Film production company SpectreVision, founded byLord of the Ringsstar Elijah Wood, may be better known for its films, but it has dabbled in the video game industry as well. In 2018, SpectreVision teamed with Ubisoft to createTransference, a spine-tingling horror game experience that, while playable as a traditional video game, is significantly enhanced when played with a virtual reality headset.
Virtual reality and horror go together so well because VR can increase immersion significantly.Transferencetakes great advantage of this, transporting players to a creepy apartment building and using some truly remarkable sound design to get players jumping out of their skin. As players explore the apartment building, they are occasionally transported to an alternate, twisted version of the apartment that is even scarier, with blood red lighting and more disturbing imagery. This effect clearly takes a page out of theSilent Hillplaybook, and it goes a long way in makingTransferencea genuinely unnerving gaming experience.
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PlayingTransferencein virtual reality on PlayStation VR, with headphones in and the lights off, is perhaps one of the scariest gaming experiences possible in the current generation. Admittedly,Transferenceloses a lot of its effect when played like a standard video game, so those on Xbox One may not be able to see what all the fuss is about. But those on PS4 or even PC can use VR to experienceTransferencethe way it was meant to be played.
The actual game built aroundTransference’s scares and spooky atmosphereis fairly decent. Players will spend some time exploring the apartment, looking for items that will help them solve various puzzles in the game. The puzzles aren’t the most elaborate or satisfying to complete, but they help to give players an active goal to strive for besides just watching the story play out and trying not to get too scared.
There aren’t many threats to the player’s wellbeing inTransference, with exception to a bizarre, digital monster that is the catalyst of many jump scares. This beast will chase players throughout various points in the game, and these encounters are some of the highlights inTransference, especially for those who are playing the game looking to be scared.
Transferenceis one of the most effective virtual reality horror games on the market, and one of the few that’s available forPlayStation 4and PSVR. The game is technically playable on Xbox One as well, but those who want to get the full effect should definitely make it a point to play the VR version.
Transferenceis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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