Review: Chasmal Fear (PC)

Chasmal Fear, the latest release from publisher Wandering Wizard and developer MystiveDev, is a First-Person horror game that lets players experience the terror of avoiding mutated monsters while managing resources and health in a massive underwater complex. Similar to games such as Deadspace and Bioshock, the two siblings of developer MystiveDev have delivered a terrifying and difficult experience.

Built with Unreal Engine 5 and seen from the view of a bodycam, the gameplay of Chasmal Fear mostly consists of going from area to area in the underwater city of Magnus, clearing out large numbers of monsters with only a pistol and your choice of rifle or shotgun. With the limited amount of supplies, Chasmal Fear challenges players to pick their battles. Knowing when to run and when to fight is a crucial part of the game.

It’s your job to uncover the mysteries of the abyss and provide an answer to why the citizens of Magnus have turned into monsters. The story is mainly drip-fed to the player through notes and emails sent from various characters. Although hard to follow at times, it does keep the player engaged through the entirety of the game.

A warning to players who are easily nauseated by certain movement, the bodycam perspective of the game keeps the game fresh and interesting, although it can be nauseating when running from enemies. Ther also seems to be some lag in camera movement which can sometimes make finding enemies attacking you difficult. Although frustrating at times, the point of view still makes for a very immersive experience. Despite the camera hiccup,Chasmal Fear looks gorgeous and shows off what Unreal Engine 5 can do when it’s in the hands of talented developers. MystiveDev does a great job of this, and their love for game development shows in every ounce of the visuals in Chasmal Fear.

Chasmal Fear introduces multiple interesting mechanics such as the mutation system. The mutation system is a very unique addition to the game because even after finishing an enemy (or so you think), enemies can then mutate if players aren’t careful to ensure the enemies are finished. Once an enemy mutates they come back even stronger, so be sure to finish them off before that happens. This feature makes for some intense battles and brings even more fun to Chasmal Fear.

A great feature of Chasmal Fear is that it’s procedurally-based, which means every choice you make in the game affects the events that take place in it. Most notably, the way players engage with enemies will dictate how enemy behavior progresses throughout the game. If players sneak past enemies without being seen, enemies later on may not as be on high alert since they don’t know there is an unwelcome visitor in the facility. Keep in mind throughout the game that every decision matters; there’s nothing players do in the game that won’t affect paths, enemy decisions, supply chains, etc.

Chasmal Fear also features 2 player co-op, so two players can work their way through the game. To minimize the advantage of having two players working together, enemies change their strategy and adapt. It’s a welcome feature that keeps both players engaged and challenged.

Overall, Chasmal Fear delivers a tense and immersive horror experience. With its unique mechanics, eerie atmosphere, and high replayability factor, Chasmal Fear is a positive and interesting addition to the horror genre.

Chasmal Fear is available via Steam at an MSRP of $19.99