Decarnation review: Psychedelic horror dances on your mind
Decarnation is a beautifully haunting Psychological horror game that fans of the genre ought to give a go. Here are our thoughts on the pixel horror game.
Decarnation is overall a fantastic game, albeit quite a slow burn. It plays more like a visual novel rather than a hands-on experience, but it is still a game worth digging into for horror fans. However, some topics are really hard to process, and if you aren't in the right headspace, then this may be a game to avoid.
Images via Atelier QDB
Platform(s)
PC, Nintendo Switch
Released
31/05/2023
Developer
Atelier QDB
Publisher
Shiro Games, East2West Games
Decarnation is an experience that I wasn’t expecting when I began my journey. With visuals that offer a unique pixel art style, it may seem counterintuitive to a horror title, but as I carried on further through the game, it complimented the dark and twisted story beautifully.
Decarnation is a game worth playing, for the music and art style alone. However, it’s not an easy one to push through, either. Keep reading to learn our full thoughts in our Decarnation review.
GGRecon Verdict
Decarnation is overall a fantastic game, albeit quite a slow burn. It plays more like a visual novel rather than a hands-on experience, but it is still a game worth digging into for horror fans. However, some topics are really hard to process, and if you aren't in the right headspace, then this may be a game to avoid.
Heavy topics ahead
The game starts in a slow-burn fashion; you play as Gloria, a queer woman living in Paris in 1990, making a living as a Cabaret Dancer. However, her life begins to go downhill rather quickly, with it all beginning with a Bronze Statue she has made of her appearing in a museum.
From there, her life spirals with relationship woes, toxic family dynamics, and even a kidnapping by a mystery antagonist.
As with many psychological horror titles, Decarnation carries plenty of heavy themes throughout its runtime. While it does offer a content warning and the outset, highlighting some of the themes it touches on, it’s likely to be too heavy a weight to bear for many.
In some instances, these topics are required to be acted out by the game’s protagonist, which is more gutwrenching than just watching a cutscene. I found myself having to take breaks frequently when playing Decarnation.
Body horror and metaphors
Despite its unsettling premise, Decarnation leans heavily on body horror rather than pure jump scares, in a way that was fascinating throughout. There are shocking moments, sure - but for the most part, the game’s sense of discomfort comes from sound design.
For example, a baby crying from a dark hallway is a great example of Decarnation’s ability to throw the player off guard.
Gloria has nightmares night after night, and each is heartbreaking, unlocking more of her backstory and psyche. They serve to make comments on the impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships.
In Silent Hill-esque fashion, Decarnation’s body horror is metaphorical. Its twisted limbs point back to Gloria’s difficult upbringing, crumbling self-image, and difficult relationships.
Phantasmagorical puzzles
Decarnation pulls in plenty of puzzles to complete, too, and while one chess-themed one did stump me for a period, I grew to appreciate how well the puzzles felt integrated into the atmosphere of the rest of the game.
Some horror titles tend to drop puzzles that feel only tangentially connected to the game, but Decarnation’s never felt like it strayed from being a believable part of Gloria’s story. That’s particularly impressive when factoring in a rhythm game that made several appearances throughout. It was so wholly unexpected, yet it fits the story and gameplay so well.
Much of Decarnation is more stripped back, however, with players watching events unfold and occasionally playing through them. This gives it an almost visual novel quality, but it is the best way to tell its story.
The verdict
Decarnation is an impressive journey through a difficult lens of strife and toxicity, and despite its more passive gameplay, is an easy recommendation for psychological horror fans.
Its topics are handled well, and given enough room to breathe that there’s reverence paid to each, while not overwhelming the player.
4/5
Reviewed on PC. Code provided by PR.
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