After an eagerly anticipated 4-year wait, World of Horror has finally emerged from the confines of Early Access on Steam, simultaneously infecting gaming consoles along its journey. Crafted by the Polish dentist-turned-game-developer Panstasz, World of Horror is nothing short of a visual feast. It’s a clear labor of love with meticulous attention to detail in the art department. But the critical question remains: does the game itself warrant the price of admission? So, let’s grab our trusty Necronomicon and embark on this eerie adventure.
Fragments of World of Horror
World of Horror defies the traditional gameplay you might have in mind. It resembles a Junji Ito version of Arkham Horror instead of a game like Silent Hill. In fact, its roots trace back to a tabletop RPG prototype, and it retains the essence of that experience. It immerses you in a tabletop RPG ambiance with a character sheet you’ll meticulously enhance. At the beginning of each session, you’ll choose from a cast of diverse starting characters, each harboring their unique strengths and vulnerabilities. Some may appear more capable than others, but rest assured, victory is attainable with any choice. Furthermore, you’ll select the Old God that haunts your town, a decision that ripples through the gameplay, dictating random events and influencing combat difficulties. One Old God even issues direct commands to you and will punish you accordingly if you dare to defy its will.
So, what’s the connection to Arkham Horror? Allow me to clarify. Once your run begins, you’ll have up to five of the World of Horror’s Mysteries. These are chapters within a larger narrative, each with multiple endings. The game unfolds in turns, each move adding to your “Doom” meter. Once you take your action, you get an event. You might combat a random foe or unveil an event where you’ll encounter a skill check against your character’s unique stats. These events can wound you, heal you, grant valuable items and money, or cause a permanent change to your run. Each Mystery unfolds over several turns as the “Doom” bar inches closer to 100%. When it hits that threshold, your run is instantly over, and the Old God has won.
Between each turn, the narrative unfolds. You can undertake side quests for hints or new routes to unlock the distinct endings. However, every choice runs the risk of building up damage and Doom. Can the reward be worth the loss of precious time? After a set amount of turns, the Mystery concludes. Most endings have some level of interactivity and can make you think beyond the ordinary. For example, you can finish a boss battle prematurely and escape. But the consequences unfurl like a nightmare — a raging fire engulfs the local school, intensifying the School Scissors Mystery’s boss. As you finish all Mysteries, you climb the lighthouse and face a gauntlet of skill checks and the occasional quiz on your run before a fiendish final boss. It’s a relentless and thrilling race against the looming darkness.
The Enigma of World of Horror’s Faults
This game is almost tailor-made for me. I picked it up in Early Access and have over 100 hours played. Even my wife got hooked on the game by the art. However, World of Horror might not resonate with everyone. The deliberate choice of primitive graphics might deter some players. For example, all the art in the game was made in MS Paint. But a game’s success hinges on more than style alone. Usually, aesthetics can carry the day, but World of Horror does stumble in certain areas. It’s notably challenging for newcomers, and the horror does lose some of its edge after repeat plays. This can lead to a sense of repetition over time. Furthermore, the difficulty is unforgiving, making failure frequent. Some scenes still deeply unnerve me, but there are only so many times I can see them before it doesn’t phase me.
On the more subjective front, it’s worth noting that some players might find the game’s stories somewhat too simplistic to fully engage with. For a few, the obvious sources of inspiration may veer perilously close to outright copying, diluting the originality. Notably, World of Horror doesn’t exactly shine in spectator entertainment. The gameplay unfolds almost entirely through menus, owing to its structural design. Moreover, most visuals remain static, save for a handful of animated sequences and all enemies. Even the combat animations lack the impactful punch that one might expect. Next, since this is crafted by a lone developer, updates can be infrequent, leaving annoying bugs to persist. Finally, there’s the persistent specter of luck, which can feel occasionally unfair. Great runs can be abruptly derailed by a string of unfortunate outcomes, which always feels terrible.
Twisted Visions
For those who resonate with World of Horror, an expansive universe of unlockables and strategic depth awaits. In its latest iteration, Version 1.0, you’ll find an impressive array of content, including fourteen distinct characters, eleven formidable Old Gods, over twenty engrossing Mysteries, and a staggering 96 achievements. Most of these achievements serve as gateways to unlock even more content. The numerous small additions accompanying these events ensure that no two playthroughs will ever mirror each other. Though it’s possible to experience the core events in the game in a handful of hours. There’s also the promise of new features, such as a dedicated story mode. But only time will tell if that materializes. Despite this, the current $20 asking price makes World of Horror an incredible value proposition.
Mod support for the PC version offers players an infinite reservoir of new events, adversaries, and Mysteries to explore. However, caution is in order: the vibrant world of fan creations can sometimes skew the difficulty curve significantly. Some custom-crafted enemies I encountered met their demise within a single turn. But others swiftly brought my entire run to an abrupt end. Moreover, the modding community’s eclectic mix of art styles can, at times, disrupt the cohesive horror atmosphere of the base game. With that in mind, I recommend exhausting about half of the content in the main game before venturing into fan-made content.
Keepsake — Closing Thoughts on World of Horror
World of Horror is an exquisite gem of creativity in an industry that sometimes tends toward uniformity. While it draws inspiration from various sources, it offers a compelling gaming experience that captivates players for hours. The horror elements genuinely send shivers down your spine and leave a lasting mark. However, it’s not a game for everyone, given its unique playstyle and the sometimes grotesque imagery. If you’re a fan of the Arkham Horror tabletop RPG series or appreciate the macabre tales and illustrations in Junji Ito’s work, World of Horror is a must-play. It offers a distinctive and absorbing experience that transcends the ordinary. World of Horror 1.0 is now available on PC, Mac, Playstation 4/5, and Nintendo Switch for $20 and is Rated M for Mature.
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