There has been a significant trend in games flying under the radar this year. With some games releasing during the unfortunate time other AAA games/highly anticipated or disdained remakes and remasters were released. One such game released earlier this year in May was a survival horror game with a style similar to classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill games but with an art style reminiscent of Final Fantasy as well, that game being Crows Country.
Developed and published by SFB Games, Crows Country is an Indie survival horror game with a gameplay style inspired by the old Resident Evil and Silent Hill games of the past before the age of remasters and remakes. The story centers around Agent Maya Forest as she investigates an abandoned theme park called Crows Country in search of its owner Edward Crowe. As she investigates the park she encounters and rescues a Photographer Arthur who was attacked by animatronics/puppets that seem to be cursed into attacking anyone they see. As she continues her investigation she encounters many individuals who have ties to Edward including his daughter. Each individual gives hints about his possible whereabouts and ideas as to what may have happened to the park that resulted in it being abandoned. However as she gets further along in her investigation it’s revealed that Maya Forest may not be who she claims to be leaving the player wondering who she is and why she is actually looking for Edward Crowe.
What makes the gameplay of Crow’s Country similar to old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill games is Its great use of atmosphere and survival horror gameplay mechanics. Crow’s Country has three different difficulties: Exploration where enemies won’t attack players, survival which is the normal survival horror mode of the Game, and hardcore for those looking for a more intense challenge. Its gameplay and inventory system take inspiration from Resident Evil with Maya being unable to move while aiming/shooting her weapons and needing to open her inventory to use med kits and antidotes when she is close to death. These mechanics, while on the surface seem outdated especially since most remakes of classic horror games update their controls to be more accessible for modern players the lack of movement and quick heals help enhance the atmosphere and feelings of dread within Crow’s Country. The gameplay relies heavily on the conserving of resources such as ammo and healing items because most enemies take a lot of shots and deal a lot of damage to the player, however, there are ways to overpower them using objects around the map such as blue electrical boxes that when shot can shock whatever enemies are near them, players can also lure enemies into bear traps and red explosive barrels which can instantly kill them. If all else fails Maya can utilize weapons like her handgun, a shotgun, and a whole bunch of grenades that were left hidden around the theme park which raises a lot of questions, but since the park is swarmed with a bunch of possessed puppets and said theme park is already decayed and abandoned there’s no need to complain when it comes to property damage.
When it comes to the puzzles of Crows Country they aren’t very complicated, but also not mind numbingly simple either. One example of these puzzles came in the form of ringing a bell a specific number of times to open a door based on how many times a nearby crow crows. On the surface, this may seem stupidly simple, but What made it different is how the crows head and the bell were the same shape and the only way the player would notice this is if they looked closely at both designs rather than the game telling you by the camera panning to both the crow and the bell or some other unnecessary visual cue that treats the player like they are incapable of critical thinking. The game solely relies on visual storytelling and no audio hints and obvious directions every 24/7 meaning there are no directional arrows, no compasses, no objective markers/custom waypoints, and no annoying characters that tell you how to solve the puzzles. The only form of directional input comes from notes left behind by employees that can tell players where they can find key items, magazines that offer gameplay tips, easily missed maps that will put circles around key areas, and a fortune-telling machine that only has 10 hints that tell the player where to go per game. In most massive Open-world games that can be a problem, but the Theme park is small with only three themed key areas of interest; Fairytale Town, Haunted Hilltop, and Ocean Kingdom. There are no traditional autosaves, instead, the save points are flaming barrels and fireplaces which are hidden sparingly throughout the different key areas of the theme park. It’s great how this game treats its audience like capable individuals and trusts its players with figuring out its puzzles without overloading their senses with unnecessary visual or audio directions, hell there isn’t even any yellow paint or tape.
Overall the game’s atmosphere was very intense with a gameplay style that blends perfectly well with its horrifying environment. Crow’s Country delivers an experience that not only makes this one of the best Horror games of the year but yet again delivers a hidden gem of a game overshadowed this year by other AAA Games which most players including myself wish that wasn’t the case because this game deserves more respect and attention.
Overall Score: 10 out of 10
Reviewed On: Nintendo Switch