Horror is an increasingly popular genre on the gaming market. Thrill seekers enjoy the rush of adrenaline through their veins while they kill or run from a wide variety of scary monsters. Kraven Manor is a terrifying horror game with an innovative approach.
The game starts upon your entry in the manor with the same name as the game has. This edifice will give you a spooky feeling that is very hard to shake off, especially because of the dim lighting and shadows which allow unknown dangers to hide at every corner. Like most of the games from this genre, your antagonist becomes increasingly more confident. So the deeper you get into the action, the more dangerous it gets.
The first surprise I had while playing the game was that its graphics are pretty cool. Since Kraven Manor takes up less than 1 GB of hard disk space, I really wasn't expecting that. The atmosphere is also nicely created especially through the lighting in the rooms and hallways that you explore, but the high-quality sounds also add to the general feeling of anxiety.
There are two aspects about Kraven Manor that make the game stand out from its peers. First off, in most games you feel safe when there is no one nearby, but here it's the exact opposite. Let me clarify: the thing that you will be scared of throughout the game is a bronze statue that stays perfectly frozen while you look at it, but as soon as you turn away, it moves. Factor in the fact that your flashlight batteries will run out after a while and you will see why this is so scary.
The second interesting element is that while you explore the house, you find miniature models of the rooms. Placing them on the house model in the big hall moves the rooms of the actual game in a way that matches the layout that you have chosen. Basically, you have the possibility to rearrange the playing field as you see fit.
Unfortunately, Kraven Manor also has several disadvantages. For starters, the game is rather short and can be finished after just an hour of the gameplay. Secondly, the story isn't explained or fully explored and players end up with a lot questions even after they finish the game. Lastly, the puzzles are rather simple and there is little to gain from rearranging the room so this game-changing feature feels wasted.
From my perspective, despite its flaws, Kraven Manor is a fun game worth playing. If you like exploring creepy environments and love being scared, then you really shouldn't pass up on this title.
Mall Creeps
