While the Halloween season might have come to an end, that doesn't mean that the spooky vibes have to go along with it. There is no shortage of new horror games, shows, and movies being released, making any time of year perfect for those people who are looking for a few scares. Newly released just days after Halloween, indie title, The Chant, is a cosmic and spiritual third-person horror survival game inspired by the psychedelic horror of the 1970s. It was developed by Brass Token and has been attracting quite a bit of buzz among gamers.
In The Chant, players take on the role of Jess, a young woman who decides to embark on a spiritual retreat on a remote island -- surely a recipe for disaster, as any horror fan might predict. As things start to go sideways and the peaceful weekend trip turns into something out of a nightmare, Jess interacts with other members of the retreat to fight off the strange cosmic creatures that begin to attack them. The Chant is a game full of mysteries waiting to be solved, and it does a great job of combining spiritual cult-like horror elements with cosmic, otherworldly ones.
The Chant is a Promising Debut from an Indie Studio
The Chant being an indie game may surprise players who see its grandiose visuals. The graphics are impressive even by AAA standards, and the cinematic, picturesque shots of the player's surroundings do a great job of really immersing them in the world. Even more impressive, perhaps, is the design of the otherworldly elements of the game, including the monsters, which are reminiscent of Stranger Things.
The Chant Goes Immerses the Player in Spiritual Lore
The way that the player goes about fighting the monstrosities of the island is interesting. Instead of the makeshift weapons and guns that players might use in other survival horror games, in The Chant, players fight off these beings with things like incense sticks, salt, and oils. While other games like Phasmophobia might let players use these types of items, their utilization in The Chant feels refreshing, as it really lets the game lean into its spiritual elements.
Another feature of the game that feels interesting and fresh is the three-part health system that keeps the player alive. Instead of using a typical health bar, players in The Chant must balance their Mind, Body, and Spirit. This is an interesting way to weave in some elements of the character's backstory, as well as address the fact that in these horrifying situations, a person's psychological state is often just as important as their physical state when it comes to survival. Along the way, the game allows for a bit of exploration, provides a lot of interactions with some great characters, and provides some engaging puzzles.
The Chant Has Divergent Endings Based on the Player's Choices
The game doesn't have the longest playthrough time, but it does allow for three different endings. So, if players are dying for more once they beat the game, nothing is stopping them from jumping back in and seeing how the narrative branches differ. Along the way, the atmosphere works to make the player feel unsettled and the engaging cast of characters, along with some great voice acting performances, makes the game worth repeated playing.
While The Chant might not be as terrifying as some other entries in the horror genre, it offers a great supernatural experience for anyone still craving some spooky vibes as the weather gets colder. The way that this indie game uses cosmic and spiritual elements, allowing them to converge in psychedelia, is bound to please fans of the survival horror genre.