The Chant

The Chant is destined to become a cult hit, we think. Marrying traditional survival horror gameplay with a unique setting and spiritual themes, it feels fresh but familiar; how many other survival horror games find you fighting plant-like enemies and other monstrosities with incense sticks, oils and salt, after all? In addition to an intriguing story and solid mechanics, once you’ve set foot on Glory Island, you’ll be on the edge of your seat until you’ve reached a conclusion.

The Chant takes survival horror to the beach and beyond in a game that works in fits and starts.

The Chant is a flawed experience filled with some fantastic moments, stellar monster design, light exploration and puzzle-solving, and a solid narrative to keep things moving. Despite its dated visuals, oversized linear world, and simplistic AI, you can find a nice survival horror romp in The Chant if you let yourself be taken by it.

The Chant has some good enemy design and interesting resource management, but its psychic-horror weirdness just doesn't get weird enough.

Halloween has come and gone, and developer Brass Token wants to keep the spooky season going with their November release of The Chant. After seeing a brief preview last month, we’ve run through the supernatural adventure game, and have our thoughts below. Time to see if the do-it-yourself attitude of Brass Token paid off in our The Chant PS5 review.

A neon-colored, psychedelic, science-fiction trip into the horrors of trauma at a yoga retreat, The Chant offers something new to the survival horror genre. Though in desperate need of a little more polish, the game is a cult experience that is more than worth a visit.

Who doesn’t have stress in their lives? There are numerous ways we can combat stress in our day to day lives. We can try getting a full night’s sleep. Exercise can release endorphins, temporarily enhancing our sense of well-being. Or you can give all of your money and worldly possessions to a cult, whatever floats your boat. The Chant, the first outing for indie developers Brass Token, takes a look at how far some are willing to go to rid themselves of trauma.

Back in the 1980s, an Indian guru named Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh founded a commune outside the rural Oregon town of Antelope (less than an hour’s drive from where I live). Hundreds of followers came to the sprawling commune, attracted to promises of spiritual enlightenment, sexual freedom, and countercultural expression. Rajneesh himself was a little, shall we say, complicated. He was a spiritual leader, but he also had a fleet of gold Rolls Royce sedans. When the longtime residents of the nearby town started to freak, he tried to poison the locals by lacing salad bars with salmonella. I thought o...

Decent gameplay and decent level design can't save The Chant from its poor story and total lack of scares.

The Chant has the making of a good game underneath, but they definitely don't shine as brightly on the Steam Deck.

Forget slashers and zombies, cults and “folk horror” are having a bit of a moment right now with movies like Midsommar, Mandy, and Hereditary making robes, weird ceremonies, and tea with things you really shouldn’t be drinking mixed in the new hotness. The Chant from Vancouver-based indie developer Brass Token looks to take advantage of this new horror trend.

The Chant comes from new developer Brass Token, who clearly have a love of 70s horror aesthetic, with the hopes of bringing that vibe to a modern survival horror video game. They call it a cosmic-horror, which ties into some of its themes around spirituality and its “this is clearly a cult” setting, with ambitions of being a mix of action adventure, puzzle solving and some unique mechanics in how you navigate each area. It’s not a bad concept by any means, but clunky combat, linear prog...