If you are one of the lucky few who still owns, or otherwise has access to P. T. proceed with caution.
I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this game was so scary that there were times where I had to stop playing! It is honestly so terrifying that it makes most horror movies look positively tame in comparison!
This game truly frightened me in a way that I had never experienced before, and this was due to the many key aspects of horror game design that P. T. does brilliantly.
The game centers on an unamed protagonist who, for an unkown reason, is forced to walk through the same photorealistic apartment hallway looped over and over again.
P. T. Strips down gameplay to the bare minimum essentials, almost acting as a throwback to the oldschool, point and click, puzzle horror games of the 90s, but with a distinctly modern flare. You are able to walk and zoom your camera in on objects but that is the extent of what your character is able to do. For any other game genre, this gameplay design would severely limit the potential of the game, however, for horror games this choice is perfect. The lack of gameplay mechanics is designed to make the player feel helpless and at the mercy of whatever the game decides to throw at you. There is no way to hide or ward off the supernatural forces you will face in P. T. As such, the limited game mechanics work to help create a very intense and threatening atmosphere.
The game's mysterious nature and unpredictability is another key reason for it's immense scare factor. P. T. Is without a doubt one of the most cryptic games I have ever played. The player is dropped into the game with no knowledge of what is going on or how to progress. The game's seemingly mundane, yet everchanging setting also contributes to the it's ominous tone. The relatable hallway setting gives no hints to the player as to what to expect. The fact that the hallway (sometimes subtly and sometimes obviously) changes each time the player enters also keeps the suspense at an all time high. With each new loop through the hallway, a crippling sense of dread over takes your entire body as your imagination fearfully ponders what horrors could be waiting around the next corner. In Lamon's terms, P. T. is designed to prey on the fear of what the player doesn't see or understand, the fear of the unkown.
This fear is further hammered into the player's psyche through P. T.'s exceptionally memorable sound design. Much of the horror of P. T. is derived from it's lack of sound during most of the game. Over half of the game is completely silent, building the player's tension to near unbearable levels and ensuring they jump at every little sound. When the game isn't silent, it is assaulting the player's ears with creepy, paranoia inducing sounds. Disembodied voices, blood curdling screams, and the eerie sound of a baby crying are just some of the spine chilling noises players may hear throughout the game. There is also a radio heard throughout the game which speaks of a grisly, shocking crime involving a father and his family which, again, helps to further enhance the game's sinister atmosphere.
The imagery in the game is also downright skin crawling. The visual design of Lisa (the murderous poltergeist that shares the hallway with you) is ghoulish and frighteningly memorable. Her mangled face is sure to burn it's way into your mind long after the game ends. She is also able to project shadows of herself on the walls of the hallway (among other ghostly methods of haunting the player) further helping to increase the player's paranoia. Morover, much of the truly horrific imagery throughout the game deals with extremely taboo and disturbing subjects. These include fetuses, unwanted pregnancy, and brutal familicide.
Overall, P. T. does it's job (to scare the player) and does it well. It also presents a thoroughly cryptic and ambiguous story that is sure to keep you thinking even after you finish the game. If you are an avid horror fan and are fortunate enough to come across this game, I would highly recommend playing it, you will get the scare of your life!
I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this game was so scary that there were times where I had to stop playing! It is honestly so terrifying that it makes most horror movies look positively tame in comparison!
This game truly frightened me in a way that I had never experienced before, and this was due to the many key aspects of horror game design that P. T. does brilliantly.
The game centers on an unamed protagonist who, for an unkown reason, is forced to walk through the same photorealistic apartment hallway looped over and over again.
P. T. Strips down gameplay to the bare minimum essentials, almost acting as a throwback to the oldschool, point and click, puzzle horror games of the 90s, but with a distinctly modern flare. You are able to walk and zoom your camera in on objects but that is the extent of what your character is able to do. For any other game genre, this gameplay design would severely limit the potential of the game, however, for horror games this choice is perfect. The lack of gameplay mechanics is designed to make the player feel helpless and at the mercy of whatever the game decides to throw at you. There is no way to hide or ward off the supernatural forces you will face in P. T. As such, the limited game mechanics work to help create a very intense and threatening atmosphere.
The game's mysterious nature and unpredictability is another key reason for it's immense scare factor. P. T. Is without a doubt one of the most cryptic games I have ever played. The player is dropped into the game with no knowledge of what is going on or how to progress. The game's seemingly mundane, yet everchanging setting also contributes to the it's ominous tone. The relatable hallway setting gives no hints to the player as to what to expect. The fact that the hallway (sometimes subtly and sometimes obviously) changes each time the player enters also keeps the suspense at an all time high. With each new loop through the hallway, a crippling sense of dread over takes your entire body as your imagination fearfully ponders what horrors could be waiting around the next corner. In Lamon's terms, P. T. is designed to prey on the fear of what the player doesn't see or understand, the fear of the unkown.
This fear is further hammered into the player's psyche through P. T.'s exceptionally memorable sound design. Much of the horror of P. T. is derived from it's lack of sound during most of the game. Over half of the game is completely silent, building the player's tension to near unbearable levels and ensuring they jump at every little sound. When the game isn't silent, it is assaulting the player's ears with creepy, paranoia inducing sounds. Disembodied voices, blood curdling screams, and the eerie sound of a baby crying are just some of the spine chilling noises players may hear throughout the game. There is also a radio heard throughout the game which speaks of a grisly, shocking crime involving a father and his family which, again, helps to further enhance the game's sinister atmosphere.
The imagery in the game is also downright skin crawling. The visual design of Lisa (the murderous poltergeist that shares the hallway with you) is ghoulish and frighteningly memorable. Her mangled face is sure to burn it's way into your mind long after the game ends. She is also able to project shadows of herself on the walls of the hallway (among other ghostly methods of haunting the player) further helping to increase the player's paranoia. Morover, much of the truly horrific imagery throughout the game deals with extremely taboo and disturbing subjects. These include fetuses, unwanted pregnancy, and brutal familicide.
Overall, P. T. does it's job (to scare the player) and does it well. It also presents a thoroughly cryptic and ambiguous story that is sure to keep you thinking even after you finish the game. If you are an avid horror fan and are fortunate enough to come across this game, I would highly recommend playing it, you will get the scare of your life!