Fear The Spotlight was announced during Day of the Devs: Summer Games Fest Edition in June. Developed by Cozy Game Pals and published under Blumhouse Games, this atmospheric third-person horror game looked intriguing and promised a classic ’90s horror vibe.
After finishing the game this past week, I can confirm that I enjoyed the overall experience. Fear The Spotlight kicks off an exciting future for Blumhouse Games. Here are more of my thoughts on the game and what you can expect if you try it out.
A Night To Remember
Fear The Spotlight follows Sunnyside High students and friends Vivian and Amy as they embark on a night of terror and revelations. Shortly after sneaking into the school late at night, the duo performs a séance to connect with unknown spirits. The act leads to Amy disappearing, and Vivian discovering a mysterious monster, various obstacles, and dark secrets about the school’s past while searching for her friend.
If you’re a fan of scary short stories, then Fear The Spotlight was designed for you. The premise is very straightforward but has more than a few surprises that will keep you entertained while playing. Khaya Fraites and Maganda Marie deliver memorable performances as Vivian and Amy which pulls you deeper into the experience. The expanded story takes around 5 hours to finish and has plenty of trophies to unlock.
A Fitting Art Style
Fear The Spotlight is presented as a retro 3D art-stylized horror game. Cozy Game Pals’ goal was to create a title reminiscent of ’90s horror films. Everything from the use of dark corridors to the designs of various interactive objects is aligned with their creative vision. It also helps that the events of this game take place in the ’90s to capture the essence of these times.
While I understand that this particular art style might not be popular with everyone, it perfectly fits the story that they are telling. The animations are crisp, and I didn’t encounter any bugs or performance issues during my playthrough. Had this been even more graphically intensive on a modern scale, there certainly could have been issues with performance and the concept not coming together as nicely as it did.
Uncovering The Truth
Fear The Spotlight focuses on atmospheric exploration and puzzle-solving as the core gameplay mechanics. As Vivian starts searching for her friend, she comes across a mysterious creature with a spotlight for a head. She has to use stealth to avoid being flashed by the spotlight. If she continues to take damage from the spotlight, then she eventually dies and players have to continue playing from the last save checkpoint. The goal is to save Amy while avoiding the creature and random spotlights that can appear at various places in the school.
When Vivian continues to uncover secrets about the school’s past, she is tasked with solving unique puzzles to progress in the storyline. These creative puzzles reminded me of how puzzles are designed in the Resident Evil games. This same rule applies to the inventory menu where Vivian’s lungs function as the health bar and can only be recovered with found inhalers. While the encounters with the creature were intense, there aren’t any traditional jump scares in this game so you have time to plan your strategy accordingly. This clever pairing of exploration and puzzle-solving made the experience more enjoyable and will leave you asking questions about what comes next.
Final Verdict
Fear The Spotlight is a great atmospheric third-person horror game and a solid addition to the Blumhouse Games lineup. If you like retro-stylized horror games then you won’t be disappointed.
This review was written based on a digital review copy of Fear The Spotlight for PlayStation 5 provided by Blumhouse Games and Cozy Game Pals.
