Dark Perception

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Perhaps one of the most innovative and intriguing experiences I’ve got from a game is from the new release, Perception. This isn’t your classic horror game where you can see what’s going around you, you rely entirely on sound and touch. The reason being that you play as Cassie, a blind woman who for some reason decided to come to a creepy mansion in the middle of nowhere. I had never heard of a game where the character you play as is blind. What made it even better for me was that it was also a horror game, my favorite genre.

(Well, I hope there aren't any malicious spirits residing in this creepy mansion)

Just reading about how your character is a blind person instantly had me wondering how the game would function and what your limitations would be as that character while playing. This game is certainly one I won’t forget anytime soon, it had me constantly on the edge of my seat for two reasons. One being the ability the game had to scare me, the second was the story that slowly unraveled before me as I continued to search for what was really going on in Perception.

(How did these moths even get here?)

Although you play as a blind character you aren’t completely out of sight in the game. The way the creators made it possible to see things in the game was through visualization. At one point Cassie has a flashback where she is being taught to recognize objects and her location based on sound, and touch alone. You can see items and furniture with these two senses which causes Cassie to essentially visualize her surroundings and the things she interacts with as you play.

(This just got weird...)

The game started with Cassie talking to her boyfriend, Serge about going to the house and meeting him there. It quickly became apparent she was a strong character as dialogue with him and her narrations pointed towards her being independent and self-reliant, almost to a fault. I felt that although you barely get to l know Cassie, since the game isn’t that long, she is incredibly relatable as a character. It didn’t take long for me to get the sense of what kind of person she was. For myself, this is one of my favorite parts of any good game. Having characters seem human, relatable and not incredibly unrealistic does so much for me as a player. The experience I had playing it made me feel like I was right there with her, experiencing these terrifying paranormal events that grew increasingly more terrifying as the game went on.

(Thank goodness Cassie has these songs to help in troubling times)

As I ran made my way through the house in search of clues and puzzles to solve several stories from the house were revealed to me. There are several chapters, all of which tell a different story of some horrible event that occurred at the house. As I uncovered more about the house’s past the presence that patrolled the halls became more and more antagonistic. What made this even scarier for me was that the only sure way to see made me more prone to being attacked. The primary source of vision is Cassie’s cane which you use to gauge where you are currently. The sound it makes, if used to often can cause you to be attacked by the spirit which I learned firsthand. The attack was terrifying and it caused me to rarely use the cane, I only used it strategically and when truly necessary.

(It's right there!)

The ambiance and feel of Perception had me constantly on edge as well. The house makes sounds as you move through it, you can hear whispers in the distance and occasionally random jump scares would occur. The limited vision you have especially caused me to need to take a break on several occasions, it made the game so much more thrilling and intense to play. During the entirety of my playthrough I felt like I was being watched. There was a darkness that loomed over me like a shroud and it grew stronger the deeper I progressed into uncovering the secrets of the past.

(A door that requires a secret password, classic)

Perception is a game that for me felt truly unique, especially in the genre of horror. I’ve been dedicated to playing horror games since I was in high school and I’ve watched the waves of horror games come and go. Many of these games are incredibly similar and lack an element of individuality, this is something I thought Perception had in spades. Even if you aren’t a horror fanatic like I am I still highly recommend playing this game. It may be an intense experience for those who haven’t played many horror games but it’s not nearly as brutal as many of the big-name games out there that you hear about. My playthrough is one I won’t soon forget and the experience I had playing it will leave me thinking about it for years to come.