World of Horror
World of Horror, also known by its Japanese title Kyōfu no Sekai (恐怖の世界), is a role-playing video game with a 1-bit pixel art style, inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and Junji Ito.[1] The game was created by Polish developer Paweł Koźmiński, and published by Ysbryd Games.[2] It was released into early access on February 20, 2020 through Steam, GOG.com, and Microsoft Store.[3][4][5] The full game is set be released in mid-2023 for existing macOS and Windows platforms, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.[6]
World of Horror | |
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Developer(s) | Paweł Koźmiński |
Publisher(s) | Ysbryd Games |
Platform(s) | |
Release | Q2/Q3 2023 |
Genre(s) | Role-playing |
Mode(s) |
The game takes place in the town of Shiokawa, Japan, where the player must explore various locations and fight otherworldly creatures in order to halt the apocalypse.[1]
Gameplay
World of Horror features turn-based combat where the player queues up actions and attacks to be used against hostile creatures,[7] many of which are based on creatures from Japanese horror manga or urban legends, such as Kuchisake-onna.[8] The game also incorporates adventure game and roguelike elements in its exploration and puzzle-solving.[9][10]
Development
The game's developer, Paweł Koźmiński (a.k.a. Panstasz) worked on the game part time in between his work as a dentist.[11] All of the in-game artwork was designed using MS Paint, with additional writing provided by author Cassandra Khaw.[2] Music was composed by ArcOfDream and Qwesta. There was interest to launch on consoles since 2020,[12] and a release date was revealed during Nintendo's Indie World Showcase in November 2022.[13]
Reception
Jordan Devore of Destructoid called the game "a rare treat" and praised its modular format, as well as its "eerie chiptune soundtrack and rising tension during a long, hard-fought run", but also criticized its combat as becoming tedious over long sessions.[14] Jenna Stoeber of Polygon called the game's horror "engaging", though she criticized the visuals as "mixed", and called navigating the interface "frustrating".[15] Lane Martin from CGMagazine said it "strikes at the very bone of what can be truly terrifying".[16] According to Metacritic, World of Horror currently has "generally favorable reviews".[17]
References
- "WORLD OF HORROR". wohgame.com. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "ysbryd games". Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "WORLD OF HORROR on Steam". Steam. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "WORLD OF HORROR". GOG.com. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "Buy WORLD OF HORROR (Game Preview)". Microsoft Store. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- Romano, Sal (9 November 2022). "WORLD OF HORROR launches in summer 2023 for PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- "World of Horror: Beginner's Guide to Combat and Enemy Stats". ScreenRant. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "World of Horror | A Junji Ito Fan's Nightmarish Paradise". IndieObscura. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- Norman, Thomas. "WORLD OF HORROR: An Investigative Interactive RPG, Grimoire of Horror". Grimoire of Horror. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Watts, Rachel (21 February 2020). "World of Horror is a gruesome adventure game inspired by the work of Junji Ito". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- Conditt, Jessica (20 September 2019). "A dentist made a game in MS Paint and it's terrifying". Engadget. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Smith, Callum (19 February 2020). "World Of Horror: PS4 and Nintendo Switch release date after Early Access on Steam". HITC. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "Latest Indie World Showcase unveils a wave of indie games coming to Nintendo Switch in 2022 and beyond - News - Nintendo Official Site". www.nintendo.com. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- Devore, Jordan (26 February 2020). "Early Access Review: World of Horror". Destructoid. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Stoeber, Jenna (24 February 2020). "World of Horror lets me bring doom upon myself". Polygon. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- Martin, Lane (5 March 2020). "World of Horror Review - CGMagazine". CGMagazine. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- "World of Horror". Metacritic. Retrieved 9 November 2022.