Go Home Annie establishes a uniquely captivating atmosphere from the outset. This psychological horror game effectively blends a compelling narrative with atmospheric design, distinguishing it within the genre. The core gameplay of Go Home Annie revolves around puzzle-solving and exploration. The premise is distinctive, and the game maintains an intriguing mystery throughout.
Go Home Annie incorporates numerous elements that contribute to its appeal. The puzzles are well-designed and varied, while the music and environments are both engaging and stimulating. The graphics are adequate, particularly when considering that this is not a AAA game with an extensive budget.
A notable drawback of Go Home Annie lies in certain perplexing design choices that detract from the overall experience. Early in the game, the player is tasked with breaking into a house. While the primary door is inaccessible, the surrounding area contains numerous tools, such as hammers and axes, that would logically facilitate forced entry. However, these tools are non-interactive, with the exception of a small knife used to open a box containing a video camera and a tape.
The video camera allows the player to perceive and materialize alternative realities. This mechanic ultimately provides access to a crowbar, enabling entry into the house. It remains unclear whether the initial limitations regarding tool usage were a deliberate design choice intended to frustrate the player, or simply an oversight. Upon entering the house, the core gameplay loop commences, with puzzles requiring the player to observe events through the video camera to unlock subsequent areas.
The puzzles themselves are often inventive, requiring some time to fully grasp. However, another significant issue arose during gameplay. Despite considerable effort, the method for de-equipping the video camera remained elusive. Extensive research, including forum searches and video analysis, proved unsuccessful. The persistent camera view occupies a substantial portion of the screen and becomes distracting when not actively in use. While a solution likely exists, it was not readily apparent.
Go Home Annie was tested on a PC exceeding the recommended specifications of 16 GB RAM and an Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics card (or equivalent). The game performed flawlessly, with no noticeable bugs. While controller support is present, the precision required for certain interactions made mouse and keyboard the preferred input method.
In conclusion, Go Home Annie offers an intriguing and occasionally unsettling experience, but is marred by certain design flaws that negatively impact the overall impression.
Nordcurrent Labs provided a review code for this evaluation. Provision of material does not influence editorial objectivity.
