Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut

The fact that a game with this style of presentation works so well to make you feel uncomfortable and creep you out is a testament to how well written and designed it is. It would have been easy to put too much of one thing or another in it so that the subtle balance of it all would be lost and this adventure feel like a complete mess, but that's not the case. It's a truly disturbing story that demands using your imagination to perceive this as more than a bunch of huge pixels on a screen, and this involvement is part of what makes the cake lift at the end of the day, and that is a genuine tour de force. That's not to say that it's perfect, as some things are not always executed brilliantly, and yet, in the end, the atmosphere and immersion are not spoiled by such little shortcomings, and the experience ultimately still comes highly recommended.

This is a game not only intriguing, complex, ingenious but also challenging and appealing.

Rather than the classic tension buildup, climax and return to an apparent normality, Lone Survivor prefers to let the players question themselves constantly over what is real and what is not and not giving them the chance to feel safe once the worst seems to be over. A magnificent and intriguing effort, worth of all attention by those brave enough to explore it.

Though it takes some getting used to, partly due to a baffling map system, the psychological horror of Lone Survivor can extend far beyond the confines of the television screen.

Jasper Byrne's experience surprises in many moments, but never denies its indie origin and certain limitations due to this.