The PS1 era is synonymous with the birth of the survival horror genre, so it makes perfect sense that players are seeing plenty of newer indie survival horror titles that pay homage to Sony’s 5th generation console and the games it featured. But á la mode games’Sorry, We’re Closedis the kind of title that comes around once in a blue moon to both embrace genre convention and flip it on its head, delivering another experience using a PS1-era aesthetic but doing so with a heavy injection of style that makes it all its own. While players have gotten no shortage of PS1-style survival horror experiences this year alone,Sorry, We’re Closedis offering up something unique that fans of the genre can’t afford to miss.
Aside from the mechanical differences that setSorry, We’re Closedapart from this year’s genre contemporaries (games likeCrow Country,Hollow Body, andConscript), the game has a unique, neon-soaked aesthetic and smart characterization and writing that call to mind boththePersonaseriesand smaller, more emotional indie titles likeSayonara Wild HeartsandParadise Killer. But to assumeSorry, We’re Closedis all style and no substance would be a mistake. The game delivers classically styled survival horror thrills with plenty of novel mechanics that make it feel like one of the year’s unmissable indie experiences.
Sorry, We’re Closed Is Already Having a Strong Showing on Steam
The current PC exclusivity ofSorry, We’re Closedhas given way to a flood of players checking the title out on Steam following an impressive demo and some early buzz behind the title ahead of its release. Those same players seem to be resonating strongly withSorry, We’re Closed, with many praising the game’s interesting characters, strong writing, homages made togames likeSilent Hillwithout blatantly imitating them, and an intriguing mystery that pushes players forward through its dark and demon-infested corridors. The game is currently sitting at “Very Positive” on Steam across 112 user reviews, with a surprising 100% of those reviews positively recommending the title.
Compare this to the user reception of other PS1-style survival horror titles from this year, and it’s clear thatSorry, We’re Closedis standing shoulder-to-shoulder with its contemporaries. The impressiveCrow Countryis currently sitting at 98% “Overwhelmingly Positive” from just over 3,500 user reviews, andgames likeConscriptandHollowbodyare resonating similarly with fans, both sitting at a “Very Positive” user ranking across roughly 1,000 reviews.Sorry, We’re Closedis off to a strong start, and it’s possible that word of mouth regarding the game could propel it to becoming one of the year’s breakthrough indie success stories.
Gameplay in Sorry, We’re Closed Blends Silent Hill With a Competent First-Person Shooter
The most obvious comparison players could make withSorry, We’re Closed’s gameplay isthe originalSilent Hill, but the game incorporates a unique approach to combat that sets it apart. Similar to the still-in-developmentHolstin(another promising retro-styled survival horror title), players will navigateSorry, We’re Closed’s environments in third-person before switching to a first-person perspective during combat. With access to both melee and ranged weapons, the game’s protagonist (Michelle) has plenty of options at her disposal with which to dispatch the grotesque horrors she regularly comes across.
An encounter with the game’s antagonist, an intriguing love-obsessed demon who desires the affection of his subjects above all else, grants Michelle a third eye, which has mechanical implications as well as narrative. During combat, players can activate their third eye to pinpoint enemy weaknesses, turning each encounter into a similar nailbiting experience as taking out theRegenerators fromResident Evil 4. BeyondSorry, We’re Closed’s interesting pastiche of gameplay influences, though, it packs some witty humor, a pulpy atmosphere, a sense of style, and an embrace of esoteric themes that should make fans of thePersonaseries take notice.
Sorry We’re Closed
WHERE TO PLAY
Sorry We’re Closed is a nostalgic, single-player survival horror game. Enjoy atmospheric environments driven by classic fixed camera angles and the thrill of arcade-style first person combat. Enter the perilous demon world, collecting items and managing your resources to stay alive.A WORLD OF ANGELS AND DEMONSFollow the final days of Michelle as she battles to break the curse placed on her by a powerful demon looking for love. Help (or hinder!) the lives of curious residents in Michelle’s bustling London borough as you pursue freedom from your own untimely demise.A BLESSING OR A CURSE?With multiple endings to discover, influence your fate as the choices you make will open new opportunities to avoid or embrace the antagonist’s allure.SURVIVAL HORROR WITH A TWISTTaunted with a few days of freedom left, Michelle is offered tantalising opportunities to escape her curse. If she can muster her courage, brave the demon world, and keep her Hellhound pistol loaded, she might find a way to rebalance the scales of destiny.Explore with nostalgic fixed camera angles as you delve deeper into the liminal cracks that separate consciousness and sleep. Defend with arcade-style combat in first person using demonic weapons.
