You’ll find no shortage of scary games releasing for October. Fear the Spotlight is a retro-styled survival-horror game that might’ve caught your interest due to its old-school visuals. If you’re looking for something scary to play, you could be checking this title out.
The original Fear the Spotlight was released last year. This version is a re-release of the same game with added story content. The game was available on Steam, but it was temporarily unavailable due to the release of this version.
Fear the Spotlight was created by Cozy Game Pals. They’re not really a developer I’m familiar with, but looking at their lineup it seems that they do specialize in horror games such as this. If you’ve already played the original version, you may be asking if this re-release is worth going through it again. Let’s find out!
Playing through Fear the Spotlight, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the first-ever Silent Hill. It takes place in a school that’s being warped by something supernatural and not to mention that the tone of the game lays a heavy emphasis on bullying. There’s even a piano puzzle where the keys are covered in blood. It’s obvious where the developers take clear inspiration from.
You play as Vivian, a shy girl who sneaks into her school with her crush with the intention of playing with forces they can’t understand. Predictably something goes terribly wrong and she finds herself warped into a version of her school that she’s unfamiliar with.
With Amy nowhere in sight, Vivian has to navigate this unfamiliar background while avoiding the spotlight and solving puzzles to save her friend. And while at it, she might be able to uncover the truth of the horrors if she survives the night.
I feel it’s a bit generous to classify Fear the Spotlight as a survival horror. If anything, I’d place it more as a horror puzzle game genre. There’s really not much to survive against here and encounters with something that can kill you really amount to just avoiding their gaze.
In terms of horror, the game isn’t really scary but it does carry a very creepy atmosphere that feels uncomfortable to walk through. I really like the fact that it doesn’t rely on cheap jumpscares. You’ll always anticipate something wrong to happen but nothing really jumps out at you.
There are these little humanoid creatures that hide in the dark watching you and then go away when you get too close. These little guys can give you a bit of a scare the first time you notice them. However, they’re harmless and what you really have to lookout for is the monster with the spotlight for a head.
To be honest, I’m not really sure what they were going for with the monster design. At first, I thought it represented how strict the teachers were in the school, considering that Vivian and Amy talked about how unreasonable the faculty could be. However, once I discovered the truth behind the monster I couldn’t really see the reasoning behind the design.
The monster itself wasn’t really scary; partly because it didn’t really feel like it’s anything dangerous. If anything it felt like being chased around by Pixar’s mascot. If you get caught, you get burned by its gaze.
Taking damage in the game isn’t an instant game over but Vivian will take damage to her lungs. You’ll need to use a consumable inhaler in order to restore your health. What’s interesting is that these inhalers are very few and throughout most of the game I only ever had one.
That’s not to say you’ll be needing it much. I went through the bulk of the game without ever taking damage. It’s easy enough to avoid the spotlight if you’re careful that your health doesn’t become too much of a concern.
The bulk of the gameplay is really in its puzzles. Some of these puzzles can be hard because of the lack of instruction. I really like the fact that Fear the Spotlight doesn’t have much handholding. Even the notes you find scattered around don’t really clue you in. A particular puzzle involving the fuse box stumped me for a quarter-hour before it all clicked.
The main story isn’t really long and you can finish it all in one sitting. You can complete the game in about 2 to 3 hours. What this new version adds is a different perspective after you’ve completed the game.
After you’ve finished Vivian’s story, you’ll unlock Amy’s side of the tale. Unlike the previous protagonist, Amy does have a few tools to make her stand out. For starters, she doesn’t need to pick up a flashlight like Vivian as she comes armed with her phone that she can use to shine a light and make phone calls.
Amy also comes with a lockpick that allows her to pick locks instead of looking for keys. Unlike Vivian, she doesn’t need an inhaler to heal but her health is measured by stress.
Playing this game on the PS5, I did have several notable options available to tweak with. For starters, I could choose between a “Smooth” frame rate and its intended “Retro” style. I could also choose to dial down the settings that made the game look like it ran through an old CRT television.
I chose to leave everything as default for the entire game as I felt like this was the intended way to play. It’s nice to know you have options to modernize your experience but I feel the retro visuals are what did the game justice.
I’d recommend Fear the Spotlight for those who like the retro-styled horror and indie game experiences. There is extra content to dive into for those returning but you have to complete the game first before you can unlock it. I think the game is a decent horror experience for those who are looking for something creepy to dive into this Halloween.
