Run and scream in this short horror
Lurk in the Dark is a free-to-play story-driven horror game from IDEA FRUITION. In this single-player first-person action entry, you play as Marcus Brown who wakes up in the Ruggles Family residence, which was the site of a gruesome incident in a tourist destination town.
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From the start, Lurk in the Dark gives some serious Resident Evil: Village vibes with a mix of From The Darkness. This short game is a prologue to the rest of the franchise, uncovering the secrets not only of the Ruggles' house but the entire town of Babels Hill Top.
A thrilling “intro” game
Although it serves as an introduction to a larger game franchise, Lurk in the Dark works surprisingly well. Expect to be left wanting for more as the game can be finished on an average of about 1 to 1.5 hours. It's heavily story-driven, although its ending is not as defined and as concrete as it should be. It leaves questions that lead to more materials beyond the game.
In terms of design, the environment really uses some unsettling imagery that helps keep you on the lookout whether there are enemies or not. There’s always limited lighting and there are details and objects that capture your attention, even from the edges of your vision. This makes the game scary and also exciting. Although the challenges are not that hard, the graphics will stall you at some parts.
As a prologue game, there are some shortcomings to it as well, although they are seen as teasers or previews of the rest of the franchise for the optimistic players. In the menu for example, there’s a subset for “Weapons,” although there’s currently no fighting mechanic available in the game. The game feels incomplete and lacking and you have to see the rest of the franchise to fully enjoy it.
Start and find the rest
Lurk in the Dark makes great work of introducing its franchise to a wider player base. It’s short, straightforward, and actually easy to finish. It can be done in less than an hour if the scare doesn’t freeze you in place, with impressive stage design and use of atmospheric elements. Of course, this is a prologue game, which means that the rest of the experience has to be found elsewhere.
