BLACK SHADOWS is an interesting game because it doesn’t offer what we’ve come to know traditionally in the horror genre. It’s a game that severely lacks gothic atmosphere, blood, monsters, and even story. In lieu of terror, BLACK SHADOWS offers cheap scares—nothing more. And while I love a game with true tension and horror, I must also admit that at times, “cheap” scares are the best scares to be found.
This small indie game could’ve also been aptly titled FIND THE KEY, because that’s essentially the gist of the game. Walk through dark corridors with only a flashlight covering a narrow field of view, find a key to get to the next section full of corridors, and make sure your flashlight is full by picking up some batteries along the way. There’s nothing really else to say. It’s a game that’s so simple even someone who’s never played a game can pick it up and complete it.
Everything in BLACK SHADOWS is a reflection of the simple gameplay. The level design and modeling is something that someone with a basic programming and design knowledge could make. Corridors have no blood or graphics on the wall, there are only basically designed chairs, teddy bears, desks, and other objects; and the game provides only the most basic of lighting and shadow provided by the standard Unity engine.
Yet IceGames is completely self-aware. Rather than try to make this up with sight, they choose a far more underused tool:
Sound.
Yes, sudden noise is the cheapest trick in the book. If you don’t believe me, try sneaking behind someone and banging a pot loudly. Yet it’s extremely effective, and I found myself jumping out of my seat a couple of times.
However, IceGames isn’t content to simply throw in a few loud booms and call it a day. Whatever they lack in visuals, they completely invest back into audio. A good audio system is all you need for some heart raising shocks, and IceGames is intelligent enough to only have a handful of sounds throughout the experience, which paints a harrowing scene.
The biggest drawback is the considerably short length. It only took me a few minutes to get through the entire game, easily the shortest game I’ve ever played. Any longer and it would’ve overstayed its welcome, though, given its current design and mechanics.
I can’t recommend it; but on the other hand, I won’t recommend against it, either. BLACK SHADOWS is very much like going through the haunted house tour in your neighborhood. It’s cheap, charming, has a few scares, and is over before you know it. There’s nothing impressive about it and it’s certainly not a must buy, but if you’re willing to part with just a few dollars for a couple jumps out of your seat, it might be worth it.
RELEASE DATE: July 9th, 2013 (Desura) (Game in Progress)
PUBLISHER: IceGames
DEVELOPER: IceGames
RATING: NR
