The horror genre in gaming is a varied space, with all sorts of permutations on the genre being launched over the years. While they both may technically belong to the same genre, games like Resident Evil Requiem, Dead Space, Silent Hill f, and Phasmophobia all use scary concepts to tell their own unique stories. It makes the different approaches all the more engaging, especially when they find a lane they particularly thrive in and utilize it fully.
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Take Inner Voices, for example, a purposeful slow-burning mystery that plays out patiently instead of embracing the non-stop deluge of terrors that many typical entries in the genre embrace. Developed by Nick Chronopoulos and set to be published by Dionous Games, Inner Voices is a deliberately slow-paced game that follows players as they explore and investigate a mysterious island in the dead of night. The sense of atmosphere in the game is effectively unsettling, with long periods between strange encounters making each new scare all the more effective. If you prefer a bit of patience in your horror, then Inner Voice is going to scratch a very specific genre itch.
Welcome To The Darkness Of Inner Voice
Inner Voice relies heavily on that sense of dread that permeates as players explore a dark setting for the first time, with a prevailing sense of dread adding a lot of compelling layers to the experience. In the demo now available on Steam, Inner Voices puts players into the role of Booker, a grieving widower who finds himself drawn to a mysterious island. Largely abandoned and isolated in the remote location, Booker is forced to explore the island for answers, all while becoming increasingly aware that he’s not alone.
Rarely seen in the full light, the creature design in Inner Voices is effectively minimal, using shadows and darkness to its advantage. There’s a deliberate sense of terror that is effectively deployed, with the sheer quiet pacing making each step worrisome — and the eventual louder sounds all the more frightening. It’s all bolstered by strong audio design, with the sound of silence broken by occasional echoes and ominous noises. It’s a very downplayed experience, but one that is all the more effective for it, with a quickly frightening presentation that serves the game well.
A Slow Burn Can Sometimes Be The Best Way To Scare Someone
Playing through the demo for Inner Voices, the horror touches are clear from every step. Moving through the dark and remote village at the center of the game is unsettling, especially when coupled with the game’s approach to worldbuilding and aesthetics. There are rarely clear visuals, so much as dark figures in the distance who move with an unnatural edge. It adds to the sense of natural isolation baked into the experience, especially when a creature moves out of the shadows and briefly into sight. This helps inspire a pervading feeling of unease that benefits the tenor of the terror.
Instead of giving players the kind of combat option that most would have expected from the survival-horror genre, Inner Voice relies entirely on puzzles and exploration for plot advancement. Exploring a mix of remote western settlements and Victorian-inspired architecture only adds to the purposefully unsettling atmosphere. Puzzles are just as likely to reveal more about Booker as they are to delve into the world around. The environment design is key to the experience, as the various buildings can be fully explored in search of clues or answers.
Why Horror Fans Need To Check Out Inner Voices
Clearly inspired on a thematic level by atmospheric gaming classics like Silent Hill 2, Inner Voices benefits from a mysterious tone and a creepy sense of worldbuilding. Crafted by solo developer Nick Chronopoulos, the game’s narrative unfolds in unexpected ways. The result is a story that can take different directions depending on the choices of the player, adding layers of replayability to the experience. Horror games benefit from a mix of approaches, with the dangers of the unknown often just as scary as some hulking monstrosity. Especially as the game’s environments give way to some mysterious figures who move unnaturally and seem to blend perfectly into the shadows, players may find themselves on the edge of their seats and unnerved — all while still engrossed in finding out what’s exactly going on.
In Inner Voices, that slow-burning approach is crucial to the effect. It delivers on an unsettling tone and a strong sense of atmosphere, crucial elements for any good quiet horror to nail. Booker’s story is enticing enough to keep the player invested, and the mysteries of the island will get them hooked even further. There’s something genuinely compelling about Chronopoulos’ creation, a haunted world that leaves just enough breadcrumbs to make you want to venture deeper into the darkness. Especially if you love horror games that put emphasis on worldbuilding and mysteries, Inner Voices is a must-play.
