Fear the Spotlight PS5 Review. Something about the PSOne-era made horror games unsettling. Whether it was the atmosphere or darkness of those games, they stood out and successfully delivered a creepy and unsettling experience that left a strong impression on the mind. Blumhouse has now taken its horror studio to the video game space, and it’s off to a fantastic start with Fear the Spotlight.
Fear the Spotlight PS5 Review
Leave Ghost Hunting To The Professionals
Fear the Spotlight puts us in the shoes of two high school friends, Vivian and Amy, as they sneak into their school at night to perform a séance to talk to whatever entity haunts Amy at school. As with everything related to seance’s and Ouiji Boards, things go wrong, and Amy disappears. Vivian must now search the school and find out what happened to her friend while trying to solve the mystery of the school’s past.
I enjoyed the game’s story and the mystery surrounding the school. As you search for Amy, you learn about past students and what happened to them, including missing boy, a girl with a stalker, and other disturbing secrets.
You won’t search the school in a modern setting as much as you will explore its past. Vivian is transported to the school’s past, so things are older technology-wise and more frail.
Run, Hide, And Survive
The school seems more run down in areas, and the Spotlight Man stalks you. As the name implies, this enemy is a being with a giant searchlight for a head; while not necessarily creepy, he’s an imposing figure who sets the ground on fire behind him as he walks.
Vivian can’t defend herself, so running and hiding are her only options. It’s not as advanced as other games, where you can hide in closets or cabinets, but it doesn’t need to be. The Spotlight man isn’t that hard to avoid, so you’re safe as long as his searchlight doesn’t land on you.
Sometimes Spotlight Man won’t appear himself, but his searchlight will appear through the ceiling and search for you in halls and rooms. You must avoid the light by hiding behind objects and sneaking under desks and debris.
Great Puzzles Reminiscent Of Past Classics
The meat of the game comes from the fantastic exploration and atmosphere. The school is very well designed, with hidden paths and puzzles to solve.
Most puzzles are simple, like finding a specific tool you need to access an area, but other puzzles are more complicated, much like they were back during the PS1 era. Evidently, the developers were taking inspiration from games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, and you’ll be right at home here if you enjoy those titles.
The game’s atmosphere is incredible. The school you explore is downright creepy, and the visual style and lighting had me creeped out twenty minutes into the game. One of the best things the game does is trick your eyes into believing something is in the room with you. As you explore, you’ll encounter what looks like child ghosts staring at you. You’ll notice them because of their glowing white eyes in the darkness.
Whenever you come close to them, they vanish or move somewhere else. Sometimes, you will see the eyes and just the outline of what looks like a person. Here, Vivian’s flashlight sometimes creates the illusion of something in the corners or a shape cast by shadows of objects in the environment, which started me quite often.
Edge Of Your Seat Tension
The game is creepy. The ghost children alone were enough to make me move cautiously, but what made it worse was the lack of sound they made—only laughing and running as you approached them.
There are also plenty of moments when you hear sounds from your rooms and see feet under a bathroom stall. This is a great way to add chills to the environment, as some don’t have any indicators that they’re there. They also appear as you solve puzzles.
In one situation, I solved a puzzle, and as I pulled the camera away from the puzzle, one of the ghost children’s heads watched me from around the corner. It startled me, much like Alma did in F.E.A.R., appearing randomly when you won’t expect it with no indication.
Learn To Fear The Light
As I’ve mentioned, the game’s atmosphere and visual style are exceptional. The PS1-era pixilated graphics give the game a unique identity that stands out from the rest of the pack. Of course, because of this decision, the environments aren’t plastered with detail. The sound design is another high point, with excellent voice acting and an eerie soundtrack when it comes on. Some of the atmospheric tracks help convey Vivian’s desperation.
Fear the Spotlight is one of my favorite horror games this year. Its use of lighting and a unique pixilated visual style just transported me back to the days of the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Blumhouse Games is off to a great start, and this is an indicator of what’s to come, count me in.
Fear the Spotlight releases on October 22, 2024 for PS5 & PS4.
Review code kindly provided by PR