From the minds of OhDeer Studios, Anthology of Fear is a run-of-the-mill psychological horror game, recently released on Xbox. While packed with overused horror cliches, the fresh to Xbox title often feels like 1,000,001 other games of its ilk. However, it does have its moments. So, how does Anthology of Fear hold up against scrutiny? Read on to find out.

Anthology of Fear and it’s Groundhog Day Vibes

When creating horror games, there’s always something that should be at the forefront of the minds behind the writing – innovation. It with a heavy heart that I say that – on this front – OhDeer have not only missed the mark but have missed the target entirely. The result comes in the form of a magnitude of the tired old cliches that we have before seen, time and time again.

Don’t get me wrong, a few moments in the game are executed with the desired effect. However, it would be nice if, every once in a while, a horror game stepped out and crossed the overly-familiar boundaries that have slowly become a fly trap into which many potentially great titles have fallen.

Anthology of Fear – Graphics

It’s always nice (and polite) to follow a negative with a positive and here, the graphics fall into focus. While not quite up to the standards of ninth-generation expectations, Anthology of Fear does make a commendable effort.

The low-level lighting sets the scene and injects the atmospherically foreboding sense of unease that has become synonymous with the horror genre. This effect is sporadically punctuated with a flickering bulb, furthering the tension and adding more kindling to the gentle fires of fear.

Furthermore, Anthology of Fear plays on the delicate strings of a widespread fear by setting the game mostly in narrow corridors and small rooms, stirring up an almost tangible sense of claustrophobia. This does, however, later lead to a little monotony, more on that later.

Overall, the graphics seen in Anthology of Fear do, in fact, rival many games that come with far higher price tags than the mere $9 OhDeer Studios are asking. The attention to detail seen is respectable and the sort rarely seen in “bargain bucket” games.

Anthology of Fear – Gameplay

The psychological horror bracket has always been one that has held my appeal, so it’s fair to say that I was looking forwards to getting stuck into Anthology of Fear and my first impressions far exceeded my pre-game trepidations (set again by the $9 price); it looked like a horror, sounded like a horror and played like a horror, so my macabre inner-self was fast satiated.

However, the shiny veneer soon began to show cracks as the slow, drawn-out pace and endless cliches quickly shattered the illusion. In truth, the first half of the game will likely have you utilizing the Xbox’s quick resume feature and switching to something with a little more action, like Uno. Push on through, though, and you will be somewhat rewarded to be let down by an anticlimactic conclusion (no spoilers here, dear reader).

Anthology of Fear Summary

Yes, I’ll be the first to admit that Anthology of Fear doesn’t come with it’s irksome nuances and a small portion of the two-hour run does feel more like finishing a chore than a video game. However, when all is said and done, the game isn’t totally devoid of fun and the lowly $9 tag is more than worth it.

Go into Anthology of Fear expecting a triple-A horror, you will be sorely disappointed. For some short-lived fun and genuinely creepy atmosphere, however, it is more than worth its bargain bucket price.