The Narrative Rhythm of Fear The Spotlight // Summer Game Fest ‘24

Upon booking my hands-on appointment with Blumhouse Games ahead of Summer Game Fest, my expectations were honestly quite surface level. Did I sign up to play an asymmetric M3GAN game, or perhaps an escape room-like experience based on The Black Phone? Regardless, I was ready for a simple, fun time brimming with a handful of easy, yet likely forgettable jump scares. But as a two-minute sizzle reel trailer featuring six stellar indie horror games debuted on the summer’s biggest stage for games, a fever within me smashed through those surface level expectations resulting in a clear highlight of the entire weekend.

Sickos of the macabre swooned throughout SGF weekend with the announcement of Blumhouse Games’ slate of indie horror. Between securing heavy hitting partnerships such as EYES OUT and Half Mermaid, as well as darlings such as Vermila Studios, Perfect Garbage, and Playmestudio, the debut grounded the publisher as a serious player in the space within the span of the tight two minute teaser. But it was the aforementioned hands-on appointment with the sixth title, Fear The Spotlight from Cozy Game Pals, that made me confident in Blumhouse Games and their place within the recent indie horror renaissance.

Fear The Spotlight is experienced through the lens of Vivian, a model student of Sunnyside High who volunteers her free time at the library and is quite reserved when it comes to other students talking behind her back. We meet Vivian as she is exploring Sunnyside after dark with her friend Amy, a polar opposite of everything Vivian stands for; rebellious, outspoken, and adventurous. Amy, who admittedly seems to be taking advantage of Vivian’s library credentials, wants to get her hands on the school’s ouija board from the occult display (y’know - a staple within every normal high school) for a cheeky little seance.

Before finding your way into the library, Fear The Spotlight introduces a stealth mechanic that, given the name of the game, seems as if it will play a major role in the latter hours. The goal was to avoid a security camera’s cone of vision in order to sneak through a door. Nothing revolutionary, but it was the way the game shifted into a first person perspective that provided an additional layer of tension. While I didn’t get to experience the titular “Spotlight” we’re being warned to “Fear,” I can already sense that tension being ratcheted up to 11 once it comes into play.

As Vivian and Amy enter the library, the old school Resident Evil inspiration begins to shine. The tiered puzzle gameplay here, while simple, felt engaging in a way that supports the narrative. Where classic Resident Evil can be quite complex at times, Fear The Spotlight understands that the characters and narrative are at the forefront of the experience. The narrative rhythm is where the game shines through the exciting, yet crowded grunge horror subgenre. The gameplay avoids interrupting the natural rhythm of the story being told, and instead, it drives you towards environmental threads or readable documents that provide Sunnyside High with a rich and grounded history.

With an eerie memorial as the centerpiece, you learn about a tragic fire that took the lives of over 30 students in the past. The natural progression of puzzle solving leads Vivian through supporting documents that may hint at something darker surrounding the fire. While Fear The Spotlight notably does not feature jump scares (an ironic counter to most Blumhouse films), it's the bread crumbs that create a sense of pure dread as it ramps up towards the final climax of the demo. 

The climax is best left as a surprise, so I won’t go into much detail from this point forward. But what I will say is this: the classic “don’t mess with the ouija board” trope is done with such care that left me with a massive grin on my face and despair in my heart. Unlike its grunge horror genre-mates such as Happy Humble’s Burger Farm or the Puppet Combo catalog, Fear The Spotlight shies away from direct terror in favor of a 90s teen horror flick spearheaded by a modern arthouse director. Developer Cozy Game Pals has a clear vision for the story they want the player to experience, and the final moments of my demo secured Fear The Spotlight as my clear game of the show for the entirety of Summer Game Fest. 

Fear The Spotlight kicks off Blumhouse’s foray into the games industry with a launch later in the year. Notably, Fear The Spotlight initially launched back in 2023. Upon release, Cozy Game Pals were approached by Blumhouse and were given the opportunity to expand on their initial vision. That move alone makes me quite excited for what Blumhouse has in store for their future within the indie horror scene.

Preview by Mike Towndrow