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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »