Dementium: The Ward - updated impressions

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We stalk the halls of madness and live to tell the tale

Oct 12, 2007

Like us, your first thought when pondering Dementium: The Ward probably is "Can a horror game on the DS be scary?" A while back we gave ourinitial impressionsof the game, and recently we got some hands-on time with it. After wandering the halls of an asylum full of disturbing creatures, we can safely answer the question with "Yes, it's scary."

Right off the bat we noticed the feel of the controls. Your character moves very slowly - while we understand it's meant to give the game a more deliberate pace, it's also a bit plodding. Of course, you can run by double-tapping up on the d-pad, but this is more cumbersome than simply being able to move faster than a crippled zombie. However, on the other end of the spectrum is aiming and looking with the stylus. The motions are smooth, quick, and precise - you'll think you're sitting at your PC with a mouse. Not only does it help with the combat (you can make headshots when you want), but it really adds to the frantic feeling of whipping your head around to peer into closets or around corners, expecting some horror to leap out at you.

Matthew Keast
Matthew Keast
My new approach to play all games on Hard mode straight off the bat has proven satisfying. Sure there is some frustration, but I've decided it's the lesser of two evils when weighed against the boredom of easiness that Normal difficulty has become in the era of casual gaming.