Shhhh…be quiet
I still haven’t seen the A Quiet Place movie, but even before I booted up the video game adaptation I kind of figured that this was going to be about aliens. I apologize if that is spoiling but at this point, I think if you are coming here, you probably know what’s up. A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is developed by Stormind Games and the team has crafted a solid and scary horror experience that really brings what I know of the films to life for players to experience in game.
The Road Ahead is a prequel, which was nice for a newbie like me; the story takes place 118 days after the creatures have landed on Earth. Players will control Alex, an ordinary young woman just trying to make it. The opening moments show the players the importance of being quiet, walking on sawdust, and other tutorial tips. Alex suffers a huge tragedy by the end of the opening and from there she has to avoid being murdered by the aliens and find safety. Oh, I forgot to mention, she is also pregnant and asthmatic, so that’s a wonderful combination when the aliens can hear the slightest noise.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Alex does have access to some tools to help her survive; one of which is the device that can read how many decibels Alex is making. It also is nice because it will show the player how aware an alien may be of their presence, which is really helpful. One feature the game has that I initially thought was cool is the microphone noise detection feature. This allows for an attached microphone to pick up real-world sounds, which will of course alert the enemies in game. This is a neat feature, but it felt really sensitive, the smallest sound in my game room and I ended up dead. Maybe that’s how the movies go in which case I guess it’s true to form, but it just felt like a lot, so I turned it off.
Besides there are TONS of things that will set the aliens off in game, walking thru a puddle or opening a door to quickly can get you killed in this game. One of my biggest gripes is just how slow this game feels, and that is by design. Moving quickly will get you kill in The Road Ahead, so players are forced to crouch-walk and move incredibly slow, which just makes the game drag. Adding to that Alex’s asthma can flare up when she becomes stressed, or when she runs or exerts herself; it’s just another area that forces players to slow down.
Because of the slower nature of the gameplay, there is a lot of time to read the in-game lore that litters each level. Journals and pictures show personal stories of the various people who have tried to make it in this new world. Alex’s personal story is quite an emotional one, and for the most part it is really well told. While I can’t say how it compares to any of the 3 films, I certainly enjoyed what I played and do intend to watch the films to see if there are easter eggs.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a mixed bag, while I enjoyed Alex’s story the journey to get to its end really felt endless at times. As I said, because players are forced to move through this world at a snail’s pace and avoid making sounds at all costs it really slows down the gameplay and thus the experience. There were points where just getting down a hallway felt like an eternity; I think this is an experience that just works better as a movie or TV show. Fans of the film may find this game to be much better than I did since there is an investment already in the world, but as a newbie the game did make me want to watch the films; so, I guess that’s something.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
