I’ve never played the first Remothered game, though I do know of it and my horror-fan friends have told me how I just must play it. I’ve ignored their pleas up until now, but duty called and I was the unlucky sod to answer the phone. It kind of sounds like the start of my own horror movie.
Remothered: Broken Porcelain is creepy, there are no two ways around it. I was disturbed from the moment I booted up the demo. I was in a room with nobody else, but it felt like I was in danger, and this was just 10 seconds into the demo.
After a couple of minutes spent poking around, getting familiar with the controls, I was ambushed by some great hulking beast of a man. Or was he a monster? It doesn’t matter, because he killed me quickly.
“Is this it? Is this the demo?” I thought to myself. Nope. I would not be that lucky. The pain was still to come.
Remothered Broken Porcelain takes place in a dirty old hotel – the Ashmann Inn – run by a nonce who used to have his wicked way with his sister. His assistant, Andrea, is a seemingly nice lady, until she sticks her scissors into Jen’s head. Jen is the girl you play as. I didn’t get too attached to her during my time with the demo, because it’s hard to care about somebody who dies over and over again, even if it was my fault.
I think death is a big part of this game, and that you’re expected to experience it often. The only way to avoid having your brain picked by Andrea and her stabby scissors is to run and hide. Fighting her usually ended with me letting out a big sigh, and then waiting for the checkpoint to reload.
Stealth is the main ingredient in this stew of horror then. Thankfully, the game does everything it can to give you the best chance of survival. Think Alien Isolation, and you’ve got the core of Remothered: Broken Porcelain.
You need to run, break the line of sight, and hide while Miss Gooey Eyes hunts you down. Even when you’re hidden, you’re not entirely safe, as Andrea will fling open closets, boxes, and doors as she tried to find your head. It’s very unnerving. It’s not often that a game will have a real-life effect on me – I’m normally able to play a game, no matter its content matter, and sleep soundly. Not so after this one.
I could feel my heart racing as I sat in a dank cupboard, listening to Andrea talking shit about me as she walked the halls of the hotel. Once I finished the demo and got into bed, I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing Andrea’s horrific face. For fans of horror, this is the ultimate goal, or so I imagine. For me, it’s torture, but at the same time a twisted kind of fun. Like pulling a scab off of a wound. I know it’s disgusting and it’s going to hurt a little, but I keep pulling it slowly anyway for a look that minging flesh underneath.
Puzzles are a part of the game, too, and it’s here where I actually found myself doing well. I say well, but I mean I didn’t die for 10 minutes and for me, that’s doing well. I also call that Monday morning.
One part of the demo had Andrea sitting at her desk talking to herself while her eyes poured black crap down her god awful face. I needed to get past her, but I didn’t want to initiate a chase. I found a little doll and, using my mad gamer skills which have been honed over the years, I placed the doll outside the room, waited for Andrea to shift her arse from her seat, and then darted through a conveniently placed hole in the wall. Booyah! Chris 1, Andrea 10. The scores were finally starting to level out. A few minutes later, she killed me. Chris 1 – Andrea 11. She lives in that world though, so she has a clear advantage, so I’m calling it a draw.
The real appeal for me is in the game’s story and setting The set up is an interesting one. And yes, it’s got Stephen King’s The Shining written all over it, but I don’t mind that at all. Inspiration could come from worse places.
The hotel itself is a mystery I wouldn’t mind exploring. And the guy running the place? He definitely needs a good slap, and I hope the game affords me that opportunity in the full release. Because if anyone deserves a good slap, aside from Andrea, it’s that fella.
There is a re-cap for those who want or need it, but I think I’ll go a step further and get my hands on the prior game, even if it is a lesser product than Broken Porcelain. Maybe it’ll help me in the upcoming sequel? Maybe not.
So, basically, I’m kind of looking forward to Remothered: Broken Porcelain, but at the same time, I’m already dreading the day that the review code arrives.
Remothered: Broken Porcelain will release on October 13th, 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
