with the left joystick, I found that really difficult and frustration. Maybe that's easier with keyboard controls, I played entirely on the Deck. I also found some of the puzzles a little boring.
I liked the story; the first twist felt predictable and I saw it coming pretty quickly, but the larger twist came as a surprise, I think I only guessed it at the beginning of the chapter, and even then I only got part of it. I can see how some people wouldn't like it or would feel disappointed, but it reminded me of one of my favorite shows (so strongly in fact I'd love to ask the devs if it was an influence...) and I really liked it, I thought it was as well-executed as it could be.
I wouldn't call this game terrifying, but that works for me. I'm a big wuss when it comes to horror and prefer psychological horror to survival, and I love walking simulators, so this hit a nice sweet spot. I also prefer when conflict with monsters/adversaries is more about stealth and avoidance rather than fighting. I think it has good replayability too; I don't think the story itself changes, but there are lots of collectibles that are easy to miss, and multiple endings. I'll definitely replay it, but maybe not for awhile, I think the suspense would lose its effect if I played it again so close together.