Technical Information

Developer: panstasz
Publisher: Ysbryd Games
Release Date: February 20, 2020

Inspired by the stories of H. P. Lovecraft and Junji Ito, World of Horror is a detective game with RPG and point and click elements.
Explore scenarios, recruit assistants, and fight monsters to uncover the solution to each mystery presented by the game.

Final Thoughts – Analyzing the Game as a Whole

When this review was written, the game was in early access. Future updates may improve or modify several aspects.

Graphics and UI

I loved the pixel art, it’s excellent! However, since the game uses a full 2-bit style (with the option to switch to 1-bit), the interface can feel visually cluttered and confusing at times.

The game allows you to change the color palette when selecting the 2-bit mode. I personally found the light blue option less tiring on the eyes (though yellow is also perfectly playable).

Soundtrack and Sound Effects

Initially, the music gives the game a strong aura of mystery, but it becomes tiring over time.
There is no variation in the soundtrack according to the gameplay rhythm, and eventually, the background music starts to feel uncomfortable.

Gameplay

I found the beginning of the game quite complicated. There’s too much information to process, and the tutorial isn’t very clear. However, through trial and error, I eventually understood how to play. This might be an obstacle for players who don’t have much patience to experiment.

The best way I can describe this game is as a perfect tabletop RPG simulator, but set in a horror universe (the monster designs are clearly heavily influenced by Junji Ito’s work).

Your mission is to investigate supernatural cases. You have the freedom to explore different locations, but the events you encounter are completely random (similar to a roguelike). To increase the challenge, there are several moments where you’ll need to engage in turn-based RPG combat.

It’s possible to configure the difficulty of each run. In addition to the “story mode” (which isn’t exactly a traditional story mode, but it’s the closest description), you can create custom games by choosing the protagonist, monsters, and other elements.

The game is still in early access, but it already offers a lot of content.
The downside (though expected) is the presence of several small bugs. They don’t ruin the experience, but they can be inconvenient.

Replayability and Player Retention

I believe the purchase is worthwhile, especially for those who enjoy non-linear games. Since no playthrough is ever exactly the same, the replay value is extremely high.
However, I would recommend waiting for the game to leave early access for a more polished experience.