TechRadar Verdict
Fear the Spotlight relies on tension and atmosphere, delivering a quick gaming experience that’s reminiscent of 90s slasher movies. It’s appealing to both newcomers and seasoned horror fans, making it an impressive little game.
No jumpscares - perfect for those wanting a more atmospheric experience
Gorgeously retro VHS-like visuals
The storyline has a lot of heart, it’s easy to root for the main characters
Full of mystery, plenty of things to read and explore throughout
Reliance on puzzles and fetch quests may be frustrating for some
You have no choice but to be stealthy, patience is a virtue!
The “teen scream” vibes might not suit all tastes
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Platform reviewed:PCAvailable on:Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, MacOS, and LinuxRelease date:October 22, 2024
You’ve definitely heard of Blumhouse. The production company is known for making some of the best horror movies out there, and most recently, has turned its attention to the world of thebest horror games. Admittedly that’s a big, bold move as all eyes will be on them to make sure their horror vision translates just as well when it’s interactive, away from the big screen.
I’m happy to report they’re starting on a high note with the narrative horror gameFear the Spotlight, a short title developed by Cosy Game Pals. When a séance goes horribly wrong (honestly, when will people learn?), the player character Vivian must navigate an abandoned school to find out what happened to her friend. The setup, while simple, invites the player to unravel a dark mystery while trying to escape with their own life. It combines that eerie high school setting seen in some slasher movies with plenty of interactivity for gamers. Unlike theThe Dark Pictures Anthology, this isn’t an interactive movie, and you have plenty of opportunities to go off and explore.
Big Buffy Energy
Aesthetically, it’s hard for me to not compare this to the 90s supernatural TV hitBuffy the Vampire Slayer. This is a huge compliment, of course, becauseBuffyis iconic and this really seems to embody some of the stuff I loved about that show. Clueless high schoolers messing with the occult, a cool character and her nerdy best friend, that grainy VHS overlay throughout, an eerie high school setting with plenty of secrets buried. The entire feel of it is really fun, I loved the retro style and the little nods to the genre.Fear the Spotlightseems to have been made with a lot of love for the horror genre and its fans, and that shines throughout the game.
The school is even called Sunnyside High, andBuffy’s is called Sunnydale. Look, I’m just saying these developers have excellent taste and I’ve clocked it. The developers have teased this is a great entry-level game for those wanting to try out horror, and while I agree, there’s plenty for long-time fans of the genre to love too.
We also need to talk about theSilent Hillvibes. The spotlight that follows you is reminiscent of Pyramid Head himself, and they can appear at any time. If you’re clever about it, you can predict when these scenes will happen based on the number of conveniently placed furniture to hide behind, but I definitely got shocked a few times when I was going about my business and they justappeared. The suspense is off the charts throughout, and you need to be as stealthy as possible. That wasn’t great for me when my gaming style is very much me running in and attacking things as fast as possible, but hey, it’s nice to try something new!
Hide and (hopefully not) Seek
WhileFear the Spotlightdoes not rely on jumpscares, it’s still incredibly tense. Some visuals will stick in your mind for a while, like the screenshot above, where you’re navigating this creepy atmosphere expecting something to jump out and grab you. It never does, but you’ll find your heart rate elevatedjusta little. As Hitchcock once said: “There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”
Fear the Spotlightis a stealth-heavy game. You have to navigate the abandoned halls of the school avoiding the spotlight character, who can show up out of nowhere. You need to pay attention and be quick on your feet, hiding wherever you can and getting your timings just right. You have two opportunities; they can catch you once, and then they’ll drop you, but if you’re caughtagain, the game resets to your last saved checkpoint. Thankfully the checkpoints are pretty frequent so you won’t end up back at the very beginning or be punished too severely.
Frustration can set in when you have to avoid threats while also running back and forth doing fetch quests because there are plenty of puzzles to solve throughout the game. I personally got stuck on one particular one for about 15 minutes before realizing the solution waspainfullyobvious, so it’s the kind of game where you can get in your head a bit. Or maybe I’m just stupid, I’ll let you be the judge of that. Technically, it’s easy to navigate, the controls are smooth and the puzzles work as they should… when you’veactuallyfigured them out, that is.
If you love logic puzzles and constant tension, you will very likely have a great time withFear the Spotlightbecause it’s impossible to relax at any point. There’s this constant vigilance throughout, it sucks you in and I found myself really worried about Amy’s wellbeing.
It’s a very immersive experience throughout. The player character’s breathing can become erratic, so you need to be mindful of this. You can find inhalers hidden around the school which boost your health and stops the screen from blurring red at the sides, and your character from freaking out. Inhalers are a very useful tool especially nearing the end of the game when things get more difficult, so it might be wise to use them strategically. You are completely unarmed, aside from a few tools that can help you crawl through vents and repair things, so your only option is to hide.
The unstable breathing teamed with the vibrations from the controller I used dialed the tensions up, so I would recommend giving that combination a go even if you are playing on a PC. The game is designed in such a way that you truly feel a part of it, and this is one ofFear the Spotlight’s greatest successes.
Accessibility
There is a range of subtitling options inFear the Spotlight. Though the only spoken language is English, you can find many other languages in the display settings.
As well as allowing players to use a controller or mouse and keyboard, the display can be tinkered with too. WhileFear the Spotlightdoes have a grainy, retro feel, you can switch that up in the Graphics menu. The game gives you the option to change the frame rate, and V-Sync, as well as display variations such as TV Filter and Ambient Camera Wobble. I played with a maximum TV Filter to make it more atmospheric, but I can see why people would prefer to turn that down as it can get a little distracting.
Should I play Fear the Spotlight?
Play it if…
You love stealth in horror gamesIf sneaking around avoiding danger is more your style, you’ll be doing a lot of that duringFear The Spotlight. You’re just a high school kid so you’re not carrying around a huge inventory of weapons, so don’t even try to attack the enemy.
You’re a fan of puzzlesIf you’re the kind of person who loves solving things, you’ll loveFear the Spotlightas most of the 6+ hour playtime requires you to solve an array of logic puzzles. Don’t lose your head!
Don’t play it if…
You want a fast-paced horror experienceIf you’re all about tense chase scenes, jumpscares, and running around,Fear the Spotlightwon’t give you any of that. It’s a slow, creeping pace that requires you to unravel the truth about the school, so you’ll be doing a fair amount of reading and tracking down objects.
You want a game to play long-termFear The Spotlightis a very quick game. If you’re locked in, figuring stuff out, and advancing, you can complete it in around 6 hours. Since it’s a fixed story, there’s not much replayability here unless you’re achievement-hunting. It’s very much a one-time experience.
How we tested Fear the Spotlight
I testedFear the Spotlightfor around six hours and finished the main game. Once you have completed the story, you unlock a secret bonus level which I have not yet tested at the time of this review.
I played the game using aLenovoLegion 5-15ACH6HGaming Laptopwith Beats Flex wireless headphones and a PS5DualSense Wireless Controller. I also did additional testing with the laptop’s built-in keyboard and Steelseries Aerox 9 Wireless Gaming Mouse, to check that the game ran smoothly in both modes.
Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What’s on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.
When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.
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