The Obsessive Shadow – Family Horror
The Obsessive Shadow – Family Horror…
A scary episodic horror game which put you inside a 9 year old boys body, your task is simply to chase away a huge scary creature.
The Obsessive Shadow – Family Horror
I have never really been a fan of children in movies or games, especially in video games, where they often look fake or strangely proportioned, almost like downscaled adults. So when I fired up The Obsessive Shadow, I have to admit I was sceptical, especially after reading that you play as a nine-year-old boy.
The game wastes no time getting under your skin. There is very little introduction beyond establishing that you’re a nine-year-old home alone when the phone suddenly starts ringing. It’s your mother, frantically warning you about a creature that knocks on windows and telling you that you’ll need to use your flashlight to drive it away.
It didn’t take long for the game to completely pull me in. What starts as a simple premise quickly transforms into a genuinely disturbing psychological horror experience. The combination of playing as a child, being trapped alone in a dark house, and having something terrifying knocking on the windows creates instant immersion. Add to that an absolutely dreadful, anxiety-inducing soundtrack, and before I knew it I had become a complete scaredy-cat, sprinting up and down stairs and racing between rooms to flash the creature away.
Cracking Windows, Scary Monster…
Then came the jump scares.
And I don’t mean cheap or predictable jump scares. I’m talking about the kind that send an icy shock straight down your spine and leave you sitting there cold and sweaty, questioning whether you’re brave enough to keep going.
Eventually, I got the hang of this part of the game. I felt like I understood what to do, and more importantly, I thought I had figured out the pattern behind everything.
Then the phone started ringing again.
It was my mother once more, but this time the situation had escalated. The creature would no longer remain outside. It would start entering the house, and my only chance of survival was to listen carefully for footsteps, hide when necessary, and never look directly at it.
The immersion created by these phone calls still sends shivers down my spine. As a father myself, the entire situation taps directly into one of my worst fears. I kept thinking about my own sons and how horrifying it would be if they were trapped in something like this. I also couldn’t stop wondering why the mother wasn’t rushing home to rescue her child. My theory is that she’s locked away in some sort of asylum or institution. She is clearly familiar with what’s happening, and the way she speaks suggests she knows far more than she’s letting on.
The TV in the living room repeats/informs you what to do next based on your mom’s phone call.
As the night progresses, you’re drawn into a series of increasingly terrifying scenarios. Every new challenge begins with another call from your mother, who briefly explains what you need to do before the nightmare unfolds. Your goal throughout the game is simple: survive the night.
I remained immersed from beginning to end. There is virtually no jank to speak of, and the game makes excellent use of the PS VR2. The deep blacks, higher-resolution visuals, and what appears to be a native 90Hz presentation all contribute to a convincing and incredibly effective horror experience.
A Commodore 64 Can Be Found Upstairs…
One detail I absolutely loved was the complete Commodore 64 setup in the house. The classic machine is there alongside a 1541 disk drive, PSU, 1084 monitor, and even an original Commodore joystick. Considering how tiny the house is, it’s impressive that they still found room for this legendary piece of gaming history.
Better yet, it actually works. You can power it on and see a game running on the screen, which is a fantastic touch for retro enthusiasts. That said, much like the arcade cabinet found elsewhere in the game, you can’t actually play it. Both machines serve as interactive set dressing rather than playable games, but they’re still great additions that add character and nostalgia to the environment.
My biggest complaint is the price. At $9.99, The Obsessive Shadow feels a little expensive for what is ultimately a very short episodic experience. I completed it in less than an hour, although I should mention that I accidentally played on Easy mode. That said, I fully intend to return and tackle the greater difficulties. From what I’ve heard, they feature different endings, and the Nightmare+ difficulty sounds absolutely terrifying.
One interesting thing is that there are collectables in the game, but no way to know if you found them all or whatever. Another thing is that the game is time-based, and none of the clocks or indicators in the house work; the huge clock in the living room is stuck at 4 o’clock, for example.
A second episode is planned, and I can safely say this is one I am struggling to wait for. I don’t want it eventually. I want it now.
” Should You Buy? – Maybe, it’s a pretty good experience, well polished, and not once did i think that something should or could have been done better; that said, that might have been because i was too scared, but the price drags it down, and so does the length, no jank to speak of, and it was very fun while it lasted.
