Review – Enigma of Fear

It took four years, but it’s finally among us. The game, created by Rafael “Cellbit” Lange, is a horror title based on his Paranormal Order RPG system. The narrative follows Mia, her dog Lupi, hacker Samuel and occultist Agatha, who set out in search of Veríssimo, Mia’s father, who disappeared after returning to the mysterious Strach family mansion.

Developed on the Unity Engine, the game brings classic elements from the survival horror genre, mixing them with a unique narrative. However, its inspiration from renowned works, such as Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark, is noticeable. Despite the initial charm, I confess that I expected something more robust and surprising than the final product that reached the public.

A new mansion, a new adventure

Enigma do Medo presents its story through multiple perspectives, starting with Mia and Lupi exploring the Strach family mansion in search of Veríssimo. Initially, Mia has a revolver, a flashlight with UV mode (toggled with the F key) and the help of Lupi, who can access narrow places using the Tab key. This mechanic allows you to solve small environmental puzzles as you progress through the plot.

Veríssimo disappeared while investigating the disappearance of agents from the Order Realitas, responsible for dealing with supernatural events and creatures from the “Other Side”, a dimension full of horrors. Among the missing is Calisto, a specialist in philology and cryptology, who became mentally unbalanced after the events involving the Strach family and their discoveries about the Enigma of Fear.

As the story progresses, the player also takes control of Veríssimo, exploring events prior to Mia’s arrival. This alternation of perspectives enriches the narrative, avoiding long infodumps through dialogues or cutscenes. However, the simplicity of the plot, although accessible, becomes predictable even for those who don’t follow the Paranormal Order universe.

The Strach mansion and its surroundings follow a structure familiar to anyone familiar with the Resident Evil series: each area is associated with a member of the family. The similarity with the Baker family, from Resident Evil 7, is evident, but it is not a problem, given the nostalgic appeal of this format.

Alone in the Pixels

Enigma do Medo’s gameplay follows what is expected for the genre, but adopts a fixed isometric camera that adjusts according to the environment. Although the proposal is interesting, it causes problems of proportion and scale. Settings like the cemetery and crystal cave work well, but “open world” areas that connect key locations, like the mansion and Spiral Castle, feel small and unimposing.

The Spiral Castle, for example, which should be a landmark of the game, is disappointingly short and repetitive. The “open world” is populated by Blood Zombies, generic monsters that, despite not reappearing after defeat, become predictable when dominating most areas. The lack of variety diminishes the expected impact and tension.

Another weak point is the ambiance. Although the pixel art of characters and creatures is well done, the use of vibrant and saturated colors undermines the horror atmosphere, coming closer to Luigi’s Mansion than a dark mystery game. This weakens the horror atmosphere that the title tries to achieve.

The smaller scenes manage to better convey the feeling of enclosure and mystery, but the attempt to create larger areas fails in execution. This inconsistency between design and environment ends up reducing or completely eliminating players’ immersion.

Knowledge is half the battle

Puzzles and chases are key elements in horror games, but here they present execution problems. Early on, Mia finds a door with a glyph riddle. The solution, theoretically obtained after solving the clock puzzle on the upper floor, can be seen directly in the game menu, allowing the player to skip part of the initial exploration.

Another frustrating example occurs in the Spiral Castle puzzles, where a crucial key is located in a completely different area, breaking the rhythm of exploration. Furthermore, pursuers, like the Slime Lord, are easily bypassed, reducing the impact of their threatening potential. Even bosses like Goliath and the Four-Armed Zombie disappoint, being more gameplay obstacles than real threats.

The combat also has significant flaws. The firearms and melee system is inconsistent, with problems with aiming and connecting attacks. Furthermore, the lack of hitstun on enemies makes melee combat frustrating, while the health interface system, with flashing red spots in the corners of the screen, can confuse and annoy players.

These aspects make Enigma do Medo’s gameplay seem unfinished at times. The potential for tension and challenge is often undermined by design decisions that don’t align with genre expectations.

Sound stones or not?

One of the pillars of horror games is their sound design and soundtrack, elements that immortalize intense experiences. Who doesn’t remember the escape tracks and save room music in Resident Evil, or the disturbing tracks in ? Not to mention the impeccable sound design of Alien: Isolation, which elevates the terror to unimaginable levels. And how does Enigma do Medo fare in this essential issue?

The soundtrack is functional, but generic. It fulfills what is expected from a game of this genre, but does not impress or invite the player to pay attention to its tracks. On the other hand, the voice team is excellent, with outstanding performances by Pamella Rodrigues as Mia, Karen Padrão as Agatha, Fred Mascarenhas as Samuel and the iconic appearances of Guilherme Briggs and Wendel Bezerra as Veríssimo and Calisto, respectively.

Interestingly, if the game’s focus wasn’t exclusively horror, a more creative soundtrack could make it memorable. Examples like Luigi’s Mansion show how a carefully crafted soundtrack can transform the experience. Even obscure titles like Notam of Wind for PS1 are still remembered for their striking music, even without reaching the status of great classics.

We have Resident Evil at home

Enigma do Medo is a national title that, despite its good intentions, delivers an experience below expectations. With a predictable narrative, inconsistent gameplay and disjointed setting, it gets lost among its inspirations and fails to stand out in the genre. Even with an affordable price, I recommend waiting for it on sale and approaching it as a mystery and investigation experience, more than a true horror game.

Another factor that made me very uncomfortable during the gameplay was the fact that Enigma do Medo tried to force an ARG during its gameplay during the creation of an item with Samuel, causing players to have to access the game folder to find clues in executables inside a folder called Labyrinthus. The fact of having to run certain programs outside the product is something that can be seen and copied by someone with bad intentions, ARGs must be interesting, not several .exes spread around!

Unfortunately, Enigma do Medo doesn’t take advantage of its sonic potential to stand out. Everything in the game seems to just fulfill the basics necessary to remain functional. Even with apparently more robust resources, it is less impactful than titles like , which, with clear limitations, manages to leave a more lasting impression, perhaps due to better use of its essential elements. The biggest fear regarding Enigma do Medo came true: it is a simple, short and unmemorable game.