Title: Death Mark
Format: PS4
Price: USD 19.99
What makes a great game, and its universe compelling? Certainly, graphics can play a part in world-building. I still remember leaving Helgen for the first time in Skyrim and seeing the hold of Falkreath unfolding before me, it was breath taking, and that was pre-HDR. However, the resurgence of indie games, particularly those with retro-flair, has shown that gameplay can top visual spectacle. So, how about a game with only one static screen per location, with no animation to speak of, almost zero voice acting, and the game world being simply moving from one box in a map to another?
Or an edgy tattoo. You’ve lost your memory, could be a bad post-beer decision
Death Mark is a Japanese “visual novel,” a distinctly Japanese sub-genre of adventure game characterised by being text-heavy and animation-light; a 3D open world it is not. Each location is presented as a static screen. Some of these locations, after a major story event, may change, but this is a one time occurence and it is simply one screen replacing another. As characters speak, their avatar appears overlaid on the scene. Each character has two avatars, their “default” state and another representing stress or agitation. These are, of course, manga style, and well done, although not stretching the PS4 to its limits; this would be just as much at home on a Vita.
It wouldn’t be a Japanese videogame without one
Audio is also quite spartan. Locations are generally quiet, with perhaps a gust of wind, interspersed with the occasional ghostly moan. The sound landscape of the DLC is particularly effective, taking place inside a building with the insistent low patter of rain outside. The overall effect is to create a quiet tension, and of course jump scare moments are accompanied by appropriate sudden music. In particular, the “Live or Die” events (of which more below) are accompanied by a particularly energetic harpsichord number which ratchets up the tempo.
The characters have very specific opinions on things.
The game centres on the investigations of an amnesiac male protagonist, and chapter-specific companions. The central character is afflicted with the titular “death mark,” a scar which appears on people who have been in contact with spirits. Those with the mark will gradually lose their memories and then die. The central character does not remember his name, so you can name him. You also have some options regarding his appearance, although these are very limited: glasses and beard, glasses no beard, beard no glasses, or no glasses no beard. Bethesda has little to worry about in terms of competition for character customisation here.
For a giant mansion, everyone sure is fond of the lobby.
As the game starts, the protagonist finds himself outside a mansion without any memory of who he is nor why he came to the mansion, although its address is on a business card he finds in his pocket. Inside, he encounters a very well-informed animate doll (this is a Japanese game, after all) who quickly instructs him about the death mark, immediately prior to two additional characters arriving at the mansion, similarly bearing the scar, and also a story about a haunted kindergarten. The doll concludes resolving the ghostly grudge of the school spirit should result in the mark disappearing. The protagonist can then pick one of the two other “Mark Bearers” and head off to investigate.
Simultaneously a bizarre thing to say, and a reasonable conclusion under the circumstances
From here, the player must find clues to the nature of the ‘grudge,’ items which may be relevant to resolving it, and then confront the spirit, all before dawn when the mark will kill the characters. The spirit will usually intervene during the investigation prior to the final showdown, in ‘Live or Die’ challenges. Here, a question is posited and the player must choose from three potential answers. The player also has “soul power,” although this is in effect a timer rather than a James Brown inspired ability. You start with 1000 soul power, and once the first question is asked, it ticks down at a rapid rate. Select the correct answer, and you’re safe till the next question. The wrong answer will either steal 500 soul power, or kill you outright. If you run out of soul power, you’re also dead. Completing a Live or Die challenge will restore some soul power. There are also ‘old talisman’ artifacts hidden throughout each location which will restore some soul power.
A haunted classroom yesterday.
The final challenge will see the spirit appear some distance in front of you. It will approach for two rounds, attacking you in some way. You and your selected companion must choose from the items you have collected to fend off these attacks, the correct items being hinted at from the lore and clues collected along the way. These linkages are not obvious and, absent some luck, you’ll likely get killed trying out the options. The logic behind defeating each spirit often is not clear until after you’ve succeeded. That’s not to say this is frustrating, as it isn’t. It is part of the game design, and death is not a massive punishment, the game will then give you the option of trying the fight again, or going back a step and perhaps finding more things or more clues – or changing companion, which can sometimes impact how a spirit reacts. Often finding out the right combination and then realising why it defeats the spirit is part of understanding the mystery. There are also good and bad ways to end the grudges, which can affect the game ending.
Run away would seem to be one answer.
It is the story telling where the game really stands out. While each chapter deals with resolving a different spirit in a different place, there is an underlying story which ties the whole game together which is surprisingly complex. The limited scene portraits and manga-style avatars do not mean this is a cutesy game, quite the opposite, and the contrast is well handled. A short way into just the game introduction, a macabre image is suddenly flashed in which is unsettling precisely because it’s a horrible thing presented in a manga style. The background to some of the grudges is also disturbing, and on occasion the game does go to some very dark places.
You and me both.
There are some issues to address. Occasionally, the localisation is off, and some of the story telling does test willing suspension of disbelief by jumping straight to some assertions which are a bit much. It also has the most poorly designed save system I have ever seen. Going into the options and selecting save does not save! You have to select ‘record’ when at a haunted location, or occasionally in the mansion. This is not clear and caused me to have to redo the entire first chapter. The major problem, though, is that for some strange reason, the artist for some of the portraits decided to go full-on pervy. The over-sexualised images of women in dangerous situations might tickle the fancy of people with, uh, particular interests, but for me as just a fan of horror, I found it unnecessary.
This oddity aside, if you like the Japanese approach to story telling and so can jump quickly to accept some of the narrative points, it’s a very enjoyable mystery game with some dark secrets to tell. 7