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Though the setting itself is powerful, the quality that drives Eric's adventure further into the dark is the constant sense of self-doubt and insanity that dances around the edges of every scene. Although I wouldn't say it was jolt-inducing or shocking in the way other, flashier games tend to favor, the overall sense of unease permeates the experience. These alien, yet entirely believable elements do a fantastic job of reinforcing Cursed Mountain's aim of keeping the player constantly off-balance and fearful by maintaining a toehold in the real world. It was easy to imagine the sort of hardscrabble life these people must lead in such harsh conditions, and the foreign iconography carries mysterious significance all its own, completely apart from the game's plot. Gray and cold, the decrepit buildings and ramshackle appearance of the lower dwellings soon give way to rocky paths, endless vistas, vertical spaces, and isolated monasteries sequestered far away from civilization. Starting at a small town nestled in the rocky range's surrounding foothills, it's clear to see that setting rules all. I'm certainly no expert on Buddhism or Tibetan life, but to my eyes, Deep Silver has done an excellent job of capturing elements of the culture and crafted them into an immersive, convincing setting. Although some may claim that it's too linear and narrow in scope, in Cursed Mountain's case, the game is the journey itself. The premise I've just outlined could be taken a number of ways, but Deep Silver went with what was probably the most bold-forgoing the standard combat-oriented, locked-door scenario, Eric's path up Chomolonzo mountain is one of mood, atmosphere, and a constant questioning of sanity. Soon afterward, an aether's worth of hungry spirits appeared and now ravage the villages below. Instead of returning from the mountaintop victorious, Frank disappeared.
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Also a climber, Frank was hired to retrieve a sacred artifact at the top of a remote summit.
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Suggestive and atmospheric where other games trot their sanguine wares out on full display, Eric's goal is a simple one to discover what happened to his brother Frank.
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Taking an entirely different path than recent survival horror entries like trigger-happy Resident Evil 5 or alien dismember-fest Dead Space, Cursed Mountain is the lonely tale of a seasoned mountaineer named Eric Simmons. I believe those types of subtle, quietly frightening games still have their place. Although I can certainly appreciate the more bombastic side of the spectrum, I don't want the understated, more cerebral approach ignored at its expense. In-your-face levels of explicit violence and piles of dripping gore aren't, either.
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For example, I don't believe that packing big guns and spending my time scrounging for ammunition are necessary for a frightening experience. In recent years, horror has been almost completely supplanted by survival horror, and although related, they're not the same thing. Players who favor the scary side of gaming may have been finding themselves quite disappointed lately. WTF Do religious artifacts really need more powerful upgrades? LOW The lack of play variety may put off some players. HIGH Refreshingly different and mature on a kid-centric console. Proving that horror isn't based on guns and gore
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