Some horror games want to do jump scares, and some just want to unsettle you. Necrophosis: Full Consciousness wants to crawl into your brain and make camp. It’s a first-person psychological horror experience that throws you into a rotting universe.
Awakening as ‘Consciousness’, you have no memory or understanding of the fairly grim world you find yourself in. What begins from this point is your journey around a very large amount of bloody, fleshy hallways and environments as you start to unpick what is going on.
Visually, it’s a standout. It’s striking, from the sheer amount of tiny decals like bones sticking out of walls to protruding ‘bloody’ things and all sorts of bio-horror landscapes. If there is body horror, this is world-horror. I found myself wanting to explore in part just to get out of there, and make it end – but in a good way! It’s uncomfortable, and it’s supposed to be. This is really the point – at its core, Necrophosis is a walking-simulator. There are no weapons or combat systems to wrestle with, and instead, you spend your time solving puzzles and interacting with objects whilst reading dialogue.
This won’t be for everyone, and personally, I needed a little bit more to get me through rather than just ‘get out of the uncomfortable’. The gameplay loop of read, look around and explore, solve puzzle and repeat does become tiresome over time, sadly. But then, it’s perhaps more of an experience than a game, as walking-simulators often are. There’s plenty to look at, that’s for sure, and the sound design is superb. Ambient noises, groans and whipsers create tension, with the use of headphones highly recommended – just check no one else is in the house or if they are, they’re not going to burst in and surprise you.
At about four to five hours in length, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and probably benefits the game really. It may be too shallow for some, but as a budget title that’s done well, if you’re into your horror and want a break from shooty guns action, check it out.
Reviewed on Xbox Series X
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