The 3D engine has slick graphics, and nice physics. It wasn't as free-form as I originally thought... you can't move everything that isn't nailed down, but there's certainly enough "special effects" candy to keep me interested. The gameplay is such that you are unable to fight... all you can do is run and/or hide. This adds a whole new level of tension to the traditional horror suvival element. Light plays a big factor as well... the darkness has a negative effect on your sanity level - although I'm not 100% sure what that does. It has a non-standard health system; you're only good for a few hits before you go down. There are no cutscenes in the traditional sense... things take place in-game and on the fly, although you don't always have control as the developer suggests. There are also area transitions that interrupt the gameplay somewhat, but they sneak notes and story bits into them to prevent a complete breaking of immersion.
Just from the demo (which isn't long, but it could be depending on your playstyle), I'd be throwing the game a solid B+. For a lazy slacker like me, a B+ is a crowning achievement.
If I had used headphones like they suggest, and turned out the lights, I'd probably have jumped clear out of my seat on more than one occasion, and the demo isn't really all that revealing.I'm pretty tempted to pick this one up, but I may actually jump on their previous series - Penumbra. You can get all three games (1,2 plus an expansion) for only twenty smackeroonies... and it looks like there might actually be a little bit more "freedom" in the gameplay. Then I would just need to find the time to play them. 0_o
Oh, and their games work with all three Major OSes... a bonus for you Mac/Linux junkies!
![Officer [Gold Rank]](./images/ranks/officer3.png "Officer [Gold Rank]")
