Song Of Horror Episode 1 Early Access Review

Developed by Protocol
Published by Raiser Games
Reviewed on PC (Steam Early Access)

 
Song of Horror is a third-person survival horror game with similarities to classic horror games but with modern gameplay mechanics. Immediately playing Song of Horror, it took me back to a nostalgic feeling of playing Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Trust me, that a great thing. The game brings back true survival horror to where all you have is your wits, a lighter or flashlight depending on the character you select. There are 13 different playable characters with 13 different perspectives.

Song of Horror

During my time exploring, I didn’t come across weapons. Makes sense since you are up against paranormal entities. Similar to other horror games, in order to progress, you must solve puzzles and clues. This leads the player to find out what happened to the famed writer, Sebastian P. Husher and his family at their estate. You’ll start off as an assistant named Daniel who’s worried about the Husher family and is sent there to investigate. Only then does Daniel run into the entity known as The Presence and goes missing himself. As this is an episodic game which will be released in five chapters, this review only covers episode one.

During my playthrough I found that the puzzle aren’t too hard. Just think carefully before making your next move. Use common sense like not picking up a ringing phone in a house that doesn’t belong to you. If you make a mistake by taking the wrong door or placing an item where it doesn’t belong, it could mean game over. Part of the reason I love this game is that if you do make a fatal mistake, Song of Horror has permadeath. When a character dies, you’ll have to pick another character. Once all characters are dead, it’s game over and you’ll have to start at the beginning of the story.

Song of Horror

I generally like to play these types of games on the controller. Sadly there’s currently no controller support although I am sure it will be added eventually. With that being said, the mouse and keyboard controls handle pretty well and flow nicely. Maneuvering around the house was nice and didn’t feel clunky or tanky like previous horror games in the past. A feature I really enjoyed was the ability to listen through the door. This was a lifesaver. It allowed me to figure out if it’s safe or not to go through it. You might be like “what’s on the other side of the door” if you decide to enter. When using a light source such as your lighter or flashlight, you can turn it on and use the mouse to aim in the direction you want light go shine on.

If you are a fan of old school horror games, Song of Horror will be right up your ally. It’s a creepy paranormal mystery that will keep you engaged as you dive further and further on into this thrilling story of psychological horror. The first chapter will take you anywhere from three to four hour to complete. With Song of Horror having so many characters to play through, there’s tons of replay value here. You’ll want to go back again to check out all the different points of view each character has and the connections they have with the Husher family.

Song of Horror

Similar to Resident Evil style gameplay mixed with a Telltale game’s aesthetics, visually this game is gorgeous and ran great the entire time I played it. Even with limited to one location the entire first chapter, the game does a wonderful job keeping a haunted and sinister feeling throughout the house. This is only the first chapter and there are five more to come. Personally I can’t wait to find out what happens next and I advise you all you check out Song of Horror when it releases on Halloween this year.