InsideandLittle Nightmaresare two of my favorite 2D horror games on the market, so when I saw a trailer for Ayasa: Shadows of Silence, I had to give it a try.
The game’s inspiration was clearly drawn from those two phenomenal pieces of work, both in its aesthetic and gameplay elements. It was easy to see what developer Ayasa Games was going for in that regard.
After getting hands-on with a Beta Demo of Ayasa: Shadows of Silence, I am left a bit worried but also extremely excited for what’s to come.
DualShockers Definitives: Best Horror Games of 2024
The DS staff voted on their favourite horror games in 2024, these are the best ones.
The excitement stems from the fact that the game has done a great job at nailing the creepy atmosphere and does well in keeping the player on their toesfor its puzzle-solving.
On the other hand, I’m worried because many technical issues and game-breaking bugs forced me to do a hard restart to even progress further.
A Mysterious Story Worth Uncovering
Ayasa: Shadows of Silence starts in a dark and mysterious forest, with almost no explanation as to why our protagonist, Ayasa, is there. The only objective is to move forward and figure out things as you go.
Throughout Ayasa’s journey, a story begins to unfold and the player will start to see the disturbing nature of this world. Humans trapped in cages, giant machines that burn trespassers to a crisp, and disturbing creatures looking for their next prey.
Something terribly wrong has happened to the world, and since the story isn’t told upfront,you can’t help but want to continue forward to find answers.
The mysterious story is how Ayasa: Shadows of Silence is most similar to Inside, where the young boy of that game slowly unravels the sinister project within a facility.
However, Ayasa is gradually uncovering the sinister happenings of what I believe to be her home city. It’s not confirmed in the demo whether the setting is her home.
It’s the type of story that is up to interpretationand makes the player ask questions. If the demo is any indicator, it’s safe to say that answers will never be fully revealed as to why the world is the way that it is.
The sprinkle of hints, though, as the player progresses is enough to makethe premise really engaging. In other words, sometimes less is more.
Quick-Thinking Gameplay With an Emphasis on Lighting
The gameplay itself is similar to what you come to expect fromother puzzle platformersof this nature—for example, pushing blocks to climb onto the next floor, crawling through tight spaces, and breaking down walls.
Luckily, there are alsomany puzzles to solve that will keep players second-guessing and thinking about their next move.
One encounter in the demo has the player up against a large machine with the ability to instant-kill. It’s up to the player to figure out a way around this machine without being spotted, and while the answer is in sight, it’s not easy to see.
Another example was being trapped in a room and trying to discover a way out. It turns out that jumping up and down on the floorboard breaks the ground below, leading into the next area. Surprisingly, it was right under my nose the entire time.
This is how most of the puzzles are played out in the game. The answers blend in with the environment so well that they can be right in front of your face but still demand the player to put on their thinking cap.
8 Best Stealth Horror Games
High-stakes Hide and Seek
Ayasa: Shadows of Silence alsoemphasizes light and shadow lighting, making its puzzles and gameplay unique. Light can be used to reveal hidden paths that may lead to safety, while shadows can be used to hide from challenging foes or navigate brutal environments.
As I progressed through the demo, thepuzzles became increasingly complex, and using lighting to my advantage became even more crucial.
Combined with the surreal andhorrifying atmosphere, I’m eager to see how the game evolves as I reach the second half of the full release.
Unfortunate Technical Issues
As previously mentioned, Ayasa: Shadows of Silencehas a ton of technical issues in its current state. It’s understandable to have some in the beta phase, but the amount of problems I encountered makes me think that the gameisn’t close to being finished.
These aren’t simple graphical issues or stuttering, either. Instead, I ran into bugs that broke the game and prevented me from progressing.
For example, there’s one moment in the demo where the player must avoid demon-like enemies by hiding and sneaking slowly behind barricades. Unfortunately, I got caught by a demon during this encounter and had to restart. No big deal, right?
Well, after respawning, the same enemy that caught me was standing at the respawn point, swinging his arms down at Ayasa.
This caused me to get stuck in a never-ending loop of spawning, dying, respawning, dying. Moving was impossible since that enemy was right next to the respawn point every single time.
The only way to fix this was to restart the game completely, which thankfully sent that demon back to its original spot in the level.
Another example of unfortunate bugs is when the game wants the player to push a plank onto a platform, allowing them to progress into the next room.
Unfortunately, this plank can completely miss its target and fall to the ground below. There is no way to grab this plank or reset it to its original position — unless you restart the game.
Gamescom’s Horror Double Bill Showcases Reanimal & Little Nightmares 3
With Reanimal from Little Nightmares 3 showcased at Gamescom 2024, fans are overwhelmed with two upcoming cute horror titles.
It’s these types of bugs that really put a damper on what could otherwise be a great experience. Considering the demo is only a slither of the full experience, it makes you wonder if these bugs are constant throughout the entire game.
With Ayasa: Shadows of Silence only being in the beta phase, all there is to do is hope that it’ll be fixed for full release.
Excited and Skeptical
Ayasa: Shadows of Silence is shaping up to be a great adventure reminiscent ofInsideandLittle Nightmares.
The platforming is satisfying, its puzzles require quick thinking, and its unique use of light and shadow lighting differentiates the game from those who clearly inspired it.
Overall, fans of the genre should be looking forward to what this game has to offer from a gameplay perspective.
Unfortunately, there are way too many bugs in its current state that must be fixed before its full release, or it would be hard to recommend.
However, due to it only being in beta with no set release date, it’s safe to say that Ayasa Games is hard at work to give it the great launch that the game deserves.
