Chasing Static Review: Distorted Memories
Alone, and driving down a dark, soaked road in the rain. Surrounded only by the trees and patter of the drops atop your car. Wiper blades swinging back and forth, rhythmically keeping you present and alert. Chasing Static opens up here, soon after receiving the news that your estranged father had passed. Chris is on his way back to where he grew up, to come to terms with his father and put his past behind him.
Only his past isn’t so willing to let go just yet.
Story
Chasing Static follows Chris Selwood in this ‘fish out of water’ tale of confusion and desperation. After getting lost on his way to his childhood home he comes upon a cute little road cafe with its lone waitress still there. She is actually heading the correct way to the town and offers to show you the way in exchange for a ride there so she doesn’t have to use her bicycle in the rain.
It’s a dark and stormy night, and it’s my favorite horror story cliche.
After an event, Chris is found thrusted into the night, alone once again, to find answers to what’s truly going on around him. Warned by a voice on the phone to not wander into the woods, it's ultimately the only choice to take, and the story starts to get on its feet. Searching the woods will soon find you with a sealed concrete door, and the tunnels to the larger story at play. Chris will have to bring up several objects online to bring an ultimate task to fruition. He’ll travel to a few different areas with each with their own feel, both in the scenery and tension.
Presentation
Chasing Static is lovingly presented with visuals akin to the days of PS1 grunge. Crusty 3D models with blurred-pixelated textures populate the landscape, objects, and characters. In its world you’ll find a lone cafe, the woods, a town and an underground labyrinthine facility.
Strewn about it are beautiful graphics of olde, complimented by a haunting and pervasive score. The latter of which really gets a chance to shine when your character is using a certain item that requires him to wear headphones, muffling the world around you but allowing the score to play clearly. It's a world lived in and abandoned; primarily alone, but not completely. Chasing Static nails the look and feel of a place forgotten by time and left to its own devices.
Gameplay
‘Walking Simulator’ will incite different emotions for different people. Unfortunately, it seems to be used as a downside more often than not these days in the public eye. That is not the case with this reviewer.
In Chasing Static, you’ll be tasked with environmental puzzles of all shapes and sizes, crafting together solutions not only to progress in a gameplay sense, but also narratively. Among which there’s always a sense of dread present and the belief that danger is always right around the corner.
Most of your time in the short span of the game will be spent exploring to find clues within the world and unlocking the way forward. There is some light combat to be had that plays into a larger puzzle (and optional ending), but it's not the focus of this experience.
Breakdown
Game: Chasing Static
Developer: Headware Games
Availability: PC (Consoles planned for 2022)
Reviewed on PC
Pros:
+ Moody atmosphere really gels with the game’s presentation
+ Short and sweet, with plenty of answers but still its fair share of questions
+ Multiple endings to unlock and strive towards
+ Left me wanting more in a good way
Cons:
- There is at least one thing missable in your playthrough if you don’t know about it ahead of time.
Final Thoughts
I went into Chasing Static blind save for a couple screenshots, and within the short three hour experience, I was engaged and fulfilled throughout. There’s definitely something to be said for less expensive games that yield shorter, more honed experiences. One area of which seems to be thriving is the indie horror scene, even more so these days are the retro inspired ones.
Chasing Static, although brief, is a great example of the retro-3D horror genre that’s booming these days. From beginning to end I was engrossed with the characters and atmosphere. The former of which has some good voice acting, something that seems to also be on the rise in the indie scene these days. As for the atmosphere, it’s nigh-perfect from the different locales and the accompanying score.
Clocking in at three hours and costing only $15, Chasing Static is an easy recommendation for the horror lover in your life. We’re nearing the last leg of October, and it is best spent with fresh, quality scares.
Reviewed by Matthew Wright