Games worth discovering

Horror mystery worth getting cursed for - Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Quick Review

12K View2023-03-13

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?

Play it, unless you’re not a fan of text-heavy games. Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo hooked me right from the start, and its hold on me was so deep that I stayed up until 4 a.m. to finish the game. Games like this live or die on the quality of their writing, and Paranormasight hit it out of the park here. I rarely replay story-driven games, but this is a title I can see myself going back to every few years.

TIME PLAYED

I spent a little over twelve hours with Paranormasight, which was enough time to complete the story and view most of the game’s content. There are a few collectibles I need to track down, but I’ve seen every ending and unlocked most of its achievements. Most players should be able to finish the game in around ten hours. Just be warned: It’s hard to put down once you start.

WHAT’S AWESOME

• Fantastic story and characters. Paranormasight has a branching story with several playable characters, and every part of it is excellent. Not only is it a creepy horror tale, but the core mystery is deeply compelling. I was able to solve parts of the mystery on my own, but other twists and turns genuinely took me by surprise. Every character feels fleshed out, even minor ones, and most characters have in-depth backstories that explain their motivations. I loved pouring through character files to find details that weren’t in the main game, like the fact that private investigator Richter owns an albino parakeet named Ernestine.

• Clever puzzles. I spent most of Paranormasight reading through text and talking to characters, but there are still quite a few puzzles to solve, and some of them have really inventive solutions. While some puzzles just required that I use items at the right time, others asked me to think outside the box. I was so taken aback by one puzzle that I texted people about it as soon as I solved it.

• Intriguing curses. Certain characters in Paranormasight have the ability to inflict deadly curses on others. While this gives them incredible power, the curses can only be used if certain trigger conditions are met. For example, one character can curse people as they walk away from them. It’s a fun mechanic that creates a lot of tension. When I didn’t know the trigger for a curse, it felt like every action I took could potentially lead to a painful death. You can also use your curse on other characters, but this dark magic comes at a price.

• Spectacular soundtrack. Paranormasight’s music was composed by Hidenori Iwasaki, who also worked on Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Front Mission 4. There’s a great mix of tracks here, ranging from jazzy tunes to songs that are spine-chilling. The killer music really enhances the atmosphere, especially in more disturbing scenes. Play it with headphones for a more immersive experience, but be prepared for some startling jump scares.

WHAT SUCKS

• No voice acting. There are no voiced lines in Paranormasight, which is a little disappointing. The writing is good enough to hold up on its own, but there are a few scenes that would have been even better if they were voiced. Since characters move their lips when they talk, the lack of voices can also be distracting at times.

• It’s easy to get stuck. During the first few hours of Paranormasight, I moved through the story fairly quickly, but as I got closer to the end, there were times when my progress came to a halt. Sometimes, the only way to move forward is through trial and error. At one point, I had to revisit several parts of the story to find a key piece of information, and there were no clues to point me in the right direction. I was a little frustrated when I finally found what I was looking for, but was presented with a scene that was so funny I couldn’t stay mad for long.

💬 Do you plan to investigate The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, or will you leave these mysteries unsolved? Let us know in the comments!

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