DeVuego BD

Ikai is a wonderful entry into the psychological horror genre. The story is intriguing and beautiful in its own way. The spooky music kept me feeling on edge, giving away no hint of any looming dangers, adding that much more to my sense of unease. I just wish there had been more of it.

El folklore japonés es un tema sumamente amplio, por ello haber expuesto todos aquellos elementos clave que conforman este universo puede ser un punto de partida interesante para comprender un poco más sobre las figuras que encontramos continuamente en la cultura japonesa antigua y contemporánea. Y aun cuando no está exento de ciertas lacras, Ikai dispone de una imaginería bastante rica en diversos simbolismos, lo cual la dotan de varias capas de profundidad. Respira una atmósfera completamente japonesa y con muchos elementos terroríficos. Y en esta mezcla de sustancias reside toda su fuerza.

Honestly, I really wanted Ikai to be good; like a flashback to the Project Zero games and the way they brought Japanese horror to life. But sadly it stumbles well short of those titles. The action is dull, and while the monsters are nice, you never really feel like you are in any danger; as such the horror part of Ikai falls flat too. There are some good ideas here, and a good atmosphere can be created, but overall it is just disappointing.

All said and done, Ikai is a frustrating game. There’s a kernel of a good idea in there – psychological horror inspired by Japanese folklore is always interesting, while the atmosphere the game builds from the first second is also commendable – but it’s all outmatched to an almost overwhelming degree by the game’s many issues. The fact that it’s as short as it is and still manages to feel longer than it should be should tell you what you need to know about Ikai– that it’s a good idea that’s failed to evolve into a good game.