This game is FREAKY!
When the first rumble came in, it scared me.
When the I first realized the glowsticks actually will go out, I shivered.
And when I tried to exit via the ladder and the game wouldn't let me (presumably because I hadn't gotten all the data?), and sent a chorus of demonic whispers into my ear, I got chills!
Overall a very cohesive, polished experience with incredible atmosphere.
Since this was so well made, I am going to give a bit more stringent criticism as well - all in the spirit of improvement.
First, remember "show don't tell". I was having a genuinely horrifying cosmic experience - confronting my basic fear of the dark unknown - that the characters in the game were supposed to be having, too. But they didn't seem freaked out at all. It was only on tape four that anyone even mentioned leaving. He finally sounded a little scared, but the voice acting didn't quite convince me - although it was well-delivered and recorded. Maybe a change of scenery - the woods with coyotes out? Actually get them scared.
And, write more than you record. Build up the backstory and lore of the deep, way beyond what's on the tapes. "There's something ancient here" feels like checking a cosmic horror box off. I'm not interested in learning more, because I don't believe there is more there. "We disturbed a pile of rocks, and found some bones and strange carved ruins underneath" - ok, what is that? What is that? I want to know, even though I don't.
Finally, narrow your scope a bit. There is one cot that has an untextured body on it. That really took me away from the game. I get that you were turning up the horror, with the bloodstains and the progressively worsening situation on the audio logs, and probably just ran out of time. But it would have been better with no body.
One other note. I think level design is key for this, obviously, with the (very unique & engaging) glow stick mechanic. There were a couple sneaky intersections that threw me for a loop, and one secret overlook of an encampment. A lot of the other areas were just copy-pasted tunnels. You had to add a proximity light, undercutting the glowstick mechanic, to help navigate it. Better level design, that guides your eyes and movement towards certain key landmarks and subtly away from the secret (in a telling way), would elevate the experience immensely.
Again, this is a great game and my criticism is only intended to help. Well done.
