REVIEW: Scorn
Developer: Ebb Software
Publisher: Kepler Interactive Limited
Released: 2022
Platforms: Epic | GOG | Steam | Xbox Series X/S
To quote my Steam review:
When it's not an empty hallway walking sim, it's a "stealth" game where you wait for walking peanuts to tuck themselves into bed. When it's not stealth, it's a HIT THE LEVER sim.
I can’t actually generate that much anger towards Scorn, save for a few key points in my playthrough. For the most part, I encountered boredom.
In terms of aesthetics, Scorn hits and then punches through the bullseye. Intimidating and labyrinthian Giger-esque architecture envelops the player at all times. Naked and contorted bodies are scattered about, some towering and intimate yet vulnerable. Many bodies have clearly met a painful death, while the survivors have corrupted into monsters.
A low rumble is always echoing through Scorn’s hollow walls. Every now and then, the foley is accentuated with mournful orchestral strings. Interacting with the world’s fleshy “technology” always has a punchy squelch. I’m sure the late Giger would be proud if he could see how Scorn celebrates his bizarre and fantastic body of work (heh).
It’s a shame that, as a video game, Scorn is awful.
I’ve tried to experience and respect “walking simulators.” After all, why can’t video games challenge their definition as a medium? But only Death Stranding kept my attention, and even then it was exclusively during main quests. That’s the walking sim for me.
I went into Scorn feeling optimistic. When I saw the trailer, I figured the story would be abstract, which is perfectly fine for my tastes in art. I knew it was going to have a lot of empty rooms, but I looked forward to puzzles keeping me engaged. There’s only so much a glorified diorama can do by itself.
I was not, however, expecting the majority of the puzzles to merely consist of flipping switches. I’d be okay with simplistic challenges… but not this simplistic. After an hour or so of running in circles while activating pulleys and elevators for three-step puzzles, the dread set in that I had already seen everything Scorn could offer.
I haven’t even mentioned combat. Oh Lord, the combat in this game.
The first “weapon” given to you is supposed to be used more as a key, but it has a short-ranged jackhammer attack in case of emergency. It’s like a knife from any Resident Evil, just way, way worse. Its pitiful damage output is a garbage trade-off to how close you have to hug your enemies, all with the hope that the jackhammer connects. Enemies will usually disintegrate your health instead.
Three other weapons can be obtained. Based on footage I looked up, I missed out on what I can only describe as a “pea shooter.” I got the fantastic grenade launcher, but ammo is so scarce that it’s mandatory to have 100% accuracy. And finally, a second grenade launcher is given during a late-game boss battle, which afterwards is used for blowing up obstacles and nothing else. By the way, the grenades on that last one bounce like they’re rubber balls; good luck hitting your lanky-legged target.
As a poorly-wedged aside, the only boss battles in this game are the same exact enemy twice in a row. LOL. LMAO even.
The one silver lining is that you can use the labyrinth’s floor plans to your advantage. They almost always circle around, with multiple outlets to choose from. Enemies lose interest fairly quickly, so there’s at least a way to tolerate their existence (just don’t lose track of your location, naturally).
One more thing with combat: I spent 80% of Scorn not knowing I could heal myself. I assumed the McGuffin in my hand was for a puzzle, not that it was a blood transfuser. If you really want to play this game, make sure to gloss over the Controls menu.
Outside of this whole mess, the last thing Scorn can offer is its abstract story. It’s the one aspect I walked away from with a positive stance. What’s fascinating is how I and my Twitch audience had at least 3 different interpretations. The non-spoiler summaries are that it could be the story of a man struggling as a victim of rape, grieving over one or multiple losses (family/child/etc.), or fighting with insecurities and dissatisfaction with his own sexuality. It could be any combination of those readings.
Scorn should have been a short film project, not a video game. The abstract art is where it’s strongest, but everything else sucks out the entertainment factor.
Ridicule-tier
