Review: 5 Days a Stranger

(I want to quickly mention that I decided I should play '5 days' after playing 'Slender' for ten minutes and totally freaking out and being too scared to play Slender anymore  --that game is fucking scary.)

Happy Halloween.  This last weekend I played through 5 Days a Stranger, the first game of the Chzo Mythos; a PC game series by Yahtzee Croshaw, spanning 5 point and click adventure games of the 'Psychological Horror' Genre.

I was pleased with 5 Days a Stranger.  The graphics and sound aren't great, it doesn't have brilliant gameplay by any means, but the plot, characterization, and general execution of the story are solid.  I put in about 3-4 hours to beat the game, and I would say that it was definitely worth that time.

I will admit that midway through day 3 I went to Gamefaqs to find help.  I had gotten to the point where I was walking back and forth, scouring each room, over and over again, and finding nothing.  The game was losing its fun, replaced by frustration. I was getting tired of the sound of my characters footsteps. So I did what I thought was best to preserve my enjoyment of the game- I cheated.  That is, I found a walkthrough and I followed it.

The general interface could use some work.  Sometimes I was trying to click on a menu item or action, and my character would just start walking to the corner of the screen where the menu is located.  This happened more than a few times, actually.  The gameplay quirks compounded my frustration at not solving puzzles, and I went back to the walkthrough whenever I felt this way, so that I could focus more on the unfolding plot. 

Though I may criticize, I think it is important to note that this is an amateur game, made by one person and the first in a series.  There are bound to be some bugs.  I don't think I could do any better. 

The story and the characters kept me playing.  And while the interface somewhat hampered the gameplay, and I couldn't figure out some of the puzzles, It was still an enjoyable gaming experience and I appreciate that.  After I broke the seal on the walkthrough, I had a great time playing through the game to the end.  

The gameplay of '5 days' is mostly a vehicle for the plot.  And while that vehicle may need some of its belts changed, and probably have the suspension looked at, the ride is worth it.  (Well look at that, a car metaphor)  

I recommend "Five Days a Stranger."  

Dvid

P.S.  I just started playing the sequel:  7 days a skeptic, and there are some things I am excited about.  First, the interface/pointer system is drastically improved.  I expect that this will greatly reduce the frustration factor with the game mechanics. 

A couple other details are:  it takes place in space.  That might be cool.  You play as the ships counselor.  I've been around the ship, and met the lead characters, and I'm excited to see how they interact as the plot moves forward.  Fun times!

Horror games and preview of the Chzo Mythos

is this mansion... spooky?

Happy Halloween everyone.  Or at least, Happy Halloween month.  Being October, the month of all Hallows eve.

I'd like to review a horror game for October, but unfortunately I am not able to review my game of choice,  due to some platforming restrictions combined with a lack of time, dedication, and computer competence.  But I'll talk about the game, or series of games, and maybe it will pique your interest and maybe you'll try them out for yourself.   In the meantime, I'll also direct you to a previous post about a survival horror game I gave impressions on:  Lone Survivor.

The series of games I would like to refer you to today are called the Chzo Mythos, by Ben "Yahtzee" Kreshaw.  Kreshaw is well known for his Zero Punctuation series of game reviews at The Escapist.  These videos tend to be hilarious, and exceedingly harsh.  I highly recommend them. I was delighted and intrigued to find out that he had tried his hand at game creating, and had produced a whole series of games in the psychological horror genre.  They seem to have received accolades of some kind. 

Ben Kreshaw put together the first game in the Chzo Mythos - 'Five Days a Stranger' - In 2003, long before he began his reviews for the Escapist.  I think it is noteworthy that Chzo Mythos makes use of the Slender Man mythos and imagery. I am very curious to see how these games will play, and even more so, knowing that such a harsh critic was the progenitor for this series of Psychological Horror - Adventure Games.

idunno, looks pretty sweet to me.

Psychological and Survival are definitely my two favorite subgenre's within the larger Horror genre of games.  I don't care much about blood and gore, or action.  What's more important is fear.  Terror.  Some third word I can't think of.  That is the draw to horror games for me.  These games can scare me even when I'm not playing them, like, when you reach a point where you just don't have the guts to go any further, and you turn the game off and despair.  Silent Hill did that for me.  I ran like a sissy and hid the game at the bottom of stack of heavy boxes.  Then I crossed myself and begged forgiveness for all of my sins.

But to create and maintain such a strong psychological response to a game takes real skill.  We've talked before on this site about losing immersion in a game.  Some games can lose immersion and it never really comes back.  Like when there's just too much ammo, and you don't fear running out anymore, or when you figure out the trick to a game is to just low kick everybody.  Or when the enemies die in only three different ways, and they bleed out the neck when you shoot them in the foot.  

A careful management of the known and unknown is important.  As the player adjusting to a new game, you can't know what you can get away with.  If you are susceptible, like me, this will lead to you moving very carefully and jumping at every shadow.   But eventually, you might get tired of being scared, and just get suicidal.  Running headlong into the night to see if there is, in fact, anything down that alley.  This can break immersion pretty heavily, if you find out that there really isn't anything to be scared of.

This is why the games flow is important.  At different points along the way, the designers will have to put the smack down on the cocky fucks who think they don't have to be scared anymore.  GIVE them something to be scared about.  Make it different from what has come before, and thus unpredictable.  The Unknown is where the fear comes from.   Exploit it!

Okay, I think that's all I have for right now.  On a separate note, I just watched Cabin in the Woods.  That movie was great fun.