Fobia – St Dinfna Hotel Horror Game Review

From Brazilian developers Pulsatrix we have the survival horror game Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel to talk about today. This game is one that has been really well received by reviewers despite there being little to no hype before the game came out. I loved the look of it and was super keen to check it out, so here we go. Because I’m lazy, I’m calling the game Fobia from this point forward. It’s not and there is another game called Fobia so stick with me.

Taking place in St Dinfna Hotel we play the role of Robert, a journalist who has been invited to investigate the numerous accounts of missing people, mysterious sightings and so much more in an opulent setting. Things get really weird really quick, and Robert wakes to a flesh filled hotel totally changed and filled with nightmares. It is a great looking game that begs to be played and really gave me Resident Evil 7 vibes with its control system and the fact that it is first person.

This game is a mix of good and not so good, but please realise I did not say bad. It just could do with a bit more polish. Fobia is filled with complex puzzles that you need to solve in order to progress, and a camera with a special lens that lets you see the darker supernatural side of St. Dinfna. Don’t worry too much about keeping this lens manned, areas where you have to use it are marked with handprints, however I can tell you I find so much more by using it regularly. Even cool little details like images on paintings changing with the lens on were a treat. Getting through it all will fill you with satisfaction as it is a challenge.

The puzzles will have you looking all over the place which can sometimes get monotonous, but not overly so. The combat is a little bit clumsy and feels slow in the way you use weapons. I also noticed some crummy hit detection where I’d unload on a monster in a doorway and it would not get hit at all. It was frustrating. The monsters did not represent significant threats either.

Apprehension and fright are well presented in the game. I honestly had some jump scares and moments of foreboding. I watch a lot of horror so it is always fun to get a little bit of a fright playing Fobia. With the game being as story driven as it is, there won’t be an overwhelming need to replay this title. Make sure you do read and pay attention to everything the game has to offer as it is jammed full of detail and just as important will help you solve some of these puzzles you are having to tackle.

There are a couple of standouts in the game; Robert’s character is really good, and the girl in the gasmask! She nearly made me change my shorts a couple of times. Graphically this game is great to look at but still does have a bit of a indie studio look, I’m guessing they simply don’t have the means to put the polish on that major studios do. The Hotel looks so good though and becomes a character in and of itself. The audio is utterly brilliant and added so much to my experience.

I think this is a worthy addition to your game collection. It is a very well done horror game and I also think the timing and pacing of the scares will work in making sure you never get too comfortable. I’d be super keen to see what these guys come out with next.

What are your thoughts? Is this a game you would play? Oh and say hi to the rabbit for me.

Tory Favro