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Blair Witch was first announced at last E3 so we didn't have to wait for long to get our hands on Bloober Team's new project. After trying the preview demo at Gamescom, we must say we were eager to play the full version. Because we were sent the game yesterday, it was a bit short to complete it on time, but we have played enough to tell you a bit more about our impressions. Check it out inside and give our videos a try if you want to see if you can handle the pressure of the Burkittsville woods.
First impressions
Unsurprisingly, Blair Witch relies on the same strengths than the Layers of Fear series, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and an approach to storytelling which keeps a lot of things in the dark. The main character also seems to share some personality traits with the protagonists of the 2 Layers of Fear as he's obviously traumatized by some past event which seems to be drawing him to the brink of madness, his dog Bullet being the only thing that can bring him a little piece of mind. Though the game still relies heavily on a linear structure in which the developers do their best to make you lose your bearings (and what better place than a cursed forest for that?), it sometimes offers a bit more exploration in some areas. Puzzles are apparently pretty simple, with the use of a camcorder which allows the player to modify the environment by rewinding a scene on a tape. Others require you to find items in order to clear the way for example. We've also played a bunch of action sequences, which have thankfully been far less frustrating than in Layers of Fear 2. Sometimes you'll fight off invisible beings sensitive to your flashlight much like Alan Wake did back in 2010, at other moments you'll have to run away and avoid obstacles or make your way through a sort of haunted area following your faithful dog. His presence does not make the game any less spooky but he will probably bring a bit of comfort to some. We just wish we hadn't seen him floating in the air once or twice, or running against a tree or a forest bank. There are still a few bugs indeed, but aside from one that had us stuck to the ground for 20 seconds (crouching was the key to freedom), our experience has been pretty smooth so far. All in all, Blair Witch definitely looks like a recommendable title for those who are into horror, more than Man of Medan in our standards at least. It makes us want to keep playing to learn more about Ellis and Bullet which, for a game whose sole purpose is to terrorize us, shows how much we like a good scare.
- On the upside
- Spooky atmosphere
- Pretty nice visuals
- Great art
- Makes you want to see more
- Excellent sound design
- The art of staging sequences
- On the downside
- Still a very linear experience
- A few framerate issues on PC
- Puzzles seem pretty simple
- Some bugs (flying Bullet, main character stuck)
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