A Hair-Raising And Entertaining Throwback

Tenebris Somnia channels the old-school appeal of classic point-and-click adventures, survival horror, and full-motion-video (FMV) experiences, then smartly modernizes them to create a creepy, entertaining experience. Surviving the twisted threats of a demonic dream world is a tightly packed adventure that rewards you with what’s essentially an impressive indie horror film peppered throughout. It’s a nightmare you may not want to wake up from.

The blend of live-action and in-game storytelling works well in Tenebris Somina’s adventure, which begins when protagonist Julia visits the apartment of her filmmaker ex-boyfriend, Ivan, after suffering recurring nightmares of him being massacred by monsters. What begins as a well-meaning check-in on his status spirals down an unsettling rabbit hole when Julia’s worst fears are realized and then some. The dialogue-free tale presents a scary but fascinating exploration of obsession, both in art and in romance, that constantly delivers surprising, and at times upsetting, revelations during its eight-hour runtime. While Tenebris Somnia sometimes leans a little too far into “tell, don’t show” territory when explaining the cool lore of its supernatural threats, I never felt lost or confused about the wild things that regularly unfold on screen.

FMV experiences are nothing new, but Tenebris Somnia’s live-action scenes are a highlight. They’re well shot, sport impressively gruesome practical effects, and even present visual clues that make them important to gameplay. These scenes are additive, never taking too much time away from the in-game action, and they feel well placed to elicit the strongest emotional response. I also appreciate how the live scenes fit thematically, as much of Tenebris Somnia’s tale centers on a horror film shot by Ivan and Julia that significantly impacted their former relationship; at times, it’s like watching a movie about the movie. While I enjoy smaller moments, like opening a door to trigger a live-action jump scare, the filmmaking succeeds in selling Julia's emotions and the cast's reactions. Seeing real fear, concern, and determination in Julia’s eyes as she navigates a dreamworld made up of Ivan’s memories helped endear me to what would otherwise be a featureless pixel sprite.

Gameplay may look unimpressive due to its old-school adventure game presentation, but Tenebris Somnia’s spin on familiar survival-horror mechanics hits the right notes. Taking place entirely within a dreamlike version of a four-story apartment building, you’ll traverse floors collecting and combining objects and deciphering clues to solve well-crafted puzzles. I’m impressed by how well the game’s puzzles make the most of its limited graphical presentation, including clever scenarios involving mirror/screen reflections I won’t spoil, and how consistently creative they are. One devious exercise even utilizes the game’s limited save points as an unexpected resource in a way that changes how you approach your adventure going forward. No matter how strange puzzles become, they are never opaque, requiring just enough out-of-the-box thinking to make me feel smart when I connect the dots.

Battling grotesque monsters (which, naturally, look even creepier in live-action) also feels good, with melee and gunplay sporting deliberate animations reminiscent of classic adventure games without feeling mechanically clunky. Taking on multiple enemies by swinging a pipe or blowing them away with a shotgun feels better than it looks, and the most intense encounters end just as they approach the line of becoming overwhelming.

Boss battles, perhaps most unexpectedly for a largely puzzle-focused adventure, are fun and distinct from each other, be it wave-based bouts against small gremlin-like foes, protecting a fragile effigy of yourself from a parade of demented house servants, or battling literal mirror images of a tentacled flesh monster the Resident Evil series would be proud to claim. Managing limited ammo and health strikes a good balance of feeling tense but not oppressive. Playing conservatively is rewarding, as few non-boss threats need to be engaged if you can evade them well enough. But when I did find myself down to my last bullet or on the verge of death, Tenebris Somnia lets you feel the pinch just long enough before dropping a box of bullets or a health vial at the right moment.

Tenebris Somnia mines the enjoyable nostalgia of playing the horror games of yesteryear without feeling dated in the worst way. Weaving a solid indie horror film adds to the experience rather than feeling like a gimmick. The result is a captivating, well-executed survival-horror romp that maintains a hair-raising atmosphere with a fraction of the pixels of other genre giants.