The Park | Xbox One

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As far as horror-themed settings go, the haunted theme park is a relatively common and contrived one. Whilst we've seen carnivals take centre stage in cinema, games have generally reserved the locale for one-off, novelty excursions - The Park attempts to remedy that.

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​by Sam Sant

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@pass_controller

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Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
Developer: Funcom
Publisher: Funcom
Players: 1

Originally launching on PC in a more appropriate time slot last Halloween, Funcom recently brought the linear, psychological horror adventure to consoles. Funcom are best known for their eclectic MMO offerings, as well as the acclaimed Dreamfall adventure series. Whilst The Park might seem like a departure with this in mind, it’s actually a spin-off of 2012's The Secret World.

You don't need to be familiar with the conspiracy-laden MMO that inspired the game to derive enjoyment from its exploration of mental illness, however. You play Lorraine, who enters the closed Atlantic Island Park in pursuit of her son, Callum. Whilst the establishment looks innocent enough from the outside, things quickly take a turn for the sinister on the inside.
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The Park’s two hour duration is entirely narrative-driven, so we’ll keep to generalities in an attempt to avoid spoiling too much. Told through a refreshing mix of protagonist monologue, the environment, written documents (which are uncomfortably small), and occasional character dialogue, numerous elements hint at the fact the player perhaps shouldn’t place too much trust in Lorraine. Whilst neither an unreliable narrator or being prompted to question reality are new ideas, realistic framing makes for a thoughtful and important implementation.

We took a degree of satisfaction from the somewhat obvious conclusion, despite its ambiguity. It's a story open to interpretation, with strands that warrant investigation and subsequent playthroughs. That’s where longevity can be gleaned for those concerned by the short length.

Core gameplay is typical of a ‘walking simulator’ - thankfully one with a sprint function - whilst the ability to call out to Callum provides the gimmick to spice up proceedings. Think Heavy Rain's infamous "Jason" sequence, but not hysterically repetitive and flat. The vocals emit a sort of ripple effect that distorts elements able to be interacted with, ensuring you won’t miss anything significant. On occasion, Callum will answer, the direction of his voice serving to direct the player, whilst the nature of his replies can often induce a chill: "He's watching you, mommy." "Don't let him take me, mommy!"

It's a story open to interpretation, with strands that warrant investigation and subsequent playthroughs.

“He” is a recurring frightener, amongst others, ever aided by constant ambient whispers and animalistic sounds that emerge seemingly from thin air to taunt you. Whilst routinely unsettled, we were never outright scared.

Eternal Darkness inspired moments of fourth-wall-breaking manipulation to audio, gameplay and visuals were appreciated in essence, but intentional audio crackle and gameplay stutter quickly became an unwelcome distraction. That said, these methods of toying with us did succeed fantastically during the concluding sequence. The issues intensify with each continual loop through the same environment (yes, it’s very P.T.) until you’re driven half insane, beautifully mirroring that which plays out on-screen.

Whilst pretty in a quaint sort of way, The Park’s visuals are unimpressive and rife with pop-in. Load times are significant, though the entirety of the location is accessible without need for further delay following the lengthy initial wait. When the setting is titular, you’d expect it to shine, but outside of interacting with some of the attractions, there isn’t much defining about it. When we think back on carnival-type settings in games, fond memories of Bioshock Infinite, The House of the Dead: Overkill, Bully: Scholarship Edition and Left 4 Dead 2 are conjured; ironically, their flirtations with the setting were altogether more memorable.

Intentional technical issues intensify until you’re driven half insane, beautifully mirroring that which plays out on-screen.

Ultimately, these issues aren’t too detracting. The Park is laser-focused on delivering its narrative and it does so with some eloquence. Don’t expect a superlative videogame, but do look forward to a feature length horror experience that’ll engage your brain.

Pros:

• Thought-provoking exploration of mental illness
• Varied methods of narrative delivery
• Replayable for added longevity
• Unsettling at times
• Manipulation is used to great effect in the closing sequence...

Cons:

• … It isn’t so much elsewhere
• Titular park is a largely forgettable location
• Never truly scary
• Predictable, abrupt ending
• Documents are very difficult to read thanks to small text

Score 7/10​