Following its release in October 2016, Through the Woods, a single-player horror adventure title, became the latest in a succession of Norwegian-based titles hitting the gaming market. Initially, the title was exclusive to PC gamers, but two years later, the Antagonist development became available to both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users. So, let’s take a look at the game and consider whether it’s worth playing.
A Horror Game, but is it Horrifying for the Right Reasons?
The now four-year-old game is set on the western coast of Norway and is centered around Karen, a woman seeking to find her son. Throughout the gaming community, there are mixed opinions on the title’s female protagonist, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Regardless of whether it’s positively or negatively, it’s hard to not become attached to Karen. However, in regard to pace, the title is a little unbalanced, which won’t help in forming a bond with the lead character. The first half of the game is considerably slower than the title’s more action-packed closing stages. Although this helps to set the scene and create an atmospheric sense of horror and discomfort, it doesn’t offer the story any real depth, with users just wandering around, waiting for something noteworthy to happen.
Antagonist, the game’s developers, deserve credit for the manner in which they’ve gone about seeking to scare their audience. Unlike games before it, such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent, which is considered as one of the scariest games ever by www.metro.co.uk, and Outlast, to name a few, which have sought to create scares through unexpected actions, Through the Window’s approach is far more natural. Subtlety is the title’s route into generating a horrifying gaming experience, and this is done through discrete alterations in sounds and visuals, such as emerging shadows of mythological monsters and unexpected splashes of water.
Further Norwegian Settings Highlight the Country’s Gaming Growth
Following Through the Woods, Draugen became the latest contemporary title to be set in the Scandinavian country, with an emphasis being on sinister elements of Norwegian folklore, while Among the Sleep, another game based in Norway, was also recently released. While it may not seem significant, the above titles represent an undeniable growth in Norwegian-based gaming as few releases, aside from Norway 1985, as detailed at www.imdb.com, were entirely based in Norway prior to 2015.
Source: Pixabay
Aside from traditional forms of gaming reaching new levels, the country is also having an impact on the broader iGaming market. For legal reasons, online casinos are unable to operate directly from Norway, but it’s emerging that increasing numbers of digital operators have Norwegian roots. A casino guide site called griseflaks.com lists a number of platforms that are proving popular among Norwegian-speaking natives, including Bethard and Betsson, which is testament to the country’s new-found role in various forms of global gaming.
Ideal for Those Seeking to Explore the Horror Genres
As mentioned above, the developers of Through the Woods are far more subtle in their integration of scary features. That, combined with the story’s slower pace, could make it the ideal title for gamers seeking to make the transition to the horror genre. While it’s unlikely that the game will ever be thought of in the light as Amnesia or Outlast, it’s undeniably horrifying in its own right.