I truly love it when something new comes along, especially in horror. And I must say, I feel like Suffer the Night has definitely brought something new to the table. Let’s just jump right in to this one, I’m excited.
So, what is Suffer the Night?
Set in 1989, Suffer the Night is a first-person survival horror game, brought to us by developers Tainted Pact and published by Assemble Entertainment. You play as Stacey Linden, a horror illustrator (ultimate goals right there), alone in a secluded cabin. A violent storm rages outside. However, the storm isn’t the only thing to fear. An envelope containing a floppy disk slips through the letter box, soon followed by a strange figure asking to come in. It’s time to play the game on the floppy disk, or face the consequences.
The game within a game is a dungeon crawler, with dark scenarios and vivid descriptions of the horror within. But the horror doesn’t end there. Unfortunately, I can’t say any more without spoilers. And this is the kind of game you don’t want spoiled.
Suffer Mr Tops?
Mr Tops is the name of our strange antagonist in Suffer the Night. Honestly, his design feels like a cross between the Bababook and a Guy Fawkes mask. That being said, the dude is CREEPY. The voice acting is superb, and really adds to the sheer menace of the creature. Creature is the only descriptor that feels right for this guy. The inhuman way he moves is what solidifies that for me.
This game is also really nicely designed. The cabin itself comes across as comfortable, even in the storm. Honestly, I’d love to stay in a place like that. Minus Mr Tops, though. Stacey’s paintings are out on proud display, and the plays on names evoked by each painting and their purpose is god-tier. My favourite is the reference to Stephen King.
Suffer the Night also does the game within a game very well. Honestly, I’ve not seen it done this well in a long time. The game feels authentic, and despite being a simple dungeon crawler, it adds to the external atmosphere. Did that noise come from the game, or is there something behind you? But you must be careful. If Mr Tops interrupts your game, you need to address it. There WILL be consequences if you don’t.
Night Thoughts
I need to be completely honest here, friends. Suffer the Night really surprised me, in a great way. I didn’t fully know what to expect, especially with the game-within-a-game thing. The last game I played that featured that was awful. However, Tainted Pact did a really good job on this.
The story in general, while on the more simple side, is engaging. The atmosphere is tense, with a solid setting and a pretty cool main character. I swear I’m not biased thanks to her awesome horror art. Suffer the Night is a really worthwhile game to play.
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