Affected

As many gamers can tell you, it doesn’t take much to get spooked in a video game, especially if the atmosphere is pressing enough at all times. However, many horror games fail to connect with the players in a meaningful way, probably because it’s pretty difficult for them to visualize the events that unfold on the screen. Thanks to virtual reality headsets, on the other hand, that may not be a problem anymore.

Affected is a horror experience that aims to scare you as much as possible, while ignoring everything else in the process. Thus, you do not have to keep up with thick plot lines, solve difficult puzzles or try to figure out what it all means at the end. Instead, the whole game is about exploring creepy locations and doing your best to keep your pants dry all the way through.

Obviously, the virtual reality technology is the ingredient that makes everything better, because the game would not make too much sense otherwise. Once the headset is in place and you find yourself literally standing in an abandoned hospital, things get spooky in rush. Jump scares are the main gameplay ingredient, and it really doesn’t matter whether you expect them or not.

As mentioned before, there are three different locations to choose from: an asylum, a manor and a carnival. They each feature different experiences, as well as multiple jump scares and awful visions to fuel your nightmares. However, they are not really connected, so it’s more like you deal with a new experience whenever you change the level.

The graphics are not particularly impressive, especially not when it comes to textures and effects, but the level design is certainly special. You really feel like each room or area is a real place somewhere, although that’s probably because of the VR as well. Speaking of which, the experience can get you a bit dizzy, especially since you have to move using either a keyboard or a gamepad.

Affected gets the most out of your VR headset, and it’s quite capable to give you a few nightmare as well. However, it would have been nice to see some sort of story, or at least a bit of interaction with the environment.