SCP Blackout , Survival "Horror" in VR and Monitor
3Disclosure: This game copy was bought by the reviewer.
I managed to play the game in both versions, VR has some major frame rate drops and control issues (was played using the HTC Vive) while the standard mode runs much better with the only noticeable problems tied to some interactive prompts not activating properly. For both versions, the AI has some extremely questionable behavior, leading to excessive camping of choke points, ignoring you completely even when in earshot (Collector in general has ended chasing me, becoming passive steps from me, then chasing again for no discernible reason), and even failing to activate if seen/in distance (specifically the Glass woman and pumpkin).
The current content is the survival mode runs that can be accomplished in four different difficulties, each offering their own secrets. I completed the runs for easy and medium with several close attempts on Blackout (the difficulty seen in the video) and averaged about 20 minutes on the previous victories. The bulk of the content boils down to activating certain protocols to unlock secret achievements and discover some of the SCP's information files. Since they are all unique to the game (based on the developer's input, never looked into SCP), the player will need to figure out each quirk to successfully bypass each monster. The only two enemies that pose any threat are the Collectors (had cases of three spawning on me) and a little doll in the Sublab area with the rest acting more like roadblocks to add to the relatively short experience.
I won't be going into the visuals (they look fine, but getting asset dump vibes looking at them), but the sound quality could use an overhaul, especially with the volume levels on monsters. Their movements and high pitched intro sounds make the game a startle fest at best. While I am easily scared, I found the environments easily exploitable and the aspect of fear tied more to the threat of needing to restart from scratch over any tension. The voice acting doesn't help much as it, introducing an obvious villain over your radio that deflates any of the stakes.
For $20, I wouldn't jump into it. As someone with no interest in SCP, I found the secrets optional over the true motive of escape. Even after an hour of testing the routine needed to get the final key card (and another hour figuring out easy is different from medium, so you can't enter the lab), I was able to mimick the steps and finish a single escape in 25 minutes on medium. Achievement hunters will find more value here in the plethora of undisclosed achievements to unlock, but until the story mode gets released sometime in the future, I can't recommend it.