Whether your swings actually connect seems entirely up to chance.When zombies roam, you've usually got only your own, uninfected carcass to worry about. But in Amy's dangerous world of survival horror, Lana (that's you) is already infected — and you’re traveling with an autistic girl whose presence keeps your sickness at bay. Amy also has other psychic powers, too, but this symbiotic relationship has a downside: now you’re both threatened by the powerful forces out to capture her.
It gets worse: somebody's peppered the dimly lit environments with motion-sensitive electrical mines, poisonous red goop oozes all over the place, and conscienceless soldiers gun down anything that moves. Initially, the idea of holding a troubled young child's hand and sneaking around such a dangerous world sounds engrossing, even in the absence of a cover system. Sadly, stamping across broken glass isn't the only way to alert enemies. Shoddy line-of-sight detection means you’re often discovered unjustly — even when enemies have their backs turned — and moving both of you into surprisingly rare hiding spots before you're killed is frequently impossible.
You lead Amy using a combination of teamwork and verbal encouragement. Sometimes, though — as with obstacles like this one — you'll need to split up to progress.And heaven help you any time you're forced to engage in combat. You’ll swing pipes that disintegrate with a few hits — or even worse, pass harmlessly through snarling enemy faces thanks to lousy collision detection. Dodge in tight quarters, and you'll quickly find your back literally against the wall…and yourself dead on the ground a few wounds later. Even worse, truly egregious checkpoint placement forces you to repeat the same actions and unskippable fright sequences over and over again. Keep playing long enough to experience Lana's penchant for slow-paced shimmying past obstacles and leisurely climbs up ladders, and you might even relish her frequent ends.
It's a horrible shame, because when it isn't caving in your head, the game toys with a couple of interesting ideas. In due course, Amy learns to create spheres of silence that let you make lots of noise on the sly, and to spit shockwaves that keep predators at a distance. Unfortunately, even these intriguing powers are never put to any purpose more compelling than bashing glass barriers and splintering wooden blockades.
Its novel setup could've made Amy an exciting, emotionally charged adventure. Instead, it's a grueling death-march through a gauntlet of poor design choices and feckless player punishment.
PUBLISHER: Lexis Numérique • DEVELOPER: VectorCell • ESRB: Mature • MULTIPLAYER: None • ACHIEVEMENTS: Ordinary • COST: 800 Microsoft Points ($10)
+ Lana and Amy's symbiotic relationship; simple psychic powers; some creepy atmosphere.
– Poor stealth mechanics; shockingly awful combat; punitive checkpoint placement.
– Dull and contrived puzzles; every ladder and ledge is an excuse for shameless padding.
? Why does Lana throw away her weapon after each chapter?
