Developer: Protocol Games
Publisher: Raiser Games
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Song of Horror (PS4) – Review
Song of Horror is no stranger to our site, as we have covered the different episodes separately, only to review the complete edition soon after. We concluded that the game is truly a magnificent horror experience, that also allows newcomers to the genre to play without too many risks. You can opt to have the perma-death feature on, which means your characters only have one life, or you can go for the casual route, and allow them to make mistakes when The Presence snatches them up. As we have already done a lot of in-depth pieces about the game, we’ll be limiting ourselves to a small recap and comparison for the PlayStation 4 version. PlayStation 5 owners can also play the game via backwards compatibility.
As to content, the console version of the game does not add anything new to the mix. You’ll have your five chapters to wade through, and that’s about it. Nonetheless, you’ll take around two hours per chapter, making Song of Horror a fairly meaty game for its genre. The story appeal is quite high, even if the story only progresses in between chapters. You’ll find documents and other trinkets that tell you a bit more about what is going on, but that’s basically it. Overall, the game manages to pull you in, and you’ll constantly want to keep pressing on, be it to solve a puzzle, or simply to see the game’s conclusion.
The graphical prowess is fairly okay for the PlayStation 4, but mainly when it comes to the set-building of the world. The decors and backdrops look amazing, as they are filled with (static) clutter and feel lived in. The characters, however, don’t particularly shine on the PS4, where faces sometimes look a bit distorted and textures are very pixilated or muddy. We even encountered some graphical glitches, where we saw our torch floating outside of our hand, general clipping issues, and even a massive ‘blue wall’ blocking our entire view in one room. While these were small annoyances, the example of the latter could have been quite annoying if it occurred during one of the game’s chase sequences where you have to find a safe spot.
We noticed that the controls aren’t always extremely intuitive and that certain actions are actually hard to perform. Sometimes you have to align yourself a bit too precisely to actually be able to interact with the item in front of you. That being said, the game has a lot of items you can inspect, giving you an extra layer of immersion, as each character also gives different lines for a lot of the game’s objects.
It’s true that we may have complained a bit when having a closer look at the PS4 version of the game, we still enjoyed the experience from start to finish. The game is very interesting, and the perma-death system also puts you on edge. Of course, as mentioned above, this can be turned off for those who really do not like this mechanic. If you only have a console at your disposal, it’s still a game that runs without too many hiccups. We had a few minor bugs where we had to retrace our steps a tiny bit because we were stuck on the staircase in chapter one, for example.
Conclusion
Even though there is a small quality dip compared to the original PC version, the game is still very much worth looking into if you’re in need of a great survival horror game, with a fair number of puzzles thrown in the mix. The overall world-crafting was magnificently done, and the length of each individual chapter feels just right. Every new area does not overstay its welcome, and the story progresses steadily enough to remain interesting. With a few graphical bugs aside, and some wonky controls, you’re still getting a solid horror experience.
Song of Horror (PS4) - Review,
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