Review key provided by Fireshine Games
My favorite time of the year to play horror games is here (Fall), and what a time to get to play Fireshine Games and Pulsatrix Studios’ own forest-set horror title, A.I.L.A? They were kind enough to give me a hands-on with the first few hours of the game to see how we enjoyed it, and I’d have to say that it definitely left an impression.
A.I.L.A plays like most traditional survival horror games; you scavenge for supplies, fight fodder enemies, and evade bosses that may or may not actually be killable. But where I believe this game diverts and allows the player to soak up its own uniqueness is in its original themes. As if it came straight out of Black Mirror itself, A.I.L.A puts players at odds between the real world and the virtual world.
What really sticks out is the way the game can switch up the gameplay, whether in big ways or small, depending on how the game’s “AI” sets you on its course. Early on, for story purposes, the game breaks from feeling realistic and instead sets you in a retro-style FPS view complete with pixelated visuals and simple mechanics. It was a really cool idea that made sense to set the story forward and show the player what this game establishes as real and virtual.
This title offers a varied selection of enemies to face off against or evade altogether, each one grotesque and haunting in its own way. The very beginning is a heart-pounding scenario where you’re being relentlessly hunted by a huge zombie wielding a large axe. Only as you crawl through a sewer system do you remain safe, but the sound and vibration of it rigorously swinging its axe toward you kills that safe sense I should be feeling.
As far as feedback goes, I can sometimes see where A.I.L.A’s cracks show in its siff and often clunky controls and visuals. I can overlook the visuals because this isn’t a triple-A title. It looks great most times, but things can look boxy, and enemies can look shiny, as if they’re wet. The controls are the biggest detractor, but not the worst I’ve seen. They mostly feel sluggish and a bit too stiff. Hopefully, with some tweaking, they can get them just right, as smooth controls are essential in a game like this.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this game come together over time, as I really enjoyed the themes it had to display. It felt like an episode of Goosebumps but for adults, which is exactly the vibe I was hoping for. If they can iron out the control issues specifically, this one will be a winner.
