0 
0 Let’s check out a new survival horror game which was developed by SFB Games, called Crow Country. You’ll explore an abandoned theme park while looking for the owner who’s gone missing.
When has an amusement park not been fun?
The player will have to solve environmental puzzles and mange their ammo as they wander this dilapidated place.
The game is out now as of May 4th this year and you can pick it up on Steam for £16.75.
Gameplay
Crow Country plays a lot like some of the earlier Resident Evil games except without the tank controls and no fixed cameras. We play as Mara Forest, a young woman who goes to Crow Country Amusement Park to locate the owner, Edward Crow. You start with nothing but a handgun, but can find other weapons as you play.
As you explore the park, keep and eye out for resources, such as med kits, ammo, grenades and antidotes, to help you out. You’ll find these items in barrels, crates, lockers and glass bottles. Keep an eye out because some items blend into the environment and you can easily miss them. The max number of med kits and antidotes you can hold is five.
Getting around and environmental puzzles.
The biggest part of the game is the puzzles you will have to solve to get into new areas. Some of these puzzles are as simple as finding a number combination, while others will require items from other areas. For example, there’s a swan game you will need to play, but first you need a red gem found somewhere else in the park. I loved doing the puzzles as they offer fun brain teasers.
One great thing that helps the player is that they can find multiple hints to solve a puzzle. With each making the puzzle easier. The park map itself isn’t big, so backtracking isn’t much of an issue. There are maps as well for each area and this will display any puzzle yet to be solved or any doors still locked.
Creatures and obstacles.
The creature you will face in Crow Country are fleshy amalgamations that wander the corridors of the park. They won’t attack Mara immediately, but getting too close will trigger them to become hostile. For dispatching these creatures, you’ll have to remain still so you can aim. Shooting at the head will typically deal more damage instead of the body, but another thing that may help is allowing them to get closer. Having the creature get closer gives your gun more damage.
As the game’s story progresses, the environment will also change, such as items that are actually bombs and more violent creatures. Traps will start to appear around the map and some are pretty well hidden, especially the poison ones when running. You’re able to use some traps to help you with the monsters as well. For example, luring a creature into a bear trap will kill them instantly.
Graphics
Crow Country’s visuals and audio add so much enjoyment to the game. While the style looks similar to PlayStation 1-era graphics, it’s in the best possible way. Environments are grainy and grungy and hold their creep factor well. Enemy designs are weird and unique, and the way they twitch, shamble or crawl slowly towards you adds to their unnerving vibe.
There are some excellent small details in the visuals that I loved. Mara’s dress would be bloody and cleaned up based on how injured she is, alongside her holding her side when critically injured. When finding a note to read, Mara would turn it towards herself, a minute detail that adds life to her character. The tutorials were also disguised and designed as posters, which is another great detail that added immersion. Animations were smooth
Audio
The audio is a treat I wasn’t expecting. The music is eerie and suits the game perfectly. The sound effects are satisfying, and my favourite was the sound of finding an item. It reminded me of the sound effects of picking up items in the Fatal Frame series. Conversely, the absence of spoken dialogue added to the experience for me, and the fact most enemies silently come after you took me by surprise and made me focus on my surroundings.
Longevity
Although Crow Country isn’t particularly long, there are some secrets scattered around to prompt you to play again.
When you finish the game, you get given a rating, which is also similar to Resident Evil. This will also reward you with some stuff. For me, it was the “Crow” Bar.
Final Thoughts
There’s nothing negative I can say about Crow Country; The puzzles were great and backtracking to different areas didn’t feel like a chore. I found controls very responsive and the enemies do great at being an obstacle and not a hindrance. Crow Country’s way of adding more difficulty as the game progresses by adding fake items, traps and larger creatures was great.
Crow Country is short, sweet, and filled with a lot of personality! I am awarding it the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
If you love the classic PS1 style horror games like Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Clock Tower, then I highly recommend this game.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
