Slender Flashlight

The notorious Slender Man returns, this time with nothing more than a video camera to light the way.

new take on the classic urban legend

The notorious Slender Man returns in this new take on the classic urban legend and while it offers a decent amount of suitably spooky chills, it ultimately proves to be a matter of style over substance and which ends up being strangely unsatisfying.

hard not to feel creeped out

The game gets off to a good start, with the player finding themselves alone in an old forest at night, with nothing more than a video camera to light the way. There’s no sound other than the gently blowing wind and the movement of animals in the background so it’s hard not to feel creeped out right from the start. There’s no real explanation of what you’re supposed to do, so just follow your instincts and start exploring, wandering around the forest and poking your nose into the abandoned buildings that stand silent and still.

reminiscent of the Blair Witch Project

You’ll soon start to piece things together however, as you encounter freaky signs, strange noises and other such things which are likely to leave your nerves in tatters after an extended play. This is largely thanks to the visceral graphics and distinctive visual style of the game, which are reminiscent of the Blair Witch Project and other such ‘found footage’ films. Everything is shot with that grainy look that makes such movies so effective at creating rising tension in audiences and it is a genuinely unsettling experience to explore the world that has been created here. And of course, things get even worse when the Slender Man himself finally shows up and the version that is on display here is perhaps the most terrifying interpretation yet seen.

atmosphere of brooding terror and absolute dread

However, while Slender Flashlight literally drips with an atmosphere of brooding terror and absolute dread, it must be said that the gameplay doesn’t really live up to the expectations laid down by the visuals. There’s no denying you’re in for an unnerving time but there is a distinct lack of substance on offer here and after a bit if random wandering, you can’t help but wish for something a little meatier to get your teeth stuck into. There are several game modes to try out here, with a few single player options and the promise of multiplayer as well, but in all honesty, there seems to be little difference between them and as with the game itself, it’s difficult to wish that something a little stronger had been implemented.

It's not bad but it takes time to get into

Slender Flashlight certainly isn’t a bad game but it’s one which takes some time to get into. The initial interest level is high, thanks to the spooky atmosphere, but interest soon fades away when the realization hits home that there’s not much going on, at least for a while. The scares do pick up though and are definitely well implemented when they eventually show up, meaning that you’re likely to be haunted some time afterwards by your experiences in the world of the Slender Man. However, the game is nowhere near as memorable as it should be, thanks to the exhaustive and slightly tedious exploration that forms much of the game and a few technical issues which need to be overcome in order to experience it properly.