scorn

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For years, a mysterious first-person game drew a lot of attention for its macabre Gigerian-style presentation and, as time went by, the expectation grew until it ranked among the most anticipated titles of the year, or at least among those that they have an interesting appearance. said title is scorn, developed by the Serbian studio Ebb Software and published by Kepler Interactive; It is a game that immediately raised many questions; for example, is it a horror game? Is it a walking simulator? What’s the story about? And, above all, is it worth exploring and knowing this nightmarish world? That is what I will answer with this review.

Without a doubt, the best and striking of scorn is that it offers an atmospheric experience like no other today. I can qualify it as an artistic title and, as such, the concept matters a lot and starts from the idea that you are thrown into an unknown and decaying world. It’s like waking up from a nightmare that lasted millennia and having to face a confusing reality, where your sense of self was long gone.

Related Video: scorn – Gameplay Trailer

This desolate feeling is undoubtedly intensified thanks to the visual section that includes architectural designs inspired by HR Giger, one of the most influential horror designers in history. In equal measure, it integrates inspirations from the surrealist work of the Pole Zdzislaw Beksiński, and his influence is most noticeable in the designs of the facades of the great citadels that rise monumentally in the vicinity. It is a surreal amalgamation of biomechanical architecture with a powerful twisted sensuality set in desolate landscapes.

For some reason, scorn It took me back to the first adventure games and puzzles. Waking up for the first time from a millennial dream and wandering through the abstract industrialism of the game was like going back to 1993 and discovering the eras on the island of Myst. That said, the specific actions in the game are walking, flipping switches and engaging in crude combat with supposedly “otherworldly” weapons, which curiously function like firearms from the first half of the 19th century, while the challenge is to stay alive. , and make sense of the strange biomechanical machines that impede your progress through the puzzling maze.

And about the story, I can tell you that it is non-existent, at least in the traditional sense that we know in the medium. And it’s because scorn is a game that will put your mind to work as you try to make sense of the world around you, ramble about the origin of your own being, the purpose of machines and, in general, understand what the heck is going on. Like I said, it’s a visual experience worth visiting.

“The reality quickly becomes apparent: scorn it’s a small title

Evidently, scorn it is an audiovisual performance rather than a video game itself. Anything goes in the industry and I am glad that there are experiences that propose something different; However, I must also confess that scorn it is difficult to digest (imagine digesting something that looks like this). If your imagination is weak or your sense of wonder is long gone, the game will seem insufferable and boring. Since the only action is walking, many players might consider it a walking simulator, and I confess that they are right because it shares many elements of them; they might even get a bad taste in their mouths when they learn that a story with a development, climax and denouement is not told.

As for puzzle design, they can sometimes be a hit. That is, despite the fact that in theory they are alien machinations, the reality is that they retain some earthly traits, so understanding them did not seem like a formidable challenge to me. I think the opportunity to offer abstract brain teasers was a bit missed, as I managed to solve them on occasion by pressing commands randomly. Of course there was also one that almost forced me to leave the game.

The feeling is aggravated by various technical malfunctions. For example, on more than one occasion, I got stuck between geometry while trying to escape from some enemies. It happens often: you suddenly stop walking just because a poorly polished obtuse triangle got flippant. The result is irregular locomotion that artificially increases the challenge of the game.

I insist, scorn an experience more than a video game itself. To some extent, sometimes a simulator of taking pictures. This surprised me, because for a title of this size, I have a lot of screenshots coming from every corner of the game. I couldn’t show them all because they would be spoilers and I want you to experience it.

I consider that scorn it must be played with a magnifying glass and that you must observe every detail, curve, cavity, hole and ligament. Looking at the machines and imagining their origin or purpose is the only glimpse of history you’ll get. It is something entertaining and on some occasion it took away my sleep thinking about the world that has no explanation. That said, exploration is a crucial element in the game; it is an essential part of the experience, of opening your eyes in an inhospitable and nightmarish place. However, the reality quickly becomes apparent: scorn it’s a small title. This I realized after being trapped in the middle of the forgotten citadel. Immediately, my gamer brain with thousands of hours of experience began to understand and discover the secrets of the game, such as the fact that the labyrinth is more of a long corridor with some interconnected areas, since naturally you reach the next objective without much problem. If at any time I found myself in a dead end, I just had to follow my steps back and enter the next corridor to reach the right place.

This linearity made the game slip out of my hands, and that’s why I insist that scorn it should be experienced rather than played. Let’s say that if you play it in speedrun, with an urge to finish it to collect the achievement score and try to see the credits, it will take you less than 5 hours. For this reason, if you are looking for a slightly more traditional narrative story, you know, a fantasy world where everything makes sense, the protagonists have names and everything else, maybe you should look elsewhere. scorn it is a journey to what has no name, but which seems human and familiar.

In conclusion, I beg you to play scorn, but he arrives with a lot of patience and a lot of curiosity and capacity for amazement. It’s a well-executed concept, macabrely designed and embellished with a memorable, polished and chilling visual presentation. Without a doubt, a great title to enjoy during this time of year, especially if you are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber.