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There are lots of different horror games these days but do you know which ones were made in Poland? And do you know how great they are? If you don’t and you’re interested in them you should probably read this. Here you can learn about a few polish horror games.
credit: Bloober Team
Layers of Fear is a first-person psychedelic horror game with a heavy focus on the story and exploration. In this game you step into a role of an insane painter, who walks through a constantly – changing Victorian-era mansion, uncovering his visions, fears and horrors. The goal is to finish the masterpiece the painter has strived so long to create. The game was made by Bloober Team in 2016. Its graphics are beautiful and detailed, which is particularly noticeable when looking at paintings and furniture. The soundtrack composed by Arkadiusz Reikowski is remarkable and gives the game a fitting and creepy or touching vibes. Throughout the game you can’t be killed – there are only jumpscares and scary atmosphere. While playing Layers of Fear you can explore different rooms, texts on walls and ceilings, paintings, notes and other collectibles which help you understand or create theories about the plot. Basically – without spoilers – the main character has gone insane to complete his “magnum opus”. Layers of Fear has six chapters: Canvas (theme: house), Painting (theme: family problems), Primer (theme: basement), Brush (theme: daughter – the best chapter in my opinion), Touch (theme: monster & painting problems) and Contemplation (theme: checkers). After completing each of them you paint the big picture a bit more – both literally and figuratively. The final result of it is different depending on avoiding or not the optional encounters (for example with rats and paintings) and how much and what collectibles you pick up. There are 3 different endings. Unfortunately Layers of Fear costs 72 PLN (on Steam) but if you collect every free game on Epic Games you should have it in your library. http://layersoffear.com/main.html
credit: Bloober Team
Layers of Fear 2 is a first-person psychedelic horror game with a heavy focus on story and exploration just like the first part. This time you are an actor/actress who explores different theatrical performance-themed places, uncovering their past and fears. The game was created by Bloober Team in 2019. Its graphics are better than from the first game. The soundtrack is as amazing as in the Layers of Fear 1, Arkadiusz Reikowski didn’t disappoint yet again. Throughout the game – unlike the previous one – you can be killed unless you activate safe mode. But the jumpscares and the scary atmosphere stay the same. While playing Layers of Fear 2 you can find different collectibles and listen to dialogues between two siblings (James and Lily) which help you understand or make theories about the plot. In the game you’re playing as either James or Lily, it’s actually unspecified. Layers of Fear 2 has 5 acts: The Unmooring (theme: ship), The Hunt (theme: engine room), Bloody Roots (theme: house, garden – the best act in my opinion), Breathe (theme: red-white rooms) and Forever (theme: shipwreck). After finishing each of them you come back to the beginning room where you can see posters you have collected from the chapters. There are 3 different endings, you can get them depending on 4 choices you make throughout the game. Unfortunately Layers of fear 2 costs 72 PLN (on Steam) but if you collect every free game on Epic Games you should have it in your library. https://layersoffear2.com/
credit: Desert Fox
Bad Dream: Coma is a point & click game where your choices make a huge impact on the story. The game takes place in a surreal and disturbing dreamland where you can’t die but you can suffer greatly. Bad Dream: Coma was created by Desert Fox in 2017. The game has a very unique art style using only 3 colours (red, yellowed, black). The soundtrack composed by Michał Ratkowski is incredible and creates a mysterious, creepy atmosphere. There are three kinds of endings to discover: the good, the bad and the neutral one. But there are also different endings in the “bad” category. It all depends on your actions. Besides Bad Dream: Coma being a horror game it’s also a puzzle one. You get to solve puzzles and the great thing about it is that there are multiple ways of doing it. I would also call it a comedy game – sometimes the actions you are able to make are funny. Unfortunately Bad Dream: Coma costs 33 zl (on Steam) but I’m sure it will be very cheap on sales – that’s how I got it, anyway.
Bad Dream: Fever is also – unsurprisingly – a point & click game. It takes place in an infected town which is covered in strange ink. Bad Dream: Fever was created by Desert Fox in 2018. The game’s art style is similar to the Bad Dream: Coma’s but it’s more detailed, has more shadows and the additional colour is dark blue, not red. In my opinion the soundtrack is worse than from the previous Bad Dream but it still creates a mysterious and creepy atmosphere. Bad Dream: Fever is also a puzzle game and a comedy game. Some actions you make are hilarious and characters make funny jokes. Unfortunately this time there is only one ending but I think the game’s plot is really out of the box. The explanation of what’s happening in the town is very surprising. Also some of the solutions of the puzzles are unconventional too. I would recommend playing Bad Dream: Coma first before this one. It’s not because you wouldn’t understand the plot but because there are a few references (easter eggs) to the previous game. Unfortunately Bad Dream: Fever costs 36 zl (on Steam) but I’m sure it will be very cheap on sales. You could probably even get both Bad Dream games in a bundle to make it even cheaper.
The Medium is a third-person psychological horror game with dual-reality gameplay. In this game you are a medium named Marianne with the ability to travel into the spirit realm. The Medium was created by Bloober Team in 2021. The graphics are very beautiful, detailed and there are amazing shadows (I did screenshots of every scene, room and object), so you’re gonna need a great computer for this. The remarkable soundtrack was co-composed by Arkadiusz Reikowski and Akira Yamaoka. The Medium is set in post-Communism Poland in 1999. It takes place mostly in a hotel Niwa which is based on a real-life abandoned hotel in Cracow called Hotel Cracovia – it is now a museum. In the game you can explore the real world and the spirit world at the same time, use your abilities to solve puzzles spanning both worlds, find collectibles like echoes, notes and postcards and uncover deeply disturbing secrets. You also have to survive encounters with The Maw – a monster born from an unspeakable tragedy. What I really like about this game is that you can investigate a lot of stuff even if it’s not needed, for example posters and notes. Unfortunately The Medium is very expensive because it costs 180 zl (on Steam). It’s worth it but I would still recommend waiting for sales as I did.
There are, of course, more horror polish games than these five but these are all that I have played. If you’re looking for more, here are a few examples: Blair witch, Observer, Dying light and Witchfire. I hope reading this got you interested in these games and maybe you will have one (more?) reason for liking Poland.
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