Visage is a mixed bag of tricks. On the one hand, the first chapter, dedicated to daughter Lucy is a harrowing, albeit scarcely fleshed out probe into a hellish home imprinted with the vestiges of a child possession. The atmosphere is thick, although not entirely unlike Silent Hills: PT. Spectacular graphics and rich atmosphere abound and the game offers both simmering dread, as well as pointedly sharp jump scares. Truly tense moments like the first meeting with "Friend" in the closet and the truly twisted ending provide the player with great payoffs. However, the second half of the game, dedicated to Dolores, the mother, is far less frightening, with a wider array of dramatic and creative environments that, simultaneously, lack the punch and claustrophobia of the first chapter. Additionally, the second chapter is far, far larger with recursions taking place outside the house, depositing you in a variety of areas. This makes the game hard to navigate at times since you rarely are indicated clearly as to what to do or where to go. Coupled with a weak inventory/use system and the game can become frustrating at times.

The second chapter lacks much of the tension of the first and feels far more exploratory and puzzling. On the surface, this may not seem like a big issue but without a truly unique and surprising story, the game's atmosphere and graphics must hold the player tight and that simply doesn't happen as completely within the second chapter. Also, the game is still in early access and will remain so for a significant amount of time. I'm sure newer chapters will be released eventually but with only 4-6 hours of game play in Visage so far, the game has to be evaluated as-is.

I don't want to make it seem like I didn't enjoy the game. Visage, especially in its first chapter, is perhaps the closest thing to Silent Hills: PT we're ever going to get. Its tremendous tension and awesome atmosphere are not to be discounted. Neither are its sumptuous graphics.

The game is a worthy foray into typical spectral horror tropes, for fright fans. It's just unfortunate that the over-puzzled second half, weak plot, excessive meandering and lack of guidance keep it from culminating into a horror masterpiece.

Pick it up on sale if you can. 10-15 USD is a great scare bargain for Visage.

Worth a look.

7/10.

Visage is a mixed bag of tricks. On the one hand, the first chapter, dedicated to daughter Lucy is a harrowing, albeit scarcely fleshed out probe into a hellish home imprinted with the vestiges of a child possession. The atmosphere is thick, although not entirely unlike Silent Hills: PT. Spectacular graphics and rich atmosphere abound and the game offers both simmering dread, as well as pointedly sharp jump scares. Truly tense moments like the first meeting with "Friend" in the closet and the truly twisted ending provide the player with great payoffs. However, the second half of the game, dedicated to Dolores, the mother, is far less frightening, with a wider array of dramatic and creative environments that, simultaneously, lack the punch and claustrophobia of the first chapter. Additionally, the second chapter is far, far larger with recursions taking place outside the house, depositing you in a variety of areas. This makes the game hard to navigate at times since you rarely are indicated clearly as to what to do or where to go. Coupled with a weak inventory/use system and the game can become frustrating at times. The second chapter lacks much of the tension of the first and feels far more exploratory and puzzling. On the surface, this may not seem like a big issue but without a truly unique and surprising story, the game's atmosphere and graphics must hold the player tight and that simply doesn't happen as completely within the second chapter. Also, the game is still in early access and will remain so for a significant amount of time. I'm sure newer chapters will be released eventually but with only 4-6 hours of game play in Visage so far, the game has to be evaluated as-is. I don't want to make it seem like I didn't enjoy the game. Visage, especially in its first chapter, is perhaps the closest thing to Silent Hills: PT we're ever going to get. Its tremendous tension and awesome atmosphere are not to be discounted. Neither are its sumptuous graphics. The game is a worthy foray into typical spectral horror tropes, for fright fans. It's just unfortunate that the over-puzzled second half, weak plot, excessive meandering and lack of guidance keep it from culminating into a horror masterpiece. Pick it up on sale if you can. 10-15 USD is a great scare bargain for Visage. Worth a look. 7/10.