TalonMan

User Score
7.9

Presentation - 10
Gameplay - 6.0
Value - 7.5

The Nintendo Switch has offered a wide variety of discounted eShop games during its still very short existence. I have managed to purchase dozens of digital games based solely on the discounts being offered, for the purpose of stocking up and blasting through my extensive inventory of games as time allows. Some of the games I've purchased are ones that were already on my personal "must have" list (Thimbleweed Park), some were downloaded based upon what I was hearing from others (Golf Story), and some were purchased simply because the game sounded intriguing - the only mainstay of all of my digital purchase is that they have to be discounted. So, when I happened across Perception a few weeks ago in the "On Sale" category, it was an immediate purchase - the concept of a blind person feeling their way around a haunted house was so unique, that it instantly jumped right to the top of my "must play" list. And though the majority of "expert" reviews I've read have been incredibly harsh for a variety of different reasons, in my opinion this game is an excellent experience! Especially if you manage to pick it up as a discount eShop game.

Let me state up front that if you suffer from claustrophobia, this game may not be for you. This is not said as some marketing ploy to get you to buy a game based on some type of false hype or exaggerated narrative - I assure you that I'm not a claustrophobic person by nature, and yet this game has had a way of inducing that type of feeling within me. Wandering and feeling my way from room to room, while only being able to discern a vague view of the environment I'm walking through, has absolutely brought about moments where I had to walk away for a little while and readjust. And it is within this concept that the brilliance and exceptional production value come shining through (even in the darkest of rooms)! There is such an amazing level of care put into creating the experience of being blind, that I'm still shocked I was able to secure a copy for a measly $12 USD.

When you first start up the game, you are given the option of playing through three different experiences - so from the word Go!, you are presented with a game that is offering a decent amount of replay value. You can select "Story" mode, where the chances of death are extremely low and is designed for those who simply want to spend time exploring every nook and cranny of the house. "Spooky" increases the likelihood of dying, but does so in a more gentle way, by preserving check points as you make your way through the game and allowing you to pickup close to where you left off, if you happen to die. And finally, the "Scary" mode is an all out survival experience - if you die in this mode, you are kicked out to the title screen!

Choose your fright level and enter at your own risk!

The game starts by introducing you to the simple concept of how you will be navigating the game - as a blind person, you are forced to rely on sounds in order to "see" your environment. The very first image you see is that of a fan running - the sound of it, is what enables you to see it. You are then told to click the right trigger (simulating the use of a white cane that blind people use) which causes sounds to reflect off other objects, enabling you to view additional objects in your vicinity (in the case of the opening tutorial, it's that of a coffee mug in front of the fan). And that is the majority of the gameplay! You will spend hours walking through this house, clicking your cane button, and finding your way from room to room. And while that doesn't sound very interesting, I assure you that the environment is detailed and spooky enough to keep you on the edge of your seat as you find yourself walking deeper and deeper into this nightmare and trying to unravel the story.

Tapping your white cane, reveals the layout of the room.

As you progress through the game, you will come across dozens of items that will begin to flesh out the background story. These items could be as innocent as a baby bottle, or a document which you'll have to use a "text to speech" gadget on in order to read, and various tape players scattered throughout the house. As I neared the end of the first chapter, I came across my first enemy - this is not a "run-and-gun" type of game (you're blind, after all!), so if that's the type of experience you are looking for, this game probably won't be for you. Instead, if an enemy shows up you will need to hide yourself in one of the many locations throughout the area (it could be under a bed, or in a box, or even wrapping yourself in bubble wrap). I should point out that the rooms will also rearrange themselves as the story progresses, too - where once there might have been stacks of moving boxes throughout the room, there is now furniture and an operating fireplace.

Peek-a-boo!

The thing I found most incredible about the game itself, is the uncanny level of detail that's been employed here. For instance, in one of the rooms you will come across several full sized arcade cabinets. You can see them when you rap your cane. You can also interact with them, which will cause them to play some arcade music or sound effects. When you do this though, the arcade screens themselves will always remain dead, black - which makes perfect sense, being that you're blind. Yes - rapping the cane causes the sound to reflect in the environment and therefore, will allow you to see the shapes and detail of your environment, but an arcade screen would be impossible to see in this manner no matter the volume, as there is no physical reference for the sounds to interact with and therefore can't create an image. This is just one example, but it gives you an idea of how much detail has gone into the development of this game.

If you are looking for an action-based, shoot 'em up type of game - this game is definitely not for you and I'm positive you will find the game quite boring (at this point in the game, I haven't even come across very much in the way of puzzles, either). If, on the other hand, you are simply in the mood for an atmospheric, good old-fashioned "make you jump" kind of horror game, this one is absolutely worth taking a look. I am not the type of person to scare easy (especially with video games), and yet there were many moments in this game where I was incredibly tense and couldn't help but jump when something in the house startled me.

Whatever this game lacks in challenging gameplay, I really do believe it makes up for in its presentation, uniqueness, and the haunting & creepy atmosphere...