Whitehaven

[code]Curator page here-->[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD #159 [/url]<-- [i]New review every Weekend[/i][/code] [h1]"What Haven It Got!? I’ll Tell You-"[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2702163686 [u] Here's The Thing:[/u] You are Rose Davies, a former teacher at the Whitehaven Orphanage but one who can’t seem to remember why it shut down. Nor why she was relieved of her duties. She goes back there to jog the memories and let’s just pray they’re pleasant ones~ [h1][+] PROS;[/h1] [b]:) TEACH HER OWN~[/b] Nothing to write home about, it is your faithful and in the flesh walking simulator! So it comes down to a matter of preferences. You could grumpily and internally yell “not another one” or you can suspend your judginess first, Judy! I personally do not mind it as it’s more like coming across a historical landmark but with locked doors in place of exhibits and the occasional stuffed animal tucked away… The puzzles aren’t bountiful but adequate enough to occupy you and move the story along. The achievements can be effortlessly attained; six hidden collectibles and one for naturally finishing the game which takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. I’ve read that it can come off as the length of a demo which I concur but I think it’d be more accurate to regard it as a short story. Certainly ticks the boxes of being rather mild along with one pack-a-punch reveal. But absolutely, the price is way steep and best gotten at a deal~ [b]TIPS:[/b] 1) For the [spoiler]bedroom[/spoiler] puzzle. Back track to the classroom! 2) For the [spoiler]moon paintings[/spoiler] puzzle. Just keep looping until they match with the hint. [b]:) THE ORPHAN-AGED.[/b] The environments are banal, uninteresting and repeating. Nothing stands out but that’s what sold it as living-breathing! It’s a place long since abandoned, as such there is disarray but nothing to signal of an ugly end… at least not yet and god I hope not! But there is no trace of any love either, which also isn’t good news. Sound design is chilling, not overboard but can get a tad earsplitting. Joy Hayward of [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/DeadeGuard98/recommended/1700240/] Revenge of Sophia Red[/url] fame voices the protagonist here and is just as rosy with her inflections. Though not as eventful, I can’t help but think the script limited her potential. [b]:) THINK OF THE CHILDREN…![/b] This is where it picks up in terms of interest with a not-too-novel plot, having very much been there and done that. I can best sum it up as at a crossroad between [b]The Others (2001)[/b] and [b]The Orphanage (2007)[/b] with the whole motif of questioning what’s real and what isn’t. If your head is already spinning like clockwork and trying to guess the twist; it even took me aback! [b]:) A WHITE LIE?[/b] The scare factor isn’t in any of the orchestration of creepy sequences. But more in the underlying meanings- it was lying in plain sight, unspoken but always implied. For instance, Rose’s near breakdown moment in her amnesiac state when she relearns a truth that she’s been trying to hide. One that could signal neglect despite not being the sole or direct one accountable. And the signs continue; her restless, consumed nature of insisting to find answers. Her lack of being bothered by the supernatural beings… Recognizing the same symbols burnt into one’s mind but not knowing what they represent- like that would bug me till I couldn’t sleep let alone do anything else. You know how you don’t even realize sometimes that you’re bleeding? Yeah, the reveal is exactly like that and also the delayed, speechless processing that happens afterwards when you finally do! Finally, wanting to make amends but couldn’t because of things beyond our control, one way or another. Stuffed animals without owners; where did they go!? So the jumping to conclusions begin… As much as I want to loathe the dev for stringing me along, I also have to admit they got me real bad~ https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2702167030 [h1][-] CONS;[/h1] [b]:( LIKE ITS FUTURE-[/b] One word; dark! That you’re just better off turning it at max brightness, even if that equals drastically softening the spooks. At least, you’ll be able to see them coming… Let’s get one thing straight; darkness was revolutionary in survival horror classics like [b]Silent Hill[/b]. BUT you’re still able to discern detail and find your bearings in said games, say when coming into proximity. So the overused permeating darkness in this along with other modern horror titles is a fallacy and sin of faulty game design rather than lending themselves to atmosphere. And I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that Rose had a flashlight all this time and only waited for a proper blackout to whip it out~ [b]:( RUN-DOWN… RUN OUT??[/b] Yes, this review probably lasts longer than the game itself. However, the biggest issue was a significant and overwhelming sense of “emptiness” be it in the architecture of the orphanage, the uneven exploration bit or the number of available scares. On the one hand, it’s laudable that they stuck to their guns and focus on establishing a solitary atmosphere. But on the other, it also points to many missed opportunities for those that live on more conventional “horror”. So if you’re expecting more of the EKG type of spikes and dips, you’ll let out a sigh and eye roll~ [b]:( NOT FLUFFY ENOUGH![/b] Same goes for the plot, which seemed to have been onto something and off to a phenomenal start. With the intro where you played from an orphan’s stunted perspective. But then that gets scrapped for the ex-teacher storyline which had a very fishy start… Like I still don’t get why she was there to begin with, nor was it properly explained. There is a severe gap between the past and present that is just very precarious. The dialogue at times is awkwardly phrased as more of out-loud thoughts. And there is a major underdevelopment as to what the [spoiler]abuse[/spoiler] entailed. It could just be totally random or unmotivated and besides, not everything needs to mean something. But as such, it is hard to empathize with the victims~ [h1]BUGS:[/h1] x Nothing out of the ordinary; I was shocked too! [h1]NITPICKS:[/h1] ~ Brightness slider asked over and over. Though I suppose it’s meant to be a one-off experience… ~ Progress saving is by levels… ~ Option for flashlight to be made available for the whole game! [h1]"-So No, It Ain’t HEAVEN. But It’s Alright."[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2702174148 [u]Last Words?[/u] A misunderstood soul that should’ve been longer in some parts & not rushed in others. Much of the horror is deliberately unseen, hence its mixed reception. But the twist puts the whole matter to rest~ If you like to unfold an orphanage horror story- although not ones as meaty like [url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/1609080/] Summer of ‘58[/url] or [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/DeadeGuard98/recommended/1085160/] Palmyra Orphanage[/url] but still with its own unexpected convolution. If you love a solid effort at being disconcerting despite its brevity and hollowness, then pay a visit to Whitehaven at a discount~ [h1]7 / 10[/h1] [code]Sharing my stuffed toy with [b]Somnambulist Games[/b] and thanking them for the key![/code] [code]Don't forget to follow my curator [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD[/url] for more games!![/code]