Silver Chains

Late January 2021 saw the release of a very important piece of horror entertainment; a juicy demo for the upcoming Resident Evil: Village. This was arguably the first piece of software to truly feel like a proper showcase of what the next generation of consoles is capable of. Sadly, the demo is currently only available to owners of a PlayStation 5, a console as rare as a unicorn. If you’re still in the mood for a “new” horror experience, there’s a consolation prize of sorts. The PS4 v...

There are two Silver Chains. The atmospheric, pre-monster Silver Chains draws you in with intrigue and great visuals. The post-monster Silver Chains is a silent scavenger hunt in the dark occasionally interrupted by a spooky monster. It's not bad, but it's not for genre fans either.

Gorgeous graphics and excellent sound design don't make up for a lack of gameplay and an extremely short playtime.

With a running time of five hours or less, Silver Chains provides an evening’s worth of entertainment for those seeking ample scares and little more. That is to say that it’s enjoyable, but not exactly rememberable. It stands out as one of the best indie-developed post-P.T. horrors, but as the credits roll you’ll still be lamenting the loss of Kojima’s potential horror masterpiece. At least Silver Chains is a complete game, however, available at a price that won’t send shivers down your spine.

Silver Chains feels like an homage to every popular horror game and film. While this isn't necessarily a negative, I feel like the potential and individuality of the game was lost amidst the references and tropes, making it feel forgettable. If you have a love for horrors, then I believe you’ll thoroughly enjoy Silver Chains, but I’m not so sure you’ll remember it.

Silver Chains lacks any real creativity and ends up being a boring slog through familiar horror territory.

Silver Chains crawls towards a close with an essence of panic. A strange game of ring and ring roses sees the credits roll with the plot just sort of ending. Nothing is truly revealed, no grand twist of point of curiosity, just an ending that gets the job done. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what Silver Chains ultimately feels like, just getting the job done. A combination of uninspired puzzles and scares leaves very little to speak of, or truly recommended.