Daymare: 1998

Daymare 1998 attempts to stroll through the old corridors of the 90s horror game without bringing any new idea, examining any tropes or improving any aspect of the game. While the graphics are better than the games Daymare tries to emulate, they don’t match up against the Resident Evil 2 remake, and they can’t disguise the boring gameplay, unimaginative story and wonky controls.

Daymare: 1998 is an interesting homage to the Resident Evil franchise, complete with 90s graphics, cheesy characters, and a tough difficulty. Inventory management forces you to think carefully, while boss fights can be tedious and unfair.

There is a ton of pop in when running through the woods. I also had one crash, but thankfully didn't lose a ton of progress. Towards the end of the game, the walls all disappeared, and I could go through locked rooms. I ended up falling through the floor until the game crashed. However, I didn't notice any frame drops.

Evoking a strong sense of nostalgia for survival horror classics, Daymare 1998 struggles to stand out as nothing more than a befitting RE2 clone.

Daymare: 1998 feels like going back to visit a friend from school who still lives a youthful life free of responsibility. It's fun for a while, but you eventually realise that there is a reason you left that lifestyle behind. Were this released before Capcom's own Resident Evil 2 remake, its issues might not have been so apparent. Oddly stranded in time, this now feels too clunky for newcomers and is one for genre aficionados interested in the evolution of survival horror.

With all of its issues, it’s hard to recommended Daymare: 1998. Some, however, will be able to grit their teeth and enjoy it – it’s not all bad. It’s a slice of old-fashioned survival horror, with a modern twist and some original features thrown in for good measure. Those original features aren’t all great, however, and the unevenness of the overall package – though reflected in the game’s budget price – makes it very much a love/hate affair. Though maybe “love” is too strong a word. Perhaps tolerate/hate affair is more appropriate.

Daymare: 1998 succeeds at recreating the classic feel of late 90's survival horror, but in more ways than it should. The game is cumbersome and frustrating at times when more modern takes have smoothed over those particular rough edges.

You’ll be left out with a “meh” after finishing the game. What game did we just play?

Much like the zombies that threaten the world, Daymare 1998 is a sluggish and ugly take on the Resident Evil formula that's best avoided.

Survival horror is one of my favourite genres and it’s finally starting to make its grand return. The brilliant Resident Evil franchise turned itself around with Resident Evil 7 and the new Resident Evil 2 Remake. However, before the Remake a group of passionate fans were working on their own fan-made RE2 remake, I was saddened by its cancellation. Luckily the developers never gave up and moved all their focus into a brand new survival horror IP, Daymare 1998.