October is here, and that means new horror games aren’t far behind. While horror fans won’t be getting a genre-defining experience like Resident Evil 7 this year, they might yet be able to get a decent helping of the good stuff through titles like Home Sweet Home. It doesn’t look like this one will be reinventing the wheel, but its Amnesia-style gameplay mixed with some east Asian myth might just be enough to make it worth looking into.
Home Sweet Home puts players in the shoes of “Tom,” a grieving husband who’s been having a tough time of it since the mysterious disappearance of his wife. The game opens with Tom waking up in a strange, dilapidated building filled with the stuff of nightmares. Ghastly scenes, strange relics, and terrible visions fill the rooms of this strange place, and to put a final exclamation point on his predicament: Tom isn’t alone in this place. A malevolent female ghost is hunting him, and her intentions cannot possibly be good. Tom needs to get out, and it’s going to take every ounce of his courage to make escape possible.
The primary gameplay of Home Sweet Home revolves around solving puzzles, investigating the house, and maintaining a low profile. Tom’s pursuer isn’t the only evil spirit in this place, and he doesn’t have any experience fighting the supernatural. His only chance is to go unnoticed as he pieces together what happened here and finds his way out. It’s developer has also included VR support, so those who want to put themselves right into the thick of things can do so if they wish. It’ll definitely be scarier, but that’s only if its unfamiliar setting and horror elements can succeed in delivering terror without resorting to cheap jump-scares.
Home Sweet Home launches for PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 16. PC players don’t need to wait, as the game is already available to play through Steam.
