Episodic

Cons

• None
  
  Fears To Fathom is the debut adventure horror game from developer Rayll. It’s a free game and the first episode of a planned episodic storyline.The game has a retro aesthetic similar to the VHS video effect and photo-realistic graphics. Having been left alone overnight while your parents are away working, you must overcome your fears and fathom the strange unfolding events. Survivors of these events supply the in-game narration. Maintaining the first-person gameplay, you’ll occasionally receive text messages from NPCs (non-playable characters). If you’re looking for an alternative psychological horror game, check out Northbury Grove and Still Ridge.

  The visuals

  The almost true-to-life graphics are highly effective at making you feel like you’re in the environment. At the same time, the VHS effect creates an edgy atmosphere that takes its cue from first-person horror movies such as The Blair Witch Project.

  Characters

  You are 14-year-old Miles, and you’ve been left alone in the house overnight while your parents work out of town. Although you’re home alone, you still have your trusty mobile phone that you can use to exchange text messages with other characters, including your mum and your teen friends.

  Gameplay

  Unfortunately, although the game runs smoothly, the main problem is that there’s no indication of what you need to do next to move the plot along. When on-screen hints appear, they tend to disappear too quickly. As a result, you have to decide whether to hide until something happens or deliberately put yourself in harm’s way to force the story forward.

  The ‘home alone’ setting of the game fits the tense setting, but the inability to turn on the lights in the house, with no reason given for the apparent blackout, makes it very difficult to see across the room.

  Is there more to come?

  Yes, the developer plans to make this an episodic game. If you’d like to support Rayll’s work in creating future episodes, you can make a donation before downloading the game.

  Our Take

  Fears to Fathom is an extremely promising first episode. If supported by the gaming community, it could become a significant presence in the world of indie horror adventures. The gameplay is smooth and the atmosphere is suitably tense, so give it a try and support future episodes.

  Fears to Fathom: Home Alone is a free adventure video game wherein you must try to survive a night alone. Developed by Rayll, this 3D indie psychological horror game features a creepy atmospheric environment thanks to its photo-realistic graphics, VHS-style aesthetic, and narration-driven game progress in the form of an online horror story.Similar to the Real Stories from the Grave series, Fears to Fathom: Home Alone offers episodic updates with story-rich content—letting you become fully immersed in its first-person POV storytelling. While each episode’s release doesn’t follow a set schedule, they are standalone games that can be appreciated enough on their own.

  Home alone horrors

  In the first episode, Fears to Fathom: Home Alone, you play as the 14-year-old Miles. He starts off by recounting the harrowing encounter while he was home alone. Throughout the story, you can freely explore Miles’ home—although you’ll always trigger narration text when you reach certain areas or do certain actions. You also get phone messages from NPCs to add to the immersion.

  What’s interesting about this game is that it’s already a given that the protagonist will survive whatever horrors await him. This is due to how it’s technically a flashback—the narration of the online horror story he’s recounting immediately establishes that he got out alive. This is also what makes the game more than a short horror experience, as you actually go about reenacting the events as it’s narrated.

  However, this limits your free will and locks you into one linear path, so don’t expect any ending other than the Good and Bad ones. Additionally, the game is short and can be finished in under half an hour. That, coupled with the lack of any critically player-driven choice gives this game a low replay value. It’s highly stylized with its graphics and atmosphere, though, making it a memorable experience.

  Stay vigilant for more

  All in all, the Fears to Fathom series is a great collection of horror games that you can play without any chronological order. While each episode is pretty short and highly linear, the atmosphere and build-up to the jumpscares are still quite effective and make it a highly creepy short horror story that you’re reliving. The Fears to Fathom: Home Alone episode is a great introduction, too.

  PROS

  • Standalone episodes

  • Photo-realistic graphics

  • Creepy atmosphere

  • Easy gameplay

  CONS

  • Linear story

  • Low replayability