Heartworm

Out of all the promising indie horror games both in the works and recently released, Heartworm stands out due to taking influence from Fatal Frame alongside the more usual Silent Hill and Resident Evil inspirations. This stems in part from the use of a camera as your main weapon, but also from the sense of unease and spectral enemies. Having enjoyed the demo last year, the full game is another stellar indie horror to add to the growing pantheon.

While Heartworm isn't very challenging in its survival horror, its creative and well-designed puzzle elements still present a fun gameplay experience. It wears its inspiration of 1990s survival horror classics on its sleeve, while also making its own footprint in gorgeous, colourful visuals and lonely atmosphere.

The sound design of Heartworm is, in a word, gorgeous. Its melancholy simplicity meshes well with the retro graphics and overall air of grief. The sharp whine of the camera flash set me on edge every time I used it. This game features some really uncanny soundscapes that make it hard to tell where a threat is coming from.

Heartworm is a survival horror game with (fittingly) a lot of heart, that will appeal to both PS1 veterans and modern horror fans.

It's not really scary, but Heartworm remains a fun retro-styled survival horror game nonetheless, thanks to its intriguing story and rewarding puzzles.

A survival horror that has the tenacity and capacity to succeed, but fails to get across that final hurdle of making its own bed to lie in.