Occultus is a Decent Way to Spend Time! – Occultus Review

I was hesitant to purchase this game outright, especially with a lack of a free trial and the consistently poor reviews of most of this developer's games. However, I am glad I took a chance on purchasing it, attributing this decision to the affordable discounted price of $2.99. This is not a hand-holding game; it takes some effort and patience to find your way around until you get used to how the game is executed. Therefore, the story can move along slowly depending on how experienced a player you are. I like that I get to play from a male's perspective, which is a rare occurrence. The expected basic components are there: custom settings; labeled and interactive inventory; journal to read story progression; and a teleporting map with available tasks. The mechanics, although not glitchy, are not as fluid as other developer's games; there's an outdated presentation and feel--mainly the transparent choppiness while collecting and applying inventory items, as well as during the HOSs. The HOSs are straight word lists with scant interaction; scenes are revisited. I appreciate the challenging gameplay, as one must apply critical-thinking skills to advance. The shift back and forth between day and night avoids dullness, especially since you will perform varying tasks within each alteration. You will need to decipher collected clues from your Journal to solve puzzles. The varied puzzles range from medium to difficult in challenge; they take some time to work out, which I appreciate. For you collectible lovers, you will be disappointed; there are none to amuse yourself with. That is if you do not include a particular inventory set that you collect as you progress in the game. All-in-all, I am enjoying this game. It does not deliver any pioneering creativity to knock my socks off; but, it is still worth the lower price. My true rating of 3.5 stars is bumped up to 4 stars because I love games that encourage me to use my cerebrum, as opposed to playing in "auto-pilot" mode (perform tasks mindlessly), which typifies most hidden object adventures. However, I am not enticed enough to suggest this game if the purchase price is listed at the usual $4.99, especially without the opportunities to play both a free trial and a bonus chapter.
Review by KimTwilight69 on Occultus.