‘Fear the Spotlight’ Wraps Two Engaging Stories in a Mildly Terrifying Package (Review)

Has there ever been a game that looks like it was made just for you? That’s exactly how I felt when I saw the retro stylings of Fear the Spotlight. As the debut indie title for Blumhouse Games, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was a thoughtful, well-planned horror game that may not have been as scary as I expected. But, it surprised me in many other ways.

The Story Matches the Beautiful Visuals of ‘Fear the Spotlight’

While the retro stylings of Fear the Spotlight may not be for everyone, I found them to be incredibly charming and beautiful. With a plethora of adjustable options to fine-tune them to my exact specifications, I had Fear the Spotlight look like a dream come to life. I also appreciated the “Retro” and 60FPS options that were available to make things feel even more like a lost PlayStation 1 classic.

Hand in hand with the classic style is a tale as old as time. Two outcasts from Sunnyside High, Vivian and Amy, have decided to sneak into the school after hours. With an occult-themed display set up in the library, what better time to experiment with the Spirit Board that waits for them? As one could expect, everything goes wrong, and I found myself in control of Vivian on the search for her friend.

Without spoiling anything for those interested, Fear the Spotlight highlights the budding friendship of Amy and Vivian extremely well. The dialogue, while sometimes cringeworthy, is exactly what we would have sounded like back when we were 17. High School was the most terrifying place for many of us, and the team at Cozy Game Pals did a fantastic job of making it haunting in all the right ways.

While Chapter 1 of this story isn’t particularly terrifying, the unlockable second chapter is where the thrills and chills begin to ramp up. Thanks to the way Fear the Spotlight utilizes the atmosphere of this second story, it genuinely enhances the overall fright meter from mild to medium.

A Great Use of Silence Makes the Moody Environments More Terrifying Than They Are

It’s still not the most terrifying game you’ll play this year, but some genuinely spooky moments push it into the hypothetical spotlight. A few moments in Chapter 2 had me gasping from the shock, and the overall spooky vibe is a delight to experience.

Fear the Spotlight is a very moody game. The atmosphere is tense and dramatic, filled with long periods of terrifying silence that make every encounter all the more jarring. As I roamed the halls of the school with only the pitter-patter of my shoes hitting the floor, I was always worried when something would try to come at me next.

Being alone is bad enough, but hearing the shuffling of feet just out of the line of sight was even more terrifying. Fear the Spotlight doesn’t feature any combat, and it’s better for it. I had to plan every step carefully to avoid being captured by the creatures exploring beside me.

A particularly tense moment had me working in a Computer Lab. While trying to stay out of sight of the titular Spotlight, it left a wave of fire behind with every step. I had to employ my greatest stealth techniques to continue working through this puzzle with no way to defend myself. It was just me versus the machine, and it was thrilling.

‘Fear the Spotlight’ Has Some of My Favorite Horror Puzzles Ever and A Great Pace To Match

Fear the Spotlight shines the brightest when it comes to the creative puzzles that were thrown my way. The amount of interactivity with all of the different pieces was astonishing. It made each of the puzzles much more interesting to interact with. As simple as it is, having to put a handle back onto a pipe and then physically turn it myself made it stand out much more in my mind. It wasn’t just a simple button press. I had to interact with everything to make sure I could move ahead.

This interactivity was a huge part of my enjoyment of Fear the Spotlight. Every puzzle felt unique, with both chapters featuring vastly different options from the prior. Pulling out nails from a board while a creature stalks you from the distance is much more pulse-pounding than anticipated.

I have to shout out the way the game manages health. Vivian, being the bookworm she is, uses an inhaler to get her health back. As an asthmatic myself, I loved this particular part of it. Health is also few and far between, so I had to make sure I was always playing smart and not rushing into things.

Progression is also incredibly nice in Fear the Spotlight. Rather than spread everything out across the area? Each puzzle is dedicated to a specific location. It may spread across three or four rooms, but I never had to run a marathon to find an object. The breezy pace kept the story moving and kept me engaged throughout its admittedly short runtime.

A Short but Sweet Journey

Fear the Spotlight can be finished in one sitting. But, a worthwhile plot and fantastic visual design make up for it. It’s the type of game that lingers in your mind for days after completing it. Fear the Spotlight isn’t a terrifying game by any means. It is, however, a great way to introduce someone to the horror genre with a visually interesting debut.

The story that unfolded before my eyes was generally fantastic. The stunning atmosphere came to life with surgical precision. It was a surprisingly refreshing take on horror, all things considered. There were no cheap jumpscares intended to make me scream. Instead, it played with my mind to make me freak out, even when things weren’t intentionally scary.

Verdict: Recommended

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Fear the Spotlight is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5.