Blumhouse Games And Cozy Game Pals Want You To "FEAR THE SPOTLIGHT" (REVIEW)
The 90s were the decade when horror became more teen-friendly. Perhaps it is because of the rampant rise in consumerism sparked by the previous decade's obsession with things and excess, or maybe it is just the lifecycle of capitalism—still, for many the 90s was their first foray into the horror genre that likely started at a Scholastic Book Fair in elementary school. The days when $20 was like a pot of gold, and the latest and greatest hits from R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike were there for the taking or purchasing. The amalgamation of high school drama and horror struck a chord with so many young, blossoming horror fans which eventually would lead to a personality almost entirely defined by the 1996 movie, “Scream.” Okay, maybe that last part wasn’t the case for everyone, but still, the impact that Young Adult horror fiction had on the lives of so many now adults is hard to understate. Case in point, the husband and wife duo behind Blumhouse Games’ inaugural release, Fear The Spotlight from Cozy Game Pals. “Fear the Spotlight” or “FTS” for brevity’s sake, wears its 90s inspirations proudly from the high-drama teen-centric story to the pixelated visuals of the first generation PlayStation. Despite a rather short experience, “FTS” succeeds as both a nostalgia trip for those old enough to enjoy it while having broad accessibility that will entertain gamers of all ages and tastes.
Sunnyside High has a dark history. When Vivian enters the deserted corridors for a seance with the rebellious Amy, she suddenly ends up alone, and at the mercy of the monster who wanders the halls. Vivian must avoid its gaze, find her friend, and uncover the disturbing, murderous truth of a decades-old tragedy.
From the moment you step into Vivian’s shoes, you’re immediately transported back to a simpler time both figuratively and literally. The playful hijinx of breaking into your school after dark meets the puzzle-based escapes of classic survival horror as you and your friend Amy seek to unravel the secrets of Sunnyside High through everyone’s favorite YA accessory, an Ouija board. After a tense sequence of “fucking around and finding out” Vivian sets out to recover Amy and make it out of Sunnyside High alive.
Visually, “FTS” feels ripped right out of the pages of the PS1 greatest hits library. The choice was clearly intentional, and while it won’t deliver the same nostalgic thrill to younger gamers it also foreshadows the simplicity of “FTS” that makes it something pretty much every gamer can enjoy. Technically speaking, the lo-fi art design should make “FTS” run like a hot knife through butter on any platform on account of the simplified graphics that also lean into the retro stylings of the game quite nicely. The surroundings are rather plain and unmemorable, but where “FTS” surprises you is in the details. For those who like to click everything and immerse themselves in context, there are a plethora of items to examine and bits of narrative threads buried around to fill in details about the looming mystery of Sunnyside High.
The gameplay of “FTS” should feel familiar to anyone who has dabbled in the survival horror games of the 90s, albeit with some modernized improvements around movement. Gone are the days of rigid and inhuman movements with dramatic camera angles in favor of something more modern and approachable, a movable camera with fluid rather than jagged movements. Cozy Game Pals is more than just a clever name, as it seems to be a part of the DNA of “FTS” given the focus more on discovery rather than action. Speaking of which, those who don’t enjoy a game that doesn’t come with ammo boxes may want to steer clear as most action you see in “FTS” comes in the form of stealth encounters. The ominous and titular “spotlight” will occasionally rear its shiny head and seek you out as you progress in search of Amy. These sections are somewhat minimal, however, and only happen on a few occasions rather than being a persistent threat. It would’ve been nice to include something akin to the Nemesis system here to increase the tension and urgency, but that also may be the point, to not make this a white-knuckle gaming experience. There are still plenty of mood pieces to enjoy that may not elicit the ferocity of a jump scare, but add layers of dread and eeriness to the experience.
One area in which “FTS” succeeds wildly is in the innovative use of the movement sticks and tactile elements of play. We played on a PS5 with the dual sense haptic feedback and it was as if the story was being told both on the screen and in our hands. The implementation of the controls as a means to pick locks, open drawers, and more provides an exciting immersion through gameplay that satiates those who are used to more action-oriented games by giving our hands something to do. The haptic feedback is pitch-perfect as well so that background elements such as lightning cause small tremors in your controller, or if you’re unfortunate enough to be captured by the spotlight, the searing light burns with the same intensity of the rumbles in your palms. There are a couple of missed opportunities to implement this kind of tactile play further, but nothing gets in the way of the fun being had.
“FTS” isn’t a long game, so expect to clock in somewhere between 3-6 hours depending on playstyle and exploration tendency. We are somewhat divided on the length. On the one hand, so many modern games require dozens of hours to get through often reaching a point of monotony so something more streamlined and straightforward is always welcome. Then again, the value derived from just a few hours of gameplay may cause some to question if the price point is worth it. From where we sit, if you like laid-back survival horror games you’ll get your money’s worth even if the replayability isn’t all there. In this way, “FTS” is similar to interactive novels like Doki Doki Literature Club where the initial playthrough is going to provide a majority of the story, and repeat attempts are likely to be only for the die-hard fans.
THE GORY DETAILS
“Fear The Spotlight” is a fun, all-ages gateway into horror that should appeal to fans of survival horror games that ease up on the urgency in favor of mood and atmosphere. The implementation of tactile play mechanics and intentional use of haptics engulfs the player in the world created by Cozy Game Pals, even if the stay isn’t as long as we would’ve hoped. A fine debut release from Blumhouse Games, and we cannot wait to see what comes next!
Blumhouse Games' first title from developer Cozy Game Pals, Fear The Spotlight, will be launching on October 22 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC, Mac and Linux via Steam.
Stay up to date with “The Dark Side Of Pop Culture” by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
