ASYLUM – Sporo tinjajuća horor priča

• DEVELOPER: Senscape
• IZDAVAČ: Senscape
• PLATFORME: PC
• ŽANR: Psychological Horror
• DATUM IZLASKA: 13. ožujka 2025.
• POČETNA CIJENA: 24,50€
• RECENZIRANA VERZIJA: PC

From the creators of the cult classic Scratches (2006), ASYLUM is a point-and-click psychological horror adventure, 15 years in the making. You play as an ex-patient haunted by visions, navigating a vast, eerie asylum to unravel its dark secrets. Drawing inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, Hammer Films, and 1980s Euro-horror, it delivers a slow-burning, atmospheric experience without relying on cheap jump scares.

Exploring the Eerie Hanwell Mental Institute

The gameplay focuses on exploring the sprawling Hanwell Mental Institute, a decaying complex designed in the authentic, oppressive Kirkbride Plan for asylums. You navigate using a first-person, node-based system, clicking to move between fixed viewpoints with a 360-degree turning circle. The institute’s intricate layout, featuring shadowy hallways, abandoned wards, and hidden passages, builds a constant sense of dread. By uncovering historical files, patient records, and eerie artifacts, you piece together the asylum’s dark history and your character’s mysterious past.

The massive Hanwell Mental Institute in ASYLUM has its ups and downs. Its vast size creates an immersive atmosphere, but many areas feel empty, with “lifeless spaces” that slow the pace. The node-based movement, lacking the smoothness of modern walking simulators, can feel sluggish, and without a map or fast-travel system, backtracking becomes tedious, especially in later chapters. While ambitious, the game’s scale sometimes overshadows the narrative, leading to long stretches of uneventful wandering.

Puzzles are central to the game, blending logical inventory-based challenges with environmental observation tasks that reward sharp wit and keen attention to detail. Examples include combining items like keys or tools to unlock doors or deciphering codes from scattered notes. Most puzzles tie smoothly into the story, such as piecing together patient histories or operating decayed machinery. However, without a hint system, you must rely on the in-game journal or trial-and-error, which can frustrate when tackling complex puzzles. Some puzzles, especially repetitive door-opening tasks, feel like busywork with little narrative payoff.

The journal is a standout feature, seamlessly cataloging clues and memories as a diegetic interface, with a notepad mechanic that boosts immersion. However, the inventory system feels clunky, requiring manual cycling through items at hotspots instead of a menu, which slows gameplay. While puzzles are generally fair, the absence of guidance can halt progress, particularly in the middle chapters.

“Puzzles blend logical inventory-based challenges with environmental observation tasks.”

A Slow-Burning Lovecraftian Horror Tale

The story is a slow-burning tale, loosely inspired by films like Session 9 and Lovecraftian themes. As an ex-patient, you uncover the institute’s dark history, experiments, abuse, and supernatural events, while piecing together your own fractured memories. The narrative unfolds through found documents, environmental storytelling, and minimal character interactions, building toward a “shocking conclusion” kept under wraps during 15 years of development. The plot is engaging with a mind-bending arc, but it struggles to balance storytelling with gameplay, sometimes feeling like a “choose-your-own-adventure book” due to heavy reliance on lengthy reading.

Key characters like Dr. Miller, voiced by Jonathan Boakes with a David Warner-like gravitas, bring intrigue, but their limited presence (Miller disappears mid-game without explanation) reduces their impact. The story’s heavy reliance on text-heavy documents can feel overwhelming, and while the horror is atmospheric, it feels derivative, missing the scares of modern games like Amnesia. Replayability exists through hidden memories and Easter eggs, but the linear narrative and lack of branching paths limit replay value.

There are over 100 hauntingly detailed rooms in the game that always bring something different. Pre-rendered backgrounds blend a “classic yet modern” aesthetic with a grainy, 1980s horror film texture, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere. Environmental storytelling is also quite good, with scattered papers, broken furniture, and occult symbols creating Lovecraftian dread. In-game character models are impressively detailed, but cutscene models fall short, with stiff animations and speech limited to lower-face movement, which weakens emotional moments.

The intentional VHS aesthetic, while evocative, might feel outdated to some, with visuals reminiscent of PS2-era graphics. The absence of dynamic lighting or real-time shadows further dates the presentation. Cutscenes, blending in-engine and pre-rendered elements, are static with poor animation, falling short of the immersive environments. Prioritizing atmosphere over polish suits retro horror fans but may alienate those expecting modern visual fidelity.

“ASYLUM struggles to balance storytelling with gameplay.”

Fans of horror games will like this one

ASYLUM is a chilling, ambitious tribute to slow-burning horror, delivering a haunting atmosphere and narrative that fulfills its 15-year hype for Scratches fans and classic point-and-click adventure lovers. However, its dated node-based mechanics, empty spaces, and inconsistent visuals make it feel outdated, struggling to balance gameplay and storytelling. The absence of a hint system and shallow character depth further narrow its appeal. Ultimately, it’s a good choice for retro horror fans, particularly on PC or Steam Deck.

“Solid choice for retro horror fans that like slow-burning story.”

Recenzentski primjerak ustupio izdavač

3.3