Release Date: April 23, 2015
A two-dimensional pixel art survival horror. It is a debut title of the independent Slovenian studio Cowardly Creations. In the game the player assumes the role of a night watchman who guards a mysterious factory in shifts with his friend. To kill some time, the protagonist decides to explore the building. He discovers things he would rather not know. As the story progresses, he learns new dark secrets about his working place.
Uncanny Valley is a two-dimensional survival horror inspired by classic games. The title combines immersive story, exploration, puzzles solving and action sequences. It is a debut title of a Slovenian independent studio Cowardly Creations. The production was backed by funds gathered by using, among other ways, Indiegogo.
The title of the game is a term used in a scientific hypothesis according to which a robot (or a drawing or an animation that resembles it) that is too similar to human, yet noticeably distinguishable, creates an unpleasant feeling or even disgust in the observer. In the game, the player assumes the role of Tom, a night watchman who guards a mysterious factory in shifts with his lazy friend Buck. To kill some time, he starts exploring the building and discovers things he would rather not know.
Despite the fact that the title is a survival horror, the gameplay is quite unusual. In Uncanny Valley for PC, PS4 and etc. there are only a few sequences in which the player can die. The developers decided that repeating the same fragment of the game many times only frustrates the player instead of scaring them. So, instead of that, they implemented a consequence system. Each unsuccessful action will impact the plot and the gameplay of the game. For example, if Tom is hit by the enemy, he will start moving slower and it will become harder for him to escape from other opponents. Because of that, the game requires the player to be cautious and act wisely.
The title for PC, PS4 and etc. resembles the genre classics with its pixel art graphics. Uncanny Valley has a dense and overwhelming atmosphere of danger and the title has many really scary moments. The climatic soundtrack inspired by movie horrors increases the immersion as well.
Platforms:
PC Windows April 23, 2015
PlayStation Vita February 8, 2017
PlayStation 4 February 8, 2017
Xbox One February 10, 2017
Nintendo Switch December 25, 2018
Developer: Cowardly Creations
Publisher: Digerati
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System Requirements for Uncanny Valley Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i3 2.5 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB GeForce 8800 GT or better, 200 MB HDD, Windows 7.
Game Ratings for Uncanny Valley Video Game.
RPG Fan: 78 / 100 by Robert Fenner
Uncanny Valley doesn't always get it right, but still manages to be an effective horror adventure well-worth your time.
Nindie Spotlight: 6 / 10 by Nindie Spotlight
Overall, Uncanny Valley is a bit of a gamble, banking on drawing you in with the initial weirdness and sense of unease, and that being enough to then sustain your interest as you continue to attack the game from different angles in search of a better outcome. I have no doubt some people will enjoy the mystery and the investigation of it all, exploring choices in the hopes of better seeing the big picture. For everyone else, though, either interest will wane before the first runthrough is completed or when it becomes clear that a fair amount of repetition will be in order to understand what exactly is going on.
Twinfinite: 3 / 5 by Matthew Herst
If you want to rush through Uncanny Valley you won't get the full experience. One play through is not enough to learn the ins and outs of the town, how to accomplish specific objectives, and what the story is really trying to convey.