Kholat

+sound design, voice actors -boring, doesn't really have an ending, bad optimization, the anomaly's ai is stupid and annoying not scary Overall 4/10 not recommended

it only has mixed reviews because people don't want to big brain enough to learn how to use a map and compass. amazing game!!

Do you like to wander an empty abyss with no direction, understanding of controls, idea of what you are trying to do? If so, this is the game for you! Waste of time in my opinion, not sure why it got so many awards, ending is lack luster

KHOLAT is a 2015 Horror-Walking-Sim developed and published by Poland-based IMGN.PRO. Narratively, the game takes an artsy approach on the real life mystery known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident, the 1959 deaths of nine soviet hikers, that is still subject of many theories due to its inexplicable circumstances. We take control of a nameless protagonist who arrives in the town of Ivdel by train and immediately follow the tracks of said expedition, collecting notes all over the snowy and mountainous countryside around Kholat Syakhl. Soon, we begin to hear a strange voice inside our head who lures us towards an unknown fate as we are stalked and chased by malevolent, shadowy figures. Our only equipment in doing so is our compass and a map that doesn't show our current location, but marks every note we collect as well as important coordinates that are revealed throughout the game. Picking up a note or discovering a camp side (which allow you to fast travel) are also the only instances where the game actually makes a save, doubling their importance for the player. The fact that the map doesn't show your current location as well as the compass only carrying cyrillic letters (!) will definitely ward off some players who don't have the patience to deal with it, as it naturally makes navigation kind of the main enemy of the game. For myself, I can say I embraced it as it forced me to get out of my comfort zone and really bite on to this game. To get the elephant out of the room, KHOLAT isn't a game for everyone. Especially, it isn't a game for people who expect it to be a real hardcore horror game. KHOLAT is really more of a walking sim with a horror twist to spice things up a little. There are no real Jump Scares or depictions of blood and gore to shock the player. Instead, the game focuses on creating an eerie, unsettling atmosphere that focuses on isolation and a bit of existential dread. The atmosphere is one of the games greatest strengths, as it is perfectly supported by KHOLAT's amazing sound design as well as the harsh yet beautiful landscapes. It really is a game that makes it easy to create a bunch of wallpaper worthy screenshots, as nearly every location is hauntingly gorgeous in its design. And speaking of the sound design, the narration is provided by british actor Sean Bean, who really elevates the game with his presence. I still wonder how they got him to do this, but he really gives a lot more to his performance than one could expect. So far so good, but the game unfortunately has some flaws that I must mention and that ultimately stop it from becoming an atmospheric masterpiece. First of all, there are a few technical issues. During the games scripted sequences, I actually fell through the floor on two different occasions, ending my "No-Death-Run" in the worst possible way. On top of that, the game doesn't give you the ability to jump. It's not a big deal, but on at least two occasions you have to cross a small gap that requires you to simply run across. Being not able to jump, I was initially confused by this, as I thought the game didn't want me to progress at these points. Another point of criticism for me is the overall narrative. As much as I like certain parts and the narration itself, in the end I felt like they wanted too much and overdid it. The real life incident that got me interested in the game in the first place moves too far into the background as the game progresses. I personally would have preferred a bigger focus on the Dyatlov Pass Incident, maybe incorporating real notes, photographs, articles and so on... The story of the game DOES have some really interesting points, but stays on the surface of it all. In the end, I just didn't feeel satisfied with what I got in terms of information, despite reading all of the notes and getting the secret (real) ending. In the end, despite the games flaws, I can say that I had a fun time with KHOLAT. It isn't one of the high points of my gaming carrer, but it was enjoyable enough not to regret my time in the Ural Mountains. The game doesn't overstay it's welcome and it was rather easy to 100% it, even with the glitches described above. Also, a game that has me tab out and google " cyrillic compass" just to make sure I'm heading into the right direction really managed to achieve something and will stick in my memory for that moment alone. Addition: If you are on the fence about it and don't know wether to pick it up or not, wait for a sale. I picked it up during spring sale at a nice 90% discount.

It's an okay game but the map in the game would of been more useful if they show where you're really going and the save progress is used more often in the game cause it gets frustrating to go through all the trouble going to certain spots and then getting killed and sent back too far back to start over.