Undying was known to be one hell of a thriller. Its weird atmosphere and tactics to make you react are much to notice. It’s not comparable to silent hill or resident evil. So what makes Undying so different?

You start the game in the year 1923 as a WWI veteran. Upon receiving a letter from an old friend, you discover that he and his family have activated a curse many years ago. Each member of the family was killed off due to insanity or horror. With no other ambition other than a dear friend, and practice in dark matters, you set out to destroy the source of these traumatic events. Over time you will obtain new abilities and weapons as you discover new places and times. Yes, I said times. The spooky events that just happen to occur at the worst (best) times mixed with wacky and downright creepy characters really know how to make you reach for the light switch.

Unlike some horror games, Clive Barker’s Undying makes no attempt at anything subtle. Everything is out in the open. With this odd-ball technique Undying manages to scare you by being upfront and blunt. While this seems like a strange tactic, it surprisingly works. Don’t get it wrong, there are quiet and creepy moments but it’s the in-your-face demented ones that really grab you. Aside from being scary, there are times when you will have to maneuver your character, meaning that you will need to use the jump button.

Graphics are okay by the time of release standards but that doesn’t help you from being caught off guard. The effects are smooth and look fluent and actions for enemies blend together since they don’t cut short of their animation frames. This provides a seamlessly frightening struggle to defeat the next monster that awaits you. Although watching npc’s look awkward at times, effects are standard as they do a good job getting the point across. Inside environments are dark and ominous which again, adds to suspense.

Audio in this game is great. The spooky effects match very well with the audio and nothing seems out of place. One downside is when walking there is an annoying clog-like footstep. This may annoy some players and take away from the submerged experience. Voice overs are done well as you can feel the effort the actors put into their respective character. The music is eerie and matches whatever situation you happen to be in, not the same background music over and over.

Magic attacks and guns are your main tool for survival. Guns, enchanted artifacts, and magic spells are hidden in the game waiting for you to utilize them in any way you wish. You cannot upgrade these but they make you work with what you get, in support of the survival aspect. Ammo isn’t always provided but it isn’t scarce either, providing a good medium.

Overall Clive Barker’s Undying is a very unpredictable game. One moment you may be at the top of a mansion and a second later you are teleporting to prehistoric times with nothing but a spear. Sometimes nothing makes sense, so some game play will make you question what game you are actually playing. Journals give you more depth to the story while you traverse mansions, cottages, grassy lands, caves, and more. Spells are different with skulls you can summon from the ground, glide, and use a special vision to see secrets. The various enemies you will face are enticing. Gremlins, priests, undead, deadly plants, and evil mages are to name a few. One downside is the lack of direction though some may see it as a plus and footsteps can be a nuisance as well. I recommend this one to anyone who loves scary games. Considering the reduced price along with what this game brings to the table, it is worth the install.

8.5/10