VISAGE

peed my pant

I am 30y/o, not scared of ghost anymore, i think phasmophobia solo is pretty decent but not that scary. i finished pretty much every *popular* horror games (all the RE, silent hill, amnesia, Penumbra, soma and a tons of other Indie horror games...) but this game... it creep me the fuck up, i am not saying i was not scared in some of the game mentioned above but ive always manage to finish them, but Visage, i have around 8hrs of playtime and i bought the game like 2 years ago. Not because the game is bad...

The reason is im too fucking scared! i can't even finish this game! Hell! i cant even finish ONE episode! I think i know why, the graphics, the tension and the sounds, the sounds are on the fucking point, this is the definition of Nightmarish ASMR. the footstep, the cracking, the breathing... everything is fucking perfect, the story is creep as fuck... like, just watch the first 3 minutes of the game... you'll be like : what the fucking fuck is fucking going on! There is jumpscare (as every horror games existing since ever) but i feel like they're not overused, they dont rely on Jumpscare to build the tension, the tension is there all the time. It is actually the atmosphere that is making me stop playing!
It seems that a lot of people dislike the inventory system, i actually like it, i feel like they did this clusterfuck on purpose to really increase the feeling of oppresion, you dont have the space, changing items is complicated, you are gonna drop your lighter when you need it the most, etc etc... just like you would in real life if a murdering son of a bitch with claws doing weird sounds would try to kill you...
For me this game is a solid 10/10 in the survival horror category.
If i did not convince you yet, i bought the game on Xbox as well, i paid TWICE for this fucking game that ill never finish because i dont have enough underwear.
If still not convince, if you look at my first achievement of the game i tried to leave trough the front door, THE FUCKING FRONT DOOR!!! MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO GTFO THE HOUSE FROM THE FRONT DOOR!!!

I literally pooped my pants

I'll start this review off with a funny story that should speak for itself. One evening, I decided to pay a friend of mine a spontaneous visit as I happened to be nearby. Said friend had been playing through the first chapter of this game earlier that day, resulting in him becoming rather paranoid for a while. So much so in fact, that when I rang his doorbell without having announced my sudden arrival beforehand, he didn't react at first, besides some rustling that indicated him being awake. After like the third attempt, he finally opened the door. Slowly. With a knife behind his back. He was literally expecting some murderer to stand in front of his door. So I think the game did a solid number on him.
That being said, Visage is probably my favorite horror game. It has an unsettling atmosphere unlike anything I have ever played. The creeppy visuals are some of the best and most enticing I've ever seen. Many parts feel like they give common horror tropes a pretty unique spin and none of the scares throughout the entire game feel cheap, which is quite refreshing. The psychological themes are handled fantastically, resulting in a great story as well. The further I got into each of the characters, the more I wanted to find out about them.
Regarding the actual gameplay, there's ups and downs. The main problem being the lack of indicators at some points. There's times where you have just about no idea at all what you are supposed to be doing. Some puzzles are a little absurd, while others are pretty fun. Having a guide open on the side just in case doesn't hurt. That aside, the mechanics are easy to get into and never caused me any problems due to glitches or any other bs. At no point did it feel like I died due to the game being iffy, it always felt deserved.
Furthermore, there are some genuinely funny easter eggs / secrets to lighten the mood every once in a while. Exploring every nook and cranny of the main area is also quite entertaining and for the vast majority of time, I felt engaged in whatever was going on.
Overall, I can 100% recommend this experience to anyone who isn't averse to horror!

i shid my pant
edit: this game caused me physical pain and distress like no other. i purchased at full price and do not regret doing so, but i cannot finish it. every moment inside that house is pure anxiety and stress. cutscenes are the only respite from the hell that is having agency in this game. it will constantly push you to go to the last place and do the last thing you want to in any given situation. the fact that there is an extra button in the menu to actually pause the game shows that it knows what the player wants, and constantly takes advantage of that, denying you any sense of safety.
i love horror but the Dolores chapter damaged me enough to surrender and *holding back tears* watch xQc's playthrough on youtube.
the same may happen to you, you've been warned. 10/10

This review does not contain spoilers.
Genuinely the scariest game I have ever played hands down. I was too scared to walk upstairs for a glass of water after playing this game. I actually despise it because it was too good . Visage does not rely solely on jumpscares, it creates an anxiety and panic inducing environment which keeps you scared the whole time playing. You truly are never safe. I would recommend this game to anyone and honestly believe it is one of the best horror games out there. This game is not for the faint of heart.

You can dual wield pills.