PGC NEWS

Edge of Sanity, the latest survival horror game from Polish indie developer Vixa Games, blends Lovecraftian horror with survival and resource management elements, reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon. But does it deliver a truly captivating experience? Let’s delve into the chilling world of Edge of Sanity and uncover its strengths and weaknesses.

A Descent into Madness: The Story and Atmosphere

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You play as Carter, a supply runner for the PRISM organization, trapped in a sinister research facility teeming with grotesque creatures. Your primary objective is to find other survivors and escape this nightmarish place. Edge of Sanity excels in creating a truly unsettling atmosphere. The dark, oppressive environments, from blood-soaked labs to desolate forests, constantly instill a sense of dread. This fear is amplified when navigating dimly lit corners, where monstrous threats lurk.

The game masterfully uses environmental storytelling to enhance the horror. Rooms filled with corpses and strange, oversized test tubes hint at the presence of powerful, unseen entities, keeping you on edge and constantly anticipating the next terrifying encounter.

Survival and Resource Management: A Delicate Balance

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Edge of Sanity features familiar survival and resource management mechanics, similar to Resident Evil and Dead Rising. You begin with only a lantern, scavenging for weapons and supplies throughout your journey. Initially, armed with just rocks and traps, you’re forced to rely on stealth, quickly slipping past enemies to avoid detection. Prolonged proximity to these creatures drains your sanity, leading to detrimental effects.

As you progress, you acquire better equipment and weaponry. However, the enemies become more resilient and numerous, increasing the risk of being cornered and overwhelmed. Despite the escalating danger, the combat encounters remain manageable. Stealth often provides a viable alternative, and resource management is relatively forgiving, even becoming quite abundant in the later stages with careful planning.

Base Management and Narrative Choices: Missed Opportunities

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While the core gameplay loop of exploration and survival is engaging, the base management aspect falls short. You assign rescued survivors to mundane tasks like cooking, gathering water, and scavenging for materials. This mechanic lacks depth and becomes repetitive, offering little strategic value.

Occasional events, such as injuries or thefts, add minor complications but don’t significantly impact the overall experience. These interruptions primarily serve as distractions, forcing you to replenish lost resources instead of progressing the narrative.

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The branching dialogue system, while promising, ultimately fails to deliver meaningful choices. Similar to Skull and Bones, the conversations often boil down to binary options with negligible consequences, regardless of your selection. These hollow interactions detract from the narrative immersion and feel like missed opportunities to deepen player engagement.

Technical Hiccups and Design Flaws

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Beyond the aforementioned shortcomings, Edge of Sanity suffers from several minor issues. The controls feel clunky at times, and the puzzles are simplistic and primarily serve to pad the gameplay by forcing backtracking. The enemy AI can also be inconsistent, exhibiting erratic behavior, sometimes abandoning pursuit mid-chase or appearing abruptly in predictable locations.

Conclusion: A Flawed but Atmospheric Horror Experience

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Edge of Sanity delivers a chilling and atmospheric survival horror experience, effectively capturing the essence of Lovecraftian dread. However, its flawed base management, underwhelming narrative choices, and technical hiccups prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite its shortcomings, fans of the genre will likely find enjoyment in its oppressive atmosphere and challenging gameplay. If you’re seeking a truly terrifying and immersive survival horror experience, Edge of Sanity is worth considering, but be prepared for some rough edges along the way.