The Chant

 PlayStation 5
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 41
  3. Negative: 8 out of 41
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  1. Badgerryan27
    Nov 5, 2022
    7
    Pretty good. Definitely an AA game. So I didn’t expect the AAA level of quality. The story was fascinating, intense and mysterious. The combat even though very limited is pretty tight and very responsive. Kinda reminds me of that “Hellblade” type of combat. I did think the way the missions were laid out was a okay and felt the same throughout with each mission with its own little gimmickPretty good. Definitely an AA game. So I didn’t expect the AAA level of quality. The story was fascinating, intense and mysterious. The combat even though very limited is pretty tight and very responsive. Kinda reminds me of that “Hellblade” type of combat. I did think the way the missions were laid out was a okay and felt the same throughout with each mission with its own little gimmick and it was on the shorter side. But overall a quality experience in a small but reasonably priced package.… Expand
  2. Jt0429
    Nov 10, 2022
    6
    Good-
    An interesting mix of action and survival horror mechanics; the characters have plenty of depth; good voice acting
    Bad- Combat feels clunky due to janky animations and damage sponge enemies; Poor production values with little to no sense of atmosphere; an underdeveloped plot that's filled with contrivances Thoughts- The Chant tries to do so many things at once, and what    Good-
    An interesting mix of action and survival horror mechanics; the characters have plenty of depth; good voice acting

    Bad-
    Combat feels clunky due to janky animations and damage sponge enemies; Poor production values with little to no sense of atmosphere; an underdeveloped plot that's filled with contrivances

    Thoughts-
    The Chant tries to do so many things at once, and what happens is that everything gets muddled up in that pursuit – and none of these elements get the love and opportunity to shine as bright as they could. In addition to this, an underdeveloped plot that doesn’t do justice with its heavy themes and otherwise well-written characters alongside an underwhelming visual presentation also contribute to the feeling of the game being a missed opportunity. The Chant is not a bad game by any means, but it could have been so much better had it spent some more time in the oven.    … Expand
  3. Avid_StoryLover
    Nov 16, 2022
    9
    I have played quite a few AA horror games lately and this one was better then i thought it would be. I was interested in it from the launch trailer and decided to pick it up. Much like tormented souls and Fobia it was a worthy horror experience for a discounted price.
    One of the things that surprised me is it had a certain level of polish i wasn't expecting. The voice acting is    I have played quite a few AA horror games lately and this one was better then i thought it would be. I was interested in it from the launch trailer and decided to pick it up. Much like tormented souls and Fobia it was a worthy horror experience for a discounted price.
    One of the things that surprised me is it had a certain level of polish i wasn't expecting. The voice acting is surprisingly good for instance and hits the mark most of the time. The character models are a little rough around the edges but definitely got the job done, but as far as graphics the environments are where the game shines. The music is really good, I wasn't expecting the soundtrack to hit so hard. It had the prefect vibe for cosmic horror and i would love to get a hold of the ost. The monster designs are good to and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of enemy types and that's not including the four bosses. Like i said it had a lot of polish.
    The gameplay is good to, crafting you weapons and needing items for what accounts for your health bars creates a perfect balance of resource management that accompanies some of the greatest survival horror games.
    Also keeping track of your mind meter to keep from panicking works so well. Especially since falling into panic keeps you from being able to attack. you also keep track of your spirit which allows you to use your psychic abilities. An added bonus of unique powers at your disposal, I only wish i had had more opportunities to utilize some of the later ones considering you get them quite late in the game. Even the dodge works well, you can side step with a quick press but for more dangerous attacks you can double press to desperate dodge. You're no action hero and the desperate dodge sends your character clamoring across the floor for safety. It works well, being useful without getting in the way. While also adding to the tension and atmosphere. So I'm a big fan of it.
    I liked the story and while it is a simple premise its driven by the characters and their unique issues. And man the final boss was great, I loved its design and aesthetic. There was great atmosphere, tension and dread throughout the game. It also had multiple endings which I'm a fan of in horror games.
    All in all, a little rough around the edges at times, but i great experience for horror enthusiasts such as myself. I definitely recommend it.    … Expand
  4. TigerlilyJules
    Dec 4, 2022
    6
    Yes the graphics are subpar but that's fine I can get past that and the voice acting is...fine. it is a AA game so expectations were like in those departments. Chant offers nothing surprising or novel and the story is predictable and the puzzles are generic.

    I'm playing on the hardest difficulty and this game makes the same mistake many games do when they jack up the difficulty; give    Yes the graphics are subpar but that's fine I can get past that and the voice acting is...fine. it is a AA game so expectations were like in those departments. Chant offers nothing surprising or novel and the story is predictable and the puzzles are generic.

    I'm playing on the hardest difficulty and this game makes the same mistake many games do when they jack up the difficulty; give the enemies more health but not actually more difficult. When playing survival horror limited resources is normal however, the game is still playable. I frequently found myself with zero materials to craft weapons or keep myself alive. It's really frustrating to be stuck pushing your enemies to death.

    There's no enemy lock so you find yourself swinging at nothing and struggling to stay with your target and you often find yourself overwhelmed. Enemies will be off screen preparing to hit you with instant kill moves which is just frustrating when your weapons are exhausted after 5 hits and you need 20 to kill anything. Every five steps you find yourself in yet another ambush with the exact same enemies. Your dude is your character literally stumbling and falling to the ground and I often find myself dying while waiting for her to get back up. The characters movements are unnecessarily slow and leaves you with a lot of room for attacks that you're unable to dodge. There's very little variety and this game becomes stale and repetitive quickly.

    I felt like a lot of the imagery was ripped straight from other items in pop culture like stranger things and resident evil. The story was generic and I couldn't have cared about anyone in the game less.

    I was disappointed and unimpressed. I will reluctantly finish for the trophies but that will take time since I can't play more than 30-45 minutes due to how boring this game is.

    I'm unsure if I would recommend even if someone gave it to me for free.    … Expand
  5. sajdi-san
    Nov 5, 2022
    8
    Fantastic game with great atmosphere but unfortunetely too short .If you enjoyed Alan Wake this is for you.
  6. Jiverson36
    Nov 6, 2022
    9
    I love the gameplay mechanics I will love to see more games from this developers good job underrated game
  7. Notorioustk
    Nov 4, 2022
    8
    This is a AA game (as opposed to a big budget release like God of War or Resident Evil) and I think people should keep that in mind. I am about 5 hours in and am enjoying the story immensely. It is easy to follow and has many mysteries and twists and turns that will keep you entertained. The gameplay is creepy and intense at times, but not overwhelming like RE can be. Action is not theThis is a AA game (as opposed to a big budget release like God of War or Resident Evil) and I think people should keep that in mind. I am about 5 hours in and am enjoying the story immensely. It is easy to follow and has many mysteries and twists and turns that will keep you entertained. The gameplay is creepy and intense at times, but not overwhelming like RE can be. Action is not the focus, the story seems to be and the characters. The graphics are not amazing but they’re not laughable or glitchy or anything. I would recommend this to any horror fan especially at 39.99. If that’s more than you want to risk spending this will probably go on sale or end up on game pass eventually. Have fun!… Expand
  8. Jbrown12
    Nov 4, 2022
    9
    Great asthetic, loving it so far. Nearing the end of the game I feel, but such a unique experience
  9. Exlee3000
    Nov 10, 2022
    9
    Well done survival horror game considering the small team and small resources. The cult theme is unique to the genre. Gameplay is solid as is the story. Recommended!
  10. Rincemac
    Nov 5, 2022
    8
    If you like the big budget "blockbusters" of decisionmaking titles like Supermassive's Until Dawn and The Quarry you will enjoy the story of this mystery caper. This game plays on the remote "Glory Island", a lonesome but beautiful spot used by some Yogi-meditative types. You're stumbling on the island through invitation but after the first night you find that you got a bit more than youIf you like the big budget "blockbusters" of decisionmaking titles like Supermassive's Until Dawn and The Quarry you will enjoy the story of this mystery caper. This game plays on the remote "Glory Island", a lonesome but beautiful spot used by some Yogi-meditative types. You're stumbling on the island through invitation but after the first night you find that you got a bit more than you can sensibly chew in one bite. The island is haunted by a strange interdimensional force called the "Gloom", and with it come a plethora of otherworldly beasts and waves of insanity befall your fellow meditators.

    It seems you are the one that is the least affected in mind, but you are being hunted actively by an interdimensional being that seems to be made of ... bees and a huge chunk of your conscience lashing out at you.

    The gameplay is more like a Silent Hill or Resident Evil of the "old times" and can be quite bothersome since survival-horror games are by definition making you "fight all the way" with sparse resources, and this game is no exception. With the combat and mechanics being as repetitive as they come and resources as far in-between finding them as ever, the story is what carries this game to the end. The visuals are not a big budget production but good enough - facial expressions etc. are wooden when compared to espcially the two I mentioned, but it would be very unfair comparison since those also cost double of what The Chant is asking you to dish out.

    The good:
    [Storyline] is well-thought out and interesting enough for the premise to make you want to see Jess' journey to an end on Glory Island.
    [Visuals and Audio] are adequately "pulling you in"
    [Sense of Danger] The entity following you in a pure R.E. Nemesis style will definitely keep you on edge, while you will curse the lack of enough resources to craft enough weapons to keep you fighting.
    [Mechanics] of "Body, Mind, Spirit" as the three main stats to keep and build work well enough...

    The bad:
    ... but the [Mechanics] are getting repetitive - some riddles will be a pure "go back and fetch" quests where areas open up to you at later stages.

    [Skilltree] - the mind stat is especially low at all times (at least during my playthrough) - so the character was constantly on edge of "going into flight mode" where fighting is made impossible. There would probably be a better way to balance this.
    [Skilltree & Leveling] the leveling mechanic is pretty obscure - since you need to build up to being able to level any of your special skills you actually need to get attacked and heal, it's not immediately clear and is also not explained that well.
    [Challenge Level] at lower level some of the challenges can be pretty tough and some enemies should rather be circumvented than fought - I learned this too late and was running out of weapons at a crucial point with almost no way to finish a fight that needed fighting. Beware of that.    … Expand
  11. Khristian5
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    Es como tener un antiguo survival horror con apartado técnico mucho más actual. Terror, sectas y horror sobrenatural (cósmico). Buena banda sonora, doblado en varios idiomas y el punto flojo sería el sistema de combate que es algo tosco y sencillo.
  12. Conmanus
    Nov 16, 2022
    4
    I feel stupid buying this for full price. An obvious mistake that a lot of creative but lazy people (myself included) make is thinking "good enough" when they're only halfway to something great. This game is the perfect example of this.

    playing on ps5, the faces and hair look like ps3 graphics. the creatures look like ripoffs from other games, with some neon colors added (ooh, how    I feel stupid buying this for full price. An obvious mistake that a lot of creative but lazy people (myself included) make is thinking "good enough" when they're only halfway to something great. This game is the perfect example of this.

    playing on ps5, the faces and hair look like ps3 graphics. the creatures look like ripoffs from other games, with some neon colors added (ooh, how modern... PSYCH) no excuse for this. it's 2022 and your game looks like **** the setting just a bunch of super twisty paths connecting buildings. The combat it simple melee fighting, except you fight with ...sage? cool, i guess.

    nah actually thats stupid.

    People saying the story is it's highlight? what story!? you already know the whole story after the opening scene! there is no interesting character archs, no subverting expectations, no big emotional or spectacular moments. it's just boring. and the only parts that aren't too easy are just frustratingly simple but tedious.

    I think the gameplay is fine. I finished the game so it's not like it was a total steaming pile, I'm just slightly annoyed I once again wasted $55 on a mediocre game I finished in one night.    … Expand
  13. AHmedd247
    Nov 6, 2022
    10
    The story. Some visual problems such as lighting, but this is close to perfection for an AA game.
  14. ParanoydAndroyd
    Nov 24, 2022
    10
    Game has some quality issues. Fun horror/supernatural game that sets it apart from the rest of the fodder out there.
  15. PMG-Writer
    Nov 5, 2022
    7
    Thus, "The Chant" has not become a bad game, but offers you exciting and interesting moments in the gameplay. The storyline would have simply been more urgent and also the combat system, despite good approaches, would have simply had more depth and time. Unfortunately, the presentation is also only average. At least exploring the island is always fun when we aren't reached by the annoyingThus, "The Chant" has not become a bad game, but offers you exciting and interesting moments in the gameplay. The storyline would have simply been more urgent and also the combat system, despite good approaches, would have simply had more depth and time. Unfortunately, the presentation is also only average. At least exploring the island is always fun when we aren't reached by the annoying fog. Nevertheless, "The Chant" has become an interesting game with good approaches, but too many weak points.… Expand
  16. Atole123
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    Great for a AA title, I especially love the world it's set in, it gives a bunch of creepy vibes. I would definitely recommend it!
  17. agaronla
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    This is an amazing game! I loved every minute of this game. It is a AA game that hits all the right notes for me. Story, Horror, Combat, visuals. This company is hitting way above it's weight class and I am so excited to see their next game and where they go from here.
  18. TomVdS
    Jan 12, 2023
    8
    I had a great time with The Chant. It's just this nice, easily digestible horror title with which you can snuggle up for a few evenings. It's no graphical powerhouse, it's not the longest and it has some wonky animations, but it pulls it all together nicely.

    The chant takes inspiration from games like the last of us or Alan Wake. Set on a small remote island a ritual to connect with    I had a great time with The Chant. It's just this nice, easily digestible horror title with which you can snuggle up for a few evenings. It's no graphical powerhouse, it's not the longest and it has some wonky animations, but it pulls it all together nicely.

    The chant takes inspiration from games like the last of us or Alan Wake. Set on a small remote island a ritual to connect with another dimension goes wrong and chaos erupts. Each chapter has you following one of the cult members to a certain part of the island. Overall the game is very linear though you do have the occasional shed, house or smaller area to explore. Chapters are a constant mix of action and puzzles. The puzzles will never hold you back. They are more of the 'collect x keys' or 'redirect beam A to beam B' sort of things.

    Combat is wonkey to say the least, but it does what it needs to do. Think Silent Hill: limited animations, limited weapons. The main character is no action hero. The dogde mechanic is vital on higher difficulties. Most of the time it looks like she throws herself on the ground. Dark souls this is not. The hitboxes and i-frames are very generous though. There are particular battles where you get into a nice rhythm of hitting the enemy, dogding an attack, throwing some damaging essential oils. There are a lot of tools available: some basic damaging special abilities, throwables and different weapons whose damage output depends on which dimension you're in. Think of the upside down from Stranger Things and you're actually pretty close to what's on offer in The Chant.

    Graphically The Chant won't blow you away. The scenery is overall very descent and sets the tone nicely. More complex stuf like water (be it ocean or waterfall) are noticebly of lesser quality. Character models are as to be expected from a lower budget title of ps3 quality. Especially the facial hair makes characters stand out for the wrong reasons. Nonetheless, the voice acting is there to back things up. Enemy designs are diverse. For a rather short game (around 6 hours) there's a surprising amount of different beings to fight. From humanoid enemies to more otherworldly designs, great job.

    The Chant is a game with a clear vision of what it wants to achieve. The studio knows it's limitations very well and has succeeded in building a solid, technically sound game with those boundaries. I didn't experience any glitches nor crashes. I didn't get lost and when I died it was entirely my fault. I feel like I got a lot of value from this game and am looking forward to what the studio will do next in the future.    … Expand
  19. ulises1
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    Es un buen juego, un poco corto y con gráficos normalitos, pero su jugabilidad e historia es buena. Uno de los tapados del 2022.
  20. StIwY
    Aug 29, 2023
    5
    Mediocre game, uninspiring plot, stupid weapons,and you can run out easily with these ( the only "attack" would be some shoulder hit....never seen such a stupid way to attack since a lot ), flat characters, super easy "puzzles", no exploration at the island which is very small. Does not worth more than 10 bucks.

Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. KeenGamer
    Jan 23, 2023
    75
    The Chant offers the player a trip into horrors not in the usual settings but at a yoga retreat. An insane cult and neon cosmic terrors separate The Chant from other survival horror games for its unique tone. However, faults in the visual and gameplay polish hold The Chant back from reaching the point of an instant horror classic. Instead, it is a sure-to-be cult classic worth the short journey.
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  2. PLAY
    Dec 14, 2022
    50
    It’s got promise and plenty of atmosphere, but with unlikeable characters, lacklustre story development, and average activity, The Chant hits a bit of a bum note. [Issue#22, p.76]
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Dec 13, 2022
    60
    The Chant tries hard to convey certain spooky vibes with its occult exploration of the human psyche and emotions but ultimately fails to impress with mediocre combat, forgettable story and lacklustre enemy design. It has some great ideas, acting and visuals, especially for an indie game, but it never uses them to the fullest and is drawn back by many of its flaws.
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