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The House, according to this eerie intro. Created by Sinthai Studio, a taiwanese based artist, The House is a game of navigation through a haunted house in with typical Asian style flair, from the eerie setting to even the requisite jump scare ghosts that pop up on the screen.
I chose The House, mostly because its one of the few scary webgames I felt really embodied the haunted house theme of House of Leaves Week, but of course in a completely different way and genre. Its atypical of most Asian horror movies, down to the frightening long-haired ghosts and sudden jolts. While its not completely earth shattering, nor enique, i found the experience rather enjoyable, if scary.
Hey, I scare easy. 8D;;;;
The ambience of the game is set by haunting and freakish music, a piano melody that fits right on in with the horror movie soundtracks of classics like Jaws, Halloween, and Friday the 13th. Its highly repetitive and loops endlessly, so on your first time through it either might drive you mad or string you higher than a kite. The other sounds in the game are sound effects like giggling children, sudden bangs and jolts, and of course, well placed screams, gunshots and other unanticipated loud noises meant to make you jump. And it works.
The House is divided up into 5 rooms: the dining room, the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room (though it seems its more like the attic), and the corridor. The object is to find out which family member died in which room by way of clicking different objects (usually only 2-3 per room) to encourage the sudden appearance of the ghost and scare you silly. Admittedly, unlike 99Rooms or other interesting point and click games like The Crimson Room, there isn't much challenge in these "puzzles". In fact, what you end up doing is clicking one object, then clicking the other, back and forth until you trigger something, such as another clickable object (a toilet for example, or the falling of an ID card onto a table). It gets repetitive, and has no seeming set pattern to clicking. You end up clicking between a couple objects until something happens, and continue to do it until you're able to move onto the next room. Sadly, this is a pretty heavy criticism leveled at the otherwise well-made horror game.
Its best you play the game in 1 of 2 situations, depending on your level of courage. If you're the type who likes to be scared (or perhaps are playing with friends who do as well), turn the speakers up and shut off the lights and get ready to scream like girls of 12. if you're the type to be easily scared, play w/ the lights on and the sound at a hearable but not threatening level. Obviously, the best way is the former. 8D
I was first introduced to The House via the website hosting it, after a recommendation following 99Rooms. I decided it would be the most fun playing with/ friends with the lights out. AWESOME CHOICE. 8D I play this game with friends who screamed like little girls during the car chase scene in Shutter, another Thai gift of horror and love. But then, screaming like little girls is the spice of life. Its cathartic.
In any case, as atmospheric and fun as the game is initially (and even better with easily jumpy and screamy friends), The House doesn't hold up as well as something as well-crafted as something like 99Rooms or as puzzle-laden and difficult as The Crimson Room. Outside of the excellent sound and art, the game isn't as polished as it could be. Nonetheless, it is a fun Halloween diversion for any october night. There's apparently a House 2, but as of writing, I haven't tried it. Average recommendation.
--Dio (10/15/10)
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