by theygamesWhile modern horror games are growing ever more elaborate, there’s still something quite unnerving about that ’90s 3D aesthetic. With classics like Silent Hill and Resident Evil using the design and tech limitations of the time to create fear-inducing yet alluring low-polygon worlds, horror fans still hold that nascent era of classic horror gaming in high regard. Putting their keen eyes on nostalgia, the developers behind the upcoming Fear the Spotlight are hoping to craft an experience that captures that same sense of low-poly dread and unease, and from what I saw at Summer Game Fest, they’re doing it pretty well.
Fear the Spotlight was previously available in early access in 2023, but following the announcement of a new partnership with Blumhouse Games, we now have an new and improved edition on the way. At Summer Game Fest 2024, I went hands-on with the opening act of Fear the Spotlight, and Cozy Game Pals’ ode to classic survival horror games is looking equal parts captivating and creepy.
Fear the Spotlight tells the story of Vivian, a lonely student that’s got a penchant for the supernatural and an undying interest in the unsettling history of her school. Sneaking into the campus after hours with her friend Amy, they perform a séance in an attempt to speak to the dead, but the ritual seemingly goes nowhere. However, Vivian soon discovers that something’s gone very wrong, and after Amy goes missing and the school turns into a living nightmare, she has to survive a night fraught with a host of unknown evils that are determined to bring about her untimely demise.
Much like SFB Games’ recent hit Crow Country, playing Fear the Spotlight brought me back to those days of staring at my CRT monitor. Classic horror games from the ’90s, specifically Silent Hill, have such an intense atmosphere, all brought to life by clever tricks in design to heighten that sense of unease. Yet, these procedural limitations helped to create some of the greatest games in history, and it’s that eerie sense of dread that Fear the Spotlight is channeling.
Take the atmosphere, for example. While considered dated by today’s standards, the muddy texture work and flickering haziness give Fear the Spotlight that nostalgic, familiar feel. This, on first impression, may seem like another retro gimmick, but Fear the Spotlight does a great job of letting its environment and mood do a lot of the heavy lifting for its storytelling. For instance, the old-fashioned haze adds to the dark, oppressiveness of the opening act, swallowing Vivan and Amy as they navigate through the school’s eerily quiet corridors.
After the séance, however, the school’s furniture and layout shift, leaving Vivian to navigate a maze-like library in near darkness. I can see figures just ahead of me disappearing into the dark, capturing that sense of powerlessness that was a hallmark of games like Silent Hill, F.E.A.R, and Resident Evil. You’ll have to carefully navigate the halls, avoiding enemies in stealth while simultaneously trying to survive in a deteriorating environment, amplifying that fear of loneliness and dread.
Despite its ’90s feel, the action itself is buttery smooth, characterized by sharp textures, clean frame rates, and a vast array of arresting visuals. As I make my way through the distorted shelves of the library, the room is engulfed in flames, fire licking at my heels and adding a sense of urgency.
With Amy seemingly being abducted, Vivian has to make a run for it. As the library collapses around her, she escapes through a crack in the wall, leading into yet more darkness. The final shot of the demo shows several photos of the student body, their faces now distorted, hinting that they’ve likely been consumed by the school’s evil. It’s a tantalizing cliffhanger for sure.
Fear the Spotlight does a great job of not only revitalizing the classic low-polygon aesthetic, it perfectly evokes the same feelings that the original analog horror games had. I’m interested to see how much of an upgrade the game has gotten as a result of the developer’s partnership with Blumhouse Games, which apparently adds in over two hours of new story content not seen in the early access release.
While Cozy Game Pals’ throwback is very much survival horror coded, it champions narrative strength over pure survival. Vivian’s story taps into the common fear of the unknown, and having that channeled through a low-polygon world gives Fear the Spotlight such a cool mystique. I can’t wait to see more, even if what lurks in the shadows is probably going to kill me over, and over, again.