Lone Survivor

After years of lackluster or even non-existent showings from the big horror franchises – Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Fatal Frame – hope was all but lost for terror-seeking genre junkies like myself. Aside from the occasional Dead Space or Metro title, survival horror seemed to have been tossed back through the mirror, left to die in the twisted universe it originally shambled out from.

This is not the case.

The time has come to clean off those gigantic blood-stained scissors, don our rusty pyramid heads, peer through the ancient camera’s weathered lens, and to revisit fear. It is time to welcome our new friend, indie horror, into our shadowy corner.

Lone Survivor, a perfect example of the rising indie horror scene, is a love letter to both Team Silent’s early work and David Lynch’s unfortunately-cancelled television show, Twin Peaks. It remains an homage while still standing on its own as a terrific horror title, and along with Slender, Outlast, and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, proves that the genre can be done properly even without a triple-A budget.

Lone Survivor is a schizophrenic tale of a man named You. An unexplained outbreak has killed most of the people that lived in the city, turning them into “Thinmen” – fleshy, spastic creatures with a hunger for carrion – that wander aimlessly, attacking anyone that would come close.

You has barricaded himself in an apartment at the onset of the game, and upon hearing a hopeful message on his radio, decides to set out to find other survivors. You’s story is told through dream sequences, his diary entries, and cryptic conversations with other characters he meets, and in true Lynchian style, is never fully explained. Much like a Silent Hill game, the player must decode the story by paying close attention to everything. Every item, conversation, or character exists for a specific reason, and finding out what is happening will take more than one playthrough.

Thankfully, Lone Survivor is designed to be played multiple times. Five different endings as well as different dialogue in New Game Plus mode ensure that each playthrough will result in at least one answer to the many questions this story creates.

A major dividing point for this title lies in its presentation. Lone Survivor utilizes a 2D side-scrolling, pixel-art style for its graphics. While some may find the retro look unfitting of a modern horror game, I would argue that the charming animations actually further immersion. The contrast between the “cute” style and the twisted events of You’s world make for a very unsettling and disarming experience when something bizarre occurs.

Lone Survivor creates a strong atmosphere despite its pixelated graphics. Excellent music tracks combined with audio effects that sound like they were ripped straight out of a Silent Hill game pull the player into the world Jasper Byrne, the creator and developer, has created for us.

Unfortunately, Lone Survivor is not without its problems. Whether intentional or not, some of the game’s mechanics are not very clearly indicated. For example, a mental health level is employed but is obfuscated to players despite directly affecting each ending. Certain activities will raise or lower You’s sanity but with no real way of knowing which does what, it can become troublesome to achieve each conclusion.

My only other issue with the game lies in its weapon mechanics. You receives a pistol early on, and like most other horror titles, ammunition is a precious resource. My problem arised when attempting to take down multiple enemies. You aims at the nearest enemy automatically, even when attempting to face the other way. This wouldn’t be detrimental in usual circumstances, but when a downed baddie is the centre of my character’s attention despite the Thinman shambling towards me, it becomes one.

Lone Survivor is a great experience despite some small, nit-picky issues. It offers a thought-provoking narrative on par with some of the greatest AAA horror games on the market and will leave you with something to think about long after you have set your Vita down. Be warned though: reactions to this game may include cravings for a – excuse me – “damn fine” cup of coffee, or even a good ol’ fashioned cherry pie… Though I suppose both are good ideas, right Diane?