Being an avid fan of fast-paced, action-packed games, it could be said that I had Little Hope (sorry, I had to) for Supermassivegame’s latest addition to their ongoing saga; The Dark Pictures Anthology. Reminiscent of Until Dawn, Little Hope takes on a cinematic approach, with tough decisions and dramatic camera angles in lieu of action and pace (although it does have quite a lot of the former at times).
The story follows an unlikely group of 6 students and their professor. When their bus is detoured into the aptly named town of Little Hope, a ghostly child appears on the road, causing the driver to swerve and crash.
Finding themselves in the middle of nowhere, they embark on a journey to find help; only to find themselves right in the middle of a 17th-century witch-hunt. Past and present collide as our terrified team lay witness to witch trials of the past; discovering, on the way, that they may just have something that ties them to Little Hope, after all.
Little Hope is Packed with Scares and Suspense
The cinematic approach allows Little Hope to fully immerse the player in the game. As the horror movie angles are cast; you do really get the feeling of controlling a live-action horror movie. As you play through the game, you are automatically switched from player-to-player as the story unfolds. After a short while of playing Little Hope, it becomes clear that this is done to keep with the movie theme and to tell the story through each of the characters.
I would advise on stocking up on underwear before playing Little Hope; it’s jam-packed with jump scares and an edge-of-the-seat tension that makes you look over your shoulder at regular intervals; convinced there is someone, or something lurking there, watching.
Hanging over you like the Sword of Damocles from start-to-finish, abrupt button prompts never allow you to completely let your guard down. The constant threat of these sudden real-time events adds to this boiling pot of suspension and apprehension.
If you’re a fan of the horror genre, then Little Hope has a lot to offer you. The game plays out beautifully and seldom leaves room for boredom (contrary to my initial thoughts).
Little Hope pleases in a way like no other game. The horror-movie-cum-game approach lays the foundations of a deep, intricate story. Forcing snap-decisions that can lead to the death of you (or one of your team) keeps you on your toes and immerses you deeper into the spiralling tale ahead.
The Characters of Little Hope
Among the five central characters of Little Hope, there’s always going to be one that’s relatable to the player. With widely differing personalities, they each have their merits and annoying traits. As you progress through the game, a growing sense of attachment to the characters makes those tough decisions that bit tougher.
Andrew: Andrew is the first person you play as in Little Hope. He’s the youngest of the group and is mature beyond his years. He plays a prominent part in the story and without giving anything away; he’s definitely one to watch.
Angela: As the eldest member of the group, Angela adopts the token mother hen role. He steadfast determination sees the group though many situations and her wise ways make her a dependable character.
Taylor: Keeping in true horror tradition, Taylor is the headstrong female character of Little Hope that won’t be walked over. If she has an opinion, then the group are going to hear it, like it or not. However, we do see flashes of Taylor’s sensitive side during the playthrough.
Daniel: We can’t have a group in a horror game without having a Jack the Lad and we find this in Daniel. He gives across the impression that he’s a bit of a lady’s man and arrogant at times but it’s evident he has a soft spot for the feisty Taylor.
John: Being the professor of the group, John sees himself as the leader. Automatically assigning himself this role raises the hackles of the other characters but John is quick to see, however, that each person has their uses. It’s nice to see him become less cocksure as the game goes on.
Narration
Played by and using the motion-capture of Pip Torrens (The Crown), the Curator is Supermassive’s cherry on the cake. Pip’s scenes are played out in his expansive office. He narrates the story, breaking the fourth wall and communicating directly with the player about how they are progressing. These periodic visits to his office offer a change of scene and a means of catching up on any key parts of the game you may have missed or forgotten along the way.
Pip’s appearances are what made the game great for me. He is to Little Hope what Vincent Price is to the Hammer House of Horror and he plays it remarkably.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a thumb-blistering action fest then you will be disappointed in Little Hope. However, if you’re looking for something that will draw with a strong story and scares at every turn, then this game is definitely for you.
The story itself is the best I have seen for quite a while and has me impatiently waiting for the sequel. Moreover, the acting perfectly compliments the terror-inducing horrors within the game, making this one of my all-time favourite horror games.
At $25, you get what you pay for and a whole lot more. The many things I enjoyed in this game would surpass a lot of the AAA titles out there now. Sticking such a low price tag on Little Hope gives the impression of a budget game before even playing it. Although it doesn’t take long to realise that this is far from the case, I do believe Little Hope would sell at the same price as most new releases.
