Liminal space game with focus on eerie exploration and immersion instead of typical horror. Navigate through endless alike rooms. Explore, orient, get out.
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I got so scared i peed in the connective pool :(
One of the best psychological horror games inspired in Backrooms that i've played, my only complain is that it's too short for my taste.
Si vous voulez jouer à un jeu d'horreur où vous sursautez, passez votre chemin et ne mettez pas une mauvaise note au jeu juste pour ça. Le développeur a parfaitement saisi l'essence des backrooms. Le jeu se termine en à peu près 2h si on prend le temps de visiter, j'aurai bien aimé qu'il dure plus longtemps.
В определенный момент игра перестает быть атмосферным хоррором про Pools'ы, да и хоррором вовсе, и ты просто идешь сквозь игру и смотришь что еще тебе покажут разработчики. Показывают приколы, иногда смешные, иногда интересные, однако им не достаёт логической цельности, осознанного порядка, чтобы В шло за Б, а Б за А, полноценных тем для каждого отдельного уровня.
Концовка слегка фрустрирует, с отсылки на "Дом, который построил Джек" поржал
Концовка слегка фрустрирует, с отсылки на "Дом, который построил Джек" поржал
pretty neat, i dont go swimming much cause water makes me all wrinkly and uncomfortable so this game gave me that experience
Welcome to our OOL. Notice how there's no "P"?
Seriously though, POOLS is a walking simulator (e.g: Gone Home) with emphasis on navigating a maze-like level similar to Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1, except this one isn't procedurally generated. Levels take about 15-20 minutes to get through, since they're assembled in a labyrinthine manner and often have you going through some pretty tight spaces that play on vibes.
Is it scary? Not really. Apparently the whole Backrooms/Liminal Spaces gives zoomies PTSD, but this is oddly relaxing, almost therapeutic. The random sounds are dread-inducing, and present themselves just enough to earn a "psychological horror" tag.
If you walk into total darkness, jump off into the "deep end", or wade into the spiral pit on Level 2, the game rewinds time prior to you doing such actions. The goal is to finish the level though, and this gentle nudge reminds you of your 'mortality' without further penalty.
Like the Backrooms games, POOLS' greatest strength is its atmosphere. The chromatic aberration, lens distortion, film grain, reflection, light diffusion, and ambient occlusion all work in tandem to fool you, if just for a moment, into thinking you're not playing a Unity game. However, like its ancient ancestor Gone Home, if walking simulators annoy you, this one may too.
Seriously though, POOLS is a walking simulator (e.g: Gone Home) with emphasis on navigating a maze-like level similar to Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1, except this one isn't procedurally generated. Levels take about 15-20 minutes to get through, since they're assembled in a labyrinthine manner and often have you going through some pretty tight spaces that play on vibes.
Is it scary? Not really. Apparently the whole Backrooms/Liminal Spaces gives zoomies PTSD, but this is oddly relaxing, almost therapeutic. The random sounds are dread-inducing, and present themselves just enough to earn a "psychological horror" tag.
If you walk into total darkness, jump off into the "deep end", or wade into the spiral pit on Level 2, the game rewinds time prior to you doing such actions. The goal is to finish the level though, and this gentle nudge reminds you of your 'mortality' without further penalty.
Like the Backrooms games, POOLS' greatest strength is its atmosphere. The chromatic aberration, lens distortion, film grain, reflection, light diffusion, and ambient occlusion all work in tandem to fool you, if just for a moment, into thinking you're not playing a Unity game. However, like its ancient ancestor Gone Home, if walking simulators annoy you, this one may too.