Idols of Ash

I tell myself that I'm not afraid of insects and then every time I play a game like this I get notably nervous. I feel blessed to be able to find another great little horror game like this so quickly. They're rarely going for or achieving anything worth writing home about, but managing to pack this much to appreciate into a 40 minute experience is still highly respectable. I even did a replay of it days later and I think I like it even more afterwards. The core grappling mechanic is simple and imperfect but it's still as enjoyable as it needs to be. I like how much momentum you can build by swinging, and I think that once you get used to it there's a nice rhythm to the traversal. You don't have all the time in the world to go down, as you're being chased to the bottom by a giant centipede. I know I joked about a fear of bugs earlier but it is honestly super creepy how you can hear its excited breathing as it closes in on you, as well as the sounds of its clattering legs in the distance. By far the most fun part of the gameplay is the clutches you can do after failing a jump or an initial grapple attempt. Making "educated guesses" and getting lucky is a completely viable way to progress through this game due to its short length and it's kind of hype. I really appreciate that it doesn't put any limits on how far you can fall before catching yourself. There's a certain comedic value present in a game where the mechanics involve falling and the clutches only elevate that. Idols takes place in a giant hole in the middle of the desert, with a descent that feels like it's never going to end and the ruins of an ancient civilisation taking up most of the scenery. Regardless of if it can look a little messy, it's a grand and mysterious setting with a good sense of atmosphere. The glowing green holograms are also a very pretty visual touch in an environment that is otherwise dusty and drab. The only other common light source is from the embers of health, and they're often surrounded by these human shaped lumps of stone which add to the uneasiness. I'm more than satisfied by what little of a story there was for me to experience. I like the idea of the underground ruins just being this pit of regrets, with hallucinations of the people you left behind haunting you as you descend. There's no hope of getting back up once you reach the bottom, and you're surrounded by so many more of those who took the same plunge and got consumed by the ashes. You yourself become another faceless victim to the allure of the pit as the person you carry the most shame for, whether it's still an illusion or it's really her in some form, holds the empty husk of you in her arms. There's maybe 4 minutes maximum of actual narrative content and I still found it extremely effective. This whole game was a huge surprise in the most complimentary way possible. It really could just benefit from tightening up the feel of the hook, especially the struggle of throwing it upwards. There are some bonus modes that might be worth trying out but I don't even think it needs them to be a great game.