Ikai

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.

Even about 3.5 hours in (admittedly, a pretty short length), the ending felt rushed, confusing, and underwhelming. Maybe others will be able to puzzle out some of the finer details in the plot, but there were far too many details left unspoken for and strange plot holes that left me somewhat upset and disappointed. I wanted to love Ikai, and there were some parts of it that I was really fond of, but by the end, I felt cheated. It’s not necessarily a bad game, but I wouldn’t put it up ther...

Great sound design and solid atmosphere hampered by subpar English localization and some obtuse puzzles.

The subgenre of Japanese horror has been seeing a bit of a resurgence as of late, and that’s not a bad thing at all. We’ve seen it all: Fatal Frame made a small return, with Maiden of Black Water being ported over to modern systems. Ghostwire: Tokyo delved heavily into Japanese folklore, meshing it with a modern urban setting. One could even argue that Nioh made the cut as well, with some awesome enemy designs and really tense moments. Ikai, from Endflame and PM Studios, is the latest hor...

Some games are challenging by design. They offer no help. They are demanding. Some games, however, are challenging because they are simply confounding. Ikai, unfortunately, is one of those games.Read More

A solid Japanese horror game that plays with your paranoia to drive the fear!