A profoundly surprising and openly ambiguous game that clutches at the darker, more fundamental pillars of our most primal fears. Humans are never quite so afraid as when an offspring is lost or in peril and The Park is an excellent analysis of the impact that such loss can cause on a psyche. Set in The Secret World universe, The Park is richly voiced, well-written and possessed of lavish, creepy atmosphere, with truly dreadful imagery that bespeaks of unsettling evil that festers in the darkest corners of both our physical world and darkest recesses of our minds. The game is absolutely gorgeous and Unreal Engine 4 is used to great effect.

Everything from the hallucinatory episodes, to the imposing power of the ferris wheel, to the strangling darkness of the roller coaster all present a horrible playground of suffering and darker passions. The game is very short, averaging about 2 hours with careful exploration and, yes, the ending isn't conclusive or definitive. The game forces you to be mature, adaptable and careful with your analysis of concepts and events. The story must be carefully pieced together from logs, article clippings and journal snippets that you discover in your examination of the park grounds but thorough players will soon crack the nut of The Park's labyrinthine ending.

The game isn't scary, per se, but it does induce dread and it definitely has occasional jump scares, like those near the Octatron, and in the midway. What The Park does offer, is a clever, expansive world, more atmosphere than most games can ever hope to have in campaigns that are ten times as long, and a gorgeous aesthetic that is sure to please discerning gamers. The Park is an art piece advertising a game with far more inspiration/content but, sadly, far less style. Pick The Park up on a Steam sale, turn the lights off, dial up the volume and enjoy the experience.

In The Park, the ride may be short but it's certainly bittersweet.

Worth a look.

7/10.

A profoundly surprising and openly ambiguous game that clutches at the darker, more fundamental pillars of our most primal fears. Humans are never quite so afraid as when an offspring is lost or in peril and The Park is an excellent analysis of the impact that such loss can cause on a psyche. Set in The Secret World universe, The Park is richly voiced, well-written and possessed of lavish, creepy atmosphere, with truly dreadful imagery that bespeaks of unsettling evil that festers in the darkest corners of both our physical world and darkest recesses of our minds. The game is absolutely gorgeous and Unreal Engine 4 is used to great effect. Everything from the hallucinatory episodes, to the imposing power of the ferris wheel, to the strangling darkness of the roller coaster all present a horrible playground of suffering and darker passions. The game is very short, averaging about 2 hours with careful exploration and, yes, the ending isn't conclusive or definitive. The game forces you to be mature, adaptable and careful with your analysis of concepts and events. The story must be carefully pieced together from logs, article clippings and journal snippets that you discover in your examination of the park grounds but thorough players will soon crack the nut of The Park's labyrinthine ending. The game isn't scary, per se, but it does induce dread and it definitely has occasional jump scares, like those near the Octatron, and in the midway. What The Park does offer, is a clever, expansive world, more atmosphere than most games can ever hope to have in campaigns that are ten times as long, and a gorgeous aesthetic that is sure to please discerning gamers. The Park is an art piece advertising a game with far more inspiration/content but, sadly, far less style. Pick The Park up on a Steam sale, turn the lights off, dial up the volume and enjoy the experience. In The Park, the ride may be short but it's certainly bittersweet. Worth a look. 7/10.