A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review

As a seasoned gamer and horror enthusiast who has braved countless nights of terror, I must say that “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” left me with a mix of emotions. On one hand, the game’s soundscape is nothing short of exceptional – the sound of my footsteps echoing off different surfaces was a chilling reminder of the silence that pervaded this post-apocalyptic world. The use of the controller to simulate the creatures echolocating me was an innovative touch that truly made the experience intimate and immersive.

Are you having the sensation of being pursued by deafening sound-sensing aliens who can’t see? If so, it seems like you’re experiencing an unusual scenario that might benefit from professional counseling.

As a devoted fan of surreal horror games, I can’t help but feel thrilled that Stormind Games has heard our collective plea and unleashed A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. This long-awaited release is surely going to send chills down the spines of fans everywhere.

Previously, the company unveiled “Batora: Lost Haven,” an enchanting isometric role-playing game that generally went unnoticed, but its grandeur and visual appeal don’t come close to matching “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead.

The Upcoming Film: A Quiet Place – Forging New Paths is derived from one of the most skillfully crafted horror movies that have been released in the past decade. This film showcases John Krasinski’s versatility, as he delves into a more somber role beyond his well-known comedic character, “Jim” from The Office.

In this straightforward scenario, we encounter an alien race who have arrived on Earth via a meteor. Unfortunately, they are afflicted by a mysterious disease that renders them blind. However, they boast remarkable hearing abilities, nearly unbreakable skin, and extremely sharp talons.

Instead of the military sci-fi aesthetics from “Starship Troopers” or “Helldivers 2”, here’s a scenario where there’s no intergalactic unity or powerful weaponry to protect you, as there was previously.

In this scenario, you’ll assume the character of Alex, who is an average girl with common pastimes such as composing songs, and has been grappling with stress-related asthma, which resurfaced following a tragic family tragedy, preceding the extraterrestrial invasion.

In this assessment, I’ll discuss “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” which offers terrifying gameplay that competes with heavyweights like “Alien Isolation” and the remade version of “Resident Evil 2”, but its narrative and room for improvement hinder its full potential. This appraisal is based on a thorough playthrough of the PlayStation 5 version of the game.

A Story That Falls Silent

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review

In the large movie screen, “A Quiet Place” is primarily focused on its characters, while the environment plays a secondary role, emphasizing the emotional turmoil of being pursued by sightless alien predators. Regrettably, this nuance seems to elude “The Road Ahead”, despite the effort made.

In a nutshell, Alex is portrayed as a straightforward character who interacts with similarly uncomplicated individuals. However, the way these characters’ lives are depicted in the narrative feels more like they’re being declared or explained, instead of being shown through their actions and experiences.

In the film “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead“, the various timeframes depict everyday situations, yet they seem to overlook or ignore moments that significantly impact future relationships.

As a gamer, I’ve come across many instances where developers intentionally set up conflicts based on past events, only to be unraveled later through flashbacks. However, these moments often fall flat and leave me with the disappointment of listening to an amateurishly scripted radio drama, which doesn’t make up for the initial frustration.

Additionally, there’s an issue with the rhythm that can be disconcerting, particularly during moments when the creatures aren’t directly pursuing you. The rapid transitions between dialogues and actions in the cutscenes seem hurried, leaving little room for immersion as you struggle to grasp the gravity of the situations.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that Stormind Games had an opportunity with the storyline of “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead,” but unfortunately, they didn’t quite hit the mark. However, once you push past the initial fluff, the engaging gameplay completely overshadows any shortcomings in the narrative.

Elite Horror Gameplay

Rather than the clumsy narrative style, “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” masterfully captures the ordinary terror that makes this world intriguing.

To prevent yourself from being an alien’s meal, it’s crucial that you proceed with utmost caution.

Engaging with this game can help you appreciate how cluttered our human existence can be. It might even make you develop a dislike for seemingly ordinary actions like opening a door.

Alex and the other survivors lead a paranoid existence, and Storming nailed that.

As a devoted fan, I must confess that while A Quiet Place appears to have a swiftly paced environment on the surface, most of my experience was marked by a deliberate, tense slowness. This cautious speed was born out of an instinctual dread of drawing attention to myself and inviting those terrifying creatures.

This game not only encourages but intensifies your disdain for littering, as the abundance of discarded Heinz baked bean cans scattered around evokes a sense of inexpensive, unattractive desolation.

In the game A Quiet Place, the players’ experience is enhanced without the irritation of overlooking minor details, thanks to a “Hints” feature. This function briefly displays the active goal on the screen and provides a 3D indicator suggesting a general area where it can be found.

Help will arrive only when you summon it, avoiding the bothersome chatter from Atreus that occasionally makes him annoying in the latest God of War series.

Good Ideas, Awkward Execution

As a gamer, I often find myself navigating through games that utilize the traditional yellow marker to guide me. Frankly, the uproar about this feature seems exaggerated to me. It’s just a minor detail in an otherwise immersive experience.

It seems that the creators of “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” might want to borrow some cleaning supplies instead of paintbrushes, given how every nook, cranny, and even loose bricks are adorned with Sherwin-Williams Lemon Twist SW 6909.

It’s great that the game offers a setting to disable certain features, as it can sometimes create complex scenarios, though it’s more desirable than the standard yellow threat in most cases.

Similarly to the unremarkable tale, “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” falls short in its innovative portrayal of the character’s asthma.

Alex’s asthma symptoms intensify under stress, exposure to dust, and physical exertion. When it reaches a critical point, a difficult decision arises: either using an inhaler and potentially causing disturbance, or enduring the discomfort, with the potential risk of triggering a life-threatening, noisy asthma attack.

The concept is brilliant, but the execution almost feels gimmicky. Light strains like carrying a plank or crawling for more than a few seconds push Alex to the brink of an attack, sometimes making this mechanic more of a chore than an innovation.

An unusual approach to thwarting attacks involves pills that mildly reduce tension and anxiety, alongside an inhaler that provides temporary protective shields. A more straightforward method might be to have the pills provide a basic level of defense, while the inhaler handles emergency situations.

One issue with this system is that you can’t take the pills whenever you want since they disappear from your inventory once added, and all the inhalers are disposable.

Slow, Painful Death and Respawn

In the game “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead,” getting accustomed to dying is a rapid process. Although the death sequences are impressive, the game frequently leaves you just a few minutes away from your previous location.

In contrast to modern horror games such as the Resident Evil 2 remake, this game doesn’t allow for a quick return to where you left off because dangerous creatures lie in wait, eager to dismember you if you try to flee.

In The Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, you’ll find that there are just two modes for movement, which can be a bit puzzling since they’re not explicitly switchable. Instead, the modes are determined by how much you deflect the analog stick.

Sound & Vision

In the game “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead”, the sound design is flawless. Within just a few minutes, you can tell what kind of ground you’re walking on based on the sound of your footsteps, making the Kitbash phonometer virtually unnecessary.

Each small sound carries an undercurrent of worry and uncertainty, causing you to hesitate before taking your next action.

On your PlayStation 5, you can feel the creatures attempting to locate you via the controller’s vibrations, which adds a unique sense of immersion to the gameplay.

As a quiet gamer like myself, I was thrilled when Stormind introduced an amazing feature that leverages my microphone to pick up sounds. This way, even in a hushed gaming setup, the game can still respond to my surroundings!

To ensure proper setup, the calibration process establishes a reference point, meaning it’s unnecessary for the room to be completely silent. However, if you have children or pets who may cause disturbances, it might be best to disable that option during the process.

While the sound is spotless, the graphics are a mixed bag.

In “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead”, they employed the Unreal Engine 5, providing them with cutting-edge tools throughout the entire production process.

The narrative about the environment is captivating; it portrays a world that appears inhabited until tragically, its people meet their end prematurely. The visuals are genuinely awe-inspiring.

It makes for a perfectly photorealistic setting—until the people show up. The character models in A Quite Place all have that “late PlayStation 3 game” aura, with stiff animations and texturing that do not flatter the 3D models.

On a regular PlayStation 5, certain parts of the game may experience stuttering and low frame rates, which can be puzzling given that it’s a linear experience powered by a contemporary engine.

Closing Comments:

In essence, “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead” is an exceptional horror game on its own, yet it struggles due to its attempts at being a semi-adaptation. While the remarkable mechanics and ambiance often mask its flaws, there are moments when it reminds you of its untapped potential. Despite these shortcomings, the groundwork has been well established. If Stormind manages to enhance the narrative and optimization, any future installments of this game would undoubtedly merit a 9/10 rating.

2024-10-21 13:09