There are a plethora of post-apocalyptic zombie games out there. Countless titles center around zombie apocalypses and nuclear fallouts, and gamers are looking for fresh and exciting takes on the genre. Luckily, The Long Reach puts an unconventional spin on doomsday while giving players an exhilarating experience.
The game takes place after an experiment involving mind sharing and alternate realities takes a turn for the worse, causing people to go insane and confuse their dreams with reality. Players mainly take the role of Stewart, though there are other playable characters, one of the only scientists still sane enough to uncover what really happened during the failed experiment. Stewart must traverse the nightmarish laboratory as he struggles to separate fact from fiction.
The Long Reach's pixelated graphics helps the game separate itself from other horror-influenced adventure games. Its distinct 16-bit art style brings everything to life in an extraordinary way, depicting gruesome murder scenes and terrifying madmen in a highly original fashion. The vivid images set an unsetting tone that sticks with players throughout the entire game. It's as graphic as any modern horror title, but its retro style gives it a feel unlike any other game.
In The Long Reach, nothing is what it seems, making it perfect for gamers looking for a title full of twists and turns. The game keeps players on the edge of their seats as they try separating Stewart's nightmares from reality. Just when the player thinks they have everything figured out, something else comes along and sabotages their original theory. Fans of films like Memento and Inception will feel right at home playing The Long Reach.
However, despite The Long Reach's many positive aspects, it is far from a perfect title. The game suffers from a poor script with dialogue that would feel out of place in any adventure game. The writing is extremely sarcastic, severely hindering the player's ability to immerse themselves in a serious, scary narrative.
A horror game like The Long Reach should be immersive, scaring the player just as much as the character they are controlling. However, that's difficult to do when Stewart is constantly making wisecracks and joking around as if he wasn't going through one of the most traumatic moments of his life. The comedic undertones severely hinder how scary the game should be, and The Long Reach would be much stronger if its writing matched its petrifying atmosphere.
Overall, The Long Reach is a unique pixilated horror adventure that suffers from an inadequate script. While the ghoulish environments and grizzly murder scenes will send chills down any gamer's spine, the comedic writing style prevents the game from reaching its full potential. Still, there is a lot for adventure game fans to enjoy, especially for its $15.99 price tag. While not groundbreaking, The Long Reach is worth playing.
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