3 
1 In a world of horror big hitters like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, it can be hard to come up with something that reinvents the genre in a way that is successful and even more terrifying than the bigger players in the game. Rat Cliff Games decided that it was time to take the reins with their new first-person horror Among Ashes. When I saw the first trailer for Among Ashes, I initially skipped it. Not because it didn’t interest me but because I knew a demo wouldn’t be enough. The trailer alone had me instantly hooked and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Safe to say this game did not disappoint and is easily one of the best games I’ve played in 2024.
You can grab Among Ashes on Steam and PlayStation now!
Just keep playing? Easier said than done!
Gameplay
Uncover the true horrors that haunt Night Call, an indie game, which has real world repercussions. No matter what you do, just keep playing. Even when it feels like the world around you is changing.
The first thing you do when you start this game is play ‘Doomed’ a first-person, demon filled shooter. It lures you into a false sense of security because it seems pretty light-hearted and fun. After being beat by the first boss, the game really begins. Your friend Mark reaches out to you after finding a new game in an online forum and asks you to download it. Even just reading the post where the download link is posted, it’s pretty clear that something is off. It’s hard to tell whether game developer David Smith is trying to set the tone or is apologising to players. This is the true beginning of the game and soon you are thrown into the world of ‘Night Call’. In this ‘game’ you play as a policeman investigating a report of a woman screaming in a nearby mansion.
After meeting a maid and Dr Stoker, you soon realised that everything is not as it seems. The dead are coming back to life and mutated monsters trying to kill you as you uncover the truth of the Stoker family.
Among Ashes plays like a standard RPG, using the analogue sticks to move and triangle to interact with the different objects that you come across. It’s easy to get to grips with regardless of how much time you spend playing games.
Among the ashes of the real world
Among Ashes becomes most interesting as you start to notice the way ‘Night Call’ effects real life. At first I was a bit lost on why there was an external story line happening as nothing seemed to match up. Then I got jump scared by someone knocking on the door, an ominous note and a dead woman hiding in the corner of my living room. Admittedly, I was not the best at realising when I had to step away from the computer and investigate the small apartment, even if it was obvious.
As well as that, Mark chirps in every so often with hints, tips and news articles about freak accidents that relate directly to the game. It gives hints into the real story of Among Ashes and the truth of the supernatural elements within the ‘Night Call’ game. Rat Cliff Games have really outdone themselves with their approach to story telling and psychological horror.
Bugs & Glitches
Despite the fact that some of the bugs and glitches in this game are intended, I did run into a few issues where I had to reload. There was a puzzle later in the game that was reliant on an item from the ‘real world’ crossing into ‘Night Call’ and it wasn’t until I restarted the game that it actually appeared in my game inventory. I ended up running round the map for 20 minutes trying to figure out whether I was just being stupid. There were also a few instances where if I got a combination lock wrong, I couldn’t leave the screen so I would have to reload the game.
Graphics & Audio
I’ve been really enjoying the reappearance of old school graphics in video games. Among Ashes uses a good mix of old school PS1 graphics and more modern graphics to create the feeling that horror never ends. The creatures themselves weren’t overtly scary as it seemed like the graphics of ‘Night Call’ carried into the real world. They were more grotesque than scary, which is to be expected given the plot of the game and how they came to exist.
The monsters made you uncomfortable more than anything else. There was one enemy type that is best described as a spider with a long neck and human face. They were pretty harmless but they really enhanced how horrifying this entire situation that you’re in is. The sound they made when you were fighting them was like a baby crying. I ended up just running and leaving them alone because I felt bad! It’s an interesting design from Rat Cliff Games which, in hindsight, matches up really well with the plot.
Similarly, the attention to detail in the audio design is incredible. Things like moving from hard floor to carpet and the sound of doors closing really enhanced the gameplay. Even though I knew there was nothing following me, hearing a door shut in the distance made me panic. I spent ages with my revolver at the ready for whatever horrific creature was hunting me down.
Longevity
My first play through of Among Ashes took around 4 hours on normal difficulty and that included getting confused. It’s not a very long game but it is an interesting one with the story throwing twists at you across ‘real life’, ‘Night Call’ and then games within the game. That and I honestly don’t think I fully understand what’s going on but I want to. Saying that, I am going to replay it again to get the Platinum as I only have to get through the game on hard difficulty whilst not killing any monsters.
If you’re a fan of horror then it’ll be easy to finish this game and go back to it to play again. It’s a memorable experience and has the same vibes as picking up one of your favourite films to rewatch it a year later.
Final Thoughts
Despite the minor bugs that I experienced, there wasn’t a single moment where I wasn’t having fun with this game. It was a spooky breath of fresh air that twisted horror into something that I haven’t seen in other games. The infection of the real world added another layer of tension which made everything feel that much more intense. How far can an infection spread between video games? I’m very excited to see what comes next from Rat Cliff Games! I can’t wait to play whatever mind-bending horror they release in the future.
I knew within the first hour of playing Among Ashes that the only award that it deserved was the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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