Recent reviews by Faisal Hemorrhoids

---

I recently had the opportunity to dive into "Surrounded," a chilling horror game developed by Nightmare Studios. Even in its Early Access stage, this game promises an enthralling and bone-chilling experience. With the chance to explore the haunting world of Echofield, I embarked on a journey filled with darkness, monsters, and eerie secrets. In this review, I'll provide you with a comprehensive look at the game, sprinkled with my personal observations and constructive feedback. This review is written from approximately 3-4 hours of gameplay, with 2 players. And a couple of minutes testing in Singleplayer.

In "Surrounded," you'll find yourself in the forsaken town of Echofield, an atmospheric setting with a plethora of locations to explore. The primary goal is to locate and insert 8 fuses to restore power to the ailing Powerstation, all while being relentlessly pursued by menacing monsters. In multiplayer mode, "The Clown" as I like to call it (or formally named "The Stalker") singles out one player at a time, adding a tense layer to the experience.

The overarching objective is to confront "The Mother," the mastermind behind the other monsters, deep within RDUM Lab. Upon repairing the Powerstation, you must activate three randomly scattered generators. Finally, acquiring the Keycard from the Old Mine near RDUM Labs will grant you access to confront "The Mother" and put an end to this nightmare. Victory awaits through Gate C, but the path is laden with frights along the way.

My exploration of "Surrounded" revealed some noteworthy issues that deserve attention. Though all of these are minor issues for the sake of just nit picking, none are game-breaking bugs. Most of these are in Multiplayer, and shouldn't make the game boring or frustrating. But multiplayer could use some enhancements:

• Players can't hear each others cough in multiplayer. (Minor)
  
• Most ambient sounds are only audible to the host (or one player it seems) in multiplayer. (Could lead to confusion in MP)
  
• Footstep sounds from other players are inaudible to others in multiplayer. (Minor)
  
• The Stalkers voice mimicry could be tweaked a small amount to make it an even more bone-chilling experience. (Minor)

• "The Stalker" seems to be visible to multiple players simultaneously in multiplayer. (Intended only for one player at a time, but may appear for all players) (Minor)
  
• Visual inconsistencies with "The Stalker's" disappearance. Only the player not actively seeing him will see the disappearing effect, and sometimes it's bugged out and doesn't disappear at all over a certain amount of time. (It just stands in the open not doing anything, but only one player can see this) (Minor)
  
• Reports of a monster spawning on the roof of Echofield Farm, which doesn't engage with players (not personally confirmed, but the person I tested the game with did spot this). (Noteworthy because it doesn't chase after you and just stays there making noise)
  
• In multiplayer, players can't see each other's flashlights. (Noteworthy for better cooperation)

• Frequent issues with getting stuck in trees and rocks when running from monsters (both single player and multiplayer). (Important to fix)
  
• When reviving other players, they might have the occasional chance to get super speed granted by the gamegods (Apparently this has just been fixed upon mentioning this to the game dev but I haven't tested this yet)
  
• The "You are being watched" triggered by one of the bigger monsters are way to sensitive, and should be tweaked down a bit when hiding behind rocks or trees. (Most of time time the player can't see the monster before it has seen you)
  
• Firework doesn't work on a few monsters (For example the huge centipede. Unsure if this is meant to be or not)
  
• The small babies roaming around inside buildings have a tendency to block off exits and entrances (specially in the police station and in the mines) making it impossible to pass them. Often they never move so the only option is to walk into them and respawn to get out. (Maybe add a weapon of some sort to hit them/scare them away)

• Reviving other players took some time understanding, as there is no UI element visible to other players that you can revive them (But you need to get close and hold "F" to start reviving)
  
• When turning on generators, the progress of starting them doesn't get saved, so because it takes some time to start them accidentally dropping the key or running away is a bit frustrating when you have to repeatedly do this.

---

"The Stalker's" voice mimicry adds an eerie touch to the game, although it might need a bit of tweaking to make it more unsettling. The whispered phrases, such as "Over there! Maybe that's something I can use," could be clearer or distinct. Furthermore, it would enhance the experience if all in-game sounds were cross-hearable among players, intensifying the feeling of shared terror.

I wholeheartedly recommend "Surrounded." Despite the minor bugs and tweaks that need attention, the game's potential shines through. Its engaging gameplay, intriguing story-line, and the dedication of the development team make it a promising venture into the horror genre. The ability to play solo or with friends adds versatility to the experience, catering to various player preferences.

Nightmare Studios, with conversations led by Patrick, was highly responsive and committed to addressing these issues. Not every issue in this review has been personally mentioned to him, so the review still stands as a honest review of the game with it's ups and downs.

"Surrounded" offers an atmospheric and spine-tingling horror adventure set in the chilling Echofield. I'm excited to see how Nightmare Studios continues to develop this game and polish its rough edges. As an Early Access title, it shows tremendous potential and is well worth your time, especially if you're a horror aficionado. Dive in, embrace the darkness, and prepare to face your fears.

---

Thanks Patrick, and Nightmare Studios for letting me test out the game in Early Access. I wish them best of luck forwards with developing, and will visit the game again for later updates and even update the review with more information.

This review was based from gameplay done Friday the 13th at 8PM GMT+2 time, and the game was given to me for free by the game developers.